Category: Project 2

Instead of only looking at functional websites that work for businesses or advertising I have researched into some playful websites that only function for people’s entertainment. These all vary in many ways, but I still think that they all have a different take on navigation and playfulness by focusing on the element of the website take keeps people engaged. These websites are just as interesting as the well-designed functioning ones and in some instances they work better for what they’re trying to achieve.

This is http://zoomquilt.org/ which is a website that is created by having a series of paintings which zoom in on each other constantly to create an interesting perspective, almost as if it’s a never ending world. I liked this website because of the continuity of the design, and how people can just get lost in it by doing nothing as the website itself does everything for you. It is quite simplistic, but I like the idea behind it and the graphics are really well created.

I found http://norilskfilm.com/ really interesting in their approach to the navigation of the website. When you first access the website it shows you a video and gives you the option to explore the history of the business or what it is now via the ‘then and now.’ This gives a unique divide between the website, though it makes the navigation exciting. They further this by having the menus and options in a 3D panorama grid, using the real life navigation as if you are looking at a map of their base to navigate the information that they are providing. I can see this being confusing for a lot of people, and to access particular pieces of information it could be hard to find it, but I like the creativity behind it and how it offers an experience to the audience and user.

The website for http://www.thehappyforecast.com/ focuses on interactivity with users and the 3D elements which make up every piece of information to build up the website and make it interesting for audiences. I love this style because they use bold colours to grab everyone’s attention, while mixing it with the 3d element which you can choose to control. The navigation is set out into a grid system which works for the basis of this, allowing audiences to pick their sections to zoom in on and learn about the weather forecast. The elements that I will take from looking at this is the subtlety of colours and how they work together to reinforce the navigation and create a simple juxtaposition between the elements which make up the website.

To gather a few ideas that I could begin to look at I started to research into existing websites that used interesting designs and motions to navigate their sites, as well as making it visually interesting for the audience. A few of these websites use elements that I think link to the theory of relativity, though these are unintentional- as I wanted to discover creative ways to display information without the overuse of the grid method.

This is http://www.deutser.com which I think has an interesting layout when you first access the website. It has a 3D background which moves around to where your cursor goes. The simplicity of the black and white visuals allows the pop-up ‘quotes’ and information in the foreground to stand out in a serif font which is juxtaposed against the contemporary boldness of the background. These pop up and change at their own will- and I think that it works for this company because it makes you engaged in the website because you are interacted with it. When you actually go onto the website the format follows the grid method, using the lines from the interactive part to merge pages and images seamlessly. I like how they do this by the use of shapes, because it makes it more interactive and interesting even though they have used a traditional layout that most people are now using.

This website, http://worldfoodclock.com/ , is quite simplistic like the previous one. Although the aspect that I found fascinating about this one was how it used real time to generate it’s data and display it in subtle terms that emphasise the message. It has a live clock, counting up to along with several sets of numbers increasing to show the problems in the world- such food wastage and the amount of fossil fuels used. This idea really inspired me because I’m interested in these problems and how to tackle them, but also the design and navigation is extremely simplistic. The backgrounds, as displayed, are mainly black with bold primary colours jumping out from it. It is navigated by the arrows at the bottom and top, essentially like a flick book at all of the facts using the grid method in an easy way. This navigation isn’t that interesting and I don’t think that I will be following it as it reminds me of most websites, though the idea and liveness behind it is something that I like the idea of.

http://redrain.tw/ had one of the most inventive navigation systems that I’ve seen, but the way that they have achieved it with the diagonal shapes and user interaction really makes it feel more complicated than it actually is. They start off on their home page, and it tells the user to start scrolling at the bottom of the page- giving them the control to interactively change the page and navigate the website without the usual clicking or moving the cursor. The way that they blend each page is interesting too, and how they graphic match each page to follow similar shapes for smooth transitions. I like this design and I would like to have a go at this idea because it would be interesting to see how it works in different formats, such as for a mobile website.

This website is my absolute favourite from doing all of my research. http://www.nodeplus.com.cn/ use shards, triangles, and a 3D perspective to creatively make an interactive website that is visually stunning to keep the user engaged. Each shard changes and develops into something new as you move your cursor, seamlessly moving into the next page which is effortless. If the user gets confused there is an option at the bottom which can be used to also navigate- therefore catering for all audiences. One of my favourite elements combined with this is how the simplistic colour scheme links with the 3D aspect and reinforces the contemporary-ness of the website. I love how its all one simple colour with lots of shades that also change as the cursor moves, almost as if you are looking through shards of glass. I have been inspired by this to use geometric shapes, which also link with the brief of the theory of relativity, to create an interesting website that interacts while the user is navigating it. The only problem with this is how it will work on a mobile format, though I’m sure it would still be interesting to see how it works on this platform.

By looking at these websites I have gathered some inspiration for my ideas on how to creatively create a navigation system. Whether its by using the interaction of the user or shapes or instructions they all work and lead to an interesting design and composition. I love the contemporary look and how some of them harness the grid method to benefit their designs. I will attempt to use these methods as a starting point to develop my ideas in relation to the theory of relativity brief.