Sea Through
A Stroll Through Dorset's Deep Sea
A group project worked on with Kelsey Ross and Carlotta Ponziano, aiming to create an urban intervention that strengthens the connection between teens and nature.
Brief
Our brief was to design an urban intervention for a designated area in Bournemouth, aimed at engaging 15-18 year olds with nature. Our client was Nuala Clarke, the Cultural Engagement Officer for the BCP council's Cultural Development Team. The project was focussed around the Arts By The Sea festival's 2025 theme of 'We Are Here'.
The area my group was allocated was 'Lanes', which is the lower part of the gardens, next to the bridge which leads to the beach. Because of this, we decided to make our nature intervention ocean themed.
The Sea Through Tunnel
We came up with the Sea Through Tunnel, a way to walk through the ocean and engage with what you see, without the need for captivity.
To the left is the personal development I made to the initial group outcomes. Following advice from my tutor, I made alterations to the Sea Through logo, simplifying it slightly, and played with the UI and colour palette a little more. I also attempted to make the tunnel visuals and sea creatures a little more realistic to Dorset.
Group Work Branding
To the right is the final intervention outcome that Kelsey, Carlotta, and I created as a group. The logo was designed by Kelsey, and the tunnel visual was created by Carlotta.
Initial Group Work App Design
One of the roles I took on in this project was designing the Sea Through App.
The app was designed to allow users to interact with the species they encountered within the tunnel, and to collect information based on what they 'caught'. The app gamifies the user's stroll through the tunnel, allowing them to collect shells based on the rarity of the species which they could then use to earn prizes.
Final App Mock Ups
The final mock ups of the group app includes the logo designed by Kelsey. My focus for the UI design was to produce a streamline experience for the user, as well as to look into how the app could accomodate those with disabilities like blindness. I experimented a little with an audio-led version of the app, and tried to keep the navigation simple.
Personal Developments
Once our group work was complete, and after conversations with my tutor, I made some final personal developments to this project. While I was pleased with the outcome we created as a team, I felt that a little further experimentation would be useful.
Colour Palette
I reworked the colour palette slightly, using brighter colours to establish a more inviting, fun appearance. I felt that this colour palette was more in line with our audience of 15 to 18 year olds, and that it would help to make the tunnel and an interest in sea life seem more adventurous.
Logo Redesign
For the logo, I maintained the general concept that my teammate had produced, but simplified it so that it worked better at a smaller scale, such as when it appears on the app.
App Design
Finally, I applied these developments to my original UI design. The increased saturation gives the app a more youthful appeal, and the contrast between hues and shades seems to make the elements stand out more, establishing a clearer hierarchy. I was also pleased with how the refined logo appeared in the UI design, working nicely in the small format.
These developments were done solely to push the project just a little further before I handed it in, and I was incredibly pleased with the intervention and branding that we developed as a group. I found that we each brought some fascinating ideas to the table, and we worked well to tie it all together in a fun and interesting way.
Thank you to Carlotta and Kelsey for making this such an exciting project to work on!
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