Ask Nature

Nature already has all the best answers to all of our major design problems. So why not ask nature? Evolution has already developed and created the perfect designs, and all we have to do was emulate mother natures' wonders to improve our lives. In this time of green consciousness, a Darwinian approach to a green future will harness the biology of nature (biomimetics) to help us innovate naturally and efficiently. Find out more at this great portal design, sponsored by Autodesk.... More

Also posted under green design, industrial design & autos.

Ask Nature

Once Upon a School

There's just not enough saints, givers and teachers in this world... but you can help make a difference. It's a time of service and sharing, and Dave Eggers has recognized it – and provided us with a platform for making a difference in our local schools; by teaching and leading kids as a volunteer. Simply dream up a project, make it happen, and tell your story to inspire countless others.... More

Also posted under editorial design, green design, xyz miscellaneous.

Once Upon a School

Spent2000

Putting the ADD in browser based entertainment, Tim Nolan from Spent 2000 spits out some new pop culture mash-ups and video-based animations on his experimental site (which any way you cut it qualifies as "vintage web"). He tells us: "I can't explain why I make all this crap, I guess I just love cutting and pasting. So, I was just thinking I should let people know I updated my spot with some new pollution." So, here you have it... somewhere between UTube, Koyannisquatsi, a DJ booth and video editing software lives the new TEUTHOU – pronounced (Two-Thou). Just think: 2000, but more Web 2.0 sounding.... More

Spent2000

Universe

Universe is an unique new interactive method to explore the news and stories of our planet. Universe was inspired by questions like: if we could draw new constellations in our night sky today, what would those be? What are our great stories? What are our great journeys? Who are our heroes and heroines? Universe presents an interactive night sky, composed of thousands of twinkling stars, which then connect to form constellations. Each of these constellations has a specific counterpart in the physical world—a story, a person, a quote, an image, a company, a nation, a mythic theme. Any constellation can be clicked, making it the center of the universe, and causing all other stars to enter its orbit. Universe is infinitely large, and each person's path through it will be different. For an explanation of how it works, read "Stages". For a longer discussion of the ideas behind the piece,... More

Also posted under editorial design.

Universe - by Jonathan Harris

Distant Air

Distant Air is an illustrated interactive narrative in five parts that tells a story of a young man's memories of birds. Some hazy truths, some exaggerations... but most of all some good stories – coupled with eclectic illustrations that emulate a hazy dream-like state. Reminicent of childhood interactions with nature, but presented with an artistic and grown-up philosophical perspective.... More

Also posted under editorial design.

Distant Air

Oral Fixation Mints

A highly creative fantasy mixture between a unique mint companies' real factory and a sophisticated virtual playground. Oral Fixation's immersive 3D world offers more explorable pieces than most sites of the genre. We liked how you can re-skin the atmosphere and time of day, which is normally based on the actual conditions at the real company; located in an old chocolate factory in New Jersey. But besides the high-end graphics and addition of skins, Oral Fix is a company interested in true involvement, which consists of (for one example) giving 10% of profits to the Free Tibet Movement*. Perhaps the only 'draw-back' is there is too much to explore—at this point, we haven't found half the stuff they claim is hidden in the site. Which only means we'll have to come back and get our fix at another time of day.... More

Also posted under Flash, animation & game design.

Oral Fix | The Chocolate Factory

The Creative Mind

It's been a little while since we've seen a hot Adobe web advertisement like this... The visually eye-blowing site features the work of several design studios and image makers, spread across a universe of three exquisitely rendered, illustrated, and animated planets. The result is a free-flowing, interactive animated experience that shows off the new capabilities of Adobe Creative Suite 2.3 within the abstract framework of a designer's mental universe. Not to be missed.... More

Also posted under Flash, promotional design.

Adobe - The Creative Mind

Leo Burnett

Based on the founding principle of Leo Burnett, that big ideas come out of big pencils, you are invited to pick up a big pencil yourself and draw your way through this unique interactive advertising portfolio – filled with tasty animated treats. Since we have a place for ad firms in our designcompanies area, this is a special recognition for outstanding interactive web design in an agency or firm.... More

Also posted under Flash, promotional design.

Leo Burnett Advertising Portfolio

EbOY

After all these years, still pumping out the bits and pushing the pixels, EbOY continues to be the ultimate pixel illustrators paradise. More isometric angles and bizarre pixel illustrations than you can shake a magic wand at, EbOY truly is the king of all pixel designers. And this is the palace of all of their art... from the eCity Pixorama to the pixel portraits, this is an online cornucopia of digital goodness. 'Nuff said.... More

Also posted under art & architecture sites, xyz miscellaneous.

