diff --git a/assets/style.css b/assets/style.css
index b3740bc..13d444e 100644
--- a/assets/style.css
+++ b/assets/style.css
@@ -90,6 +90,229 @@ a:focus {
.entry-venue.is-top { color: #ffa94d; }
}
+/* ---- Homepage: image-driven styling ---- */
+
+/* prevent full-bleed sections from creating a horizontal scrollbar */
+body { overflow-x: hidden; }
+
+/* full-bleed hero banner built from a performance photo */
+.home-hero {
+ position: relative;
+ left: 50%;
+ right: 50%;
+ width: 100vw;
+ margin-left: -50vw;
+ margin-right: -50vw;
+ margin-top: calc(var(--spacer) * -1);
+ margin-bottom: var(--spacer-2);
+ min-height: clamp(340px, 62vh, 580px);
+ display: flex;
+ align-items: flex-end;
+ background-color: #1a1024;
+ background-size: cover;
+ background-position: center 35%;
+ overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+/* dark + warm scrim keeps the overlaid text and logo legible over any photo */
+.home-hero::before {
+ content: "";
+ position: absolute;
+ inset: 0;
+ background:
+ linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(12,7,22,0.4) 0%, rgba(12,7,22,0.55) 55%, rgba(12,7,22,0.9) 100%),
+ linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,80,80,0.28) 0%, rgba(255,80,80,0) 55%);
+}
+
+/* thin warm accent bar echoing the site's link gradient */
+.home-hero::after {
+ content: "";
+ position: absolute;
+ left: 0;
+ right: 0;
+ bottom: 0;
+ height: 5px;
+ background: linear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255,188,48,0.95) 0%, rgba(255,80,80,0.95) 100%);
+}
+
+.home-hero-inner {
+ position: relative;
+ z-index: 1;
+ width: 100%;
+ max-width: 48rem;
+ margin: 0 auto;
+ padding: var(--spacer-2) var(--spacer);
+ color: #fff;
+}
+
+/* lab wordmark layered over the rotating performance photo */
+.home-hero-logo {
+ display: block;
+ width: auto;
+ max-width: min(280px, 66%);
+ height: auto;
+ margin: 0 0 1em;
+ filter: drop-shadow(0 3px 14px rgba(0,0,0,0.55));
+}
+
+/* the theme prints an
SMCClab
above the content;
+ on the homepage the hero wordmark replaces it visually, but keep it in the
+ accessibility tree / for SEO as the page's h1 */
+.page:has(.home-hero) .page-title {
+ position: absolute;
+ width: 1px;
+ height: 1px;
+ padding: 0;
+ margin: -1px;
+ overflow: hidden;
+ clip: rect(0, 0, 0, 0);
+ white-space: nowrap;
+ border: 0;
+}
+
+/* scoped under .home-hero to outrank the theme's `.page h2 { color }` rule */
+.home-hero .home-hero-title {
+ margin: 0 0 0.35em;
+ font-size: clamp(1.6em, 4.5vw, 2.5em);
+ line-height: 1.15;
+ color: #fff;
+ text-shadow: 0 2px 18px rgba(0,0,0,0.55);
+}
+
+.home-hero-lead {
+ margin: 0 0 1.1em;
+ max-width: 34em;
+ font-size: 1.05em;
+ line-height: 1.5;
+ color: rgba(255,255,255,0.92);
+ text-shadow: 0 1px 12px rgba(0,0,0,0.5);
+}
+
+.home-hero-actions {
+ margin: 0;
+ display: flex;
+ flex-wrap: wrap;
+ gap: 0.6em;
+}
+
+.hero-btn {
+ display: inline-block;
+ padding: 0.55em 1.15em;
+ border-radius: 999px;
+ border: 1.5px solid rgba(255,255,255,0.7);
+ font-weight: 600;
+ color: #fff;
+ transition: transform 0.2s ease, background 0.2s ease, color 0.2s ease;
+}
+
+.hero-btn:hover,
+.hero-btn:focus {
+ transform: translateY(-2px);
+ background: rgba(255,255,255,0.14);
+ -webkit-text-fill-color: #fff; /* override the global gradient-text link hover */
+ color: #fff;
+ text-decoration: none;
+}
+
+.hero-btn-primary {
+ border-color: transparent;
+ color: #2a0f0f;
+ background: linear-gradient(180deg, rgba(255,188,48,1) 0%, rgba(255,120,80,1) 100%);
+}
+
+.hero-btn-primary:hover,
+.hero-btn-primary:focus {
+ color: #2a0f0f;
+ -webkit-text-fill-color: #2a0f0f;
+ filter: brightness(1.05);
+}
+
+/* dynamic treatment for the research / teaching section images */
+.feature-img {
+ display: block;
+ width: 100%;
+ margin: 0.5em 0 1.4em;
+ border-radius: 10px;
+ box-shadow: 0 8px 26px rgba(0,0,0,0.16);
+ transition: transform 0.4s ease, box-shadow 0.4s ease;
+}
+
+.feature-img:hover {
+ transform: translateY(-4px) scale(1.008);
+ box-shadow: 0 16px 38px rgba(0,0,0,0.26);
+}
