Working on the American Birkebeiner website redesign has truly been an honor. The event itself carries with it such positive connotations, and for good reason: it has touched and empowered countless individuals over the years, fueled lifelong friendships, and brought families closer together. We’re proud to have played a part in this legend they call “The Birkie”.
There were a handful of key Birkie concepts that helped guide my design decisions: (1) The Birkie is a life-changing event, both physically and emotionally. (2) Crossing the finish line is awesomely empowering. (3) The race promotes nature, community and a positive lifestyle. (4) The Birkie is a true adventure, steeped in both history and tradition.
The site design focuses on the “adventure, experience, history, and tradition” aspects of the event in both its imagery and color-pallet. The imagery celebrates the location and season of the race, while the brightness and saturation of the colors inject visual excitement. The page title photos have been colorized and stylized, reminding us that this race is a modern adventure with timeless historical roots. The typography was carefully selected to follow the same themes.
When I started this project, I definitely had a desired outcome in mind. That outcome was to have a beautiful website that truly captured the spirit of the Birkie. The content and features needed to be well organized and accessible. I wanted the site to be a hub, not only for the Birkie, but also for the cross-country ski community as a whole. The finished site also needed to be an effective tool for the event organizers. Last, but certainly not least, I wanted visitors to be inspired by the website.
Enjoy!
