Project Overview: Rebuilding The Brearley School Website

Doublespace was engaged by The Brearley School, a prestigious all-girls private school in New York City, to completely overhaul their outdated and cumbersome website. The original site was built on proprietary technology that posed significant challenges for both usability and content management. The architecture was disorganized, making it difficult for users to find essential information, and the rigid web design limited the school’s ability to effectively communicate with its audience.

Challenges and Objectives

The primary challenge was to re-imagine the site architecture to provide a seamless and intuitive user experience. The Brearley School needed a platform that was not only easy to navigate but also flexible enough to accommodate the school’s evolving needs. Additionally, the content management system required an overhaul to enable non-technical staff to update and manage content with ease. The goal was to create a modern, efficient, and user-friendly website that could reflect the school’s reputation for excellence.

Solution

We approached the project by first addressing the core issues of site architecture and design. We restructured the entire site to create a logical and intuitive flow of information, ensuring that users—whether they be prospective students, parents, or alumni—could easily find the information they needed. The new design was built with flexibility in mind, allowing The Brearley School to highlight important content and make updates without technical barriers.

To power the back-end, we selected DatoCMS for its robust content management capabilities and user-friendly interface. By designing a content schema tailored to The Brearley School’s needs, we ensured that editors could easily manage and update content without requiring extensive training or technical expertise. This new CMS infrastructure allows for greater editorial control and streamlines the process of keeping the website current.

For the front-end, we implemented Gatsby, a powerful static site generator that delivers exceptional performance. The combination of Gatsby and DatoCMS resulted in a website that is not only visually appealing but also blazing fast, enhancing the overall user experience. This technology stack provides scalability and ensures that the site remains responsive and quick-loading, even as content and traffic grow.

Results

The new website for The Brearley School represents a significant improvement over the previous iteration. The restructured architecture and design have made the site much easier to navigate, enabling all types of users to find the information they need quickly and efficiently. Brearley was delivered a website that aligns with their school's prestigious reputation, providing them with a modern, flexible, and efficient platform that will serve the school’s needs for years to come.