We Are SKY™ is a psychological design studio based in Los Angeles that helps companies combine positive purpose with the power of leading-edge brand design.
Building on the studio's rich content, I spearheaded the creation of a storytelling brand experience that takes users on a journey through an ethereal cloudscape.
Launch
website
Developed by Michael Boutin + Ian Harvey
While the experience loads, users are immediately drawn in the story with a strong brand moment.
When loading is complete, the journey begins, with the Golden Gate bridge edging through the clouds.
The experience opens with a defining ethos statement. From the main screen, users can explore case studies on the left, capabilities on the right, or ascend further into the sky to delve deeper into the brand design philosophy. Swooping down to lower altitudes, City of Angels structures anchor the experience, grounding users near the studio's L.A. location.
From the panoramic main screen, users can explore the other section using their mouse or keyboard arrows.
Since the launch, the experience has received the following accolades:
Awwwards Honorable Mention
CSS Design Awards Website of The Day
CSS Design Awards UX, UI & Innovation Awards
CSS Winner Site of The Day
Web Awards Site of The Day
At any point in the experience, users can access a menu inspired by the frost forming on aircraft windows at altitude.
We Are SKY™ approached us with a rich brand playbook and a burning desire to relaunch their website.
The primary objectives were to create an immersive experience on par with the level of design thinking at which the studio operates, to present a snapshot of their work philosophy, and to successfully lead to new client conversions, all the while honoring their California roots.
Each section floats at well-defined coordinates in the 3D environment and transitions between levels are operated through meaningful motion.
I initiated the project with a comprehensive research phase and led an interactive strategy workshop with the studio’s team. I leveraged our findings to define the creative direction and crafted a rich, ethereal 3D cloudscape, underlining the brand’s celestial theme.
A didactic grid allows users to explore case studies, each tile interaction creating a sense of discovery and anticipation.
With motion being such a crucial part of the experience, I paved the way for front-end development by elevating desktop and mobile screens with a motion prototype, a storyboard and a design system using Figma libraries.
Case studies are filled with micro interaction which create continuity from the non-linear experience to static content screens.
Faithful to the studio’s proud California heritage, I carefully curated emblematic landmarks from San Francisco to Los Angeles to highlight key touch points of the experience.
Case studies are connected seamlessly through infinite scrolling, creating a distraction-free reading experience.
Beyond my role in creative direction and experience design, I spearheaded the project using SCRUM principles and deployed crucial roadmaps, sprints and stand-ups. This ensured we could maintain a high velocity, sound accountability and smooth communication for our team spanning 3 time zones in a remote environment.
In order to bring the experience to life, I hand picked two talented developers. I worked closely with Ian Harvey to create the 3D environment and refine the models, post-processing and animations. Michael Boutin and I collaborated to craft a smooth interface, streamlining layout, 2D interactions and establishing a robust back-end CMS for the client.
Together with the team at We Are SKY™, we thoroughly testing build after build, each time refining the feel of the experience and securing new performance gains.
The contact screen offers a simple and elegant way to start working with the studio, apply for open roles, subscribe to the newsletter and get in touch. Key City of Angels structures anchor the content in the context of the physical office, grounding the experience after the celestial journey.
Each section's original layout and interactions maintains user engagement and is tailor-made to let the content shine.
The entire experience is accessible across desktop and mobile devices and critical edge cases are catered to with intuitive prompts.