Design and user experience for the 800th anniversary of the Federico II University

The University of Naples Federico II, one of the oldest and most prestigious academic institutions in the world, celebrates its 800th anniversary in 2024.

To mark this historic milestone, an ambitious project has been developed to renew and consolidate the University’s image in the international context. Zeranta, in close collaboration with the University’s ‘800th Anniversary Table’, was tasked with creating a website that would act as the beating heart of the celebrations and merge past, present and future into a single digital continuum.

A task that required a deep immersion into the rich history of the University and the figure of its founder, Emperor Federico II.

Incorporating the collected historical elements, the site’s structure was designed to navigate through the cultural events and different ‘seasons’ of the University, highlighting significant events and key figures.

The design was guided by the branding previously developed by the Zeranta team, which maintained a balance between classic aesthetics and modern functionality, reflecting the union of tradition and innovation that characterises the University. During the development phase, particular attention was given to ease of navigation, ensuring that users could easily explore historical and informative content, as well as actively participate in scheduled events.

The site was implemented with state-of-the-art technology to ensure a smooth user experience accessible to an international and diverse audience. The event management system, integrated into the site, allows visitors to easily book attendance at conferences, seminars and celebrations, reflecting the University’s dynamism and openness to the outside world. The ‘Federiciani Ambassadors’ part of the site has also strengthened the sense of belonging among former students and attracted new collaborations.

The creation of the website was the result of valuable collaborative work between Zeranta and the University’s 800 Years Table. This synergy overcame technical and logistical challenges, integrating a variety of multimedia content into the site that enriched the user experience.

The collaboration also facilitated the inclusion of interactive features that allowed the University to manage events and initiatives related to the Celebrations in an efficient and engaging manner, while also ensuring that each element was accurate and respectful of academic tradition.