Detroit based communication
designer, visual storyteller, and friend.
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08_VKEI VAULT_DIGITAL COLLECTION
Role:
Ideation
Photography
Website Design
Asset Collection
Typography
Overview:
The VKEI VAULT is a mobile and desktop website showcasing a curated digital archive of 50 signed Visual Kei Polaroids from TAKASHI, the guitarist of the band DADAROMA. The goal of this project was to highlight the collection through two distinct lenses: the desktop experience focuses on the music and emotional context behind each polaroid, while the mobile version emphasizes the physical and visual attributes of the polaroids themselves.
Process:
The project began by scanning each polaroid to create high-resolution digital copies. From there, the collection was organized twice: first by the order in which the polaroids were acquired (for the desktop site), and then by the date each was taken (for the mobile site). Both platforms share a consistent landing page, featuring the VKEI VAULT title, a looping GIF preview of the collection, and straightforward navigation. Each version then leads into a short conceptual introduction tailored to its specific focus. The desktop site, presented in a stark black-and-white palette, arranges the polaroids in a grid according to the order they were collected. Each image is enriched with connotative data: the associated DADAROMA song, its album, a selected lyric, and an interpretation of the song’s meaning. Hovering over a polaroid expands it, reveals this contextual information on the right, and plays the corresponding track. Users can also filter the gallery by album using a top navigation bar for a more thematic browsing experience. In contrast, the mobile site inverts the color palette and emphasizes denotative details about the polaroids. Organized by year, polaroids from each year are displayed in a vertically scrollable layout. Tapping on an image reveals specific metadata such as purchase price, condition, signature style, dominant colors, and other physical attributes.
Outcomes:
The most challenging aspect of the project was identifying and crafting a diverse set of 12 unique data points per polaroid, six for each platform. This created a better understanding of how to go beyond obvious details like order or color, and instead highlight more nuanced elements such as image condition, emotional connection, or song relevance.