Design Systemjiajialin.me

The colors, glass, type, space, motion and components behind this desktop. The page reads tokens.css when the site builds and checks every token against the code, so it only shows what the site really uses: 286 tokens right now.

Figma: Taken straight from a Figma frame (198)
Merged: Near-duplicate Figma values merged into one (1)
Code: Not in Figma: added or tuned in code (87)

Moments

The details most visitors won't consciously notice, and the reason each one is there. 34 of them, all running on the site now.

Arriving

Letters rise in, one at a time
“hey! i’m jia” rises letter by letter, 45ms apart, on a gentle spring. Hover a letter and it floats up; its neighbours follow a little, so it reads as a ripple instead of one key pressed.
Try it: Run the pointer along the headline.desktop/Headline.module.css
“feel” writes itself
Once the letters land, a pen writes the one handwritten word: a round stroke travels a path traced by hand through the Cedarville letters, in the order you’d write them, up the f’s loop, down its stem, then e, e, l. Hover it and it writes again.
Try it: Hover “feel”.desktop/FeelInk.tsx
A notification with somewhere to go
At 1.1 seconds a Notes notification slides in from the right. It announces an essay, and clicking it opens Notes on that essay. Like macOS, it swipes away to the right, or closes with the × that appears on hover.
desktop/ExploringCard.tsx
The painting moves
A slow current drifts the river painting under the glass, and the glass bends, splits and frosts whatever passes beneath it. With reduced motion the current stops and the rest stays.
river/River.tsx
The painting keeps Stanford time
The river follows Jia’s clock, not yours. Around sunset at Stanford it warms with a soft amber wash, after dark it cools and dims, and by day it’s untouched. Sunrise and sunset are the real ones for today, so the light moves with the seasons, gliding over minutes instead of jumping.
Try it: Add ?time=19:05 to the address to see golden hour.river/StanfordLight.tsx
It remembers where you left off
Come back a day or a week later and a “Welcome back” notification offers the last case study, essay or film you had open. It never opens anything by itself, it’s offered once, and it lives only in your browser.
desktop/WelcomeBack.tsx
A tip that only shows once
A few seconds after the desktop settles, a macOS Tip teaches Spotlight. It stays while you hover or focus it, and it never comes back once you’ve seen it or found Spotlight on your own.
desktop/SpotlightTip.tsx

Spotlight

Search the whole site
⌘K, “/” or the magnifier opens it (a small ⌘K keycap beside it says so; Ctrl K off Apple devices). So does typing on the empty desktop, like Finder. Results come from the site’s own content, so a new case study, film or role is searchable the day it’s added.
Try it: Press ⌘K on the desktop.desktop/Spotlight.tsx
It says hi back
Type “hi”, “hello”, “hire” or “coffee” and it answers like a person: “Say hi to Jia 👋”, with an email one keystroke away. ⌘C copies the address.
desktop/spotlightIndex.ts
It’s honest about the résumé
Search “resume” and instead of an empty list it says “No résumé here yet. It’s on its way.” and offers to email Jia for one.
desktop/spotlightIndex.ts

macOS, down to the details

Windows grow out of what opened them
Every window grows from the icon, menu item or card that opened it and shrinks back into it when it closes. Focus goes back there too.
desktop/Window.tsx
The dock behaves like a dock
An app that isn’t running bounces once as it launches, and running apps get a dot. While Work is full screen the dock hides; it comes back when the pointer reaches the bottom edge and stays while it has focus or its menu is open.
desktop/Dock.tsx
The traffic lights work
Close closes, yellow minimizes, and green switches Work between full screen and a floating window (so does double-clicking the toolbar). In full screen the menu bar tucks away.
desktop/TrafficLights.tsx
Minimize shrinks into the dock
The yellow light shrinks a window into its own thumbnail at the end of the dock: a tiny window card with the app’s icon as a badge. The window stays open underneath, so its scroll position and anything you were looking at survive. Click the thumbnail or the app’s icon and it grows back out from the same spot, and focus follows it both ways.
Try it: Open Art from the dock and click the yellow light.desktop/Window.tsx
Contact opens right above its icon
Contact opens a small Messages window with Jia’s email and LinkedIn as two message bubbles. It opens just above its dock icon, where your eyes already are, and the email bubble has a Copy button for when there’s no mail app.
Try it: Click Contact in the dock.desktop/windows/MessagesWindow.tsx
Windows have a little weight
Drag a window and it leans into the direction you’re moving, pivoting on the spot you grabbed, while its shadow deepens as if lifted. Let go and it settles upright on a soft spring; flick it and it glides a little further before stopping. Only the small windows do this: the big ones (Notes, Photos) simply follow the pointer, since a lean on a wide window reads as wobble.
Try it: Open Contact and fling it across the desktop.desktop/Window.tsx
Windows stay where you left them
Drag a window, visit the design system or a case study page, and come back: every window is exactly where you left it, and a minimized one is still in the dock. Close one and reopen it, and it goes back to its old spot.
desktop/DesktopProvider.tsx
Right-click the desktop
A real macOS context menu opens where you click, and every item does something: Get Info, Search Jia’s Mac…, Copy Email Address, Open Design System. Get Info is the colophon, a Finder info panel for the site itself. Right-click a window, card or link and you get the browser’s menu as usual.
Try it: Right-click an empty part of the desktop, or press Shift+F10.desktop/DesktopMenu.tsx
The clock is Jia’s
The menu bar shows the time at Stanford, not the visitor’s, and it ticks over exactly on the minute.
desktop/StanfordClock.tsx
Scroll to see the work
Scrolling down on the home page opens Work, because that’s how most people look for more. The “Scroll to see my work” hint is a real button, so it works without a wheel too.
Try it: Scroll down on the desktop.desktop/ScrollToWork.tsx

