Colorado Geological Survey – website build
The Colorado Geological Survey needed a comprehensive design refresh and a purpose-built platform to surface their extensive research output. The core site required a structured, maintainable architecture capable of housing a publication archive exceeding 1,000 entries, while a companion subdomain — CORES — needed to serve as a searchable global catalogue of geological core sample sites, with more complex, parameter-based filtering than the main site required.
Working from provided design files, I developed the full front-end in Timber/Twig, translating each design component into reusable, maintainable modules. One of the more technically demanding areas was the dynamic tabbed navigation system used on interior and detail pages — sections needed to respond fluidly to content changes while keeping the user oriented within dense technical material.
The publication archive was built using WPFacet for tag and category-based filtering, allowing researchers and the public to slice through 1,000+ entries by type, topic, and date. The CORES subdomain extended this further, with multi-parameter filtering tied to an interactive map — users can filter geological sites globally based on combinations of criteria simultaneously.
WCAG 2 accessibility was implemented throughout: skip navigation buttons and focus management were built into the component architecture, ensuring keyboard and assistive technology users can navigate both the main site and CORES effectively. Full responsive QA was completed across device sizes prior to launch.
Launched in 2025, the site gives the Colorado Geological Survey a platform that reflects the depth and rigour of their research. The CORES catalogue in particular makes previously hard-to-access data discoverable to geologists and researchers worldwide.
