Swanke Hayden Connell Architects needed an update to their website; present a modern and contemporary look and feel, while still honoring the firm’s 100-year-long history. 4 Corners undertook an extensive Discovery process and, teaming with SHCA, conceptualized a website which showcases SHCA’s best work and rich experience. 4 Corners fully designed and developed the site, including an extensive Content Management System, utilizing the most up-to-date innovative technologies to create a seamless, fast, and effective website from top to bottom.
Hallmark was faced with the challenge of taking a long-established and trusted brand and refitting it online for their newly launched magazine. Building upon the magazine’s design, as well as extensive audience research, 4 Corners designed a highly engaging website which acts not only as an online destination for articles and magazine content, but more importantly as an online destination for users . 4 Corners carefully took into consideration the primary audience and architected and designed a site that is highly appealing and interactive, and maintains the voice and “fun” factor that makes the print publication so successful.
In an ongoing relationship with Office Depot, a NASCAR sponsor, 4 Corners has strategized, designed, and developed the website for Office Depot Racing. Creating and maintaining a website where fans can really connect with both Office Depot and Carl Edwards, the No. 99 NASCAR driver, 4 Corners leveraged social networking capabilities to provide an environment where fans can interact and showcase their own content, as well as receive up-to-date news, photos, videos, appearances, and race-related information.
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, a firm with a 100-year history, has...
News
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects
02.01.2008
Swanke Hayden Connell Architects, a firm with a 100-year history, has engaged 4 Corners for the redesign of their website. SHCA has a unique challenge in that the well-established name needs to appear at the same time time modern while still embracing their rich heritage. We're very excited to get started!
About 4C
The Place
4 Corners makes a difference
About 4C The Place
More than an agency, 4 Corners is a frame of mind. It is a place that bridges physical and virtual worlds and explores all dimensions of brand experience. It is a place where multiple disciplines come together to give new ideas shape.
It is a place that makes a difference.
McGraw-Hill Construction, a $3.4 trillion global company, needed an online platform to host over a million professionals, linking users to their vast database of resources and materials. To do this, 4 Corners designed the Sweets Network for Products, aimed at connecting people, projects, and products. The network catalogs, describes, facilitates, and helps users (including ten thousand manufacturers, engineers, and architects) interact and discover a myriad of online construction products. In addition, 4 Corners created the branding and advertising collateral including, brochures, rich media banners, multi-tier direct mailers, and print advertisements.
Office Depot had received customer feedback that the in-store brand experience (which customers felt was very strong) wasn’t matching with the experience users had on the website. A confusing site architecture and overwhelming amount of products left online users feeling dissatisfied. Partnering with Office Depot, 4 Corners took an in-depth look into the architecture and user interface of the site and designed an entirely new offering without changing or adding any new functionality. 4 Corners orchestrated in-depth usability testing sessions, utilizing a rapid prototyping techniques to introduce new solutions while the testing sessions were taking place. Launching just in time for Holiday 2006, the site was an overwhelming success, drastically increasing Office Depot's online sales.
Warnaco, a trusted and respected name in the intimate apparel industry, needed an update in the look of three of its main brands – Olga, Body Slimmers, and Warner’s. Partnering with Warnaco, 4 Corners revitalized the look and feel of the three brands, determining the primary target audience for each and designing effective solutions for the identities, as well as packaging, labels, and in-store environments. The new looks differentiate between the three brands, and bring a freshness and vitality back to an organization with an impressive history.
In parallel with the redesign of their entire website, the New York Times wanted to expand its online offerings in the luxury real estate market. Developing new tools to simplify and personalize the user experience, 4 Corners designed and developed a new website section (called “Havens”) where users could access expert advice and other help centers, expert blogs, podcasts, and personal chat sessions.
In conjunction with the real estate listing and information portal, 4 Corners designed a resource for users on financing and home purchase. Designed for customization to regional newspapers, the site section gives users a valuable resource for not only searching and finding new real estate, but for researching and accessing expert information for a complete process all in one location.
4 Corners worked closely with the United Rentals Human Resources to completely overhaul their online and print recruitment materials. 4 Corners redesigned the HR website and introduced a much-needed human element; drawing on personal stories and interviews with current employees at a number of locations throughout North America. 4 Corners also designed and produced new print recruitment materials to coincide with the new website, including brochures, handshake cards, and banner stands for job and recruitment fairs.
