Responses by Clément Merouani, founder and creative director, FLOT NOIR.

Background: MERSI is an architecture studio where intention comes before form. So, for its website, our goal was not to showcase projects in a traditional portfolio logic but to embody the studio’s way of thinking. The target audience is a mix of private clients, cultural institutions, and collaborators in the architecture and design fields. Rather than speaking to everyone, the site is designed to resonate with people who are sensitive to clarity, restraint and strong conceptual direction.

Design core: The core of the design lies in reduction. We removed everything that felt unnecessary to focus on structure, rhythm and typography.

The horizontal navigation within project pages is a key element. It breaks away from the expected vertical scroll and creates a more immersive, controlled reading experience. Combined with a restrained color palette and precise spacing, it lets the work breathe while maintaining a strong visual identity.

Favorite details: The overall balance between minimalism and presence. Minimal design can easily become generic or invisible; here, every element has been carefully calibrated so the site feels intentional rather than empty.

I’m also particularly satisfied with the consistency of the system. From typography to layout to transitions, everything follows the same logic, which reinforces the clarity of the studio’s positioning.

Challenges: Avoiding the trap of “classic architecture portfolio design.” Many architecture websites look the same—large images, neutral layouts and very little personality. The difficulty here was to introduce a strong point of view while staying aligned with the studio’s philosophy of restraint. It required constant adjustments to find the right level of tension between simplicity and character.

Navigation structure: The navigation was designed to be as intuitive as possible while subtly guiding the user’s reading rhythm. The horizontal navigation in project pages plays a key role here. It allows users to move through content in a more curated way, almost like progressing through a sequence rather than scrolling through a page. This reinforces the narrative aspect of each project.

Technology: The website was designed by FLOT NOIR and developed in collaboration with creative developer Thomas Carré. We built the site using Webflow with custom interactions and animations implemented using GSAP. This combination allowed us to maintain a high level of visual precision while ensuring smooth performance and flexibility.