Armadillo: Rhythm of Nature
In a fusion of the physical and virtual, Nightjar brought this dreamy interactive installation to life via an immersive online experience.
OVERVIEW
To launch Armadillo’s latest rug collaboration, amidst the challenge of Covid restrictions, Nightjar created a virtual event to be experienced around the globe. The ‘Rhythm of Nature’ site helped to position Armadillo as design thought leaders, while acting as a sales conversion tool.
SCOPE
Art DirectionUser experienceInterface design Fullstack development
RESULTS
5,635,088 PR impressions of site
RECOGNITION
FWA Site Of The Day - March 2021
Awwwards Site Of The Day - March 2021
Sydney Design Awards - Digital/Retail
AGDA Awards - Digital - Distinction
Awwwards - Nominated - E-Commerce Site Of The Year
Challenge
Inspired by nature’s tempo and a philosophy of nurturing a gentler pace of life, the Ellipse Collection is a collaboration between Australian-born global rug brand Armadillo and UK-based pioneering interior design studio House of Grey.
To herald the launch of the new collection and create a memorable experience for trade media, an immersive, interactive installation was created by Studio Messa - a sensory journey through different terrains, each representing a different rug from the collection. However, given the reality of Covid restrictions, guests to the physical ‘Rhythm of Nature’ experience were limited.
Approach
In order to expand the reach of this sensory walk-through as well as create a more immersive hub for the collection to live online, the content was captured and given another life beyond the showroom walls, on a stand-alone site.
The ‘Ellipse’ collection launch is less about the rugs themselves, and more about building a brand story for Armadillo. It was a strategic initiative to position them as a leader in the design sphere - particularly with the design and architecture trade media.
This campaign allowed Armadillo to start targeting a wider creative audience, and so we needed the campaign site to engage beyond the purchase of a rug - it needed to be an invitation to explore something truly beautiful and be inspired by nature through a digital realm.
Solution
With the ‘Ellipse’ collection focussing on organic tones and textures inspired by the outdoors, the site needed to evoke the same sense of calm and tranquility which was created by the sensory walk through.
Leveraging the incredible footage captured by Glendyn Ivin and Sam Chiplin, the design of the ‘Rhythm of Nature’ site is minimalistic, with the moving image and descriptive copy immersing the viewer. The dreamy feeling evoked through Daniel Goode’s stills give the site a relaxed, ethereal quality, and we have created a place where the viewer can explore, but also unwind, which was a core objective of the brief.
Experiential shopping
The slow-paced guided ‘tour’ of the various rugs in their elemental surroundings, using hotspots and gentle zooms into the rug details as well as the landscapes of soil, sand and water, ensure an experience which mirrors the collection itself - nurturing a gentler pace of life.
The user is also able to either jump to a room or shop the Ellipse collection directly from a tray at the top of the screen at any point in the journey. This feature gave the user some control over how they would like to experience the site, especially important for returning users.
No small wonder
The experience is no less magnificent on small screens, having been designed with mobile in mind. Full screen videos envelop the viewer, and product cards are easily swiped to explore.
The soundscape is vital in creating a calming, soothing experience, and the smooth transitions and reminders to take a pause, breathe, and relax, also encourage visitors to slow down and transcend the everyday.
