The Shared Homeland Paradigm: Helping them make complex issues easier to understand

Helping The Shared Homeland Paradigm create an editorial website that encourages people to explore new perspectives on one of the world’s most complex political issues.

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The challenge

The Shared Homeland Paradigm is a collaboration between A Land for All, University College London, and the University of the Pacific. Its aim is to explore new ways of thinking about coexistence in Israel–Palestine.

The team has produced an extraordinary body of research, including articles, background papers, resources, and a growing lexicon of terms. My challenge was designing a website that made those issues easy to explore and understand. Using illustrations, layout, and typography, I helped transform a substantial body of research into an experience that encourages people to explore.

My approach

When people describe a website as "information rich," they often mean that it’s full of information. But I think that these websites should also be rich in understanding. That means every design decision helps explain a subject rather than simply present it. For example, for The Shared Homeland Paradigm, the corrct choice of typeface can help a design feel authoritative without appearing intimidating.

The solution

The finished Shared Homeland Paradigm website combines a carefully constructed content hierarchy, editorial-style layouts, and typography to helps readers navigate the often-complex issues. Behind the scenes, I built the website using Eleventy, creating a flexible publishing platform that’s capable of supporting articles, background and research papers, and a growing alternative lexicon.

Behind the design

Developing the visual language for this project meant exploring several creative directions before finding the one that supports its content best. My concepts ranged from native bird illustrations to historical maps and topographical forms. Each offered a different way to communicate connections and shared geography.

Typography received just as much attention. I shortlisted typefaces, studied their individual letterforms, and evaluated how each performed across the project's long-form articles, research papers, and alternative lexicon. From there, I designed page layouts that are flexible to accommodate the growing body of content.

The result

The Shared Homeland Paradigm website gives the project a publishing platform that reflects both the importance of its research and the sensitivity of its subject matter. The design encourages exploration. Its editorial layouts improve readability and its typography establishes an approachable yet authoritive tone. The result feels less like an academic archive and more like an invitation to learn.

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Andy exceeded every expectation. He didn’t just build us a website; he expertly guided our branding and design to ensure our project was presented in the best possible light. Professionally, he is top-tier; incredibly patient and always available to provide helpful guidance, Andy is one of the kindest people you’ll ever work with. I recommend him with all my heart.

What this project demonstrates

Editorial design principles can transform people’s experience of a subject. By bringing together a clear information hierarchy, thoughtful typography, and a distinctive visual language, I helped The Shared Homeland Paradigm present politically sensitive issues in a way that invites understanding.