XII. Grafton Architects

XII. Grafton Architects http://www.graftonarchitects.ie/

Navigation:
The complexity of the company already shown on the home page with numbers of categories and most updated news. On the top banner there are list of all categories, which stay at the same location throughout the whole navigation experience. The hierarchy is shown clearly on the site. Below the top banner, there is a list of text to show where the current page located and which categories have been selected to get to the current page. The simplicity of the website allows people to navigate back and forth between pages. It is really user friendly.

Architecture:
The website is very organized, consistent, and structured, which give people good impression. By looking at the number of the categories, people already know the complexity of the company. As an architecture website, the “project” does not seem as a main category in this website. From the primary categories, people can clearly understand the purpose of the website, which is to illustrate the experience and the potential of the firm. Through the whole navigation experience there is no additional navigation.

Content / Typography:
A very straight forward website, what you see is what you get. There is nothing to distract or to confuse people during navigation. The typography is simple yet with certain complexity. The top banner is always the category and left banner is always images and right banner is always information. Everything stay with the same system just adjust according to the amount of space that is needed. On the home page, the news text is shown with coherent amount with clear images to illustrate the story. Each page has very subtle change, which are relevant and make the site more interesting.

Grid / Structure:
The consistent grid system and structure allows people to navigate around and understand the philosophy and approach of the company easily. The consistency also gives good impression. Although the clean and comprehensible of the site loses some excitement and weaken the interaction with people, the projects are interesting and show with big images for people to engage with the space. After all, the purpose of the website is to promote an architecture firm with 3D visual effect and good amount of description per project.

Iconography / Imagery:
There is no image icon only text icon, which clarify the function. The selected category will highlight with darker color from the original grey font. Beside the iconography, imagery is another key element for architecture firm’s website. Overall the site is really good with visual elements. Most of the images are display with quality and with decent size. There are only few images that I wish they can be bigger because the amount of information that is included in the image does not show clear with the provided size. The image is too rich for the size of the image. Overall the website is really strong and clear to emphasis the service and experience the company had.

Color Palette:
The company name is in red, which is the only colored font. All other texts are in grey or black depend on the page and function. The background is in a contrast color, white. Although the background is in white, it does not distract people to read the category the website provide. The grey is just in a decent grey that does not get lost in the white background or unreadable. No matter what the key still in image for the architecture firm. Most images are with very subtle color rendering; however, that does not get lost in the background as well. They show the character of the company.

Site Focus:
The purpose is obvious as promoting an architecture firm’s design and philosophy. The most important is having the updated news on the home page so even for people who does not have patient can also know what is the most recent project or news of the firm. The clear organization and structure enhance the firm and allow people to navigate around and understand the firm without any distraction.