AIGA, the professional association for design, is where design professionals exchange ideas and information, participate in critical analysis and research, and advance education and ethical practices. With more than 20,000 records, 50,000 images and 300 collections, the AIGA Design Archives is a portal for students, a vast resource for educators and a mecca for designers. The archival selections are colorfully eclectic, featuring posters, book design, information graphics, logotypes, packaging and typography. This online resource brings together almost a century of American design, where visitors can experience the evolution of an art form.

The first iteration of the Design Archives was created by Second Story in 2005. In early 2009, AIGA again collaborated with the studio to reenvision the website. The redesign incorporates myriad tools for browsing and offers endless possibilities for discovery. A visitor could search for the designer Milton Glaser, display the results in a grid, list, slide show or detail view, then share the records through several social-media outlets or deep linking. Within any set of results, faceted filters allow the search to be drilled quickly down to the most relevant. Whether the site is experienced on a wide-screen monitor or on a small device, the layout will re-flow to suit the browser window size.

AIGA Design Archives is an ambitious undertaking, with most of the efforts going on “under the hood.” The website affords people the opportunity to view the data in an assortment of ways.