The Townsend Center for the Humanities at UC Berkeley runs several interdisciplinary programs to foster innovative research, promote intellectual discourse, and support various academic initiatives.

Challenge

  • Outdated Platform: The legacy Drupal site was difficult to maintain and needed to be upgraded for security and performance.
  • Complex Program Structure: The Center’s diverse offerings—including events, seminars, fellowships, and nearly 70 interdisciplinary working groups—needed clearer organization.
  • Limited Accessibility: The previous site did not meet WCAG accessibility standards, restricting access for some users.
  • Lack of Visual Distinction: The website didn’t reflect the Center’s unique role and identity on campus.
Desktop design examples of the Townsend Center for the Humanities website

Solution

Black Antelope led a full redesign and rebuild of the Townsend Center website in Drupal, focused on clarity, accessibility, and long-term maintainability. We worked closely with Center staff to restructure the site around key user journeys and reorganize its deep content offerings—including major public lectures, writing-intensive undergraduate seminars, humanities workshops, student internship opportunities, and nearly 70 interdisciplinary working groups.

We crafted a unique visual identity for the site—one that speaks to the Center’s role as a vibrant, intellectually rich space for dialogue across disciplines. The clean, modern design elevates the Center’s offerings while making them more accessible to students, faculty, and the public.

Accessibility was a key priority throughout. The site now meets WCAG 2.0 AA standards, with semantic markup, proper color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility—ensuring inclusive access for all users.

Mobile design examples of the Townsend Center for the Humanities website

Results

  • Modern, Secure Platform: Upgraded to the latest version of Drupal for improved stability and editorial control.
  • Streamlined Content Structure: Clear, audience-driven navigation for events, working groups, seminars, and fellowships.
  • Distinct Visual Identity: A custom design that reflects the Center’s interdisciplinary focus and cultural mission.
  • Accessibility Compliance: WCAG 2.0 AA–compliant design ensures broader access to public-facing content.
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