SAAMBR website has brains and beauty

How does one create a site that encompasses a family oriented tourist attraction, an environmental organisation and a scientific institute? Flow had to find an answer to this question when it created the new website for the South African Association for Marine Biological Research (SAAMBR) and its partners, uShaka Sea World and the Oceanographic Research Institute (ORI).

Project manager Christine Marot says: “Our brief was to create a cutting-edge website that would perform two main functions. First, the new site had to incorporate the organisation’s three divisions – SAAMBR, ORI and uShaka Sea World – which previously had independent websites, and second, it had to reflect the primary aims of the organisation: inspiration, conservation and education.” All aspects have been integrated into the site’s design, content and architecture.

Like the attraction itself, the uShaka Sea World site is visually and intellectually stimulating. The aesthetic appeal makes the abundance of information a pleasure to absorb and the site is easy to navigate. Whether you would like to learn about the different phyla of invertebrates or find out when you can watch a dolphin show, the SAAMBR site is a pleasure to explore.

The design of the site is beautiful and original and without a doubt fulfils the need to inspire. Designer Lorraine Gumede says: “I was enthusiastic about working on the uShaka Sea World website and taking the design to the next level. The new design required creativity, sourcing the right images and a user-friendly approach. It was a lot of hard work but I’m delighted with the outcome and collaborative process between the designers, developers and writers.”

Christine says: “Landing the SAAMBR website redesign was a dream come true for Flow, since this is a client we have long admired and wished to collaborate with.”

The association has been a part of Durban for 60 years and is involved in cutting-edge research and environmental conservation. uShaka Sea World is a fascinating place – it is the largest aquarium in Africa, and is home to the largest bottlenose dolphin and the oldest seal. It is impossible not to be inspired by such an exciting client, and the enthusiasm that all those involved had for the project shows on every page.

Klaus Alusa, one of the developers involved in creating the site, says: “Lorraine did a commendable job on the design; her ideas made the uShaka Sea World project exciting but challenging to work on. Through it all we’ve learned new techniques to implement cutting-edge design like this. I appreciate the opportunity to have been part of the project. Thank you.”

Darren Caboz, another developer who worked on the SAAMBR site, says: “There is something very special about our oceans. Working on the uShaka Sea World site was a real treat. A big thanks to everyone who worked on the site for all the effort they put in. The experience I gained from building the site and the content within it is extremely valuable and invigorating. The team did an excellent job and the uShaka Sea World site looks superb.”

The help of many Flowstars was enlisted, but the final result is well worth all the hours of hard work and passion. Those who worked on the project were challenged and stimulated by it, and are very proud of the final product. The site is stunning and stays true to SAAMBR’s scientific credibility.

Christine says that the site “has been well received by internal and external SAAMBR stakeholders”, while SAAMBR chief executive officer Judy Mann says: “I love the new site”.