The goal of the American Lives website requires that the layout and identity create an environment that remains independent of specific content and applies to further modules of the project. The visual focus of the site centers on the tactility and physicality of the actual research projects. A clean and organized layout design presents many layers of information without overwhelming the user.

In the design and development of the American Lives website, the team worked to create a multilayered and exploratory experience by re-evaluating and analyzing existing web tools and browsing paths. The team sought to create palette of tools organized in an intuitive layout for a new type of online research experience.

The American Lives Site was designed using Trade Gothic Bold Condensed, Émigré Eight and Verdana typefaces.