BBC Radio 1's Portal
Client
BBC
Year
2024 - ongoing
Category
A branded virtual space developed for BBC Radio 1’s Portal events — first hosted by Jack Saunders and featuring live performances broadcast from Maida Vale Studios. These events were streamed live on Radio 1 and made simultaneously accessible via mobile and web, allowing fans to attend virtually in real time.
The experience was built with ultra-optimization at its core to ensure smooth performance on older devices and mobile browsers, making it accessible to Radio 1’s wide and varied audience. We worked closely with multiple BBC teams — including branding, technical, and production — in a fast-paced, iterative process. The space was designed to be flexible, allowing for ongoing updates to match different artists' styles and keep up with evolving platform capabilities.
The successful launch of the Portal events demonstrated the potential for accessible, real-time virtual broadcasts within a tightly branded environment. Audience feedback was positive, and the project offered valuable insight into designing scalable, performance-optimized virtual spaces for mainstream media. It served as a key R&D milestone for exploring future interactive formats at the BBC, influencing internal thinking around digital events and audience engagement.
