ISLE
The Island Sustainability Learning Experience App.
Preservation of culture and land through respectful ‘āina friendly choices.
Project Overview
Design a mobile app focused on cultural island life sustainability and influencing friendly choices to protect and perpetuate island culture. The goal was to develop a visually appealing and effective system to convey the core values of the app.
Services
UX/UI & Mobile App Design
Software
Adobe Creative Cloud: Illustrator, PhotoShop, Dimensions, Blender, HTML, CSS, and Javascript Library
Challenge
Create a visually engaging and user-friendly app that lends to both native and non-native culture that included staying to true to the language of ‘Ōlelo Hawai‘i. How can two cultures co-exist under one UX/UI hood?
Solution
Design a mobile app that resonates with and represents the preservation and perpetuation of Native Hawaiian culture.
Conceptual Planning
Formulating this complex system began with a user flowchart, explaining how one would navigate through the app. The focus was to create an inviting yet visually engaging and user-friendly interface that could help users learn about and sustain the culture of the island. To this end, we designed a colorful and inviting UI with bold typography and clear navigation. We also used a mixture of traditional and modern design elements to reflect the island‘s history and culture.
Logo
The ISLE app required a logo that was easily recognizable and reflected island culture. The design approach incorporates three core references from Papakū Makawalu, the Hawaiian Worldview, which categorizes and organizes the natural world using a lens of the universe.
Color Palette
The color palette was inspired by nature. The black and white tones are from the Manu-o-ku, blue from the sea, and orange and green from the Bird of Paradise plant.
Typography
The typography of ISLE needs to support a lot of information to communicate the importance of cultural preservation to a wide audience. Contrast, legibility, and practicality were prioritized while creating the typographic style of ISLE.
The Blenny font is a display typeface with a bold and relaxed island vibe, suitable for drawing attention. The Gotham font is a versatile geometric sans-serif typeface, ideal for text-based projects as it is easy to read and can be printed clearly.
Graphics/Icons
Customized illustrations are utilized to enhance the cultural experience and communicate traditions, practices, and values in a clear, accessible, and appealing manner. The illustrations are inspired by tools, vessels, and places significant to Native Hawaiian culture.
User Flowchart
The ISLE app is design with an island-friendly and user-friendly mindset. The apps flow allows the user to navigate from one section to another with ease. The design approach incorporates the main functionality of a constant loop to the home screen.
Navigate & Explore
The goal with this project was to create a safe and growing space for up-and-coming creatives while representing the heart of the brand through an engaging and friendly interface.
View App Demo
See more work
Hana
Design & Media, Design Research
Kuaina
Identity Design, Print Design