AIGA celebrates 100 years of design with inspirational microsite

To mark its hundredth anniversary, AIGA, the professional association for design, created a microsite celebrating American design and its impact on society and our lives. Rather than organising the history of design into a chronological format, the site divides content into five sections: connects, Informs, assists, delights and Influences.

Within each section, visitors can find significant design work, interviews with famous designers, and pertinent quotes that explain how design helps shape the world. Site users can share their thoughts on design, or share their favourite works by uploading visuals to be displayed on the site's homepage.

"We decided the purpose of the site should be to begin the conversation, not end it," said AIGA executive director Richard Grefé. "The curated portion of the site is meant to be representative, not definitive. It is an invitation for designers to add their own sources of inspiration, their mentors, or those who influenced them."

The eye-catching design and interesting interactions work well on large screens, but the site can also be easily consumed on smaller screens. the effect is a thoroughly engaging site that invites you to explore key moments in design history and consider the ways in which design has contributed to make our world a better place.

This article originally appeared in net magazine issue 254.