THE next chapter
Lyndsie Bourgon is a writer, researcher, oral historian, and National Geographic Explorer. Her work explores the environment and its entanglement with history, culture, and identity. Katie was commissioned to develop a digital home for Lyndsie’s growing body of work, creating a platform that could bring together her writing, research, and evolving interests in one cohesive experience.
The site launched in 2023 alongside the publication of Lyndsie’s first book, Tree Thieves, and was designed to establish a clear, flexible foundation for the next chapter of her career. Three years later, we returned to that foundation to reflect the growth that had taken place since launch; from a cross-country move and new research to teaching, oral history, and the early stages of what may become her next book.
What began as a website launch became an ongoing digital evolution, adapting alongside Lyndsie as her work, perspective, and practice continues to expand.
Creative Director
Principle Visual Designer
UX/UI Designer
ROLE
Web development
type
Concept
UX/UI
METHOD
Squarespace
Lightroom
Photoshop
software
January 2023 - present
DATE
continue reading
ˇ
Brand system
WORDMARK
Selected for its clarity and versatility, the typeface lends a confident, editorial tone without competing with the content.
color palette
The colour palette draws inspiration from the landscapes and natural environments that have shaped Lyndsie’s research over the years. Light grey, white, beige, dark green, and black create a quiet, grounded foundation, while the beige and dark green are used sparingly as accents throughout the site. The palette became a subtle ode to the land and a small reflection of Lyndsie herself.
PRIMARY TYPEFACE
Anton was selected for headlines for its bold, condensed character. It creates a strong editorial voice across the site while giving key moments of content a distinct visual presence.
SECONDARY TYPEFACE
Inter Tight was selected for body copy with legibility at the forefront. Its clean, compact form keeps longer passages easy to read while complementing the stronger character of the headlines.
favicon
A compass became a fitting mark for the favicon; a small memento to Lyndsie’s travels, research, and the many places her work has taken her.
the homepage
What had initially felt like baby steps of progress had proven to be major leaps when we circled back to discuss everything that had happened since the launch of Tree Thieves. A cross-country move, research for a new project, a shift in career, and an evolving perspective had all shaped Lyndsie’s work in ways that called for a new visual narrative.
With her background in journalism, we found ourselves naturally gravitating toward the visual language of a publication. The homepage became less about introducing Lyndsie and more about giving visitors a window into what she is actively exploring, highlighting recent projects and awarded work while creating pathways into the larger areas of her practice.
As our visual consumption continues to evolve, bringing movement into the experience felt equally important. Subtle motion added another layer to the homepage while offering a playful nod to the memorable moments unfolding throughout Lyndsie’s research.
The evolution also gave us an opportunity to rethink how the site was organized. The primary navigation was restructured around a new Work category, bringing Writing, Oral History, and Academia together, while Tree Thieves moved into a dedicated Books category. The footer was tidied up as well, with additional pages organized into two simple accordion categories: About and Interested in Working Together.
Living just above the footer is a dedicated invitation to subscribe to Lyndsie’s Substack, extending the site beyond her published work and into a space where she can share more of her projects, ideas, and perspectives as they unfold.
Above: Homepage evolution (AUGUST 2026)
Below: Original launch (JANUARY 2023)
work:
writing
Visual harmony and seamless navigation through archived work was the end goal. I also had to be mindful of creating a no fuss frontend for Lyndsie to use when it came to managing updates with future articles. An easy to follow process was put in place, using the hero image from the publisher's page, and leveraging the filters available through squarespace to create cohesiveness.
work:
oral history
When we first introduced the Oral History page two years earlier, it was primarily a place to showcase the research Lyndsie had completed and the work she was actively exploring. With her practice continuing to evolve, the page needed to evolve with it.
This update shifted the focus toward her newest research project, currently in development for what may become her next book. The work is still taking shape, but giving it space on the site allows visitors to follow the thread of her research as it develops, offering a glimpse into what comes next without trying to define it before it is ready.
work:
ACADEMIA
A decade into her career, Lyndsie’s love of learning expanded into teaching. While her career had been dedicated to journalism and oral history, an opportunity to teach at King’s College in Halifax brought her career full circle, the same institution where she had earned her journalism degree.
The new Academia page was created to give this chapter of her career its own space. More than simply outlining her role as an educator, the page shares her approach to teaching and invites visitors to discover the students and emerging voices she is now helping to shape.
books:
tree thieves
Acting as an elevated press release, the Tree Thieves page provides a deeper look into the making of the novel. For this milestone moment we made sure to include all the interviews, reviews, and a few behind the scenes moments.
about
With a career spanning over 15 years implementing a timeline felt the most appropriate to highlight the integral moments in Lyndsie’s journey. By using this approach we were able to provide information in a playful manner.