One web service brings together the Turku Science Park ecosystem

Towards a clearer digital experience

The previous technical platform used by Turku Science Park lacked the flexibility needed to present information in a way that was easy for users to find and navigate. As a result, migrating to a new platform became a timely and necessary step.

At the same time, the identity and visual appearance of Turku Science Park were refreshed to align with the City of Turku’s new brand identity. During the redesign phase, the city’s design system had recently been updated but was not yet fully mature. This required adapting the city’s design library to suit the Science Park’s brand, content, and user needs while remaining consistent with the city’s visual guidelines.

The goal of the new website was to create a clear and easy-to-maintain digital service that brings together the content of Turku Science Park and the Kupittaa district, strengthens the area's visibility and attractiveness, and seamlessly guides users to relevant services, organisations, and opportunities.

Two ecosystems, one user experience

The website was designed to serve two closely connected entities: Turku Science Park and the Kupittaa district. The information architecture and navigation were carefully structured to help users quickly understand which part of the ecosystem they are exploring at any given time.

The project began with two workshops focused on identifying the website’s key target audiences and their primary goals. These sessions helped establish a shared vision for the site's objectives, structure, and content strategy. Based on the outcomes, we developed the sitemap, defined the core content areas, and designed user journeys that guide visitors seamlessly to relevant information, such as contact details, news, and the region’s network of organisations. The concepts were refined through iterative prototyping until the solution was ready for implementation.

The design process leveraged the City of Turku’s design system, including its colour palette, typography, and user interface components. These building blocks were adapted to meet the specific needs of Turku Science Park, ensuring that the final result aligns with the city’s unified visual identity while maintaining the Science Park’s own distinctive character and recognisability.

A solution built through collaboration

The project was carried out in close collaboration with the City of Turku to ensure alignment with the guidelines of its simultaneously evolving design system. Solutions were refined and expanded through iterative design cycles, and several of the components and patterns developed during the project were later adopted more broadly across the city’s digital services.

The technical implementation of the website was delivered by the client’s development partner. Nitro’s role was to ensure that the design principles, user experience concepts, and interface components translated smoothly into the final product. In addition, Nitro supported the client in developing and structuring the website’s content.

To support long-term maintenance and future development, all content models and components were thoroughly documented, making it as easy as possible to update and extend the site over time.