Brand Design
UX/UI
Overview
Orenda Architects is a conceptual website design project for a Melbourne-based architecture firm focused on sustainable and modern design practices. The aim of the project was to create a minimalist, visually compelling online presence that effectively communicates Orenda’s values and portfolio, providing a seamless user experience.
Key Objectives
Highlight Portfolio: Showcase Orenda’s projects with a strong visual focus on high-quality images.
Sustainability Messaging: Reflect Orenda's commitment to sustainable architecture throughout the site.
Intuitive Navigation: Ensure ease of navigation with minimal steps to access core content.
Clean Design: To create a clean, professional website layout that showcases architectural projects.
Research Insights
To inform the design, research included competitor analysis and a literature review on website best practices for architecture firms. Key insights included:
Users are drawn to imagery-driven layouts, with clear visual hierarchy and large project images.
Architecture firm websites are more effective when focusing on showcasing work over extensive text, as users prefer visual information.
Emphasising sustainability practices resonates with users and aligns with modern design trends.
Competitor Analysis
Analysing architecture and design firms' websites revealed common design patterns and effective features:
Leading websites used full-width images and minimal text to create an immersive experience.
Clean and direct navigation menus reduce cognitive load, particularly for visually-driven websites.
Use of consistent colour schemes and typography enhances brand identity and professionalism.
User Personas
Two primary personas guided this project: a potential client and an industry professional. The potential client persona focused on individuals seeking sustainable, modern architectural designs, aiming to ensure the website communicated Orenda’s eco-friendly values and project capabilities. The industry professional persona represented architects looking to understand Orenda’s design approach and project details. These personas helped shape the site structure, ensuring tailored content for clients' decision-making needs and professionals' interest in innovative, sustainable design practices.
Design Recommedations
Based on research findings and user personas, the following design elements were prioritised:
Prominent display of high-quality project images to immediately engage users.
Use of a straightforward navigation menu to enhance user flow.
Dedicated section showcasing Orenda’s commitment to sustainable architecture practices.
Ensure compatibility across devices, with optimised layout for both desktop and mobile views.
Design System Library
To maintain consistency throughout the website, a detailed design system library was developed. This included:
Selection of a clean, modern font that aligns with Orenda’s minimalist aesthetic.
A palette of neutral tones with green accents, reflecting the brand’s focus on sustainable design.
Buttons, icons, and navigation elements were designed to ensure a cohesive look across the site.
Standardised grid system to maintain alignment and visual hierarchy throughout different pages.
Final Design
The final website design for Orenda Architects embodies a minimalist aesthetic that aligns with the firm’s values. High-resolution images, intuitive navigation, and a clear focus on sustainability help position Orenda as a professional, forward-thinking architecture firm. Each page is structured to deliver information succinctly, allowing users to engage visually with Orenda’s projects and philosophy.
Reflection
Working on the Orenda Architects project provided valuable experience in balancing visual aesthetics with user-centered design. Emphasising imagery and streamlined navigation reinforced the importance of brand-aligned simplicity, particularly for an industry focused on visual impact.
Takeaways
Effective architecture websites prioritise high-quality visuals and minimalistic layouts.
A strong design system library is essential for brand consistency and efficient development.
Designing with clear user personas in mind improves the relevance of the final product.
Photography
Website photography from:
Lynton Crabb