Boston University Sustainability
Reimagining the Sustainability Experience
Boston University’s Sustainability team needed a modern, future-ready digital platform that could communicate impact, influence behavior, and unify dozens of initiatives under one clear experience. The previous site lacked cohesion, hierarchy, and a defined brand voice.
As Creative Director, I led design direction, UX strategy, content organization, and cross-functional development guidance to build a digital ecosystem that reflects BU’s commitment to climate action, research innovation, and community engagement.
Challenge
BU Sustainability sits at the intersection of climate policy, student life, research, facilities, and community action. Their new website needed to:
Present complex climate initiatives in a clear, inspiring way
Function as a resource hub for students, faculty, and partners
Highlight BU's climate commitments, reporting, and progress
Create a sense of momentum and collective responsibility
Bring together hundreds of articles, programs, data points, and tools
Reflect BU’s evolving digital brand and accessibility standards
The challenge was not only design — it was worldbuilding, creating a system capable of growing with BU’s sustainability goals for years ahead.
Approach
I directed the full creative process from concept to execution:
Visual Direction
The visual system needed to feel scientific, optimistic, and human.
I developed a direction using:
Clean typography and strong hierarchy
Photography with real BU environments and people
Large-format data and stat highlights
A tone that blends academia, climate science, and community impact
UX Strategy + Information Architecture
Audited existing content across the sustainability network
Created a simplified, modern IA that allows users to find information quickly
Designed modular content blocks that support storytelling, data, and resource tools
Established navigational patterns consistent with BU’s Product Base ecosystem
Collaboration + Development Leadership
Guided designers, UX partners, writers, and developers
Ensured accessibility compliance (WCAG) across all modules
Oversaw implementation on BU’s CMS
Directed QA, mobile adaptation, and component integration
Interaction + Movement
Subtle motion to reinforce momentum
Scroll-based reveals for research and impact sections
Modular story layouts for features, reports, and case highlights
Solution
A fully reimagined sustainability site that feels alive, intuitive, and forward-thinking — a digital home that matches the scale of BU’s climate work.
Key Features:
A modern hero framework introducing BU’s mission and climate goals
Impact storytelling using modular, reusable components
A resource-forward design that helps students and faculty take real action
Dynamic research highlights showcasing BU’s global contributions
Clear pathways for learning, participating, and getting involved
Integrated reports & data that make climate progress transparent
Photography-driven layouts that ground sustainability in real BU life
The result is a digital experience that educates, mobilizes, and amplifies BU’s leadership in climate action.
Role
Creative Director:
Led concepting, UX direction, creative strategy
Directed all visual design and system development
Partnered with writers, developers, PMs, and stakeholders
Oversaw launch and post-launch refinement
Results
Streamlined hundreds of pages into a cohesive system
Improved clarity and navigability for all audience types
Established a design language that can scale across departments
Elevated BU Sustainability’s digital presence to match the strength of the work they do
Created a platform that will evolve alongside BU’s Climate Action Plan