EbOY | hello eboy XV

M!nd

Using the tagline, "Cultural ammunition for better business", M!nd is an experimental news filtering tool and idea refueling station created by a branding company called Modernista!. M!nd provides the ammunition they need to help draw out emerging patterns from events occuring around the world. It acts as a type of news filter coupled with cultural introspection that helps digest the overflow of information individuals are bombarded with on a daily basis. Literally M!nd is what Modernista! uses along with their clients to help them "mind" their business by making sense of the world around them. It's a fascinating application, and since anyone can use it, you may find yourself returning to it on more than one occasion (even though it seems like updates have mostly stopped since 2003). The M!nd has no limits. Since this posting, we discovered M!nd was actually the very first incarnation of the Modernista! website. And... More

Also posted under editorial design.

M!nd

Dodge Magazine

Not much of an actual 'web' design, but rather a series of digital flat screens. Dodge, Issue #1, is a print-like collaboration of several young and upencoming digital artists who created a two-tone series of flat pixel designs that are fun, and just nice to examine. At the end, you'll also find links to all the contributing artists' sites, which is useful in and of itself.... More

Also posted under design 'zines, xyz miscellaneous.

Dodge Magazine

Büro für Gestaltungsfragen

Interface Design for BfGf, German industrial-design studio. Complete flexibility for future updates inside a dynamic template system with all of the extras: sound, animation, experimental navigation. Unusual navigation that contextualizes the nature of BfGfs work. This hot interface design may take a couple tries getting used to because it is so original and uniquely developed.... More

Büro für Gestaltungsfragen

Version City

A new digital design module featuring a fantastic range of styles. No pretense, just great design and digital exploration. These 10+ modules take you on a true visual and interactive adventure: from a storage area of miscelaneous illustrations to a photo essay on Japan, imagination and exploration define the possibilities.... More

Also posted under Flash.

Version City

Flight 404

All aboard for a cruise through a healthy number of spacial and dynamic Flash modules - strapped into a airline metaphor interface. Finding the way to your seat is half the fun here as the 'inspector'-style interface guides you through over 40 modules to date. There are also a few additional areas, including a user submition database and a couple more that are currently in development. Robert himself has said, in an interview with Extra Lucky Design, that the idea for this site came directly from Joshua Davis's Praystation, but that his goal is to make it even better.... More

Flight 404

*Wireframe Studio

A promotional 'byproduct' from a design studio in South Africa, Wireframe gives us several extremely tight modular interactions to play with and enjoy. The promise of the site is both experimental and commercial, as this interactive design firm will eventually post it's portfolio, marketing, et. al. on the site, while the experiments will remain in the central strip. To date, there are 6 interactive experiments to enjoy, mostly focused on object control and interactions, including collision detection and more.... More

*Wireframe Studio

digital experiences

Digital Experiences (UK) is a fine representative of the experimental Flash Tek sites, showcasing 'physical' interactions and some quite pleasing control modules for your entertainment. The digital experiences modules focus on some of the more commonly seen effects - spacial, dynamic and repetitive interactions - but also deal with type, physics, some cool 'control' interfaces, and even creates some beautiful pieces with their light and fanciful design elements.... More

Also posted under Flash.

Terrarium

terrarium is a highly dynamic personal site that, although heavy in bandwidth, provides a novel surfing experience. Amidst the cool showcase features in Terrarium are the control elements, which allow you to drag and position navigational elements as you surf - just like windows. High-end browsers required in this heavily dynamic site.... More

Terrarium

#10 Downing Street

The Number 10 site is positioned as the Government leading digital communication vehicle. The original design has now changed. The interface is modern, intuitive and future proofed. All content areas are published from a massive relational database and the Governement monitors all activity, work flow processes and content publishing via a custom built web based administration suite. Full interactivity and rich multi-media content is additionally delivered via live webcasting, forums and personalised alert services. The site has been redesigned since this posting.... More

forest for the trees

An impressive interactive design concept supported by excellent functionality: this is one of the first 4.0 generation sites that really delivers - concept, visuals, sound, interactivity + variety. The website design plays on the phrase "you can't see the forest for the trees." Individual artists were each commissioned to do an interactive interpretation of a particular track for the Dreamworks album without knowing what the other participants were doing, or how it would all come together. The result is a forest of trees testifying to the inspiration of the visionary soundscapes in Forest for the Trees.... More

Also posted under music sites, promotional design.

Fantastic Forest

Designed by one of the web's best, this National Geographic module cleanly integrates navigation, 3-D art, and content into a fun user playground. Part of the challenge of these modules is working under NatGee's high standards - and the Fantastic Forest went the extra mile. Fantastic was of the first sites to effectively create an immersive navigational experience through an intricate use of frames. The choice of colors, tones, and use of beveled edges to cover screen space greatly enhances the usability by providing a novel browser experience. This was one of the first sites to seamlessly hide frames into the design - something which radically and positively changed the way people approached web design - while creating a rich media experience. see also: Nat Gee Interactive Features Index... More

Fantastic Forest