Published on March 25, 2026
Montreal studio San Rita has unveiled an innovative approach to web design with a unique topographic layout built around navigable 3D terrain, utilizing real GPS elevation data and vintage map textures. The studio’s portfolio, viewable at sanrita.ca, is a departure from conventional design paradigms, presenting projects as hotspots nestled within a dynamic, mountainous landscape.
Creative director Julien Sister and developer Sébastien Lempens dedicated a year to prototyping this interface, culminating in a user experience that allows visitors to explore rather than merely navigate through a traditional menu. The virtual terrain is constructed from actual GPS heightmap data sourced from various regions in Canada and California. Lempens utilized the Unreal Height Map tool to transform this elevation data into Blender topology, creating a visually dense yet lightweight low-poly mesh that renders efficiently in web browsers using React Three Fiber.
The project’s visual language draws inspiration from vintage cartography, featuring custom digital textures that mimic the grain of aged maps. Navigation terminology aligned with outdoor adventures—such as “road,” “fishing spot,” and “viewpoint”—enhances the immersive experience. The loading sequence of the site thoughtfully unfolds, allowing vegetation to sprout and water veins to emerge, thus reinforcing the outdoor metaphor without veering into gimmickry.
Each project page employs a different strategy, opting for lightweight HTML and SVG instead of more 3D geometry. Custom GLSL shaders are applied to photography, imparting atmospheric effects and treating images as diverse materials rather than static visual assets.
The underlying architecture is equally compelling. A persistent React Three Fiber canvas operates independently of Next.js 16’s layout system, ensuring seamless performance . GSAP and Lenis manage motion, while DatoCMS delivers dynamic content. The projects page offers an infinite scroll functionality powered ’s wrap() utility, simulating a trekking trail through the studio’s creative work.
San Rita’s groundbreaking topographic web design has garnered recognition, appearing in notable publications such as Communication Arts and Awwwards. A comprehensive case study into the design and development process. For a closer look at the studio’s inventive portfolio, visit sanrita.ca.
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