Reading the work

Studies open as a sheet
A case study rises as a white sheet inside Safari, over the dimmed grid. The URL is the study’s own, so it can be shared and Back closes it, and the address bar follows along.
case/CaseSheet.tsx
Safari loads the page
Opening a case study runs Safari’s thin blue progress line along the bottom of the address field: quick at first, slowing near the end, then finishing and fading as the study’s address arrives.
desktop/windows/SafariWindow.tsx
Expand grows in place
Expand makes the same sheet grow to fill Safari over 400ms, its margins and corners easing out. Nothing reloads.
case/CaseSheet.tsx
Closing goes one step at a time
Full page, then sheet, then grid. Focus lands back on the card you opened.
case/CaseSheet.tsx
A wrong password shakes
Like the macOS login screen, the field shakes three times in 0.4 seconds, the cursor goes straight back in, and a way in appears: “Email Jia for access”, with the study’s name already in the subject. After three misses it gets a little bolder. With reduced motion there’s no shake, just the message.
case/LockPanel.tsx
Unlocking starts from the top
After the password, a protected study starts at the top and focus moves to its title, so keyboard and screen reader users land in the right place.
case/FocusOnArrival.tsx
Long stories keep their place
On wide screens a sticky section nav sits in the gutter of the full stories and highlights the section in view.
case/SectionNav.tsx

Art

Photos grow out of their tiles
Opening a photo grows its thumbnail into the full image, and closing shrinks it back into its tile. Arrow keys step through; Esc goes back to the grid.
desktop/windows/ArtWindow.tsx
Films play like they’re on a Mac
YouTube films play under macOS Photos controls, with YouTube’s title and logo hidden and a poster over its start screen. The controls fade 2.5 seconds after the pointer stops.
desktop/windows/FilmPlayer.tsx

Underneath

The blueprint doorway
Hover the “jia” mark in the menu bar and it turns into its construction drawing. Click, and the desktop greys out and outlines every surface with its size before this page arrives.
blueprint/BlueprintMark.tsx
Glass letters without muddy shadows
The headline’s shadows are cut out of the letters, so they never show through the translucent glass.
desktop/GlassTextFilters.tsx
A Control Center for visitors
The switches icon in the menu bar opens a small Control Center. Reduce Motion stills the whole site, from the painting’s drift to window zooms, without touching system settings; if the system already asks for less motion, the tile says so and stays on. Painting switches the river between blurred and sharp, and the glass cards stay frosted over it so their text stays readable. Both choices are remembered on this device and applied before the page draws.
Try it: Click the switches icon next to the clock.desktop/ControlCenter.tsx
Every animation has an off switch
With reduced motion, from the system or the Control Center, each effect has a still version: the painting holds, letters and cards start in place, and “feel” is already written.
styles/motion.module.css
Focus is never lost
Windows take focus when they open and give it back when they close. In Spotlight the field keeps focus while the arrow keys move through results.
desktop/DesktopProvider.tsx

Accessibility

Reduced motion gets a still composition. The painting stops drifting, letters and cards start in place, and “feel” is already written.
Control Center puts the settings in view. The two-switch icon in the menu bar opens a panel like the macOS one, with two tiles: Reduce Motion, and Painting (blurred or sharp). Choices are saved on the visitor’s device and applied before the first paint, so nothing flashes. If Reduce Motion is already on in System Settings, the tile shows that and stays on. Focus moves into the panel when it opens, and Esc closes it.
Everything works from the keyboard. Windows take focus when they open, close with Esc, and hand focus back to whatever opened them.
Focus rings follow the surface. White over the painting, near-black on the white windows and pages.
Glass keeps its text readable. Windows add a faint dark tint under the white glass (not in Figma) so white text keeps WCAG contrast over the pale water.
Nothing is said by motion alone. The canvas is decorative and hidden from assistive tech; everything on it is real HTML.

