Lakesight
Lakesight
Lakesight
Designing a real estate portfolio tool around one asset manager’s work, from noticing a problem to taking a decision to committee.
Designing a real estate portfolio tool around one asset manager’s work, from noticing a problem to taking a decision to committee.
← Back
A concept for asset managers that shows which buildings need attention and what to do about them.
Working demo with a fictional portfolio.
A concept for asset managers that shows which buildings need attention and what to do about them.
Working demo with a fictional portfolio.
Designing around the work of one asset manager
Designing around the work of one asset manager
Lakesight is a concept for people who manage residential buildings for institutional owners. I designed it around Sandra, a fictional asset manager at a Swiss pension fund with 140 buildings and around 3,200 apartments. This case study follows her through one building, Sonnenrain in Wädenswil, where five apartments are still empty after a refurbishment. All figures are demo data.
Lakesight is a concept for people who manage residential buildings for institutional owners. I designed it around Sandra, a fictional asset manager at a Swiss pension fund with 140 buildings and around 3,200 apartments. This case study follows her through one building, Sonnenrain in Wädenswil, where five apartments are still empty after a refurbishment. All figures are demo data.
My contribution
My contribution
I defined the product direction, designed the screens and created Celsius, the design system behind them. I built the working demo with Claude and Codex, reviewing the hierarchy, the interactions and the figures across screens.
I defined the product direction, designed the screens and created Celsius, the design system behind them. I built the working demo with Claude and Codex, reviewing the hierarchy, the interactions and the figures across screens.
Starting with whether the portfolio is on track
Starting with whether the portfolio is on track
Sandra’s first question is whether the portfolio is on track, so Asset management opens with a verdict: net operating income (NOI) is CHF 1.9M below budget so far this year, mostly because of vacancy in four buildings. I moved value and return to a separate Portfolio view for the head of real estate, so this screen stays on what Sandra has to act on.
Sandra’s first question is whether the portfolio is on track, so Asset management opens with a verdict: net operating income (NOI) is CHF 1.9M below budget so far this year, mostly because of vacancy in four buildings. I moved value and return to a separate Portfolio view for the head of real estate, so this screen stays on what Sandra has to act on.
Showing which buildings need her attention
Showing which buildings need her attention
In the demo, 18 of the 140 buildings need attention. I ranked them by how far they are behind budget and placed the list beside a map, so Sandra can see how serious each problem is and where it sits. Each row gives one reason, which tells her what she is looking at before she opens the building.
In the demo, 18 of the 140 buildings need attention. I ranked them by how far they are behind budget and placed the list beside a map, so Sandra can see how serious each problem is and where it sits. Each row gives one reason, which tells her what she is looking at before she opens the building.
Understanding what went wrong at Sonnenrain
Understanding what went wrong at Sonnenrain
In the demo, Sonnenrain is CHF 412K behind budget over 12 months, and five 3.5-room apartments are still empty after the 2025 refurbishment. The building page opens with that verdict and the recommended action, and the evidence below follows the order Sandra needs to defend a decision.
In the demo, Sonnenrain is CHF 412K behind budget over 12 months, and five 3.5-room apartments are still empty after the 2025 refurbishment. The building page opens with that verdict and the recommended action, and the evidence below follows the order Sandra needs to defend a decision.
The rent comparison puts Sonnenrain’s asking rent of CHF 2,950 beside a median of CHF 2,840 for comparable listings within 8 km. These are demo values, used to show how Sandra could assess the recommendation.
The rent comparison puts Sonnenrain’s asking rent of CHF 2,950 beside a median of CHF 2,840 for comparable listings within 8 km. These are demo values, used to show how Sandra could assess the recommendation.
Testing the plan before approving it
Testing the plan before approving it
The recommendation is to lower the asking rent to CHF 2,850 and spend CHF 6K on photos and listings. I designed a what-if panel so Sandra can question that plan: she changes the rent, rent-free months or marketing budget and sees the effect straight away. With the recommended plan, the illustrative model estimates about 1.1 months to let the five apartments, compared with 2.7 at the current rent. Its assumptions stay visible on the panel.
The recommendation is to lower the asking rent to CHF 2,850 and spend CHF 6K on photos and listings. I designed a what-if panel so Sandra can question that plan: she changes the rent, rent-free months or marketing budget and sees the effect straight away. With the recommended plan, the illustrative model estimates about 1.1 months to let the five apartments, compared with 2.7 at the current rent. Its assumptions stay visible on the panel.
Taking the decision to committee
Taking the decision to committee
From the building page, Sandra can prepare a committee note drafted from the figures on screen, so she does not have to rebuild the argument in a separate document. She can also open a message to the property manager with the recommended action filled in. Nothing is sent in the demo.
From the building page, Sandra can prepare a committee note drafted from the figures on screen, so she does not have to rebuild the argument in a separate document. She can also open a message to the property manager with the recommended action filled in. Nothing is sent in the demo.
Creating Celsius for dense financial information
Creating Celsius for dense financial information
Celsius is the design system I created for Lakesight, built around four layers: a toned background, raised cards, a building render and frosted glass on top of the render. Each chart uses orange for one idea, such as the parts of the budget gap.
Celsius is the design system I created for Lakesight, built around four layers: a toned background, raised cards, a building render and frosted glass on top of the render. Each chart uses orange for one idea, such as the parts of the budget gap.
Each building has its own render, which makes it easier to recognise in a long list.
Each building has its own render, which makes it easier to recognise in a long list.
Making Celsius work in light and dark
Making Celsius work in light and dark
Celsius is one system with two themes. The dark theme uses the same tokens with dark values, so a screen keeps its layout and each chart is drawn only once.
Celsius is one system with two themes. The dark theme uses the same tokens with dark values, so a screen keeps its layout and each chart is drawn only once.
Some things needed more than new values. Soft shadows barely show on near black, so the dark cards use a faint light edge. Black bars turn white and the map gets its own palette, with deep blue lakes.
Some things needed more than new values. Soft shadows barely show on near black, so the dark cards use a faint light edge. Black bars turn white and the map gets its own palette, with deep blue lakes.
The verdict field becomes a deeper, burnt orange, and the only clear warmth on the page sits behind the building renders, which lets their lit windows stand out.
The verdict field becomes a deeper, burnt orange, and the only clear warmth on the page sits behind the building renders, which lets their lit windows stand out.
Extending the demo to Sandra’s other work
Extending the demo to Sandra’s other work
The Capex & ESG, Committee and Market screens are designed but not open in the demo yet. The next step is to open them and walk through the demo with asset managers, so their way of working can change the decisions I made here.
The Capex & ESG, Committee and Market screens are designed but not open in the demo yet. The next step is to open them and walk through the demo with asset managers, so their way of working can change the decisions I made here.
Explore Lakesight
Explore Lakesight
The demo opens on Sandra’s Asset management screen. You can follow her path to Sonnenrain and try the what-if panel yourself.
The demo opens on Sandra’s Asset management screen. You can follow her path to Sonnenrain and try the what-if panel yourself.
More work
Other case studies.
AI product · 2025
21Shares BlockSensai
Crypto governance and news intelligence for institutional teams.
Crypto intelligence for institutional teams.
View case studyView→
Portfolio redesign · 2023
Bitcoin Suisse
A unified model for holdings, accounts, performance and liabilities.
A unified model for holdings, accounts and performance.
View case studyView→
Investment platform · 2020–21
Credit Suisse
Responsive investment journeys backed by a better design and engineering delivery process.
Responsive journeys and a better delivery process.
View case studyView→