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When two departments become one digital presence.

The Genomics Core Facility at Erasmus MC was born from a merger — two specialized research departments combining expertise, equipment, and ambition. But their digital presence? Still fragmented, outdated, and unable to reflect the unified entity they'd become.

They needed one modern platform that could handle complex content, serve diverse audiences (universities, clinical institutes, businesses), and give their team the freedom to evolve it independently. The challenge wasn't just visual — it was structural, strategic, and deeply collaborative with a client team that didn't always agree.

Through three design explorations, strategic feedback management, and a disciplined development process, we built a site that prioritizes expertise over spectacle and autonomy over dependency.

Client Erasmus MC

Born from the merger of the Human Genomics Facility and the Center for Biomics, the Genomics Core Facility (CoFa) plays a central role in genomics research and biomolecular analysis at Erasmus MC. They provide universities, clinical institutes, and businesses access to advanced equipment and specialized expertise for cutting-edge research.

All about Erasmus MC
Agency ROX | digital agency

ROX is a digital agency located in Rotterdam that specializes in helping companies with their digital growth. Through a combination of strategic advice, polished designs and custom software development, they create web applications that are future-proof, scalable and improve work efficiency.

All about ROX | digital agency
Role UI/UX Design, Front-End Development

I was involved from strategy through to launch — leading design during discovery, wireframing, and visual design, then shifting into full front-end development with two other developers. I built the component system in Statamic, implemented the design, and established code standards and linting to maintain quality throughout the build.

Delivery 2025

Multiple design explorations and a disciplined build process led to a successful launch. After design was finalized, the site was built and launched in three weeks.

Identity Wing

Where research meets reality.

The Genomics Core Facility doesn't just support research — they enable it. With cutting-edge technology and decades of expertise, CoFa provides the tools and knowledge that universities, clinical institutes, and businesses need to push the boundaries of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and beyond.

They're not chasing clients — their reputation and network speak for themselves. But presence matters. Researchers need to find them. Partners need to understand what they offer. And the institution needs a digital home that reflects the caliber of work happening within it. A platform built for expertise, knowledge-sharing, and professional credibility, not conversion.

Mobile mockup
Grand Hall Directly to visual designs

Chamber of Constraints

Where competing voices met disciplined process.

Safewords

Click the checkboxes to agree to the project conditions.

Flexible Page Builder Preferred because of process
Typography
Statamic Preferred because of process
Laravel
Brand Design
Multilingual Rejected because of client direction
WCAG 2.1 AA Rejected because of budget
ISO 27001 Preferred because of organization

Operations Hub

Standards built through discovery.

A merger of two departments into one unified presence. A client team with competing visions. A need for content flexibility and long-term autonomy. As we worked through the discovery phase, the criteria emerged naturally — setting a clear standard for what good design meant in this context.

Modular Flexibility

The CoFa team needed to manage their own content without developer dependency. We built a component-based pagebuilder system where every section became a reusable block. They could reorder content, pull blocks between pages, and expand as their needs evolved. We designed the initial pages to give them a foundation, but the system was built for autonomy — allowing them to scale and adapt on their own terms.

Accessible by Design

Accessibility wasn't a legal requirement, but it was the right thing to do within budget. We aimed for WCAG 2.2 Level A compliance — focusing on quick wins like keyboard navigation, readable typography, and sufficient contrast. The color scheme was designed with AA in mind, ensuring the site worked for a broad audience without overextending scope.

Expertise, Not Sales

CoFa's strength is reputation and expertise, not marketing. The website needed to demonstrate capability and facilitate discovery — not optimize for conversion. Researchers need to find them. Partners need to understand their services. The design prioritized credibility, clarity, and knowledge-sharing over persuasion. This is a platform for presence, not promotion.

Guidance in Process

A client team with differing opinions required structure to avoid endless feedback loops. We adapted our process: only demoing fully finished pages (no 95% work-in-progress), implementing a structured feedback process, and offering limited design choices on contentious elements like fonts and colors. This reduced risk, minimized misunderstandings, and kept the project moving forward.

Built to Scale

The site needed to grow with CoFa's evolving research focus and content needs. The pagebuilder wasn't just about editor convenience — it was about long-term resilience. Modular components, consistent typography, and a restrained design system meant the site could expand without breaking. Design decisions today shouldn't limit possibilities tomorrow.

Echo Room

From one project to agency standard.

Services page
Mobile mockup
Homepage header
Multiple mockups

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