Website Design & Build for Abbotsbury Swannery

www.abbotsburyswannery.co.uk

Project Brief

Abbotsbury Swannery, part of Abbotsbury Tourism, came to Sonder with a similar brief to their sister site, Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens. Their existing website lacked clarity and failed to communicate what makes the Swannery so unique. Potential visitors were often left wondering, "What actually is the Swannery... and why should I visit? What can I do there?" Our mission was to answer these questions with a stunning, user-friendly website that captures the magic of this incredible destination.

Located on the Jurassic Coast, the Swannery is the world’s only managed colony of nesting Mute Swans – it really is a one-of-a-kind experience. To convey this uniqueness, we placed a strong focus on visual storytelling. Working with the talented team at Metrix Productions, we produced a breathtaking video featuring drone footage to showcase the beauty of the Swannery and its surroundings. The homepage hero video sets the tone, immediately immersing visitors in the tranquil yet extraordinary charm of the site.

Design-wise, Rob Larcombe worked his magic and brought their logo to life by using it in vector format as subtle background imagery throughout the site. This not only added personality but also lent a touch of sophistication to the overall design. Like the Gardens, the Swannery's website needed to cater to a wide-ranging audience – families, nature enthusiasts, and tourists. By simplifying the sitemap and creating clear, direct messaging, we ensured the site was both easy to navigate and informative.

The site was built on the powerful Envelope CMS, giving the Abbotsbury team full control to update content and build on their digital presence. The result is a modern, engaging platform that not only answers visitors' questions but inspires them to experience the Swannery’s magic for themselves.

Once again, huge thanks to Metrix Productions for their stunning video work, which brought the Swannery to life in ways words alone couldn’t.