Design In Motion:
Bringing The C Spot LA’s Energy Online
Academic | Industry Project
Website Redesign
Role: Digital Co-Lead - Website
Timeline: March - June 2025
Tools: FigJam, Squarespace, Figma
Introduction
Individual Problem Statement
Team Problem Statement
The C Spot LA is a vibrant, creative movement studio rooted in dance, wellness, and community. While their brand and digital presence laid a solid foundation, there was a clear opportunity to better capture the studio’s unique energy, personality, and inclusive spirit online.
What will be needed to design a digital identity that captures the fluid, expressive spirit of The C Spot LA and relay that sentiment to an online presence that promotes their community to help with growth and exposure?
How might we design a digital identity that captures the fluid, expressive spirit of The C Spot LA and improves accessibility and engagement for their community?
The Team
Role
As Digital Co-Lead
I was responsible for revamping the client’s outdated website on a new platform (Squarespace). Being on the branding team meant developing refreshed visual identity assets and templates, I translated those into a digital experience:
Designing page structures
Refining content layout
Key functionality with features including a live class calendar to support both users and the internal team
Solution
Incorporate movement and vibrant colors as well as add new structures of organization to the site to have ease of access for booking classes. In a way the website would keep its vibrance, express itself through a more flowy experience, and have more modernity to connect with younger audiences.
Research
We began with stakeholder discovery sessions to understand goals and pain points. Using tools like journey maps, netnography, and competitive research, we uncovered that the website needed to embody the same sense of motion and connection users felt in the studio. The branding team developed new style guides, logo variations, and visual systems built on themes of fluidity, movement, and inclusivity. My job was to bring that brand to life on Squarespace.
Netnography
Insights For Design Opportunities:
Boost short-form video strategy
Emphasize student impact stories
Clarify value proposition in marketing
Align content with brand identity
Have a dynamic landing page compared to static of current page
Informed Design
Through the research method of netnography, we were able to gain more ideas to frame the studio as an inclusive wellness space. Gaining opinions from online forums helped in finding a marketing strategy and what could be improved from the current materials the studio had. Researching competitors and the content they had led to finding more design opportunities as well, especially in ways that would attract more engagement from the Los Angeles community.
Studying the designs of websites from other dance studios as well as yoga studios, it was really much of a compare and contrast from the current material the studio had and what could be added or revamped into something that would connect with the audience the stakeholders wanted to connect with, which was both the SMC community as well as the rest of LA County, casting a wide net to target. The approach that was needed was more modern and these websites were something that really resonated with the reach the stakeholders wanted.
Main Insights From Informed Design
The C Spot LA has a website that could have a more modern approach.
The current website utilizing a PDF format schedule could have a more inclusive web page that could be updated to have the classes listed on the site, especially considering the online payment integration they would like to add
To compare with the other websites, a more dynamic landing page with moving elements would have more of a break into the market compared to mainly static images.
Having a more organized method of finding the right class is something vital that a lot of websites have. The C Spot LA has a variety of classes other studios do not provide and the advantage should be there, the only main thing would be showcasing them.
Researching Marketing Methods By Gaining Opinions From Reddit
Analyzing Competitors Socials via Instagram
Researching Marketing Ideas to Promote Health & Wellness For The Yoga Studio via WOD GURU
Researching Marketing Methods By Gaining Opinions From Reddit
Analyzing Competitors Socials via Instagram
Researching Marketing Ideas to Promote Health & Wellness For The Yoga Studio via WOD GURU
Dance Studio Website via Canva
STEEZY Dance Studio Website
Design Development
Before diving into the entire web redesign, it was important to define the colors needed to showcase a vibrant space. The colors of the previous branding for The C Spot LA were a mix of primary colors, and the stakeholders said they wanted to give an inclusive feeling, as well as bright colors to present themselves that way. After the logo was redesigned and main colors were chosen, color combinations were also made for merchandise etc. and that is what led us to hit the ground running in the deliverables.
Based on the current material that was already given, I mainly decided to give the current website a walkthrough to see what was available, what could be revamped, what was useful and what could be improved to target the audience a bit more. I also took my findings from analyzing competitor’s websites and that also made a huge impact in the analysis before officially going into designing.
Making the landing page dynamic was the biggest goal, and so receiving content from the dance studio was a great addition to be able to showcase movement as soon as someone clicks on the website. The class schedule below gave ease of access to the calendar of the month. Expanding on the second screen, the calendar itself was made to be clickable to see the classes and times of each being available.
Another missing format was a showcase of class membership tiers, since the different pricing options weren't clear on the original site. Displaying the tiers helps the audience find the right fit and book easily with a direct button. A studio rentals page was also needed, since The C Spot LA requested it, showing different rental types with their own booking buttons. Testimonials were added further down the page to build credibility with visitors.
Based on the original website and confirmation with the stakeholders, an instructor page was very vital to further promote classes and the instructors themselves. Compared to the previous version of the page, which was scrolling down to read the biographies, we suggested a gallery format which would be clickable and take the user to the instructor page instead of scrolling all the way down to the end of the website for every story. For the socials, the section was filled with content via The C Spot LA’s Instagram, and had a dynamic ~ Follow Us ~ flowing text to further the movement concept that was asked for.
Color Palette & Logo Made By Tyler Lin, Color Combinations Discussed Through Team Effort After Stakeholder Meeting
Feedback
During the final presentations, our team’s work was evaluated through a peer voting system based on key project categories. We’re proud to share that our team was recognized across the board, receiving top votes in every category:
🏆 Best Digital Deliverables
🏆 Best Social Deliverables
🏆 Best Physical/Print Deliverables
🏆 Most Creative Team
These results reflect the thoughtful strategy, cohesive branding, and creative execution we brought to every stage of the project being from concept development to final implementation. The feedback affirmed our commitment to producing impactful, user-centered design work that authentically represented The C Spot LA’s vision.
Reflection
Class Vote
Susan & Yvette From The C Spot LA, via Zoom Giving Review of Branding and Website Redesign
Transcript Reflects Feedback During Last Zoom Session Presentation
Being on a team was a great experience, and the color scheme being implemented as well as a new logo helped so much in making the website look visually different and improved from the current website. The feedback we received also proved our efforts, and communication both between the team and stakeholders helped implement changes that were needed which really made the learning experience enjoyable.
There were a few limitations in terms of the website that could be done both due to time constraints as well as subscription payments. We were told not to use any funds, and so with that using the website the stakeholder wanted to focus on (Squarespace) was a bit limited when trying to add features, therefore the inclusions were suggested after should the stakeholders use the template that was made for them customized compared to a fully functional ready to use website.
The next steps would include using Squarespace outside the limitations with a paid plan, as well as implementing the content that was taken a bit after the timeline like other videos and images so the website could be updated in general. Also to find a way to upload the class schedules so it isn’t too tedious to update.