Looking to increase admissions and bring greater attention and clarity to their unique low-residency programs, the Vermont College of Fine Arts decided it was time to redesign their website. That’s when VCFA reached out to Constructive to develop a new digital strategy and website that would differentiate their arts education programs and share the spirit of their community and campus culture.
VCFA’s old site contained lots of useful content. The problem was, most of it was scattered, lived in duplicate places, and was hard to find. To remove redundancy and quickly deliver content that audiences needed, we developed a new site structure that condensed and re-organized VCFA’s information based on student, faculty, and alumni personas. The result prioritizes the site structure based on user needs, with a modular system of components at the page-level that empowers VCFA’s digital team with the flexibility to quickly create custom layouts based on the needs of each page’s content.
Drawing inspiration from the negative-space square in VCFA’s logo, we developed a new design system with bold type and unconventional shapes that embodies thinking outside the box. We broke the traditional grid with overlapping elements and transparent overlays to emphasize VCFA’s commitment to progressive thinking, experimentation, and creative play. To make information more accessible, we designed a scrollable tab system that helps navigate longer pages, with call-outs of key facts. And to complement written content with visual storytelling, we wove photography showcasing student work and campus life throughout the experience.
Students of different ages, races, and nationalities are drawn to VCFA’s vibrant community and low-residency programs. Design strategy brings VCFA’s spirit to life with a bold, unexpected design and beautiful photography.
Some of the most important pages on VCFA’s website are content-heavy hubs of information such as the program overviews and admissions pages. The key with content-heavy web design is to make sure users stay engaged with the reading experience so they can find what they need. We designed an engaging content rhythm, using type hierarchy and editorial design techniques to break-up dense information, working in visual pauses with teasers featuring stunning student and faculty work, and increasing usability with collapsible areas that allow users to condense information.
VCFA is the only college exclusively devoted to graduate fine arts education. Their new site communicates this uniqueness while encouraging students, faculty, and alumni to engage with the school in new ways.
“Constructive’s consistent communication, responsiveness, and ability to work with nonprofit organizations make their work incredibly valuable. It’s not just about price; it’s about a partner that understands our organization’s brand.”
Alastair Hayes, Executive Director of Marketing & Communications, VCFA
