# Round 3 Plan: Solo Architecture Studio Redesign ## Context The current application is a compact server-rendered Go site with SQLite storage, Tailwind-loaded templates, HTMX navigation, image uploads, a password-protected admin area, project/gallery CRUD, a single editable `site_content` row, and a simple contact request inbox. The public interface currently has: - Home page with hero, intro statement, and featured projects. - Projects index. - Project detail pages with image overlays. - About page that also contains the only public contact form. - No dedicated Services page. - No dedicated Contact page. For a small single-person architecture practice, the redesign should not become a full agency website or heavy CMS. The site needs to build trust quickly, show a clear design position, make project work easy to inspect, and collect useful enquiries without making the owner maintain many pages. ## What From The Recommendation Fits - Home page: relevant and already mostly present, but it needs stronger positioning, a clearer call to action, and a better preview of services/process. - About / Studio page: highly relevant. For a solo practice, this should be one of the strongest trust-building pages because clients are hiring the person, not a large firm. - Services page: relevant, but should be concise. A long list like architecture, interiors, renovation, consultation, space planning, furniture, project management, and 3D visualization may feel inflated for a one-person studio unless each item is genuinely offered. - Contact page: relevant. The current form is buried on About, and the form does not pre-qualify leads. ## What To Avoid - Do not create a large multi-page agency structure with too many thin pages. - Do not add a complex awards/publications system unless the owner has real content to maintain. - Do not overstate capabilities with every possible design service. - Do not add map/social integrations until the real contact content exists. - Do not build a full page builder. The admin should remain simple and opinionated. ## Proposed Public Site Structure ### 1. Home Purpose: communicate the studio position quickly and send visitors to projects or enquiry. Recommended sections: - Full-viewport image-led hero, using a real project image when available. - Positioning line such as "Residential architecture and interiors in London" rather than generic portfolio wording. - One primary CTA: "Start an enquiry". - One secondary CTA: "View projects". - Short studio statement, 2-3 sentences. - Featured projects, limited to 3-4. - Compact services preview, 3 service groups maximum. - Brief process preview, 3 steps maximum. - Short about preview with portrait and link to Studio. Current implementation impact: - Keep the existing Home route. - Rework `home.html` layout and copy fields. - Continue using featured projects from the existing project model. - Add admin-editable CTA text/link and positioning fields. ### 2. Studio Purpose: make the solo practitioner credible, specific, and approachable. This should replace or rename the current About page to "Studio". The route can remain `/about` for compatibility, but the navigation label should become `Studio`. Recommended sections: - Portrait or working photo. - Name, role, and location. - Short personal narrative. - Design philosophy. - Approach/process. - Credentials, registrations, selected experience, or publications as a simple text block. - Contact CTA. Current implementation impact: - Keep the existing about content fields but expand them. - Add fields for philosophy, approach, credentials, and availability/service area. - Remove the main contact form from this page or reduce it to a CTA linking to Contact. ### 3. Services Purpose: help visitors self-qualify without making the practice look larger than it is. Recommended services for a solo architecture company: - Residential architecture. - Renovation and extensions. - Interior architecture and spatial planning. - Early-stage consultation. Optional only if accurate: - Planning support. - 3D visualization. - Furniture and finish selection. - Project coordination. Recommended sections: - Service overview. - 3-4 editable service cards. - "How projects work" process section. - Typical timeline ranges. - Geographic availability. - Small FAQ. - CTA to Contact. Current implementation impact: - Add `GET /services`. - Add a `services.html` template. - Add admin support for editable services and FAQs. - For the first implementation, services can be stored as structured rows rather than hard-coded copy. ### 4. Contact Purpose: create a proper conversion point and collect enough information to assess fit. Recommended sections: - Contact form. - Email, phone, location. - Short expectation statement, for example response time or preferred project types. - Optional social links. - Optional map later, not required now. Inquiry questionnaire fields: - Name. - Email. - Phone, optional. - Project type. - Location. - Budget range. - Timeline. - Message. Current implementation impact: - Add `GET /contact`. - Keep `POST /contact`, but expand the stored fields. - Update admin contact inbox to show the