Got a beautiful creative side project? We look at how best to present it online
Over the past few months we’ve been working to find out what it is that makes good site design great site design, partnering with our chums over at Squarespace to show off the best designs on their platform. We’ve already looked at how to present portfolios and business sites, and in our final piece we’re honing in on brilliantly presented personal projects.
We tracked down the chap behind Where Is Football, a charming little corner of the internet that celebrates football’s different guises across the world “from schoolyard games with jumpers for goalposts to professional matches under floodlights,” aiming to show off the rich tapestry that makes up the sport in all its forms, and in very different places.
“Where Is Football started as a small project that quickly demanded a much bigger stage,” says its founder Eric Beard. “Wherever I go, a part of me is always searching for a game. It’s a feeling that is ingrained in me, but also resonates with so many. Our team was already sharing all signs of football we discovered on our travels, so Where Is Football was born from a decision to make a collective project based on our habits, encouraging all fans to partake.”
The site maximises the images that are at its heart, and uses a down arrow that leads to an infinite scroll of features. It was designed by Kendall Henderson, who was Eric’s creative partner when the pair worked together for Nike in Portland. “The aesthetic is a declaration, but also an invitation,” says Eric. “We try to uncover these homes and look through their respective windows with the support of poignant writing and striking photography. We want that 15-year-old kid in Croatia to feel like he can show us his local pitch. Which is exactly what’s happening, and every week we’re given a first-hand glimpse into entirely different worlds.”
Where is Football
The site uses three tabs: the main features homepage, an about page with a contact form and a “map” page formed of Instagram pictures from different users around the world. Each feature itself also takes on a design specific to its content. The inclusive, celebratory nature of the site (and the fact that wherever you are in the world, there’s going to be people who love football) has meant the site’s not been short of traction on social media. On Instagram alone, the #whereisfootball hashtag has been used “tens of thousands of times,” according to Eric. “Having people in and around the game spread the project through word of mouth has helped it grow tremendously,” he says. “We also have a ‘whereisfootball’ Snapchat, which we hand over to members of the WiF community from time to time. We try to keep our Twitter as minimal as possible by only following Nicklas Bendtner and simply tweeting out good content as it comes through. I like the idea of Twitter being used as a way to disrupt the wave of information that flows on a daily basis.”
Eric’s advice for people who want to create their own site is to utilise Squarespace’s possibilities for their own means. “Squarespace is clean and focused, so take advantage by making sure your project or portfolio is as well,” he says.
Where is Football
What’s so lovely about this personal project is how universal it’s become, and how the creator and editors’ passion for football shines through every page. But even better, it’s forged new global friendships. Eric says: “The internet can create the initial connection to incredible people in surreal places. In about a month, I’ll be traveling to Myanmar and a Where Is Football supporter in Yangon will be showing me around his city.”
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About Squarespace
Squarespace is a creation tool enabling individuals to create a great website by giving them the tools to create an elegant solution and get their voice heard in the world of online publishing. Whether for experienced designers or for someone putting together their first website, it makes forming a beautiful platform simple.
Where is Football
Where is Football
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Emily joined It’s Nice That as Online Editor in the summer of 2014 after four years at Design Week. She is particularly interested in graphic design, branding and music. After working It's Nice That as both Online Editor and Deputy Editor, Emily left the company in 2016.