ffbk + Magnolia
How ffbk Architekten used Magnolia to create a modern, structured digital portfolio for efficient client acquisition.
About the customer
ffbk Architekten is a Swiss architectural firm that showcases its high-quality, diverse projects to secure new clients and attract talent.
Facing the challenge of presenting a growing portfolio of over 70 architectural projects, ffbk Architekten needed a digital home that was as structured as it was visual. Five years ago, they relaunched their platform on Magnolia to gain strict control over content modeling while allowing for a distinct "tile-based" frontend design. This strategic move established a durable, agile platform that continues to drive client acquisition today and is now ready for its next evolution: AI-powered archive search.
Proven long-term stability
The platform has successfully supported the firm's digital presence for over 5 years, proving the durability of the Magnolia architecture
Smart grid design
Implemented a distinct visual logic where specific tile sections correspond to specific business areas, aiding user navigation
Structured portfolio
Successfully organized 70+ projects with granular filters for typology, status (new/renovation), and region
The Challenge
Unstructured data hindered client acquisition
ffbk Architekten needed their website to be a modern and powerful client acquisition tool. Their primary challenge was efficiently presenting their large, diverse body of work. Without a modern, structured content framework, visitors struggled to easily filter and discover relevant projects, which complicated client discussions and hampered their goal of Global Marketing via a clear digital presence.
The Solution
Magnolia powers a custom "Tile-Based" showcase
The firm chose Magnolia to implement a highly specific design vision where the frontend grid is strictly logical: one part of a tile represents one specific business area.
Structured Content: They used Magnolia to model their projects as structured data. This allowed them to deploy efficient filters (Typology, New vs. Renovation, Area) so users can sort the 70+ projects instantly.
- Smart sectioning: To keep the site dynamic without heavy maintenance, the "Aktuell" (Current) section was built to function technically as a blog, allowing for easy updates.
- Efficient integration: rather than over-engineering the "Jobs" section, they integrated an external system via smart page linking, keeping the core CMS focused on brand and portfolio.
"Magnolia gave us the structured platform needed to easily present our 70+ projects. The logic we built—where our grid design directly reflects our business areas—has stood the test of time, and the structured data now prepares us to integrate AI for searching our archives."
The Result
5 years of stability and a roadmap for AI Innovation
The relaunch has provided ffbk Architekten with a stable, high-performance site that has served them effectively for over 5 years.
- Measurable Success: The portfolio is now a fully searchable asset, simplifying the "referencing" process for acquiring new clients.
- Future Roadmap: Because the data is now structured (not just static HTML), the firm is positioned to implement their next major wish: making their deep archives searchable via Artificial Intelligence.