+
+/* full-bleed "on stage" performance strip */
+.home-perf {
+ position: relative;
+ left: 50%;
+ right: 50%;
+ width: 100vw;
+ margin-left: -50vw;
+ margin-right: -50vw;
+ margin-top: var(--spacer-3);
+ margin-bottom: var(--spacer-2);
+ padding: var(--spacer-2) 0;
+ background: var(--code-bg-color);
+ border-top: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+ border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-color);
+}
+
+.home-perf-inner {
+ max-width: 64rem;
+ margin: 0 auto;
+ padding: 0 var(--spacer);
+}
+
+.home-perf-head {
+ display: flex;
+ align-items: baseline;
+ justify-content: space-between;
+ gap: 1em;
+ margin-bottom: 0.9em;
+}
+
+.home-perf-head h2 {
+ margin: 0;
+ font-size: 1.3em;
+}
+
+.home-perf-head a {
+ font-size: 0.85em;
+ font-weight: 600;
+}
+
+.home-perf-scroll {
+ display: grid;
+ grid-auto-flow: column;
+ grid-auto-columns: minmax(230px, 1fr);
+ gap: 10px;
+ overflow-x: auto;
+ padding-bottom: 0.6em;
+ scroll-snap-type: x mandatory;
+ -webkit-overflow-scrolling: touch;
+}
+
+.home-perf-scroll a {
+ display: block;
+ scroll-snap-align: start;
+ border-radius: 8px;
+ overflow: hidden;
+}
+
+.home-perf-scroll img {
+ display: block;
+ width: 100%;
+ height: 180px;
+ object-fit: cover;
+ transition: transform 0.4s ease;
+}
+
+.home-perf-scroll a:hover img,
+.home-perf-scroll a:focus img {
+ transform: scale(1.05);
+}
+
/* performance hero gallery */
.perf-gallery {
display: grid;
diff --git a/index.md b/index.md
index ca72e00..464a203 100644
--- a/index.md
+++ b/index.md
@@ -3,9 +3,35 @@ layout: page
title: SMCClab
---
-Welcome to the Sound, Music, and Creative Computing Lab at the Australian National University [School of Computing](https://comp.anu.edu.au).
+
+
+

+
New musical instruments that sense, understand, and perform.
+
We build intelligent instruments and creative computing systems — then take them on stage as both a research method and a creative output.
+
+ See our performances
+ Join the lab
+
+
+
+
+
-
+Welcome to the Sound, Music, and Creative Computing Lab at the Australian National University [School of Computing](https://comp.anu.edu.au).
Our lab aims to develop **new musical instruments** that sense and understand music, actively **assisting musicians** during performances. We apply **computational intelligence**, **AR/VR**, and **sonic interaction design** in creative contexts. We explore how creative computing can inform studies of collaboration, spatial interaction, and decision making.
@@ -37,31 +63,49 @@ SMCClab explores research in the broad area of sound, music and creative computi
### Collaborative Interfaces
-
+{:.feature-img}
This research aims to create new ways for groups to make music together. We created **touchscreen musical instruments** that communicate interactions over a network. These instruments engage music performers in new kinds of **ensemble interaction**.
### Spatial Interaction
-
+{:.feature-img}
We create **authentic spatial musical apps** that support interaction in AR/VR computers. We experimented with new **freehand gestures** in AR and have deployed a spiral-shaped keyboard in collaborative music experiments as well as artistic performances.
### Generative Sound
-
+{:.feature-img}
AI-generated sound could change the way we make sounds and create music. We have developed a new approach to **singing-voice synthesis** focussed on more **accurate duration predictions**, enabling end-to-end training. We are now looking at novel **text-to-sound** generation models.
### Intelligent Interfaces
-
+{:.feature-img}
Intelligent instruments predict human musical interactions to help them create music. We model **embodied musical interactions**, or the movements of human performers. Our prototypes include **EMPI**, a portable musical robot that responds to performances with a 1-dimensional musical interface.
+
+
## Teaching
-
+{:.feature-img}
[Charles](https://charlesmartin.au) and other SMCClab members are involved in teaching several courses at the ANU, including: