Terms of Use

1. Definitions

In these Terms:

• "Website" means Architecture Colors and all associated pages, features, and services accessible at https://architecturecolors.com;
• "We," "us," "our" refers to the operator of the Website as identified in our Impressum;
• "You," "your," "user" refers to any person or entity accessing or using the Website;
• "Content" means all material on the Website, including color palettes, images, text, data, code, design elements, and compilations;
• "Palette Data" means color information displayed or made available through the Website, including HEX codes, RGB values, color names, and derived formats (HSL, CMYK, LAB, etc.);
• "Downloaded Materials" means any Content you download, export, or copy from the Website, including palette images, code snippets, and data files;
• "Third-Party Content" means content originating from external sources, including design images, designer information, and award data from A' Design Award and other platforms.

2. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by these Terms and our Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to these Terms, you must not use the Website.

If you are using the Website on behalf of an organization, you represent and warrant that you have authority to bind that organization to these Terms, and "you" shall refer to both you individually and that organization.

3. About Architecture Colors

Architecture Colors is a color and design discovery platform. The Website displays design-related content and generates or presents color palettes and associated information (including extracted colors, color format conversions, palette suggestions, and accessibility-related indicators) for exploratory and informational purposes.

The Website may display Third-Party Content, including images and information referencing award-winning designs and designers sourced from reputable platforms such as A' Design Award. Color palettes shown on the Website may be created through automated or semi-automated analysis and are provided as derived, informational outputs.

Important: Palettes and color data displayed on the Website are not necessarily created, reviewed, endorsed, uploaded, or approved by the original designers, brands, or rights holders of the underlying designs.

4. Eligibility

The Website is intended for users who are at least 16 years of age. By using the Website, you represent that you meet this age requirement. If you are under 16, you may only use the Website with the involvement and consent of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to these Terms.

5. Permitted Use

5.1 General Browsing

You may access and use the Website for personal and professional browsing, exploration, and discovery of designs and color palettes, provided you comply with these Terms and applicable law.

5.2 Downloaded Materials — Limited License

Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to download, use, and reference Palette Data and palette visualizations (such as exported SVG, PNG, or CSS files generated by the Website) solely for the following permitted purposes:

Permitted Uses

• Personal use: Private exploration, inspiration, mood boards, personal projects, and non-public creative work;
• Educational use: Teaching, learning, academic research, classroom instruction, student projects, and scholarly publications;
• Editorial and media use: Journalism, design commentary, trend reporting, reviews, critiques, blog posts discussing design or color theory, and similar editorial or informational contexts where the palettes are referenced or analyzed rather than commercially exploited;
• Professional reference: Using palettes as reference material, inspiration, or starting points for your own original creative work—provided your final work is substantially your own creation and not a direct copy or extraction of the palette for commercial exploitation.

Prohibited Uses

You may NOT use Downloaded Materials for:

• Direct commercial exploitation: Selling, licensing, or commercially distributing the palette data itself (for example, selling palette packs, offering palette licensing services, or incorporating palettes into commercial products where the palette is the primary value proposition);
• Brand identity or trade dress: Adopting a palette as your commercial brand identity, product trade dress, or corporate color scheme in a manner that could create confusion with or dilute the original designer's work;
• Competing services: Creating, operating, or contributing to a service that directly competes with the Website (such as a color palette database, discovery tool, or color extraction service built substantially from our data);
• Misrepresentation: Claiming that palettes obtained from the Website were created entirely by you, or presenting them in a way that falsely implies endorsement by or association with the original designers;
• AI/ML training: Including Downloaded Materials in datasets, training corpora, or inputs for machine learning or artificial intelligence systems (see also Section 6.2).

Third-Party Content Exclusion

Important: This limited license applies only to Palette Data and Website-generated visualizations (color swatches, palette bars, exported code)—not to Third-Party Content such as design images, designer photographs, design descriptions, or other materials originating from designers, brands, or platforms like A' Design Award. Such Third-Party Content remains subject to the rights of its respective owners and is not licensed through these Terms.

Commercial or Extended Use

If you wish to use palette data or color schemes from award-winning designs for commercial purposes beyond the limited uses permitted above, we encourage you to:

• Contact the original designer or brand directly (designer profiles and contact information may be available through links on the Website or through A' Design Award);
• Seek appropriate professional advice regarding intellectual property and design rights.

Attribution

For permitted uses, attribution is appreciated but not legally required. If you choose to provide attribution, an appropriate credit might be: "Color palette referenced from [Design Name] via Architecture Colors" or similar acknowledgment.

Revocation

This license is revocable. We reserve the right to revoke or modify this license at any time, particularly in cases of misuse, violation of these Terms, or upon request from rights holders. Continued use after revocation constitutes infringement.

