The context
MisterArchitect is an independent architect working mainly on interior architecture and renovation. This profession sells through imagery: a prospect choosing between three practices looks at the built work first, and often forms an opinion before the first meeting.
The problem
An architect with a portfolio of projects to showcase but an aging, generic website that didn't reflect the quality of the work. Competition in the interior architecture market demands visual differentiation from the very first second of the visit.
The previous site displayed projects in a conventional grid, the kind found on thousands of portfolios. The work was good, but the presentation put it on the same level as any competitor's.
The solution
Complete redesign with a strong visual identity: 3D animations in Three.js on the homepage, smooth transitions between sections, project gallery with detailed overlay, immersive navigation that feels like visiting a space rather than a website. 3D asset optimization to keep load time under 3 seconds despite the visual richness.
Choosing 3D for a reason, not for the effect
3D adds nothing to a tradesperson's site. It adds something for an architect, because it gives visitors the sense of moving through a volume, which is exactly what is being sold. Three.js was chosen so everything stays in the browser, with no plugin or app to install.
Holding the load time despite the 3D
A poorly prepared 3D scene weighs several megabytes and loses the visitor before the animation even starts. Models were simplified, textures compressed, and heavy assets only load when they become useful. First paint stays under three seconds.
The gallery as a meeting tool
Each project opens as an overlay with its photos and description, without a page change and without breaking the rhythm of the visit. The architect uses this gallery during client meetings, straight from a tablet, which drove the choices around legibility and tap target size.
Text underneath the animation
A highly visual site often ends up invisible on Google, because all its content is generated by the browser. Here the pages are produced in PHP on the server and the 3D sits on top. Search engines read complete content, the animation stays a presentation layer.
Tech stack
The result
A website that leaves a strong impression from the first visit, used as a presentation tool during client meetings. The visual differentiation helped position the architect in a higher-end segment and justify higher pricing.
- First paint kept under three seconds despite the 3D scene
- Site used as a presentation tool during client meetings
- Content readable by search engines, rendered server-side
- Visual positioning that sets the practice apart from generic portfolios
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't 3D slow the site down?
It does if nobody takes care of it. The work is about simplifying models, compressing textures and deferring anything not yet visible. On this project, first paint stays under three seconds.
Should every site have 3D?
No, and we advise against it in most cases. It is justified when it serves what is being sold, as here where the architect sells space. On a tradesperson's or a shop's site, it adds weight without giving the visitor anything.
Is this kind of site visible on Google?
Yes, provided the text content is produced by the server and not only by the browser. That is the case here: the pages are PHP, the 3D is a visual layer added on top.