MUNNAR // Web Design
This website was designed for Munnar, India, a popular tourist destination. Munnar is most known for its rolling hills and the tea plantations that cover them. The best way to view Munnar is by taking a journey up the hillside. Whether you opt for a car or the back of an elephant, there are many things to see and do.
While working on this project, my motive was to create a branding strategy that would encompass the attributes of Munnar that made visiting it one of the best family vacations I had ever been on. Along with my personal experiences, I also conducted research on the history, geography, culture and demographics of the visitors. After acquiring a broad understanding of the town, I wanted to get more specific accounts of people’s experiences. I read travel blogs and reviews on tours, hotels and restaurants in the area. By doing this I gained what I felt was a clear understanding of Munnar. I began listing elements I felt represented Munnar, and collected a series of pictures to use as visual references. I also looked at what was popular in graphic design in India, because I knew from my research that the majority of the people who visit Munnar are from India. However, I also wanted to promote Munnar as an international destination, so I also collected visual references from other popular destinations all over the world. Once I compiled my research, I began hand sketching various elements I felt would be appropriate to include. I find that during the sketching process it helps to use a variety of mediums. I prefer pencil, pen, markers and water color. By using a variety of media in the physical process, it allows for even more exploration during the digital stage.
My final design logo design reflects the history of tea in the region and honors the remarkable scenery. The combination of the tea leaf with the rolling hills is simple, but is clearly descriptive of the town. I contained the hills in the tea leaf because it reflects how the establishment and wealth of the area was due to the exportation of the crop. Stylistically I kept the design flat, but in the full color version I used a variety of greens to create some depth. I was inspired by Indian textile and the patterns used in henna, which is also grown in Munnar, specifically the popular paisley pattern. After conducting a type study, I modified a typeface in English that was representative of written Hindi, India’s most commonly spoken language.
The overall style and branding of the website extended from the logo conceptualization. The color pallet was cohesive with the greens I selected for the logo, but I complimented it with a warm toned brown which I also used in two tints. I didn’t find it appropriate to use a stark white or black because of the warm nature of my design. For a background color I used a very light tint of the warm brown, which complemented all the various tones of green in the photographs. For the body text I used a very dark shade of the green to create a stubble effect of softness. I used an organic curved shape throughout the design, representative of the hills. I felt like it was important to repeat the form of the hills because it is a distinguishing feature of Munnar. Although hills are commonplace all over the world, the hills of Munnar are covered by rows of tea plants. Wherever you stand in Munnar, you are surrounded by the hills, and that was my favorite part of my time there. Overall, I believe I created a cohesive and representative branding identity for the town of Munnar.
