We started with user personas — not as an exercise, but because this audience was genuinely diverse. Someone planning a multi-day paddle trip has completely different needs from a family deciding whether to drive out on a Saturday, which are different again from a policymaker or donor evaluating the project’s scope and credibility. Getting the architecture right meant understanding all three, and not designing for only one.
The visual approach followed from the project’s character: wide-open, outdoor, optimistic. The design needed to carry the energy of the river without overwhelming the practical utility of the site. Rich photography and maps surface the experience; clear navigation surfaces the information. Neither competes with the other.
Mobile-first wasn’t a constraint we worked around — it was the organizing principle. People plan outdoor trips on their phones. They check trail conditions, look up parking, and pull up maps while they’re already at the trailhead. Every interaction was evaluated against the question: does this work when you’re standing outside, one-handed, in the sun?
The ongoing maintenance relationship has allowed the site to evolve in step with the project. As new trail segments opened, as funding milestones were hit, as the Camp + Paddle Trail launched — the site was there to announce it and bring people in.
What We Built
The planning-phase site (2019–2020)
The original site launched to support the Chattahoochee RiverLands Greenway Study — a 20-month public engagement process involving nearly 290 stakeholder and community groups across seven counties. The site served as a central hub for that process: explaining the project’s vision, hosting the study outputs, and channeling community interest into participation. It had to feel credible and exciting before there was anything to visit.
The destination guide (2020–Present)
As trail segments and parks came online, the site grew into a full visitor guide. It now covers 40+ parks and access points within an interactive map, event listings, and a guide to local spots — cafes, breweries, and destinations along the corridor. The architecture routes distinct audiences (explorers, supporters, planners) to what they need without burying the site in sprawl.
Inclusivity was designed in, not added after. The RiverLands vision explicitly centers communities historically excluded from open spaces — the site reflects that. Clear wayfinding, accessible paths filters, and a clean mobile experience mean the digital front door matches the physical one.
