YorkU AMPD
School of the arts, media, performance and design
OVERVIEW
A visually inspiring narrative
York University's School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design (AMPD) teamed up with Evolving Web to redevelop and redesign their WordPress website to improve navigation and provide a fresh, unique visual aesthetic. We also created a ‘Spotlight’ feature for the main website, allowing each student to showcase their work with a professional portfolio.
SOLUTIONS
Engaging audiences with bold imagery
To inject vitality into the website, images were crafted to exude dynamism and enthusiasm, mirroring the vibrancy of the arts and design community. A modern twist was introduced with a purple accent hue (Peterson purple), harmonizing with the classic York red and imparting a contemporary vibe to the site.
CHALLENGES
A limited library of customizable components
Crafting a visually unique identity for AMPD while adhering to York University's brand guidelines and components library was a complex endeavor. Our approach centered on harnessing image-based templates, which afforded us ample creative freedom. These templates were instrumental in ensuring a cohesive visual narrative across AMPD, effectively highlighting student work and the department's creative essence. We strategically integrated these templates into various components such as banners, image cards, typographic backgrounds, and key calls to action like applying or scheduling a visit to AMPD. By leveraging these versatile image templates, we not only pushed the boundaries of YorkU's component library but also maximized the overall impact of the site.
STUDENT SPOTLIGHT
A professional portfolio showcase for students
The 'Student Spotlight' feature on the redesigned website acts as a streamlined portfolio platform with advanced filtering. It organizes portfolios by department and graduation year, simplifying navigation for employers to find relevant student work. This enhancement fosters better connections between students and career opportunities.
RESULTS
Drawing in more users, interest and applications
The AMPD website's overhaul, including the Spotlight feature, greatly enhanced York University's online visibility in arts and design education. This initiative not only provided a crucial platform for students but also influenced the broader development of the YorkU brand. Elements from the new AMPD redesign were incorporated into the York University parent brand, reflecting its evolution.
- Studio—Evolving Web
- Client—York University
- Creative Direction—Morgan Guegan
- Art Direction—Shane Collier
- UI Design—Shane Collier, Joe Lu
- UX Design—Anne-Sophie Asselin, Shane Collier (Spotlight)
- Digital Strategist—Adrienne Smith
- Project Managers—Olha Davydovych
- Developers—Saqib Sarwar, Sebas Gonzalez Diaz, Jasmin Merchant, Ian Braid, Mahieddine Abdelkader
- Solutions Architect—Jesse Dyck
- QA—Von Dela Cruz
