By Mary Smith
Catherine Uhlrich stands as a testament to the power of versatile design, weaving together a rich historical understanding with a keen eye for contemporary digital experiences. As a Digital Design Director, Creative Strategist, and educator, Uhlrich’s career showcases her ability to seamlessly navigate diverse industries, from e-commerce giants to cultural institutions, leaving an indelible mark on each project she undertakes.
Her work with the Eames Foundation offers a particularly insightful glimpse into her design philosophy. Tasked with translating the Foundation’s mission of preserving and celebrating the legacy of Charles and Ray Eames into a digital experience, Uhlrich and the team at Instrument crafted a website that felt like a journey of discovery. She played a key role in creating modules for the homepage and inner pages that showcased the Eames’ collection of artifacts, allowing users to explore them as if they were physically present at the foundation.
“The site mixes educational and playful moments, and animations are important,” Uhlrich explains. “I helped the team with motion design and we created subtle yet satisfying moments on scroll or hover.” This commitment to subtle yet impactful details highlights her dedication to creating engaging and memorable user experiences.
Her work with the Eames Foundation naturally led to a consideration of the profound impact Charles and Ray Eames had on the design world. “Charles and Ray Eames have laid the foundation for modern design and created work that has transcended time,” Uhlrich said. “They paved the way for thinkers, designers, artists around the world by creating iconic furniture and timeless architecture. They also worked in the fields of industrial and graphic design, fine art, and film and proved that art and design have no boundaries.”
Beyond the Eames Foundation, Uhlrich’s expertise extends to luxury real estate, evident in her design work for the One High Line website. Recognizing the top-tier architecture and design of this Manhattan residency, the website adopted a clean and minimal aesthetic.
“One High Line’s website is a very clean and minimal website,” she says. “The identity is elegant with small touches of illustration. The visuals are very important as we were introducing for the first time this new iconic building part of the NY Highline. We kept the layouts extremely simple specially for users visiting the site on their phone, but we incorporated subtle animations to translate a premium feel.” This focus on simplicity, visual appeal, and subtle animation showcases her ability to cater to a discerning audience.
Another notable project includes her design work for The Malin, a network of beautifully crafted workspaces in New York City. At Base Design, Uhlrich led the design of the website, focusing on capturing the brand’s vibrant and welcoming identity. The original website featured a customized grid that allowed content to pop and interact, mirroring the real-life social interactions within the workspace.
Uhlrich’s commitment to design extends beyond commercial projects. Her involvement in the redesign of IFAW (International Fund for Animal Welfare) demonstrates her dedication to using design for social good. The goal was to engage a new generation of donors through a bold yet approachable tone and image. “Their messaging is all about connecting people and animals through actions, and this is translated through a structured grid layout and minimal yet efficient graphics,” she explains, highlighting the power of simplicity in conveying a powerful message.
Currently based in New York City, Uhlrich also imparts her knowledge as a teacher at Gobelins School and serves as a judge at Awwwards and Gobelins. Her portfolio boasts collaborations with industry titans such as Nike, H&M, and Google, showcasing her consistent ability to lead innovative design initiatives that elevate brand experiences and foster audience engagement. Her tenure at renowned agencies like Instrument, AKQA, and Base Design has cemented her reputation for blending creativity with strategic insight, yielding award-winning projects recognized by prestigious organizations like the Webby Awards and Awwwards.
With a strong foundation in visual communication from Lycée Le Corbusier and Gobelins, Catherine Uhlrich consistently demonstrates a passion for storytelling through design. Her dedication to impactful digital experiences firmly positions her as a leading figure in the creative landscape.
Images courtesy of Instrument, King & Partners and Base Design.
