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Piper Republic is a multimedia company dedicated to inspiring the interior design and architecture community with resources that champion healthy, regenerative design. Through thoughtfully curated articles, engaging videos, and an insightful podcast, Piper Republic equips professionals with the tools and perspectives needed to create sustainable, wellness-focused spaces.

Founded by Beth Cochran, an architect and passionate advocate for sustainable construction, Piper Republic sought to elevate its digital presence. The original site — built on a basic, off-the-shelf media template — failed to convey the brand’s message or support its goals. Beth approached our team to reimagine her brand and build a site that truly reflected her vision.

Working alongside three talented UX designers, I helped deliver a refined, cohesive, and mission-driven website in just three weeks. The result is a seamless user experience that effectively communicates Piper Republic’s values and content to its audience. It was a synergistic, rewarding collaboration, and we were thrilled to exceed Beth’s expectations. She is now actively implementing our design.

  • 4 person project team

  • 3 week project Oct. 18th-Nov. 8th 2024

  • 14 research interviews (8 current/6 prototype testing)

  • Heuristic evaluation, affinity mapping, user journey, competitive analysis, site mapping

  • Topography and color palette, layout/component design

  • Low and high fidelity prototypes

  • Final stakeholder presentation and approval

Our team:

  • Gabriela Chan - Project Lead

  • Ivanna Gong - Research Lead

  • David Inman - Business Analytics Lead/Design

  • Alex Kwon - Design Lead

"Talent wins games, but teamwork and intelligence win championships." – Michael Jordan

The original Piper Republic website lacked clarity, structure, and visual cohesion. Users struggled to navigate the site efficiently or find the content they needed, while the brand’s message of sustainable, regenerative design was getting lost. Piper Republic needed a platform that aligned with its mission, resonated with design professionals, and made high-quality content easy to discover and engage with.

Problem Statement

Research

Interview Comments

  • “To balance sustainability with aesthetics I think a less is more approach is helpful when it comes to design and graphics” - Tori

  • “If it’s sustainability, I would imagine it’s more minimalistic. Minimalism implies minimal waste.” - Ian

  • “Visual design plays a critical role of a website when it comes to determining credibility” - Tori

  • “On a sustainability site, I’d love to see more detailed information about the materials and innovations being used.” - Lisa

  • “I would define an excellent user experience as a “75 to 25 ratio of ease of navigation to creativity.” - Soua

  • “Search bars are the most essential tools for me as they allow you to find specific information as quickly as possible” - Tori

Interviews

“It takes two to speak truth—One to speak, and another to hear.” - Henry David Thoreau

Heuristic Analysis

Websites Surveyed

  • Architectural Digest www.architecturaldigest.com

  • In Habitat www.inhabitat.com

  • Metropolis www.metropolismag.com

  • Interior Design www.interiordesign.net/

Competitive Analysis

Final Site and Brand presentation

Home Page

Media Page

"Your brand is what other people say about you when you're not in the room." - Jeff Bezos

Filtered Media

Article page

Print subscription

About page

“To know yourself is the beginning of wisdom.” - Aristotle

Brand Style Assets

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

This project went far beyond a simple site or flow redesign—though we did plenty of that—and moved into the territory of brand strategy and messaging. Our stakeholder had a strong vision for what she wanted her site to express, and we had to strike a careful balance: honoring her goals while nudging the design toward something heuristically sound, with a cohesive visual system of color and typography. Every element was crafted to serve the bigger message.

My background in fine art and years in e-commerce sales and marketing proved especially useful here. While branding is an area I’ve worked in extensively, this project—more than any other I’ve been part of—highlighted the power of user research. The interviews, which included a diverse mix of creatives and non-creatives (including two architects), were instrumental in shaping an outcome that feels both expressive and effective.

It was also one of the most rewarding team collaborations I’ve had. My three teammates were excellent partners, and I’d work with any of them again in a heartbeat.

The final site is now in the stakeholder’s hands, and she’s made launching it a priority for 2025.

“Your brand is a gateway to your true work. You know you are here to do something – to create something or help others in some way. The question is, how can you set up your life and work so that you can do it?”– Danielle LaPorte