The new LaRock website was built to be fast, modular and easy to update. Each page on the LaRock website can be constructed using a series of common components to ease the creation of new pages – with advanced features such as slideshows, clickable image blocks and bold statements. The system behind the website intelligently displays each of the components so that, for example, search engine friendly HTML text can be placed on top of each image within a slideshow.

Many optimisations were made to improve page load performance. Web graphics are kept to a minimum where design can be represented by code (e.g. borders, background colours, horizontal rules) or by the now recognised standard @font-face CSS3 declaration that allows use of custom fonts on the web. This reduces both page load and maintenance time as there are less HTTP requests and less graphical work required for content changes. Where web graphics are needed, their load priority is controlled so that the most important images above first and above all others at the top of the page and that low-priority images are treated as backgrounds and loaded last. This enables users on a slow connection to instantly be able to read all text content on any page of the site, followed by the load of the most important images first. Advanced features (custom fonts, slideshows) are executed once the entire page is loaded to improve the user’s experience.

The LaRock website was also developed with graceful degradation and progressive enhancement in mind. This means that if you’re using a modern web browser (such as Firefox, Google Chrome or Opera) you will experience the full range of features that were built into the website (CSS, JavaScript/jQuery, custom fonts). However if you’re using a less capable web browser, such as on a mobile device or games console, you will still be able to view all the content on the website – even though some of the advanced features may not be available to you. Not only does this allow for a wider range of devices to access the website, it all improves Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) as robots are able to fully index all text content (which would not be possible if text were to be embedded into images).

Our tests show that the entire homepage, with all advanced features enabled, can be loaded in around 1.5 seconds for a new visitor, with subsequent visits resulting in page loads of just 0.4 seconds.

See the live site: www.larock.co.uk

See the LaRock project overview for more information.

The brand and logo have been developed in house at The Chimney House by 93ft.  We’ve started it with an open mind as to where it could go.  The aim is to let other people who perhaps feel on the fringes of cycling, who are in some way interested, to those who are regularly riding but would like to be part of a cycling lifestyle option.  The marque has been illustrated and developed by the fabulous hand of Tom Newell, master of the illustration featured on the 93ft Chimney in The Chimney House.  For more information about joining La Squadra visit the website.

See the La Squadra project overview for more information.

93ft are fresh from 20:20 Mobile where we had a bit of an exclusive preview of Apple’s new iPad – due out in the UK in May.

The verdict.  Wow, what an awesome product, it’s definitely another design icon from Apple and yes we’ll all be buying one!  So many uses from picture frame, web browser, album, Skype and instant messaging to Facebook and that’s just scratching the surface!  Oh and before you ask, yes all 93ft websites are compatible with the iPad (and the iPhone) so you can keep yourself updated and continue to view all our work in glorious rich colour!

Click here to view our website portfolio.

We were approached by the event organisers [for the first of what we hope will be many entertaining and insightful nights in Sheffield] to design and develop an e-shot to mail out across the City raising both the awareness in the media and generating attendees and audience for the night.  Needless to say it worked a treat and the event has been oversubscribed!  So a big thanks to everyone involved helping to make this work at The Chimney House.

Pecha Kucha, meaning ‘chit chat’ in Japanese is an event phenomenon bringing creative worlds and talents together. Currently running in over 300 countries worldwide, the event was first started in Japan 2003 by the architects Astrid Klein and Mark Dytham.  Recognising that given the opportunity to present, most architects, designers and creative types cannot stick to a prescribed time, they developed their 20×20 format. Each presenter is given 20 seconds per slide and just 20 slides to present or showcase their work. They are not in control of their presentation so cannot go back and forth!  This makes for a unique, dynamic presentation, guaranteeing entertainment and a less formal atmosphere.

See the Pecha Kucha project overview for more information.

The Chimney House website, designed and developed by 93ft, acquired a new blog add-on last week. As the website had already been built upon the WordPress platform, adding a blog to the existing system did not require any major re-factoring of the code. CSS styles were plugged in to the main stylesheet to allow for a slightly different look and feel to the main site. Blogs, by nature, require a much longer page and additional navigation. These elements, along with the existing web design, were taken into consideration during the construction of the new blog templates.

