Structure (and space...)
due: 6/30
For this small workshop project, focus on experimenting with and articulating structure and space within a website. As this is a quick exercise, you'll probably want to focus more on the form of the site rather than worrying too much about function — but, try to consider how the form might communicate/enhance/embody an intended function. Experiment with css positioning and flexbox (or explore css grid and tables) to construct your site.
Start by thinking of a concrete metaphor/analogue to build your site around. Is the site a skyscraper? Is it a map? A garden? A tree? Consider the unique structural qualities of the analogue you choose and find ways to translate these qualities to the space of the web.
For example:
- How is space organized in a garden? Is it natural or rigid? Is it possible to get lost?
- How might the default vertical structure of websites feel like scaling the walls of a skyscraper? Do you start at the bottom of the skyscraper or the top?
- How might different pages feel like distinct rooms in a house? When you navigate through a house do you instantly transport yourself by selecting something from a directory or do you need to walk down hallways, traverse rooms, and open doors?
Don't feel like you need to represent your structures explicitly (it doesn't need to look like a building...), subtlety and gestural suggestion will generally work much better here. Remember, we're translating not reproducing — the web is made of different materials than our buildings and geography and we should try designing with the native materials/affordances of the web in mind.