PROJECT
BBC CIVILISATIONS

STUDIO
NEXUS STUDIOS

ROLE
LEAD DESIGNER

CONTRIBUTION
DESIGN DIRECTION
PRODUCT VISION
VISUAL IDENTITY

YEAR
2017

INDUSTRY
MEDIA / ENTERTAINMENT

BBC Civilisations stood as a landmark show in the 1970s, marking a significant milestone as one of the first to be broadcast in the UK in colour and groundbreaking in its format. BBC Two is relaunching it using a cutting-edge narrative to support the new show and further explore the richness of the world’s artistic and cultural history.

01.

Background

Create a showcase experience in the form of an augmented reality product to partner with the TV show, which can be a destination for audiences wishing to further explore the themes and content in each episode. People should come away from the AR experience feeling that they have learned something and can relate in some capacity to the content they explored, just as the original show achieved. The viewing of AR beyond its initial fascination can soon feel lifeless and cold. This may be fine if we wish to pursue a more analytical approach to the artefacts, but this would be a shame for this series. AR offers an exciting 21st-century way of discovering and learning and we should present the content of the product in the same smart way Civilisation presented to the audience. This means presenting in a way that creates atmosphere, gives artefacts gravitas, and makes sure the stories shine through to life and do not lose sight of their significance — the reason it’s part of the show. Viewing and interacting with the artefact is at the heart of this experience. The goal is to make the exploration and surfacing of information an intuitive and holistic experience, presenting the object, and discovering its story and its significance culturally.

02.

Approach

The product is about viewing artefacts in a way not possible before. This is where the heart of the experience resides. How a user is presented to, engages with and consequently feels afterwards, should be considered the most important aspect of what this product aims to achieve. The viewer should enjoy the AR experience and marvel at these rare and significant artefacts. Part of Civilisation’s popularity was that it guided viewers, providing knowledge and context to help a wider audience appreciate art and culture and therefore take on a greater significance.

03.

Outcome

The design vision for the product is a winner for the open request for proposal (RFP) brief published on the BBC website. The app was released in 2018 and featured on many news outlets such as stuff.tv, itsnicethat.com, bbc.co.uk, bbc.com, lovelymobile.newsand pocket-lint.com. You can check the updated version of the app on the Nexus Studios website. 

Won the RFP

The product vision and concept won the open request for proposal (RFP).

App of the Day

Awarded App of the Day at Apple App Store.

40+

Historic artefacts from across the globe.

The exploration of the visual culture of societies from around the globe, reveals alongside the magnificent objects made in the West the wealth of treasures created by other cultures, from the landscape scrolls of classical China and the sculpture of the Olmecs to African bronzes, Japanese prints and Mughal miniatures. AR is a great way to bring realistic-looking objects from museum partners across the country into the homes and personal spaces of the audience ●

Credits
Samuel Viani ⸺ Lead Designer

Alex Jenkins ⸺ Creative Director
Camille Theveniau ⸺ Senior UX Designer
Colin Favis ⸺ Executive Producer
Silvio Paganini ⸺ Technical Director
William Chak ⸺ Senior UX Designer

Duration
2 weeks

Studio
Nexus Studios

GUITARTUNA

VERIZON 5G

JIOHOME

CAMPFIRE

MITSUBISHI MOTORS

FUTURELEARN

NATURKLANG

MOBILET

SAINSBURY'S

ETIHAD AIRWAYS

RS CONNECT

MAZDA

IQOS

O2 PRIORITY

ARMANI

SWIMS

NIKE

WIZARDING WORLD

THE TELEGRAPH FILM

NICKELODEON