SEATTLE – July 7, 2009 – Artefact Group, a Seattle-based design consultancy, today announced that it was recognized by AIGA and I.D. Magazine in their annual award competitions.
Out of a pool of more than 3,800 entries, Artefact was selected by AIGA, the professional association for design, in its “365: AIGA Annual Design Competition 30.” Artefact was recognized in the “Experimenting” category for its future-looking e-commerce Web site concept for the Nau clothing brand. The new user interface concept, which utilized the latest technologies, such as Silverlight, Flex, Deepzoom and Photosynth, offers a view into the future of what online shopping focused on a user’s experience could look like.
“The Nau Web site concept enabled our team of designers to consider what information online shoppers are looking for and how we can connect a retailer’s Web site with its brand personality,” said Rob Girling, Principal at Artefact. “The Nau project offers one of the first looks into how retailers will begin creating a richer kind of web experience working from a real database backend rather than a static, custom-built experience such as in Flash.”
Additionally, Artefact was selected by I.D. Magazine in its 2009 Annual Design Review competition. Its work with Microsoft on the WorldWide Telescope project was honored with the “Best of” designation in the “Interactive” category. The WorldWide Telescope, which was a joint effort between Artefact and Microsoft, is a virtual telescope software. The software offers an interactive experience that allows users to explore the sky and the universe from a variety of image sources such as the Hubble Telescope.
“It’s very exciting to see Artefact’s work being recognized by the design industry,” said Martijn Van Tilburg, Senior Design Director at Artefact. “As a design firm that works with companies to develop next generation user experiences, we aim to create new and innovative ways to utilize technology and provide an interesting way to enhance products. Our work on the WorldWide Telescope illustrates how we work with our clients.”
Artefact has also been named a finalist in the International Design Excellence Awards (IDEAs), presented by the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) and sponsored by BusinessWeek, Target and Autodesk.
The winners of the IDEAs will be announced in July 2009. Artefact has been recognized for its travel application concept that illustrates how the emerging Live Mesh platform can enhance a traveler’s experience. As the popularity for Mesh technology grows in the technology sector, Artefact developed a concept targeted at consumers that enabled travelers to communicate with fellow travelers and manage separate channels such as their airlines, hotels and travel activities.
Media Contact
Ken Fry
Artefact
ken@artefactgroup.com