structured enquiry details. - Add validation for required fields and length limits. ## Proposed Navigation Use five top-level links: - Projects - Studio - Services - Contact Home remains the logo link. This keeps navigation focused and avoids a marketing-heavy structure. ## Backend And Data Plan ### Site Content The existing `site_content` row is good for global editable content, but it needs more fields: - `site_name` - `positioning` - `hero_cta_label` - `hero_cta_url` - `secondary_cta_label` - `secondary_cta_url` - `studio_philosophy` - `studio_approach` - `studio_credentials` - `service_area` - `response_note` These can be added through a migration while preserving current data. ### Services Add a `services` table: - `id` - `title` - `summary` - `details` - `position` - `active` This keeps the Services page editable without turning it into a page builder. ### FAQs Add a `faqs` table: - `id` - `question` - `answer` - `position` - `active` Use FAQs mainly on Services and optionally Contact. ### Contact Requests Expand `contact_requests`: - `phone` - `project_type` - `project_location` - `budget_range` - `timeline` - `status` - `notes` `status` can start simple: `new`, `reviewed`, `archived`. `notes` is private admin-only text. ### Projects The current project model is usable. Consider adding only: - `summary` for cards and homepage previews. - `scope` for project detail metadata. - `status` or `completion_stage` if the studio wants to show built/in progress/concept. - `position` for manual ordering. Manual ordering matters more than created-at ordering for a portfolio. ## Admin Plan Keep the tabbed admin from Round 2 and add two tabs: - Main - Projects - Studio - Services - Contact Recommended ownership: - Main: home hero, positioning, intro, CTA labels/links, hero image. - Projects: project CRUD, gallery uploads, featured flag, ordering. - Studio: portrait, name, role, bio, philosophy, approach, credentials. - Services: service rows, process copy, FAQ rows. - Contact: public contact details, enquiry inbox, enquiry status, private notes. The admin should stay form-based. Avoid rich text editing in this round unless there is a clear content requirement. ## Interface Direction The current visual direction is image-led, quiet, and minimalist. That fits architecture, but the redesign should make the site feel more intentional and less like a generic template. Recommended direction: - Use generous image layouts for project pages. - Keep typography restrained but improve hierarchy. - Make the homepage less sparse by adding actionable service/process content. - Use project facts and captions to make work inspectable. - Keep color neutral, but avoid a flat all-neutral interface by using material-inspired accents such as stone, clay, brass, or muted green in small amounts. - Do not use decorative cards as the main layout. Use full-width sections, grids, and strong image composition. ## Implementation Phases ### Phase 1: Public IA And Contact - Add `/contact` page. - Move the enquiry form there. - Expand contact request fields. - Add navigation item. - Update admin contact inbox. This creates immediate business value and fixes the weakest current conversion path. ### Phase 2: Studio And Home Rework - Rename About navigation to Studio. - Expand Studio content fields. - Rework homepage sections and CTAs. - Add home services/process preview using simple editable fields or seeded service rows. This improves trust and positioning without a large backend expansion. ### Phase 3: Services - Add `/services`. - Add services and FAQs tables. - Add admin Services tab. - Add process/timeline/geography content. This helps visitors self-qualify and reduces repetitive pre-sales explanations. ### Phase 4: Project Depth - Add project summary/scope/status/manual ordering. - Improve project detail pages with clearer metadata and richer captions. - Add admin ordering controls. This is valuable after the lead path and positioning are stronger. ## Testing Plan - Add route tests for `/`, `/projects`, `/projects/{slug}`, `/about`, `/services`, and `/contact`. - Add form tests for expanded contact validation and persistence. - Add migration tests for new columns/tables. - Add admin tests for new tabs and update actions. - Manually verify HTMX navigation still works with direct URL fallback. - Manually verify mobile layouts for Home, Studio, Services, Contact, and Project detail. ## Open Questions - Should the public label be "Studio" while keeping `/about`, or should the route become `/studio` with `/about` redirecting? - Which services are genuinely offered by the practitioner today? - Does the studio want to show a phone number publicly, or keep initial contact email/form-only? - Are there real awards, registrations, or publications to show, or should credentials remain a simple text block? - Should contact requests trigger email notification, or is the admin inbox enough for now? ## Recommended Next Step Start with Phase 1. A dedicated Contact page with a structured enquiry form is the highest-value backend and interface improvement, and it gives the later Home, Studio, and Services pages a clear conversion destination.