Kansas City Art Institute

Creating a Sense of Place

The Kansas City Art Institute’s (KCAI) undying commitment to excellence in arts education has made them national leaders. Their vision was to create an online experience that excited students about life and learning at KCAI and convinced parents of the value of a career in the arts. The primary call-to-action was to drive enrollment.

Early visual concepts for the site used KCAI’s “core graphic” (a shape which represents the convergence of the campus buildings) to frame images of the energy and activity of students on campus. The juxtaposition of figure-ground gave us the opportunity to explore the juxtaposition of the natural and physical elements of the campus, students and the institution, and spirit and body. In the end, our concept evolved into one which focused visual attention on the interaction of the site visitor with images of “virtual” student life. Creativity, a willingness to explore, and a desire to participate in a vibrant culture are all qualities necessary for serious arts students. This site, first and foremost, needed to express that KCAI is a place with a creative soul.

An important functional component of the site—since we were focused on the goal of communicating a sense of physical space—was the interactive campus map. Users can not only identify and get information on each campus building, but they can locate Wi-Fi areas, green spaces, and street information, as well. And because it is important to KCAI to promote actual campus visits and tours for potential students, the site contains tools for users to get information on visiting the school.