NewsSite History
Since its launch in 2014, this website has evolved alongside the development of our research activities. Its structure and design have been periodically revised to improve the way information about the laboratory and its research is presented. This page records only the major milestones in the evolution of the site as a research communication platform.
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To strengthen the website as a platform for disseminating research activities, both its structure and underlying design principles were comprehensively reconfigured. Between February and April 2026, a large-scale update was carried out, reorganizing pathways to research topics, publications, and collaborations, along with a full restructuring of the bilingual (Japanese/English) page system and a renewal of the logo.
This revision involved not only reorganizing content, but also restructuring the overall information architecture through the creation, separation, integration, and removal of content. As a result, the relationships between pages and the consistency of navigation flows were clarified, enabling users to reach relevant information more intuitively. In addition, the design of the always-visible main menu was renewed to improve the visibility of hierarchical structure and overall scannability.
The layout was also refined by adopting a left–right column ratio of 34:55 ≈ 1:1.618 (the golden ratio), improving the balance between readability and information density. In addition, layout control was redesigned to ensure consistent presentation quality across a wide range of devices, from small screens to high-resolution displays. Typography and spacing rules were also systematically refined, clarifying the relationships between elements and improving readability and visual flow.
From an implementation perspective, the site maintains a lightweight architecture based on HTML and CSS, while PHP-based modularization and automation were further developed into a small-scale CMS-like system. This enables efficient and consistent updates, including the generation of news and member pages. Furthermore, a token-based CSS design was introduced to systematically manage vertical flow control and layout parameters.
Structured data and SEO strategies were also introduced to enhance the visibility of research outputs and activities.
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Major revision of the overall site structure and design. Legacy content was reorganized, and research sections were reconstructed to reflect the laboratory’s then-current research directions. The visual design and logo were also updated.
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The desktop layout was refined, placing key navigation elements outside the main content area. This change strengthened the current interface design and improved the visibility of background imagery, while emphasizing readability and a cleaner information structure.
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The operational infrastructure of the website was improved through PHP-based modularization, enabling centralized management of common components such as page headers and metadata. This significantly improved maintainability and long-term site management. At the same time, the desktop layout ratio was adjusted from 1:1 to approximately 1:1.4 (the silver ratio) to enhance readability for long-form content.
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Large-scale renewal of the website, including a complete redesign of layout and page structure. The redesign introduced a layout concept inspired by an open book spread, which later became the foundation of the site’s visual and structural design.
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Mobile-optimized pages were introduced for smartphones and other mobile devices. Users were able to switch between desktop and mobile views, establishing the foundation for later responsive design improvements.
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The website specification was migrated from XHTML 1.1 to HTML5. This transition also marked the beginning of broader improvements to the site's design and information structure that form the basis of its current architecture.
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Official launch of the Tsuyoshi Okamoto Laboratory website.
First published: August 13, 2014.
Last updated: April 15, 2026.
