Design treasures of the internet
A non-exhaustive list of some of the best references in UX/UI design I came across thanks to my job.
One of my favourite things about working in an agency as a designer is to be constantly challenged in my creativity and inspired by my coworkers’ eclectic references. Here are some websites we either shared on our “creation-team” slack channel or talked about in meetings. I selected them based on the criteria that I find them being either convenient libraries or great immersive experiences.
Designer libraries
Grids — thinking outside the box within grids
Now, as a designer, you might be a tiny obsessed with grids and for valid reasons. These are not only responsible for the consistency of your design but for its overall composition. This website lists famous types of grids with the details of the number of columns and pixels for margins and gutter used to obtain them. I am, personally, also in love with the website’s overall experience and its brutalist style.
Footer — for designers with a kink
Paying attention to websites’ footers in UI is a big trend these days. This “only footer gallery on earth” is not only made for designers with a kink but also for the ones who know how much this part of a website, sometimes overlooked, can be strategic and super handy for SEO reasons. So let’s be proud of footers, make them bold and highlighted as they deserve it instead of trying to hide them.
Tympanus — taking the scroll animation to another level
What do we do on the internet? Mainly, we scroll. Based on this behaviour, how to create more surprising and exciting experiences for users? This website showcases sexy column and row animations. These kind of micro-interactions can be time consuming to craft and quite impossible to explain. Considering budget constraints, this library can be convenient to demonstrate to either a colleague (perhaps a PM) or a client, an effect you’d like to try before jumping into Figma.
Best in class for immersive experience
Spotify — an Astrology club for podcasts
With the “Astrology club”, Spotify is surfing on the new age and astrology trends to initiate users to listen to more podcasts. The field, can be indeed difficult to enter in when you don’t how to start or are not familiar with the genre. As a solution, the product is a quiz that offers great interaction design as well as a nice colour palette.
Silencio — an E-commerce specialist
There is a Spanish design studio who knows how to sell its services out there: “Silencio”. Their website displays a clear business strategy around e-commerce with an edgy and futuristic look showcasing a great attention to detail. Spot on 3D illustrations that seem to be coming out of space with an original concept : as you read and scroll, you are inevitably buying products. Something to really look up to.
Beyond Beauty — the experience of a speech
Though it may be a bit buggy and could benefit from a refresh, “Beyond beauty” is an oldie but a goodie and remains a memorable experience to me. The website is designed around compelling speeches made by iconic feminists amongst Natalie Portman, Emma Watson and Jennifer Lawrence. At heart : content and a layout organised by chapters meant to be read as a book reinforcing storytelling. It brings the emphasis both on text and the audio of the performance of a speech. The visual aesthetic is clearly influenced by print heritage. It encapsulates a timeless dimension that resonates well with the notion of an historic moment, much like that of a speech.
The Journey LVMH — a web destination
“The Journey” is a platform that serves as a gateway to immersive experiences across different departments within the LVMH Luxury group. Literally designed as a web destination, users navigate — or rather, travel — across four portals that open into slick 3D universes. It stands as a top-notch example of a polished immersive experience, incorporating ASMR triggers in sound design, cinematic visual atmospheres, and engaging user interactions.
May these design treasures inspire you in your next creative endeavors as they did to me. Want more? The next chapter awaits covering topics such as accessibility and eco-design.