6. Prohibited Uses

To protect the Website, its users, and rights holders, you agree that you will not (and will not attempt to):

6.1 Automated Access and Scraping

• Access the Website using automated means (including bots, spiders, scrapers, crawlers, headless browsers, or similar tools), except where we have expressly authorized such access in writing;
• Systematically collect, harvest, scrape, or copy any Content, images, text, palettes, metadata, structure, or compilation from the Website;
• Bypass, disable, interfere with, or circumvent any access controls, rate limits, technical restrictions, robots exclusions, or protective measures used by the Website.

For clarity: The absence of a technical block does not constitute permission for automated access. Manual access being possible does not imply automated access is permitted.

6.2 AI Training and Dataset Creation

• Use any Content from the Website (including derived palettes, images, captions, metadata, or compilations) for machine learning, artificial intelligence training, dataset creation, model development, or similar purposes, unless we have expressly authorized such use in writing;
• Include Content from the Website in any training corpus, dataset, or data collection intended for AI/ML purposes.

6.3 Other Prohibited Activities

• Use the Website in any way that could damage, disable, overburden, or impair its operation or interfere with others' use;
• Attempt to reverse engineer, decompile, or extract source code or underlying methods from the Website, except to the extent such restriction is prohibited by applicable law;
• Use the Website for any unlawful purpose or in violation of any applicable law or regulation;
• Misrepresent your identity or affiliation, or impersonate any person or entity;
• Transmit any malware, viruses, or other harmful code through your use of the Website;
• Interfere with or disrupt the security, integrity, or performance of the Website or its underlying systems.

7. Intellectual Property

7.1 Website Ownership

The Website—including its design, structure, compilation, arrangement of Content, source code, algorithms, and original elements—is protected by copyright, database rights, and other intellectual property laws. Except for the limited license granted in Section 5.2, all rights are reserved.

7.2 Third-Party Content and Trademarks

Third-party names, logos, images, product names, design names, designer names, and trademarks referenced or displayed on the Website remain the property of their respective owners. Their appearance on the Website is for identification, informational, and discovery purposes and does not imply endorsement, sponsorship, or affiliation.

Design images displayed on the Website may be sourced from external platforms (such as A' Design Award) and are subject to the rights of their respective creators and rights holders. The license granted in Section 5.2 does not extend to such Third-Party Content.

7.3 Restrictions

Except as expressly permitted by these Terms or applicable law, you may not reproduce, distribute, publicly display, create derivative works from, or commercially exploit the Website's structure, compilation, or Third-Party Content without obtaining permission from the relevant rights holder(s).

8. Accuracy and Professional Use Disclaimers

8.1 General Disclaimer

The Website is provided for general informational and exploratory purposes. While we strive to provide useful and accurate information, we do not warrant that Content is complete, accurate, reliable, current, or error-free.

8.2 Color Data Accuracy

Palette Data (including HEX, RGB, HSL, CMYK, LAB, and other color values) is generated through automated processes and may be approximate. Color appearance varies depending on display calibration, viewing conditions, color profiles, and output devices.

If you require precise color matching (for example, for print production, brand identity, product manufacturing, or color-critical applications), you must independently verify color values using appropriate professional tools, color management systems, and/or physical proofing. Do not rely solely on Website data for color-critical decisions.

8.3 Accessibility Information

The Website may display accessibility-related information, including contrast ratios and WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines) compliance indicators. This information is provided for informational and educational purposes only.

Accessibility indicators on this Website do not constitute a compliance audit, certification, or legal advice. WCAG compliance depends on numerous factors beyond color contrast, including context, implementation, and applicable legal requirements. If you need to verify accessibility compliance for legal, regulatory, or contractual purposes, you must conduct appropriate professional assessments and/or seek qualified advice.

8.4 No Professional Advice

Nothing on the Website constitutes professional advice—including design advice, legal advice, accessibility compliance advice, or technical advice. You are responsible for exercising independent judgment and seeking qualified professional guidance for your specific needs.

9. Third-Party Links and Services

The Website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, and services (for example, designer profiles, A' Design Award pages, or external resources). These links are provided for convenience and informational purposes.

We do not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for third-party websites, their content, availability, privacy practices, or terms. Your interactions with third-party websites are solely between you and the third party and are subject to that third party's terms and policies.

Some links may direct you to commercial websites or services operated by designers, brands, or other third parties. We are not a party to any transactions you may enter into with such third parties.

10. Availability and Modifications

We may modify, update, suspend, or discontinue the Website (in whole or in part), or any Content, feature, or functionality, at any time and without prior notice, including to:

• maintain, improve, or update the Website;
• address security, legal, or operational requirements;
• respond to technical issues or abuse;
• comply with applicable law or third-party rights.

We do not guarantee that the Website will be available at all times or that it will be uninterrupted, secure, or error-free.

