Planet IMPAKT
IMPAKT Web Portal
The web portal is IMPAKT’s proprietary point of entry for all digital events. The portal is usually passcode protected– codes can be provided upon purchase, or reservation of a ticket. On the one hand, this allows tickets to be sold (or at least kept track of, for events with limited attendance). On the other hand, it is also a centralized point of access that allows us to contextualize the event: talks with artists are supplemented by links to their website and examples of their work; panel discussions can be placed alongside commissions and other related projects.
The portal navigation is designed to mimic an elevator: The visitor enters on the ‘ground floor’, where the stream video player and chat box are. They are given the option to journey through the different floors (each of which holds additional information relating to the event). On the top floor they can find the rooftop bar: an active zoom call where they can meet with the bar host, Andrej, who is available to provide technical support, updated program information, or happy to just chat.
The discussion of the portal design necessarily follows from design decisions made for the festival. I would recommend reading the section about the festival for more in depth info relating to that. However, the portal is also used to access other digital events throughout the year.
1. Keep it Simple
Always the point of access for IMPAKT events. Before, events were streamed to various sites (Youtube etc). This lead to divided publics, and less interaction between attendees.
3. Cultivate Collectivity
The simple design is also in service of streamlining the attention towards the live stream. Having digital and physical attendees pay attention simultaneously is what ensures an active discussion during the event and promotes a greater feeling of collectivity.
The additional materials provide contextualisation that would otherwise only be available by being in a physical space, such as an exhibition hall.
Rooftop bar is a place for aftertalks, continuation of discussion past the allotted livestream time.
4. Create Comfort
The elevator design of the portal pages was a choice to mimic the experience of navigating a building as closely as possible. Using this kind of mimicry mirrors what an on-site guest would experience in the physical exhibition hall. Compartmentalising the information according to this elevator metaphor helps to contextualise the material.