Architecture Website Redesign
The leadership team at DRAW Collective decided that a website update was long overdue. At the time, the website technical updates were being maintained internally, as well as the content changes. It was difficult to make substantial changes or add new pages in support of the company’s marketing plan.
There was a new marketing staff in place with a strong vision for visual improvements. DRAW assembled an internal marketing committee to systematically evaluate the firm’s direct competitors and how they use their websites to highlight capabilities. Through this analysis from the “outside looking in,” they were able to craft the new website to speak to their overall differentiators and industry strengths. The committee presented some very specific design requests, stressing simplicity, clean lines, and direct access to key projects. 4CDesignWorks was able to gather a significant amount of feedback going into the project, and we also performed an up-front analysis of past website analytics to help guide our decisions. We appreciated their roadmap for success.
While the new website build was taking place, the website was in need of a hosting move, and several premium subscriptions were reassessed. A challenge was presented in making sure the new website storage space was significantly reduced. This was handled by making sure the development website imagery was resized and optimized before uploading.
Team member pages
One of the items that was important to showcase was the DRAW team and highlight their staff in a unique way. This was done by having a hover image when seeing the team listing. This allowed each team member to share a photo indicating a personal interest – such as a hobby or a favorite sport. They wanted their team to appear relatable and accessible to all site visitors.
Project pages
As the portion of the website that garners the most visits, the project pages were particularly important. The desire for a consistent carousel presentation of the photos was key and was integrated into all single projects with more than one photo. DRAW invests in great photography for all their projects, allowing for multiple interior and exterior images in most cases. Their internal filing system for project photography is impeccable. 4CDesignWorks ensured that the loading of these photos worked as expected and that photo size is never a hindrance to website operation.
About DRAW Collective
DRAW Collective is a Pittsburgh-based architecture firm dedicated to providing design services to educational, healthcare, and communal facilities that matter. DRAW’s team of architects, interior designers, and project managers are passionate about the work they do, elevating the conversation around design and providing invaluable client service. DRAW strives to assemble the best team to meet each client’s needs, resulting in long-term relationships that can last generations.
Since 1945, DRAW Collective has designed a variety of spaces. For more about DRAW Collective and their capabilities, visit their website at https://drawcollective.com/
Project Highlights:
- Strategic Planning
- Web Design & Development
- Graphic Design
- Content Review and SEO Guidance
- Third-party (Hubspot) Script Integration
- Customized and Filterable Project Portfolio feature
- Responsive (Mobile-Friendly) Website Development
- WordPress Website CMS Training