American Express OPEN needed an innovative way of allowing users to have quick assess to their account information throughout the day. Taking this need to heart, 4 Corners designed a unique desktop dashboard solution that allows customers easy, instant, and continuous access to their most important account information and functions. The dashboard runs from an icon on the desktop, is fully customizable by the user, and launches the web Summary of Accounts interface directly.
Vintage New Zealand sought to solve a unique problem in the American marketplace – create a single environment where customers can not only purchase all New Zealand wines in one location, but also experience the wines as much as possible in an online setting. 4 Corners developed extensive content, include video “Virtual Tastings” and interactive maps and features, that allow users to interact as much as possible with the wines before purchase. Also utilizing social networking features, users interact with each other and share insights, opinions, their own personal “cellars,” and experiences to bring forward the concept of Social Commerce.
Accenture, a leader in the management consulting and technology field, wanted to move past its conservative image and better display its innovative spirit and ability to implement high-performance business strategies. In exploring the core audience of the website, 4 Corners learned that a large portion of the user group were internal Accenture employees doing research on case studies. Taking this and the brand spirit to heart, 4 Corners implemented a solution which highlighted the company’s outstanding abilities to outside clients while providing a valuable research resource for internal users.
4 Corners was engaged to rename, re-brand, and re-launch an established company – ZDE, the education division of Ziff-Davis. Working to develop an entirely new brand strategy and platform (“the knowledge catalyst”), 4 Corners worked to develop a new name (Element K) and visual strategy to capture the idea. 4 Corners worked to bring this idea to life with a powerful launch campaign, web site development, print collateral, trade show materials, and a state-of-the-art internal training program.
More than the sum of its parts, every 4 Corners team is designed to bring each project an ideal combination of experiences and expertise. Our people combine different cultural and professional backgrounds, and share a desire to work in a collaborative environment that is difficult to achieve in a traditional agency.
Together we are creating a better context for creative excellence.
Projects
TIME Global Business Section
A new offering for a unique niche of global business travelers.
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Projects TIME Global Business Section
TIME Global Business Section
A new offering for a unique niche of global business travelers.
International business professional needed a single web destination that catered to their specific and diverse global interests. Taking this to heart, TIME, Inc. and 4 Corners strategized, designed, and developed a new Global Business section for the TIME.com website. Utilizing TIME’s continuing global news coverage and features, data from the World Economic Forum (WEF), and other web sources, the Global Business section allows users to pinpoint specific countries and regions to gain information on top news stories in the area as well as local currency, language, capitol city, major airports, business customs, and top industries. The site fully utilizes the WEF’s ranking system, outlining the top 100 countries in which to do businesses, based on criteria such as global competitiveness, corruption, and infrastructure. A convenient and one-stop location for both breaking news and important business information catered specifically to the global business professional.
Over the weekend, we were very excited to launch the redesigned...
Discussion
SHCA.com Launch
09.29.2008
Over the weekend, we were very excited to launch the redesigned website for Swanke Hayden Connell Architects (www.shca.com). We've been working closely with SHCA since January to design and develop an exciting and innovative new website, one which looks sleek and modern while still embracing the firm's long and rich history. We're extremely happy with the results - check it out here!
Discussion
What did you do today? ididwork.com
08.07.2008
A friend just turned me on to this delightfully simple work log,...
Discussion
What did you do today? ididwork.com
08.07.2008
A friend just turned me on to this delightfully simple work log, ididwork.com. The name pretty much says it all; log the work that you did, tag it if you like, and ididwork.com will create charts mapping your work, email your logs to your manager (if desired), and schedule work reviews. This is a handy little tool for jobs where you have to log hours on certain projects, or you may be working on site and have to report in your work to your manager. Just a great example on how simplicity wins over and a site without too many bells and whistles can be most useful.
News
TIME.com Homepage
11.10.2007
TIME Inc. has engaged 4 Corners to develop a new architecture and...
News
TIME.com Homepage
11.10.2007
TIME Inc. has engaged 4 Corners to develop a new architecture and look and feel for the TIME.com homepage and article pages, both crucial entry points for the site.
4 Corners developed the brand and product interface for SmartEquip, a company that creates new process and support software for the construction rental industry. The website and product site (also available on handheld devices) organized millions of pages of documentation and diagrams for use in maintaining equipment and ordering parts. Highly interactive, the site is an effective tool for the maintenance and efficiency of construction fleets.