Looking back on our new website

After several months of analysis, brainstorming, designing, editing and finalizing, we finally launched our new website in October of 2017.

Our new website was a collaborative effort between some key internal team members at HAA and Zoyes Creative Group – a Detroit-based creative agency. We also brought in Dean Storm of the Storm Co. to visually capture the culture at HAA through his videos.

Throughout the design process, we strived to not just show the work we do, but how we do it and, most importantly, who is doing it. We wanted to show our collaborative culture, integrative design approach and innovative projects.

The finished product aims to clearly answer one broad, overlying question: Who really is HAA? The answer is in the content, visuals and projects that make up our site.

Content.

We are integrators.

This is the first text visitors see when scrolling down our homepage.

This speaks to our overall approach to projects – an approach that is both integrative and holistic. We integrate the context of the site we are working on with the physical building and carry this context through the interiors.

The remaining content on our website continues to tell the story of HAA in a clear and detailed manner, from our history and mission to our people and projects.

Visuals.

We employed a mix of videos and photos to visually illustrate our work, spirit and love of Detroit beyond its buildings. We aimed to convey our responsibility and commitment to being culturally responsible to our built environment and doing the right thing. The visuals look to illustrate HAA’s style (or lack thereof) and holistic approach to the work we do.

These videos and photos also show our diverse office, which is full of emerging voices and leaders.

Another notable addition is our studio page, and how it features the names and headshots of each professional that contributes to our team. Our studio is a diverse mix of talent, and it was a priority for us to convey that visually.

Projects.

With the addition of narratives to accompany photos, a more in depth look into our projects and the design process was the catalyst for the approach used on our projects page. Our previous site focused more on the imagery, and didn’t pay enough attention to the stories behind the work we do.

Along with projects we have built, we’ve also decided to begin sharing ideas and concepts that our staff has created in response to proposals or for design competitions. Sharing these ideas and concepts illustrates our capabilities and thought process even further.

We continue to add content to our website monthly, so keep checking in to see what’s going on at HAA.