Responses by Artem Militonian and Enni Hovsepian.

Background: “I’m an award-winning designer truly interested in design and journalism,” says Artem Militonian. “I try to combine these two disciplines and find a way of reach to wider audience through visual communication. My previous non-commercial longreads made without code talk about the war in Ukraine and Armenian Genocide, one of the most terrifying events of the past age. This website was specifically designed to bring attention to the ethnic cleansing in Artsakh, where Armenians had been living for more than 3,000 years. Since the topic is very complex and requires historical context, I couldn’t do this without help, so we got a team together make this happen: Enni Hovsepian to help with the design of the long read, Rita Mkrtchian and Mane Tatulian to work on the text, and Manvel Asratian to help with research.”

Recognizing the complexity of the issue and the general lack of awareness, we chose to leverage the power of design to convey the gravity of the situation. By integrating interactive elements, we aim to deeply engage users, let them navigate through the information at their own pace and gain a more nuanced understanding of the events in Artsakh. This approach helps break down the barrier of unfamiliarity, making the subject more accessible and comprehensible to a wider audience and encouraging empathy and informed discussions.

Design core: Reminiscent of newspaper reporting, the site’s design has roots in brutalism, which we chose for its ability to convey events with unflinching realism. Its main features include profound photography, clear text and animations that seamlessly connect these elements. This design approach merges the rugged, direct appeal of brutalist typography with modern, trendy elements for a distinctive aesthetic. This combination not only highlights the seriousness of the subject matter but also enhances user engagement through a mix of traditional starkness and contemporary flair.

Challenges: Presenting a complex and sensitive topic in a way that was both clear to the audience and engaging. The key was to find a delicate balance between the grave nature of the subject matter and a dynamic, interactive design, ensuring the material was approachable yet impactful. Furthermore, conducting thorough research was a substantial part of the process. We had to chronologically organize and delve into Armenia’s painful history, striving to compile and represent this information accurately and compellingly.

Time constraints: Facing time constraints meant we had to make tough decisions on what to prioritize, leading us to focus on the most critical story elements and design features. These constraints pushed us to refine our approach, though they also limited the exploration of additional creative possibilities.

Alternate paths: Given another opportunity to start from scratch, we would place a greater emphasis on eliciting emotional responses through the site based on deeper research. While the initial effort prioritized factual presentation and clarity, adding more layers of emotional depth could have fostered a stronger connection with the audience and amplified the message’s impact.

Technology: The site was created using the Readymag no-code builder, with some CSS codes added for custom styling enhancements.