Website refresh City of Raleigh Dix Park
Less than two miles from downtown Raleigh, the 308-acre Dix Park serves as the cultural heart of the city. Our challenge: create a digital experience that fosters connection, celebrates community, and reflects the park’s vibrant spirit.
Measured and Cost-Effective Refresh
Not only did visitors struggle to quickly access essential information about park offerings and events, but the site's design also didn't capture the park's vibrant community life.
Rather than completely rebuilding the site, Aten Design Group took a measured approach to implement an updated design system which allowed for significant improvements without the complexity, timeline, and cost of a complete restructuring.
Reimagined User Journey
Prior to the refresh, the users struggled to efficiently plan their visits, locate specific attractions, and find upcoming activities.
We implemented a streamlined information architecture that prioritized key user pathways. The refreshed site features prominent placement of essential elements like an interactive map and event calendar. Enhanced event-search functionality and intuitive menu structures help users efficiently locate specific attractions and upcoming activities. The new design serves diverse audiences—from first-time visitors to regular park-goers—by creating clear, logical paths to the most sought-after information.
Vibrant Visual Storytelling
The design challenge was to create a refreshed visual experience that would not only attract visitors but also accurately represent the park's role as a cultural hub. Leveraging the park's extensive image library more effectively, the refresh incorporates a modern, playful design system featuring rounded elements and bold aesthetics that align perfectly with existing visual guidelines. Large, impactful imagery showcases the park's vibrant community life, while thoughtfully designed layouts highlight everything from sunflower fields to community events.
Accessible and Optimized
Mobile Optimization and enhanced accessibility features—including improved keyboard navigation and careful attention to color-contrast ratios—ensure compliance with current standards and a seamless experience across all devices.
Improved Content Organization
A comprehensive content cleanup effort helped streamline the site's information architecture. The team updated taxonomies and content types to improve site organization and searchability. New accordion functionality made complex content more digestible, while flexible templates gave content creators more options for presenting information.