Rediscovering
the West End

This project explores how digital experiences can capture memory, place, and personal meaning. I focused on Vancouver's West End — a neighbourhood tied to routines, movement, and everyday moments.

The goal was not just to present locations, but to design a narrative that unfolds as users move through the page, blending interactive maps, personal data, and visual hierarchy into a cohesive storytelling experience.

Community memory is intangible — it lives in repeated visits, familiar routes, and small moments. The challenge was translating this into a structured digital experience that still felt personal and emotionally resonant.

I began by mapping out key locations in the West End and the emotions associated with each one — Stanley Park, Cadero's Restaurant, English Bay, and Sunset Beach. From there, I translated those moments into visual structure, focusing on pacing, hierarchy, and narrative flow.

Each section of the page was designed to mirror a different part of the walk: arrival, exploration, memory, and reflection.

I started with hand-drawn sketches to explore the page structure, mapping out how the intro, story map, and data visualization sections would flow. These rough sketches were then translated into digital wireframes in Figma, allowing me to test layout decisions before committing to visual design.

Key decisions at this stage included the placement of the interactive story map, how data visualizations would be paired with narrative text, and the overall scrolling rhythm of the page.

The final webpage brings together the story map, data visualizations, and personal narrative into a cohesive scrolling experience. Each section is designed to feel like a distinct moment in the walk — anchored by a consistent visual language and the West End's natural colour palette.