Kyiv Guide

KyivGuide is a tourist online hub for virtual travel using VR and AR technologies. The State IT Center of Ukraine (GIOC) approached us to redesign and completely rethink the UX of this web project. The goal was to build the portal from scratch on a new architecture and frameworks, ensuring fast and stable performance that was impossible to achieve with the outdated technologies of the previous version.

We created an innovative web portal for virtual journeys through Ukraine’s capital – the historic and charming Kyiv. The task was to redesign the existing site, expand its capabilities, and completely rebuild the UX to deliver an engaging and intuitive experience for every user.






Challenges & Goals

The main challenge was to develop a modern, functional, and visually appealing web portal with smooth navigation that allows users to quickly find points of interest and join tours. Another key goal was to build a virtual tourism system that supports multimedia content, including 360° panoramas, video, and audio guides, while optimizing the platform for accessibility on all devices, including smartphones and tablets.






Our Solutions

We began with research and concept development. The team immersed itself in Kyiv’s culture to design an updated digital identity with new web elements, illustrations, and typography. We studied key tourist locations to shape the project’s visual concept. Together with the client, we gathered user pain points and needs, based on analytics from the previous version of the site, to design a product that combines a delightful interface with rich, diverse content.






Design

The old version of KyivGuide had a friendly and clean visual appearance, but it was inconvenient to use. User interviews revealed that visitors often didn’t understand the navigation or site logic. We simplified the design of tour and route cards, making them consistent while keeping slight differences to highlight unique details. This created a cohesive yet varied structure.

The new design took inspiration from the Kyiv Digital brand identity, enhanced and adapted by our team for the tourism focus. The main design goal was to keep the UI minimalist while maintaining a bold, aesthetic look to emphasize the city’s beauty and the platform’s welcoming vibe. The visual style combined modern trends with authentic Kyiv elements, using illustrations and interactive details referencing chestnut trees, architecture, and the Dnipro River.






Development

We built an interactive city map with integrated 360° panoramas, videos, and text content. The portal was optimized for adaptive design, ensuring flawless performance across devices, with fast loading times even on low internet speeds.

A custom admin panel was developed for content management and validation of organizations registering on the site. For example, a sports club can register, create a profile, and upload articles, 3D objects, or routes. All content undergoes administrator validation through the GIOC admin panel before publication.






Frontend & Backend


The frontend was developed with Nuxt.js and the backend with React.js. This allowed us to deliver a fast, stable portal capable of handling animations, high traffic, and complex interactions. The admin panel was built in parallel with the frontend and includes settings for all pages, content management for texts and images, and even customization of color schemes for certain elements.



Results

We successfully created a powerful and fast web portal with a fresh design that became a new digital gateway to Kyiv for tourists, residents, and visitors from around the world. The site attracted over 20,000 unique visitors in the first month after launch, receiving high ratings from users for usability, aesthetics, and interactivity.

At Loza Studio, we know how to turn ideas into unique digital products that inspire and solve real-world challenges. Our approach combines creativity, innovation, and professionalism. Looking to build a similar project? Get in touch, and we’ll help bring your idea to life.