Case study:
Architecture
Selldorf Architects
Designing Flexibility: A New Digital Home for Selldorf Architects
At a Glance
Selldorf Architects, based in Manhattan’s Union Square, is internationally acclaimed for its thoughtful, timeless, and perceptive approach to architecture.
Firm:
Selldorf Architects
Headquarter:
New York City, NY
Industry:
Architecture
Number of employees:
50+
Website:
selldorf.comServices provided:
- Website design
- UI & UX design
- Development
- WordPress Gutenberg
- On-Site SEO
- Accessibility
Shaping a Digital Foundation
After eight years of service, the existing website no longer met the standards and expectations of a modern, high-performing web presence. For an architecture firm, it’s essential to showcase projects in the most compelling and visually precise way. We’ve been collaborating with Selldorf Architects for 25 years, and this challenge has remained the same since day one.
Design and UI/UX
Leveraging the latest in web technology, the new site combines a flexible back-end framework with a refined front-end design system that adapts seamlessly to different formats and evolving content needs. The refreshed interface emphasizes clarity and elegance, with improved navigation and a seamless experience across desktop, tablet, and mobile.
The visual design follows Selldorf Architects’ philosophy of quiet sophistication – stripped of distraction and excess. Generous white space, balanced typography, and restrained color allow each project to take center stage, ensuring the work itself defines the experience.
Content Management System (CMS)
As digital tools evolved, so did WordPress. With the introduction of Gutenberg, we rebuilt the site on a more flexible, modular foundation—giving the Selldorf team intuitive control through layout blocks that make creating and updating project pages effortless and consistent.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
Consistency has always been the foundation of Selldorf Architects’ online visibility. By maintaining the same sitemap and page structure wherever possible, the website preserves valuable search rankings built over decades. Some project pages have carried the same URL for more than 25 years.
The new site enhances this legacy with clean, semantic HTML and modern SEO practices for performance, speed, and structure, resulting in stronger visibility, faster load times, and a steady increase in organic traffic since launch.
Inclusive by Design
To ensure everyone can experience Selldorf’s work, the site was built to meet modern accessibility guidelines. We tested extensively with industry-standard tools to deliver a user experience that is intuitive, inclusive, and fully compliant with W3C recommendations.
Outcome
Selldorf Architects now have a refined, high-performing digital platform—one that communicates the sophistication of their architecture, supports their growing portfolio, and positions them for the next decade of design excellence.
“We have been working with Alex and Oliver for 25 years, they designed our first website and a recent relaunch. They are great collaborators and excellent designers who understand our Architecture and aesthetic completely. They have developed a website that reflects the spirit of our work and our studio. OLEX is expert at providing a platform that is easy for us to maintain and update ourselves using the most advanced technical know-how.”
– Annabelle Selldorf, Selldorf Architects
Design Highlights
Explore our recent collaborations with Selldorf Architects
Flexible by Design
An elegant open grid system that allows diverse image formats to live side by side in harmony.
Large-Format Showcase
When subtlety falls short, immersive large-scale imagery captures the architectural essence with striking visual impact.
Streamlined Navigation
From a not-so-organized structure to a streamlined navigation system that lets users filter and find projects effortlessly.
Custom Gutenberg Blocks
A modular editing system built in WordPress Gutenberg, giving Selldorf’s team complete creative flexibility and ease of use.
Our Process
Our 16 Weeks Website Design & Build Process.
1. Discovery & Research
We approached the discovery phase much like an architectural study—analyzing context, structure, and purpose. Through competitor research and content audits, we defined clear objectives and a strategic foundation for design and development.
2. Design Direction & Prototyping
Design exploration began with moodboards and interface studies, translating Selldorf’s architectural precision into a refined digital aesthetic. We created high-fidelity prototypes to test layout variations, grid systems, and interaction flows—ensuring the final design was both beautiful and intuitive across all devices.
3. Development
We translated the approved design into a responsive, modular website powered by WordPress Gutenberg. This system allows the Selldorf team to easily update and expand their portfolio while maintaining consistency and design integrity.
4. SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
A key focus was building a solid SEO foundation through clean, semantic HTML structure and optimized metadata. We implemented best practices for performance, structured data, and image optimization to improve search visibility and ensure long-term discoverability.
5. Accessibility
We carefully aligned the site with WCAG and W3C accessibility standards—ensuring proper color contrast, keyboard navigation, and screen reader compatibility. The result is an inclusive digital experience accessible to all visitors.
6. Optimization
To guarantee top performance, we fine-tuned the site’s loading speed using modern optimization techniques—minifying code, implementing lazy loading, optimizing image assets, and leveraging caching. These improvements ensure a fast and seamless user experience.
7. Support & Maintenance
Following launch, we provided hands-on CMS training and a library of video tutorials to help the team manage their content independently. We continue to offer long-term maintenance, performance monitoring, and regular updates to keep the site secure and running smoothly.
FAQ
Because we don’t do off-the-shelf solutions. Selldorf needed a partner who could listen, think critically, and build something as thoughtful as their architecture. We’re a small, senior-led team that takes communication seriously, and they appreciated our hands-on, collaborative approach from day one.
Balancing freedom with structure. Selldorf’s projects are incredibly diverse, so the website had to be flexible enough to adapt without breaking. We designed a modular Gutenberg system that gives them total control, while still ensuring consistency and elegance throughout.
We treat websites like architecture. Structure, flow, material, light – good web design isn’t that different from spatial design. We bring that kind of thinking to every project, whether it’s a digital portfolio, an e-commerce shop, or a brand identity.
It was essential. Selldorf’s team was deeply involved, and that elevated everything – from how we told the story of their work to how the site behaves across devices. We believe great design happens when clients are part of the process, not separate from it.
A stronger digital ecosystem. Beyond design and development, we helped Selldorf improve SEO, speed, accessibility, and long-term maintainability. We also supported content strategy and system setup – so their team could keep things running without relying on us for every update.
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