brief
I’m an avid hiker and love the outdoors, but I rarely have the time to get up into the mountains. I saw an opportunity for an urban, digital solution to this problem.
pitch
I conceptualized an app that would help people get their nature fix even though they’re in an urban area. I centered the experience around the “summit,” or destination, of the hike.
breakdown
When I began work on this project, I had a very clear goal in mind: to elevate the user experience so that the interface gives the user a real-world interaction instead of a strictly digital one. My second goal was to include elements of hiking culture into the app, which would cultivate a narrative flow that is familiar to those who hike.
branding development/symbolism
1 A place marker or sign is a familiar object in the wilderness, a reassuring shape that dispels anxiety and gives a sense of security. At the same time it represents the adventure of reaching a goal.
2 A triangular linear shape becomes both a long road and a mountain peak. It draws a connection between the road (the user’s reality) and a mountain (the idealized hiker’s setting)
3 A triangular shape at the bottom points forward and upward, encouraging the user to continue toward completing their end goal.
4 The round-cornered square evokes a street sign or a trail marker, giving the user a sense that someone has already taken care of the directions.
