Bringing climate stories to life through a virtual gallery

Faces of Climate Change runs an annual photography project that visualises the global impact of climate change through compelling imagery. The project invites submissions from artists around the world, ultimately selecting the their top 100 photo stories which are divided into four curated categories.

They approached Production bureau with the ambition of creating a powerful virtual gallery - a digital space that would allow visitors to freely explore the photographs, discover more about the artist and the stories behind each image.

Following the initial briefing, we knew we needed to create an immersive experience that did justice to the emotional and visual power of the photography, while staying true to the Faces of Climate Change brand identity.

Rather than using a standard 360-degree virtual tour with fixed navigation points, we proposed a more interactive and intuitive free-roam format. Using our advanced virtual tour software, we developed a 3D virtual art gallery that was modern, minimalist, and designed to put the photography front and centre.

The gallery was divided into the four categories of the competition:

• Faces of the Bold
• Faces of the Brave
• Faces of the Past, Present and Future
• Faces of the Unheard

Each space varied in size based on the number of submissions. Visitors begin their journey in a central lobby, from which they can choose which category gallery to enter and explore.

Given the scale and complexity of the experience, one of the key technical considerations was balancing high visual quality with fast and seamless loading performance.

The result is an immersive virtual gallery that offers a user-friendly and engaging experience that’s the virtual equivalent to walking through a physical photography exhibition. Visitors can navigate the gallery freely, as if exploring a 3D game environment, selecting images to view in greater detail and read about the photographers behind them.

The experience launches directly from the Faces of Climate Change website via a standard web browser, with intuitive controls and no need for additional downloads or software.

This project was a true collaboration, balancing both creative detail and the required delivery timescales. We're proud to say our Digital team met the challenge and exceeded expectations.

What to read more about Faces of Climate Change? https://www.facesofclimatechange.co.uk/