Unlocking New York
A project, in honor of the 200th anniversary, exploring the lasting impact of the Erie Canal on New York State; weaving together archival research, multimedia storytelling, and on-the-ground reporting.
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Translate a complex, research-driven journalism project into a cohesive, accessible, and engaging digital experience. Balance historical storytelling with modern visual design while maintaining consistency across desktop, mobile, and social media platforms.
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Visual identity design, UI/UX design, prototyping, motion graphics, cross-platform branding
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Illustrator, After Effects, Photoshop, Blender, Stager
One of the first things we tackled was coming up with a name that felt meaningful—something that connected the canal’s history to its impact today. After a few rounds of brainstorming and team discussions, we narrowed it down to four favorites. To help bring each option to life, I designed logo concepts for all four. I played around with different wave shapes, icons, and type treatments to reflect the feel of each name while keeping the themes of movement and connection at the core. Seeing the names visualized really helped the team decide which direction felt the strongest.
The Process
Option 1
Option 2
Option 3
Option 4When it came to the logo, though, the original lock icon felt a little too on-the-nose. Instead, we leaned into the idea of using a boat, which felt more symbolic of the Erie Canal’s history and movement.The first version looked a bit like a tugboat, so I refined the shape to better reflect the low-profile style of a canal boat. I also created a separate icon version, wordmark, and a full logo lockup, giving the team flexibility for different use cases such as digital headers or social icons. I also animated the wordmark to use as a loading screen or wherever else it fit.
Once the visual identity was established, I shifted focus to the website experience. I started by diving into research to understand both user needs and design opportunities. I conducted a competitive analysis of Infodemic, a previous NewsHouse project, to identify strengths we could build on. I worked with the team to define the site’s requirements. Through informal interviews, I gathered input on key goals, features, and content priorities. This helped me map out the site structure.
The Research
I built out wireframes for desktop and mobile, keeping accessibility and intuitive interaction top of mind. The wireframes helped the team visualize how stories, maps, and multimedia elements would come together across different devices. From there, I moved on to building interactive prototypes to bring the designs to life, using the wireframes as a foundation. The prototypes helped the team get a real sense of the user experience, and made it easier to gather feedback before development began. I made sure the designs stayed consistent with the brand system while also allowing flexibility for different types of stories and content.
The Wireframes
The visual identity for Unlocking New York was created to reflect both the historical significance and the ongoing influence of the Erie Canal. I focused on building a system that felt modern while still rooted in place. Themes of movement and connection guided the design, using wave-inspired shapes, and a color palette that echoed both New york and hinted at Syracuse.
For the website, I designed wireframes and interactive prototypes that centered on clarity and storytelling. The layouts worked across desktop, tablet, and mobile, with a strong visual hierarchy to guide users through stories, maps, and multimedia content. Every detail was designed to support a smooth, engaging user experience that stayed true to the project’s visual identity.