Case Study
Dipa Visionary Art School
Rebuilding a Visionary Art School’s Digital Home After Three Years of Failed Attempts
Key Impact
70% increase in website views · Replaced 4 failed freelancers · Immersive 360° experience · Being submitted for Awwwards
The Challenge
Business Context
Dipa runs a visionary art school out of a converted section of her home in Singapore, a space where students enter through a garden and discover different creative disciplines in each corner of the studio.
The Client’s Problem
Four freelance developers had attempted to build or fix Dipa’s website over the course of three years. All four failed. The site was completely non-functional. Even when parts of it worked, the result was a wall of text with no visual hierarchy or coherent user experience.
Constraints
Dipa had been burned four times. Trust was low. I needed to deliver a working website first before discussing a redesign. Years of accumulated content had no information architecture.
Strategic Approach
The Key Insight
After fixing the site and studying Dipa’s physical studio, I realised the most powerful design concept was already there. Her studio is a journey: you enter through a garden, and each corner holds a different creative world. The website should mirror that exact experience.
Creative Strategy
The redesigned website opens with an immersive 360° view of the studio. Scroll horizontally to move through the space, and each corner reveals a different section. Scroll vertically to dive deeper into that content. Utterly unique in the art education space.
Key Decisions & Why
I completely rewrote all website content over the course of a month. Restructured workshop descriptions to be scannable. Designed an interactive biographical timeline that scrolls horizontally through her life, separated by time periods and professional milestones.
Leadership & Stakeholder Management
I led a small team of UX and UI designers. Handled creative concept, full content rewrite, and experience architecture. Managed the client relationship with consistent communication, which was crucial given her history of being let down by previous developers.
Process & Evolution
Emergency Recovery
Fixed the non-functional website using my programming background. Delivered a working site to get Dipa’s business back online.
Content Rewrite
Rewrote all content. Restructured workshop descriptions. Organised years of accumulated text into coherent information architecture.
Immersive Redesign
Developed the 360° studio-inspired concept. Designed horizontal-to-vertical scroll interaction. Built the interactive biographical timeline.
Ongoing Refinement
Continued refining the experience. Currently preparing for Awwwards submission.
Results & Impact
- 70% increase in website views after launch
- First functional website in 3+ years after 4 previous failures
- Immersive 360° experience unlike any competitor in the space
- Complete content overhaul: walls of text transformed into scannable, engaging workshop descriptions
- Currently being submitted to Awwwards
- Ongoing relationship spanning 4 years
“Is there a god or do angels exist? We have been through hell with 4 previous freelancers for 2 years. Enter Amr. He is highly intelligent, genuine and a lovely person. He has integrity, is extremely skilled, and has a great sense of humour!”
Reflection
This is the project I’m most proud of. The decision to fix first and redesign later rebuilt Dipa’s confidence before asking her to dream big again. Sometimes the best creative strategy begins with simply delivering on your word.
Creative Direction, Content Strategy & UX: Amr Abu-Talleb · UI Design: UX/UI Design Team · Client: Dipa, Singapore