11. Enforcement and Remedies

If we reasonably believe you have violated these Terms (including the prohibited use restrictions in Section 6), we may take measures we consider appropriate, including:

• issuing warnings or requests to cease the prohibited activity;
• blocking, limiting, or terminating your access to the Website (including IP-based restrictions);
• deploying technical countermeasures to prevent or mitigate abusive access;
• preserving relevant technical and security information for investigation purposes;
• pursuing available legal remedies, including seeking injunctive relief and damages;
• reporting violations to relevant authorities or cooperating with lawful requests from competent authorities.

Nothing in these Terms limits any rights or remedies available to us or to third-party rights holders under applicable law.

12. Disclaimers

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE WEBSITE AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS," "AS AVAILABLE," AND "WITH ALL FAULTS" BASIS.

We expressly disclaim all warranties and representations of any kind, whether express, implied, or statutory, including but not limited to:

• implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement;
• warranties regarding accuracy, completeness, reliability, or currentness of Content;
• warranties that the Website will be uninterrupted, secure, error-free, or free of viruses or harmful components;
• warranties regarding the results obtainable from use of the Website.

Your use of the Website is at your own risk. We do not warrant that the Website will meet your requirements or expectations.

13. Limitation of Liability

TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW:

In no event shall Architecture Colors, its operator, affiliates, licensors (including A' Design Award where applicable), the designers or brands whose works are referenced, or any of their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, or service providers be liable for any:

• indirect, incidental, consequential, special, exemplary, or punitive damages;
• loss of profits, revenue, data, business opportunities, goodwill, or anticipated savings;
• business interruption or reputational harm;
• cost of substitute goods or services;
• damages arising from reliance on Content, including color data or accessibility information;

arising out of or in connection with your access to, use of, or inability to use the Website or any Content, regardless of the theory of liability (contract, tort, negligence, strict liability, or otherwise) and even if we have been advised of the possibility of such damages.

Where liability cannot be fully excluded under applicable law, our total aggregate liability for all claims arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Website shall not exceed €100 (one hundred euros) or the minimum amount permitted by applicable law, whichever is greater.

Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability that cannot be excluded or limited under applicable law, including (where applicable) liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, or any other liability that mandatory law does not permit to be excluded.

14. Indemnification

To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless Architecture Colors, its operator, affiliates, and their respective officers, directors, employees, agents, and service providers, as well as third-party rights holders whose content may appear on the Website, from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including reasonable legal fees) arising out of or relating to:

• your use of or access to the Website;
• your violation of these Terms;
• your violation of any applicable law or regulation;
• your infringement of any intellectual property or other rights of any third party;
• any dispute between you and a third party arising from your use of Downloaded Materials or your interactions through links on the Website.

15. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms and any dispute or claim arising out of or in connection with them (including non-contractual disputes or claims) shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of Italy, without regard to its conflict of law provisions.

Subject to any mandatory consumer protection laws that may apply in your jurisdiction, you agree that any dispute arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Website shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located in Como, Italy.

Consumer rights: If you are a consumer residing in the European Union, you may also have the right to bring proceedings in the courts of your country of residence, and nothing in these Terms affects any mandatory consumer protection rights you may have under applicable law.

16. Changes to These Terms

We may update these Terms from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the Website, legal requirements, or for other operational reasons. When we make changes, we will:

• post the updated Terms on this page;
• update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Your continued use of the Website after the updated Terms are posted constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree to the updated Terms, you must stop using the Website.

For material changes that significantly affect your rights, we may (but are not obligated to) provide additional notice, such as a prominent announcement on the Website.

17. General Provisions

17.1 Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any other policies or notices referenced herein, constitute the entire agreement between you and us regarding your use of the Website and supersede any prior agreements, communications, or understandings (whether oral or written) relating to such use.

17.2 Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary, and the remaining provisions shall continue in full force and effect.

17.3 Waiver

Our failure to enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Any waiver of any provision of these Terms will be effective only if in writing and signed by us.

17.4 Assignment

You may not assign, transfer, or delegate your rights or obligations under these Terms without our prior written consent. We may assign, transfer, or delegate our rights and obligations under these Terms without restriction and without notice to you.

17.5 No Third-Party Beneficiaries

These Terms do not create any third-party beneficiary rights, except that the indemnified parties identified in Section 14 are intended third-party beneficiaries of that section.

17.6 Force Majeure

We shall not be liable for any failure or delay in performing our obligations under these Terms where such failure or delay results from circumstances beyond our reasonable control, including but not limited to acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil unrest, government actions, labor disputes, infrastructure failures, internet or telecommunications outages, cyberattacks, or pandemics.

17.7 Headings

The section headings in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect.

18. Contact Information

For questions about these Terms, please refer to our Impressum for contact and legal information.