CollegeCribs

A cutting-edge property search app connecting students and landlords in Ireland

Portfolio cover featuring the College Cribs logo and a simplified map on a purple background
  • Simplified view of the website and an illustration depicting a house for rent

Logo

The Student's Home

In reimagining our visual identity, we have echoed the brand's original logo, which depicted a home, infusing it with a fresh, student-centric perspective. We have intertwined the iconic imagery of a home with that of an academic cap, creating a dynamic symbol that vividly links to the student experience. The typography is both clear and minimalist, yet it breaks from convention, capturing the app's vibrant, youthful energy and welcoming ambiance.

  • Emblem in a green circle
  • Logo and icon as stickers on a laptop
  • Meaning of the logo – a combination of a house and a student cap

Strategy

Simplifying for All

Our collaborative effort was geared toward refreshing the brand's image to contemporary levels and, more critically, toward implementing technical upgrades in the search engine. We focused on innovating personalised filters based on user preferences and advancing the user interface for a more efficient and intuitive navigation experience.

Illustration with keys and a keychain featuring the logo

Needs-Based Filtering

We've upgraded search mechanisms to address the intricate needs of students, ensuring they can find ideal living spaces quickly and accurately.

Visuals that Add Character

Distinctive graphics lend the site a unique, memorable flair while enhancing navigational ease.

Eye-Catching Icons

A suite of intuitive icons was crafted to ease navigation and expedite the discovery of vital information.

Discreet Branding, Prominent Listings

The branding is subtly integrated – visible but not dominant, allowing the listings to stand out on the page.

  • College Cribs homepage, map, and a room rental advertisement
  • Subpage fragments
  • Color palette based on intense green, purple, and yellow

    Green, the anchor of CollegeCribs' visual branding, remains its primary corporate colour. Enhancing this with a modern twist, shades of purple now complement the palette – a colour widely favoured by youth and forming a sharp contrast against green.

  • Module with types of rooms and apartments to choose from
  • Phone outline with the mobile version of the website and icons

Icons and illustrations

Attention to Detail

We crafted a range of icons to simplify navigation through the features and equipment of rooms and apartments. Complementing these, we have included spot illustrations that conform to the company's colours, infusing the site with a friendlier and more personal character. These graphic elements have enhanced the structuring and showcasing of information, effectively engaging and capturing the user's attention.

  • Small icons for functionality and equipment
  • Spot illustrations

Functionality

Renewed Structure, Elevated Experience

Redesigning the search engine was the pivotal element of our project. We meticulously reviewed the site's earlier version to craft a new and more efficient structure. This transformation has markedly improved the user experience, from accelerating page load times to refining navigation pathways and enhancing how content is displayed.

  • Tablet outline with a map and locations of available apartments

Next to University Campuses

Students can now search for listings in their preferred cities and, more importantly, in areas adjacent to their universities.

Advanced Filtering

We've introduced innovative filter categories that precisely meet the demands of students and the variety of rental listing options.

Enhancements for Landlords

We've made the listing submission process faster and more user-friendly, reducing additional inquiries and speeding up the rental process.

  • Dropdown with the option to select a university
  • Phone outline with a login screen
  • Icons depicting apartment amenities
  • Photo of a student in a toga and academic hat
  • Available types of bedrooms
  • Photo of a landlord signing documents
  • View of the page with details of the added advertisement

Highlights

Far More than a Refresh

Our task to revitalize the client's brand and website resulted in its evolution into a modern web application built with current technologies. We equally prioritized the visual appeal and the user experience, leading to a redesigned information structure and user-centric features that aid CollegeCribs in attracting a broader customer base and growing their business.

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Win-Win for Students and Landlords

By deeply understanding the requirements of both customer segments, the implemented modifications yielded significant business advantages, aligning the interests of both groups. The search engine was crafted to effectively satisfy the needs of both property seekers and landlords, significantly improving user satisfaction.

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A Meaningful Logo Design

Our logo redesign is influenced by the visual trends of popular mobile applications, making it attractive and memorable, particularly for younger audiences. The logo cleverly combines a home symbol with academic imagery, directly reflecting the services' essence. This blend of elements allows the CollegeCribs logo to be visually appealing and a powerful medium for conveying the brand's unique identity, clearly setting it apart in a competitive market.

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Effortless Development Process

Our developers implemented the project using cutting-edge technologies: Vue.JS for the front-end and Ruby on Rails for the back-end.

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Still Relevant, Years Later

The CollegeCribs project, finalized in 2018, still upholds its contemporaneity and effectiveness. Its continued relevance is the result of selecting solutions and technologies that are not only innovative but also enduring, ensuring the project's long-term viability.

We couldn’t have been happier working with HS. The new branding is beautiful and the website is truly top quality. The feedback we hear most about the website is how good it looks and how easy it is to use – something that takes effort and skill to get right.

Ed Thurman

Ed Thurman

CollegeCribs co-owner

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