Common Dimensions Research Platform

Context

Common Dimensions is a research platform and print publication meditating on the chair as a point of inquiry. Project-runner Rebecca Wilkinson brought No Replica in to translate the project’s print materials into a digital experience.

Challenge

Since the project originated as a print publication, the project took multiple forms that spanned several research methods including an archive, several interviews, and collected readings. No Replica’s task was to unite all these materials in a cohesive digital portal that offered as a hub to several distinct experiences.

Solution

The digital experience begins with a provocative homepage that introduces visitors to the subject matter of chairs. A photographic documentation of Bill Carroll’s “Dust Chair” takes centerstage, rotating as the user moves their mouse across the screen. This core image is layered on top of provocative questions, like “What makes a chair a chair?”

Once entering the site, users are greeted with three collections of content: a library of chair-related subjects and objects; a series of interviews; and, a curated archive of readings. Across all experiences, yellow highlighted text serves as a visual motif and indicator of interactive content. The site encourages visitors to freely browse this content in no particular order.