API/CMS

Duration: 3 weeks.

Readings

• The Poetry of Tools by Mindy Seu
• Sometimes it looks like a duck, sometimes it looks like a rabbit... by Jack Balkin and Dan Michaelson

Brief

For this project we will be diving into functional api’s. Specifically, we will be doing a close reading of the are.na API.

You will design and develop a mobile-first website which incorporates are.na as an external CMS (content management system).

You will create your own channel, and curate its contents (text, video, links) around a distinct theme. Your channel should have at least 10 blocks. This site will be designed with the goal to re-contextualize your data source and generate unique interface moments that respond to your channel’s theme. On a technical level, this assignment will allow you to further develop an understanding for javascript-written interfaces and the components they are made of along with gaining a greate conceptual understanding of async (asynchronous) loading, and DOM manipulation.

Requirements

• Your site must request at least 1 are.na channel.
• You must display the contents of at least 10 are.na blocks.
• Your site must be interactive.
• Your site should have at least 2 pages displaying some portion of your channel.

References

• Various websites using Are.na’s API: Powered by Are.na
• Small Victories, a Dropbox-based non-cms produced by Studio XXIX
• Binder, an iframe-based website builder by This is our work
• Economy CMS, by Linked by Air

Timeline

By November 6 you should:

• Have your are.na channel curated with >10 blocks
• Have an initial sketch of your site’s design
• Have your API calls outputting data in the console

By November 13 you should:

• Have your design revised + coded.
• Have your API calls outputting data into your design.

Due by November 20

• Have your website and are.na channel ready to present.