dutchDesign.com — Researching Dutch design culture, interviewing studios, culminating in designing and coding a brutalist microsite for a content-first design experience.

Context

dutchDesign is a field study in which 12 students are selected to conduct research on the design and culture within Netherlands. This field study allowed me to visit 4 countries, 8 cities, and interview 16 studios. All of this was finally documented on a website designed and developed by my team.

Awards

Our site was recently recognized on brutalistwebsites.com for its unique and eye-catching Brutalist design aesthetic.

In field

During my time in the Netherlands, my main task involved capturing B-Roll footage essential for our documentary. This role demanded a sharp eye for detail in the environment and a thorough understanding of each studio's work to anticipate references during interviews.

Furthermore, each student had the chance to conduct a studio interview. I was privileged to lead the interview session at Philips Lighting. To prepare effectively, I dedicated ample time to researching the topic. The insightful interview can be viewed here:

Post field

designing the website

After conducting interviews in field, our team was responsible to edit our documented interviews that would later be published on a website we would design with a brutalist approach. Here are some images of the site, but I definitely recommend you to visit the website irl.

BRUTA-WHAT?

In the realm of design, the term Brutalism typically evokes images of stark concrete structures that emphasize the raw authenticity of materials. Similarly, Brutalist web design centers around presenting content in its purest form. Given that our project is a part of a legacy initiative, our goal was to craft a page that prioritizes content above all else. Embracing this philosophy allowed us to showcase our photography and documentaries without any unnecessary embellishments, staying true to the essence of our work.

VISUAL DESIGN

In my role as a Visual Designer within the team, I took on the task of crafting several iterations envisioning the potential look of the landing page.

Collaborating with Armina, we delved into an exciting project to develop an experimental concept page that narrated the team's adventures across different cities. This interactive page aimed to infuse a sense of playfulness, empowering viewers to dynamically create their grid layout with a simple click anywhere on the page. Curious to explore? Try it out here.

Personal reflection

I feel incredibly privileged to have been chosen to take part in this enriching field school experience. I had the chance to immerse myself in the world of remarkable designers, interviewing many of them (yes, I totally fangirled!). This opportunity not only connected me with a talented team but also welcomed me into a supportive community that feels like home. For a more heartfelt glimpse into my journey, check out my video reflection below: