Every once in a while, I'll come across a site that really makes me stop and think. A site that pushes the boundaries of what is known to be possible on the web. Whether it be the design aesthetic, usability, interactivity, sound design, or value that the site provides, we all know what it's like to stumble across a masterpiece.

1. 15 Award-Winning Websites With
Beautiful (And Functional) Designs
www.web-template.org
1) Feed
Not only is Feed an interesting concept, but it also has a stunning execution that
challenges our understanding of what is possible on the web. Through a creative blend
of animation and video, the site immerses the user into a very engaging experience. As
an atypical site, it contains several unique usability elements as well, including a
navigation that doubles as a scroll progress bar.

2. 2) ETQ
ETQ takes a very minimalistic approach to ecommerce with their stripped-down site with
big, compelling visuals of their product. Simple, flat, color-based backgrounds
accompanied by strong typography help to keep the focus on exactly what the user
came there to see: shoes.

3. 3) Mikiya Kobayashi
Mikiya is a Product Designer with a minimalistic portfolio that showcases his work
through strong photography and subtle animations. His full site was originally created in
Japanese and then translated into English, helping demonstrate the international
scalability of his design.

4. 4) The History of Climate Change
Follow the footsteps of Luc Jacquet as Wild-Touch takes you along this visual and
educational journey about the history of global climate change. A mixture of historical
media and unique animations help tell the story.

5. 5) Virgin America
In a world where airline websites are known to be riddled with major usability issues,
Virgin America has one of the best websites that pushes usability, accessibility, and
responsive design forward. In fact, it's been named as the first truly responsive airline
website, a new precedent in the industry.

6. 6) World of SWISS
Another airline?! What is happening?! Yep, SWISS airlines built an incredibly immersive
site that tells their story and describes what it's like to fly with them -- and they simply
did too great of a job to be ignored. Strong visuals and animations introduce the user to
different sections of the site that are packed with information beyond the usual sales
and marketing pitch that is so common today.

7. 7) L.A. Times
While news sites aren't exactly known for having the nicest designs or being the easiest
to use, the Los Angeles Times site has been updated with a simple, newspaper-like
design that's easy to read and navigate.

8. 8) Minimums
Minimums takes a very bold approach to the way that they display their content,
leveraging a grid-based website design, big typography, and full-width, high-quality
images. Their site serves as a really nice example for how to properly execute a grid
structure while still maintaining a nice visual hierarchy in the design.
Featured by SiteInspire

9. 9) Guillaume Tomasi
As a Photographer in Montreal, Guillaume Tomasi has built a portfolio that's truly fit to
house his unique and awe-inspiring photography. His surreal photo style is juxtaposed
by his simple, flat, empty, and minimalistic portfolio design that places all of the focus on
the work itself. His unique series navigation coupled with art-gallery-inspired work
introductions and perfect scrolling interactions yield an experience reminiscent of that of
a real gallery.

10. 10) Killing Kennedy
Tons of media outlets covered the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy's death, but
because of its website design, National Geographic was able to stand out. Using
parallax scrolling to display a blend of video, audio, and historical facts, the user is
immersed in the story and duality of John F. Kennedy and Lee Harvey Oswald's lives.

11. 11) Big Cartel
Despite being a relatively large company, Big Cartel creates a very simple,
straightforward, and compelling experience by leading with a creative headline, a video,
and ... pretty much nothing else. Simple navigation and nice examples of sites created
with their platform helps to serve as supporting content that tells the rest of the story.

12. 12) Beagle
Beagle does an exceptional job of visually and progressively telling the story of their
product in a simple and easy-to-digest way. This is a major challenge for many startups,
especially when they're introducing new concepts to existing markets. People want to
know, "What is your product? How does it work? Why do I care?" Beagle answers all
those questions while simultaneously showing off their product and compelling the user
to purchase. Plus, they're one of few sites that actually implemented "scroll hijacking"
correctly.

13. 13) Woven Magazine
Woven is an online publication that celebrates artists, craftsmen, and makers alike. To
me, they represent a confirmation that publications can (and should) have beautiful,
engaging sites with easy-to-read content. Free of distractions like pop-ups and obtrusive
ads, this site all about the experience of the content itself.

14. 14) Inside Abbey Road
Google knocked it out of the park with this highly interactive site, which allows users to
step into the Abbey Road Studios. Brilliant sound design, navigation mechanics, and
visuals mixed with the usual "Google flair" all help draw visitors in to this well-made site.

15. 15) JOHO's Bean
The website for JOHO's Bean has incredible imagery, interactivity, story telling, visual
design, and most of all, sound engineering. These all come together to create a
compelling, emotional, and engaging site that tells the story of a coffee bean's journey.