ATR & Ellerslie Events Centre
Client
ATR & Ellerslie Events Centre
Year
2024
Role
Lead UX/UI Designer
Project scope
Information Architecture, Prototyping, Responsive Web Design, Design Systems
PROJECT INTRO
Auckland Thoroughbred Racing (ATR) is one of New Zealand’s oldest racing institutions, but its digital presence had not evolved alongside its audience or events. Even flagship moments like the Boxing Day Races felt outdated and overly corporate for younger audiences.
Following a major rebrand by branding agency True, Calibrate was engaged to redesign and replatform the ATR and Ellerslie Events websites. I led UX and UI design direction, translating the new brand into a scalable digital experience spanning racing, events, hospitality, and venue services.
Challenge
The existing experience was fragmented across multiple siloed websites, with inconsistent navigation, buried information and a booking process managed through a restrictive third-party platform that offered little flexibility or visibility into user behaviour.
Beyond improving usability, the redesign needed to support a broad range of content and audience needs – from live racing data and event schedules through to hospitality packages, memberships and corporate venue bookings – while also helping modernise public perception of the brand, particularly for younger audiences.
Accessibility, mobile responsiveness and conversion optimisation were all key priorities.
approach
We began with discovery workshops and audience research to map behaviours, pain points, and business goals. These insights shaped a simplified information architecture and clearer content hierarchy across the platform.
A key strategic decision was consolidating multiple fragmented sites into a single responsive platform, improving user flow and giving the client greater control through a flexible CMS.
I led high-fidelity wireframes and interactive prototypes in Figma to align stakeholders early and refine key journeys before development. Following the initial visual direction established by True, I was responsible for the broader UI system rollout, ensuring consistency across legacy content, new brand elements, and complex functional requirements.
The final design system was built to be modular, scalable and easy to maintain, supporting everything from real-time racing data and event calendars through to streamlined booking flows and venue enquiries. Close collaboration with developers throughout the build phase was essential to maintain design fidelity and ensure a seamless experience across all devices.
OUtcome
The redesigned platform delivered a more cohesive, intuitive and accessible digital experience that better reflected ATR’s evolving brand and business goals.
By simplifying the booking journey, improving content discoverability and creating a more mobile-friendly experience, the new platform significantly improved engagement and conversion performance across key user flows.
The project was a finalist in the 2024 Best Design Award in the Large Scale Website category, recognising the strength of the user experience, visual execution and overall digital strategy.
