Visit Palm Springs Website
This project was a joy to design, as Palm Springs' iconic aesthetic provided a rich foundation to build upon. From its vibrant pool club culture and nightlife to its reputation as a premier LGBTQIA+ destination, the city’s iconic midcentury architecture and stunning desert surroundings offer something for everyone.
In addition to the website, I created a suite of assets for the Visit Palm Springs team to seamlessly integrate into their existing brand, enhancing the overall consistency and appeal of their identity.
Agency
Simpleview
Thanks to
Andrea Martinez - Art Direction
Role
Website Design
Scope
Website
1 | On-Site Visit & In-Depth Discovery Process
Discovery Collaborative Session with Client
Defining the personality, destination attributes, key performance indicators, and demographic targets
Competitive Analysis
2 | Responsive Website Design
Strategically designed the website to align with key performance indicators, including visitors guide requests, highlighting blog content, and pointing visitors and residents to their events calendar.
3 | Collaboration & Delivery
Collaborated closely with cross-functional teams, including development and customer success teams, to ensure the seamless implementation of design projects from concept to completion.
Project Design Process
Both the brand and website were approved with no revisions. The client stated that we provided them with the “perfect logo”.
Project Outcome
Inspiration & Visual Direction
The design concept was inspired by the unique essence of Palm Springs itself. The city is renowned for its midcentury modern architecture, striking desert landscape, and the timeless glamour of Old Hollywood. I had the privilege of visiting Palm Springs to fully immerse myself in its aesthetic. Surrounded by boutique hotels, homes featuring iconic breezeblocks, slanted roofs, and the rugged beauty of desert plants, the visual direction quickly took shape.
That said, Palm Springs offers a range of personalities depending on the experience you’re seeking. For our clients, who described themselves as "the edgy little sister of Greater Palm Springs," I knew we could take a bolder approach. I leaned into this concept, incorporating bright colors, bold patterns, and midcentury modern design elements to reflect their vibrant, unconventional spirit. The result is a playful yet sophisticated take on Palm Springs that captures both its history and its modern energy.
TL;DR
I expanded upon the existing color palette to differentiate them from their DMO neighbor, Greater Palm Springs
Typography was chosen to reflect the midcentury design influences of Palm Springs
I designed a full suite of UI elements, including buttons, graphics, and patterns
Designed the website to show off their extensive suite of images and videos
Designed for key performance indicators, including local partnership features, an evergreen blog, and their events calendar
Color, Type & UI Elements
While Palm Springs already had an established color palette, I saw an opportunity to expand on it in a way that would set them apart from Greater Palm Springs, another DMO brand, which leans heavily into blue tones. To create a more distinct identity, I embraced bold pops of bright pink and neon green. To soften the intensity of these vibrant colors, I paired them with a warm cream and a deeper green, rounding out the palette with a more balanced, cohesive feel.
For typography, I selected a typeface that echoed many of the midcentury design influences I encountered during my research. The serif headers add a touch of sophistication, offering a refined contrast to the bold, edgy color scheme.
In addition, I designed a full suite of UI elements, including buttons, graphics, and patterns, ensuring a complete and cohesive user experience across all touchpoints.
Information Hierarchy
During Discovery, the client emphasized the importance of highlighting their strong connections with local businesses. To reflect this, I designed prominent sections on the homepage that showcase these partnerships, giving them attention while reinforcing Palm Springs’ community-driven spirit.
The client also wanted to feature their blog, which they update weekly with evergreen content, and local events. I created modular sections with large photo spaces to prominently display this content, ensuring high visibility for users. By prioritizing these on the homepage, we were able to drive users to the most important content, creating a journey through the exploration process in booking a trip.
