Sustainable Stanford
When it comes to turning sustainability commitments into bold, measurable action, few institutions set the bar higher than Stanford University. Since 2013, openbox9 has had the privilege of partnering with Sustainable Stanford to design and build digital solutions that inform, inspire, and elevate their leadership in systemic and personal behavior change toward carbon neutrality and social responsibility.
University Sustainability Beyond Campus
The Sustainable Stanford website is the culmination of years of vision, collaboration, and strategic consultation. The website combines cross-departmental efforts to highlight achievements, share critical data, and tell powerful, purpose-driven stories.
openbox9 collaborated closely with Stanford through in-depth interviews, research, and strategic mapping — translating complexity into clarity. Our creative consultation unearthed new opportunities, including the development of an intuitive “How the heck do I dispose of this?” app and a series of infographics that visually explain the interconnected nature of Stanford’s operational systems.
The result is far more than a website, it’s a living model for green action.
Sustainability Branding
As a department within Stanford University, Sustainable Stanford needed a visual identity that aligned with the university’s overarching brand, while retaining the ability to stand on its own. For openbox9, it was essential to first research and deeply understand Stanford’s parent brand guidelines. Within that framework, we explored opportunities to thoughtfully craft a distinct sub-brand.
The goal was to strike a balance: creating a visual system that feels connected to the university, yet clearly communicates the unique mission and goals of the university sustainability department. The result is a cohesive identity that supports both the parent brand and the individuality of the university sustainability work.
A Website for Action
With the spirit of a movement designed to inspire climate action, the website needed to radiate energy… something that clearly says: “Progress is happening. Now it’s your turn to join us in our ambitious sustainability goals.” We brought that energy to life through custom content areas tailored to specific audiences, paired with engaging motion and optimistic illustrations that create delightful moments.
Beneath the vibrant tone lies the complexity of a deeply interconnected system is a network of departments, operational systems, and networks powering Stanford’s sustainability efforts. This is far more than just recycling programs; it’s about research, innovation, and scaling solutions in energy, cooling, water, transportation, food, and sharing discoveries beyond the campus borders.
The site is hopeful and inviting on the surface, yet rich with depth for those who want to dig into the wonderfully nerdy data-driven solutions behind Stanford’s leadership in sustainability.
A Website that Visually Communicates
Let’s be honest… few campuses are as visually stunning as Stanford’s. While the site features gorgeous campus photography, our sustainability website design approach balanced with equally compelling custom illustrations to enhance the visual storytelling.
These infographics weren’t decorative but grounded in deep research and innovation in how sustainability systems work. Through sketches and written narratives, we captured main messages and nuanced supporting themes. The result: illustrations that make complex ideas approachable, engaging, and easy to understand.
Sustainability Data Consultation
Stanford had two big ideas for the site: a Waste guide to help users correctly dispose of items, and a Data Hub to showcase sustainability progress. Both needed goals, structures, database systems, and functional solutions defined.
Smooth user experiences are built on smart database structures. Our process includes iterative prototyping from detailed spreadsheets to workflow diagrams that shape the functionality of the tool.
The result wasn’t just a helpful resource for users, it’s also a well-organized, easy-to-maintain system for staff. A thoughtful solution that will continue to serve Stanford well for years to come.
The Data Hub Tool required data wrangling from a broad set of diverse metrics into meaningful and compelling stories to align sustainability data with university goals.
Clean, well-labeled charts and organized trends present a tool that’s simple to explore yet rich in insight. The result is a streamlined experience that connects data to impact and brings Stanford’s progress to life.
Continuing to Innovate
Launching the website is just the beginning of sustainable solutions. The strategic foundation gives Stanford a self-managed communication tool and a springboard for future ideas. From expanded data tools and how-to video series, to interactive infographics and outreach graphics, there’s room to grow. As Stanford continues to innovate and scale sustainability solutions, openbox9 will evolve website solutions as a dynamic hub for stories, data, and action.
CARA UY-SEGAL
“It’s exactly – no – even better than I envisioned. You did an incredible job visualizing so much information. It’s very clear and easy to understand now. We are grateful to call Openbox9 our design team!”