Beta Technologies was chosen to build the Central Stage of Second Life’s 2006 Convention, the SLCC.

We presented a proposal for a cyberpunk building, with very distinctive characteristics. We searched for an organic feel, but also for a very marked technological look, thus the TechnoFlower.

The building resulted in a very large, open, aerial structure, centered in the intersection of four sims. We deliberately chose a metallic feel for the petals, also a rectillinear, ‘blade’ feel – and for contrast, we set a net of vein-like structures. As we believe that a true artistic object must take advantage and make reference to the media in which it is set, we used some of SL’s possibilities in terms of scripting to actually make the Flower ‘live’. Thus, some of the veins did indeed throb.

At the centre of this, we set a floating ‘stem’ to hold the screens for video projection. Also we implemented a very simple repeater system to compensate the fact that the building, as asked, is indeed larger than the chat radius.

The centre of the build is a huge poliedric structure, an organic crystal. This raises from the ground, sustaining the whole Flower, and opens to make the central stage.

Thus, a large gallery was created at the base of the building. We deliberately created no flooring whatsoever, and let the flower stem out from the natural ground.

This huge gallery was created to allow room for eventual exhibitions. Confining the gallery, we repeated huge brutalist, ‘fungal concrete’ pillars, intersected with veins. The placing of the pillars, instead of a more defined wall, allows the outer space to flow in to the gallery, and therefore link this inner space to the rest of the convention space.

After a bit of deliberation, the TechnoFlower is still on its place, which we do appreciate indeed! (thanks to LL, and to Flipper and Jennyfur). The Flower is a symbol of what can be done in SL – of mind exploring, of rehearsal of new forms and solutions, of pushing the boundaries of imagination.