A residence app for one building brand in four cities, designed for people who move for the life, not the listing.
The project
The brief
A fictional building brand with residences in Paris, Tokyo, New York and Mexico City, where clients can find a home and reserve it inside the app.
Who it is for
People aged 40 to 70 who relocate by choice. Money is not the constraint; time, trust and legibility are. Many would rather call than tap.
The problem
The first version read as a generic booking app: a filtered listings grid, template beige, and 10–12px text this audience struggles to read.
The answer
Treat the client as a client, not a shopper. Tell an advisor how you live, receive three residences chosen for you, visit, reserve, and let the move be handled.
Three directions explored
The app as a printed monograph
A named advisor, not a catalogue
The building itself as the interface
Key decisions
Everything is set in one calm grotesk. Only the advisor’s words appear in an italic serif, so the person behind the service is visible on every screen.
Every screen is a shared template. Each city brings its own accent, greeting, advisor, residences and neighbourhood, taken from its materials.
Outlined buttons that fill only on hover, outlined cards instead of dark panels, few rules and generous space. Luxury reads as restraint.
Body text at 17px, 44px tap targets, a call button beside every message, a menu on every screen and a text-size setting in the profile.
“The north wall in the salon was made for your collection.”
— The advisor’s voice
The journey
Scroll sideways. The screens are live: toggle the daylight, pick options, write to the advisor.
Try the prototype
Design system
01 Type
One grotesk for everything, one italic serif reserved for the advisor’s voice. Body text never below 17px; labels never below 13px.
02 Colour
Paper and ink carry the interface. Each city adds a single accent taken from its materials.
Ink, muted and all four accents pass WCAG AA on paper, from 6:1 to 16:1.
03 Components
Outlined by default; ink fills only to show what is selected or under the pointer. 44px tap targets, 5px radius on controls, 6px on cards.
Primary button · hover me
Plan a visitChips
Light for artQuietRoom for guestsAdvisor card
Advisor’s voice
“Top floor, and very quiet.”
— ELENA