The Background

Since its establishment in 1965 in Co Cavan, Kingspan has grown to become a global leader in high-performance insulation and building envelopes. When it comes to its Annual Report, the paramount consideration in the design process is that the solution must reflect the strengths of each medium: interactivity and motion for digital and considered layout, paper choices, and finishes for the print version.

One of the main considerations for the digital version is that it utilises the same modular system as previous online editions. Therefore, a pivotal aspect of the design brief is to ensure that each online Annual Report distinguishes itself from its predecessors. Instead of following a template, it should stand as a distinctive, bespoke digital offering that complements the printed design.

The Idea

The central theme of Kingspan's 2022 annual report focussed on energy resilience and independence, emphasising the critically important transition from fossil fuels to more sustainable and secure energy solutions. Kingspan is committed to building environment leadership by offering a comprehensive range of insulation solutions.

Our challenge was to adapt the existing 'modules' and 'blocks' within the website's modular system to accommodate the new design and content from the printed Annual Report. The advantage of modular design is that it is future-ready, allowing the website to expand and evolve each year and incorporate new features without the need for a complete site reconstruction.

The Execution

Our approach was to augment the site's usability, making it even easier to navigate, and evaluate how motion could help communicate the narrative and theme. Achieving this meant consideration needed to be given to content design in combination with motion and front-end development techniques. To this end, the site uses animation controlled by the user's scrolling interaction - with pathways, interactive graphs, 3D globes & infographics appearing dynamically to elevate the narrative as the user journeys through the site. Snippets of copy are included to create an immersive experience that tells the story effectively without overwhelming the user. This had to be balanced with all of the legal reporting requirements that also had to be easily accessible, meaning the interactions and experiences could be dialled up or down depending on the needs of the section. The result is a fully integrated reporting platform consisting of a website, digital PDF and printed document, with the digital-first approach reflected in the extensive use of rich media and interactive graphics.

Aligned with its ten-year sustainability program, "Planet Passionate," Kingspan strives to advance environmental performance in carbon reduction, energy efficiency, circularity, and water conservation. In line with these targets, we are collaborating with the client to ensure their report fully embraces a digital-first approach.