Brief Explanation

The intent was to inspire both children and adults alike to think about the environment and how they can become more environmentally conscious. The website expands on the picture book idea and creates a 3D world using Flash technology. The experience is like flipping through a virtual pop-up book. Our hope was that this device would entertain young visitors from all over the world, while at the same time teach them the importance of environmental conservation. Our aim was for the website to be playful and entertaining.

The Brief

The Eco Zoo is a picture book style educational website created by the agency. The Zoo started out as a picture book that told the stories of various eco-friendly animals that had natural assets that helped them be “green,” like a kangaroo with a “recycle pocket,” for example.

How the final design was conceived

The site runs on an originally built 3D engine that operates on Flash Player. The environmental conservation message is conveyed via a picture-book story as well as textures that represent recyclable materials, such as cardboard and milk cartons. The utmost attention was paid to create a look and feel that was warm and welcoming and not heavy, cold, and impersonal, as it often the case with 3D imagery. We also made sure that it was accessible to kids by making the interactive features simple and easy to understand, while also burying surprise “Easter eggs” here and there for them to discover on their own.