TRIUMF’s Communications team recently took home the 2024 In-House Design Award from the association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) for their work to rebrand and redesign the TRIUMF House website.
The TRIUMF House rebrand was selected from over 300 submissions from some of Canada’s largest brands and companies for an In-House ‘Award of Distinction’, a jury-selected award that recognizes teams of designers and creatives working ‘in-house’ and embedded within organizations (as opposed to working in dedicated design firms).
(image: Diana Castañeda (left) and Maria Munir)
The award recognizes Diana Castañeda (Senior Graphic Designer) for project management and art direction, Maria Munir (Design & Communications Associate) for brand implementation and web design, and Jessica Peng (formerly a TRIUMF- Capilano IDEA practicum student) for illustration and brand design. The ceremony took place on May 27.
TRIUMF Communications took the podium alongside several large organizations, including Deloitte, UBC, and Canadian Tire.
“As a team much smaller than the competition, and with far fewer resources, it was incredibly validating to win this award,” said Munir. “It shows the merit of human-centred design, and how much we can achieve when we apply these principles to TRIUMF projects.”
“Standing alongside Canada's leading businesses and organizations is a humbling and exhilarating experience,” said Castañeda. “Being in such an esteemed company not only validates our efforts – which are greater in proportion, given the significant differences in size and capacity – but it also inspires us to keep striving for greatness! It's an honor to be recognized in this way, and we are excited to contribute to the vibrant tapestry of Canadian innovation and design.”
(image: a screenshot of the updated TRIUMF House homepage)
The TRIUMF House design process involved not only illustration, graphic design, and web development, but also a significant effort to better understand the TRIUMF House clientele first through focus groups, interviews, and site-visits. Increasingly, leading designers are leveraging these user experience (UX)-focused approaches to create better-informed and more impactful, enduring designs, from illustrations to products to apps and websites.
“We discovered so much about TRIUMF House guests through Jessica’s work to interview and learn about this unique community of visiting scientists. It told us an interesting story about what TRIUMF House actually meant to people,” explained Munir. “It helped us empathize more deeply with the guests, which in turn helps inspire user-focused graphic and web design, and curation for the overall website experience.”
This award marks the third time the team has won a national RGD award; the first came in 2019 for the design of the 2020-2025 Five-Year Plan, and the second in 2021 for the ‘Radiation Environments’ interactive infographic.
Building on the award and the successful digital implementation, the team is looking forward to bringing the rebrand to life on-location at TRIUMF House.
“Our next focus will be on refreshing our stationery, promotional materials, and merchandise. We are excited to create items that our users will love to take home, serving as cherished mementos of their time with TRIUMF,” said Castañeda. “These upcoming projects will not only enhance our brand's visibility and equity but also allow us to further showcase our creativity and commitment to excellence.”
Congratulations, team!