science/ logotype and website
the DOOR Lab
The DOOR Lab is a trailblazing research center with an ambitious mission: to understand the mechanisms of resilience in order to help alleviate stress and prevent disease. We were up for the challenge when they chose us as their creative partner who would transform their brand, and help them attract funding with a professional website.
Background
We immediately felt connected to The DOOR Lab — and it’s not just because they’re also New Yorkers. As the Lab is spearheaded by Dr. Dani Dumitriu, one of the few female leaders in a very male-dominated industry, we immediately resonated with their ambition and challenges.
As the right-brain creative partner of such a left-brain, rational organization, our challenge was to give The DOOR Lab a visual identity and digital presence that fit in, and yet stood out. It had to click into the strict requirements of academia, to speak the language of their potential investors, and also not neglect to express the fun spirit of the Lab.
What we did
Our contribution
In this project more than ever, hitting the right note was crucial. The wrong tone of voice, a jarring color, or a disrupted user journey could directly translate into a loss of funding, credibility, and reputation. Recognizing this, Oak Theory’s responsibility extended far beyond mere execution of design and development, growing into a true creative partnership.
We started as we always do, with a comprehensive workshop and a deep dive into The DOOR Lab’s world. We strived to understand their work, their ethos, and the realities of their industry, as well as to gain clarity on the creative restrictions that came with branding within academia.
Once our team was clear on how The DOOR Lab should come across to their target audience, and how it could be best positioned to reach their ultimate goal of gaining funding and attracting bright young talent, we were ready to go. We began developing the Lab’s visual identity and brand guidelines to be professional and concise, yet colored by optimism and excitement — just like the team came across in our meetings. The ensuing website seamlessly took the user on the journey of this visual narrative, complemented by a tone of voice meticulously tailored to resonate within the academic realm.
Expressing the Lab’s scientific depth in an accessible presentation posed a distinctive challenge. Oak Theory’s strategic acumen was put to the test as we structured the website’s architecture. Through well-defined sitemaps and wireframes, each page was crafted to convey the Lab’s extensive research, transforming complexity into an engaging and comprehensible narrative.
The pinnacle was the Publications page – a curated repository showcasing The DOOR Lab’s scholarly contributions. We organized an extensive library of research papers in order to be easily navigable and visually attractive, showcasing the Lab’s capabilities and garnering the credibility needed to attract serious funding. The carefully implemented design provided a gateway for users, ranging from potential funders to aspiring researchers, to delve into the Lab’s groundbreaking work.
Connecting with our own mission to support underrepresented minorities, our project became a conduit to amplify the voice of Dr. Dani Dumitriu, the principal investigator of The DOOR Lab. In her leadership role at Columbia University and within academia, she represents a minority that has managed to burn through the ranks regardless of roadblocks. By empowering her and her visionary pursuits, we hope that Oak Theory helped fortify The DOOR Lab’s influence and galvanize support for their transformative research.
what we made
