Responses by Francesca Vassiliades, cofounder, Series Eight.
Background: The site was designed to help engineered stonework manufacturer Jonite expand its market share in Asia, the Middle East and the United States. We had to address three distinct audiences: architects, urban planners and interior designers, each with different needs. Architects would need quick access to technical specifications and CAD files, while designers would want inspiration and visual storytelling. The site had to balance technical credibility with aspirational design to serve all these groups effectively.
Design core: The core design approach was about letting the engineered stonework speak for itself. We created modular layouts with rich material textures that feel like flipping through a high-end architectural magazine—clean, typography-driven layouts blended with photography, iconography and 3-D elements. The minimal, elevated aesthetic uses generous white space, clean lines and an earthy color palette that subtly communicated sustainability without clichés.
From a functionality standpoint, we prioritized easy access to CAD files, product samples and real-world case studies based on user research. The extensive product catalog required careful organization: each item had its own load ratings, certifications, color options and customization details that needed to be easily discoverable.
Favorite details: The animation system we built is something of which we’re particularly proud. We created smooth, tactile interactions—hover states and fluid transitions that mirror the craftsmanship of Jonite’s products. Because the design was animation heavy, we prototyped everything extensively before implementation. We split each section’s JavaScript into separate files that only load when needed and used the Async Alpine plugin to control exactly when animations load—eagerly, lazily or triggered by specific events. We also built a custom timing system that queues animations until the previous one finishes, all using GSAP syntax to keep everything consistent. This let us deliver a premium, interactive experience without sacrificing performance.
Navigation structure: The navigation needed to serve three distinct user groups without creating separate experiences. Our research showed that architects, urban planners and interior designers all valued different things: Some wanted quick access to technical specs. Others wanted inspiration from case studies. We organized the structure so that users could easily jump between product details, real-world applications and contact options, regardless of their entry point. The goal was to get each audience exactly what they needed without forcing them through unnecessary steps.
Technology: We built the site on Craft CMS, which gave us the flexibility to handle Jonite’s complex product hierarchy. For the front end, we used GSAP for animations and the Async Alpine plugin for loading control. We kept the CMS structure clean and logical, organized complex fields were organized into separate tabs, and used Craft’s custom sources to systematically organize main pages separately from reusable data like popups and architect profiles.