Launched alongside the blog is the new header banner which now appears site-wide. The header section has been streamlined and narrowed to bring the content further up the screen. This is to the benefit of users with lower screen resolutions as more of the content on the page is immediately visible. The logo has also been made larger and placed onto a contrasting background in order that it may be more apparent.

Visit The Chimney House blog website:
http://www.thechimneyhouse.com/tried-and-tested/

See The Chimney House project overview for more information.

The Bike Science blog website is built upon the popular open-source blogging platform WordPress. 93ft developed a branded custom WordPress theme designed to fit in with the style an layout of the accompanying e-commerce website. Special features include the use of two widget-ready sidebars: one in the right column and one in the footer. This allows the client to customise the blog navigation elements as well as to provide external links to products on the e-commerce website.

Visit the Bike Science blog website:
http://blog.bike-science.com/

See the Bike Science project overview for more information.

The Bike Science e-commerce website is built upon the Pearl Online Accounting and CRM system; this allows the client to manage products, invoicing, contacts, accounts and reporting from a single system. 93ft developed a branded Pearl custom template for the e-commerce front-end. Special features of the template include: Promotional banner slideshow (jQuery), tabbed product viewing area (custom JavaScript) and the most recent blog posts are displayed using the Google AJAX API to access the RSS feed on the Bike Science blog. All of the special features were programmed using valid and semantic HTML and CSS alongside unobtrusive JavaScript to allow for maximum accessibility and compatibility.

Visit the Bike Science e-commerce website:
http://www.bike-science.com/

See the Bike Science project overview for more information.

http://www.arundeljoinery.co.uk

See the Arundel Joinery project overview for more information.

93ft just launched a temporary holding page for Jones and Co. The single webpage informs customers of Stuart Jones Styling Opticians Manchester of the undergoing re-brand and acts as a placeholder for their new website in the making.

See the Jones and Co. project overview for more information.

Our client set up Bike Science to offer athletes and those cyclists who want to squeeze out that little bit more performance from their equipment the chance to enjoy a professional bike fitting service.

For this he needed an identity so he could start marketing himself and his services with confidence and integrity!  We set about looking at visual associations close to the field of Science – and what better than the periodic table!  Using close references to this we set about developing the rest of the identity and brand around other scientific and measurement based symbols and icons.

Developing a line of on-brand web icons to accompany sections of the website, by pulling in details such as speed gauges, clocks and directional arrows to help instil a sense of precision and high performance.

The brand continues to develop as we work on the Bike Science e-commerce website.

See the Bike Science project overview for more information.

The MaxAim website was developed with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and social networking in mind, this facilitates quick discovery by major search engines (including Google).

http://www.maxaim.co.uk/

It’s not everyday you have the pleasure to create a website for a building with such a vivid heritage – The Chimney House is no exception with it’s 93ft chimney and period features. We were keen to reflect the building’s iconic status, as well as to show off its new and future use as offices for 93ft and Lark.

The web design influences came from globe trotting inspirations blended with its Sheffield roots – to make something which is appealing to both national and global audiences. The website as it stands is without interior shots – so creative photography from the surrounding area has captured the spirit of The Chimney House without actually going inside.

From a web development perspective, The Chimney House utilises a tailored open-source Content Management System (CMS) with many bespoke features – from hand-coded templates to Twitter integration. The website was launched with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and social networking in mind, this facilitates quick discovery by major search engines (including Google) and allows people to easily spread the word through Facebook and Twitter.

The site is an organic work in progress, it’s flexible and super simple to use back of house. Pre-opening it’s doing it’s job and attracting interest and enquires that are turning into bookings.

Visit The Chimney House website:
http://www.thechimneyhouse.com/

See The Chimney House project overview for more information.

The 93ft website needed to provide quick and easy access to the wide range of services that the company provides. Navigation was therefore a high priority in the design stage and it was decided that as many options needed to be provided to the user without overwhelming them.

In order to present the variety of production involved in particular projects, the client pages were developed to display all relevant articles linked to that client. For example if a particular client required interior design as well as identity and branding, an article explaining the work involved for each of these two distinct disciplines is displayed beneath the main client description.

The 93ft website was developed with Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and social networking in mind, this facilitates quick discovery by major search engines (including Google) and allows people to easily spread the word through Facebook and Twitter.

http://www.93ft.com/