Surfaces

Every window and page on the site, captured from the live build. Each one is assembled from the tokens, materials and components below.

Desktop
Menu bar, About card, notification, glass headline and dock over the river painting. One screen; nothing scrolls.
app/page.tsxFigma 8300:1685
Work · Safari window
Fills the screen under the menu bar while the dock auto-hides, like macOS. Tabs jump between case studies and additional projects.
desktop/windows/SafariWindow.tsxFigma 8300:2053
Case study sheet
A study opens as a sheet inside Safari over the dimmed grid (an intercepting route), so the address bar shows its own URL. Esc, × or the grid close it.
case/CaseSheet.tsx
Case study page
The same white template as a full page, for direct visits and refreshes. Every study uses it; the content is MDX.
case/CaseStudy.tsxFigma 8312:10220
Lock panel
Protected studies check the password on the server; their full story is only loaded after the cookie check.
case/LockPanel.tsxFigma 8300:1196
About · Notes window
Apple Notes with two notes: the about page, and the essay the desktop notification opens.
desktop/windows/NotesAboutWindow.tsxFigma 8494:6464
Art · Photos window
Photography and films. Items open in the Photos detail view; YouTube films play under macOS controls.
desktop/windows/ArtWindow.tsxFigma 8241:16331

Color

Everything on the desktop sits on a painting, so most of the palette is white at different strengths. Each swatch is shown over the painting and over white.

text

Aatext-primary#ffffffFigma10 files
Aatext-strongrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.9)Figma2 files
Aatext-secondaryrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8)Figma2 files

glass

glass-barrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.09)Figma1 file
glass-widgetrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.13)Figma1 file
glass-chiprgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1)Figma3 files
glass-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2)Figma3 files
glass-border-strongrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.33)Figma2 files
glass-separatorrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.14)Merged1 file
glass-dock-dividerrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.27)Figma1 file

window chrome

window-titlebar-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1)Figma1 file

Window controls

traffic-close#ff5c60Figma2 files
traffic-minimize#fac800Figma2 files
traffic-zoom#35c759Figma2 files
traffic-borderrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.45)Figma1 file

Hero cards

card-about-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1)Figma1 file
card-avatar-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.38)Figma1 file
card-row-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1)Figma1 file
Aacard-row-mutedrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7)Figma1 file
Aatimeline-apple#9cc4ecFigma1 file
Aatimeline-goldman#a9cfa0Figma1 file
Aatimeline-sequoia#efcb86Figma1 file
Aatimeline-hai#c9b8ecFigma1 file
Aatext-card-subtitlergba(255, 255, 255, 0.65)Figma1 file

Notification

notif-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.82)Figma1 file
notif-close-bgrgba(246, 246, 246, 0.92)Code1 file
notif-close-borderrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12)Code1 file
notif-icon-bg#f0f0f5Figma1 file
notif-icon-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.21)Figma1 file
Aanotif-title#0d0d0dFigma2 files
Aanotif-time#808080Figma1 file
Aanotif-bodyrgba(38, 38, 38, 0.7)Figma2 files

Radial darkening behind the headline

headline-scrimradial-gradient(ellipse 100% 100% at 50% 70%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.25) 0%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.12) 70%, rgba(0, 0, 0, 0) 100%)Figma1 file

Dock

dock-mini-bg#f6f6f8Figma1 file
glass-dockrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.15)Figma1 file
dock-over-window-bgrgba(96, 104, 114, 0.5)Code1 file

Glass windows

window-glass-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.12)Figma1 file
window-glass-scrimlinear-gradient(rgba(22, 36, 50, 0.3), rgba(22, 36, 50, 0.3))Code1 file
Aawindow-glass-titlebarrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.08)Figma1 file
window-glass-dividerrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.05)Figma1 file
video-bgrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)Figma2 files

Keyboard focus rings

focus-ring-on-darkrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.95)Code3 files
focus-ring-on-lightrgba(29, 29, 31, 0.85)Code8 files

Figma

photos-content#f8f8f8Figma1 file
Aaphotos-inkrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.85)Figma2 files
photos-item#1a1a1aFigma1 file
Aaphotos-labelrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.6)Figma1 file
photos-accent#0088ffFigma1 file
photos-selectedrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)Figma1 file
photos-dividerrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)Figma1 file
photos-buttonrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Figma1 file
Aaphotos-search-ink#727272Figma1 file
photos-search-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)Figma2 files
photos-tile#a3a3a3Figma1 file
photos-play-overlayrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.35)Figma1 file
photos-play-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85)Figma1 file
photos-viewer#ffffffFigma1 file

One shading for every dock icon

dock-icon-edgergba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Figma2 files

Dock tooltip, not in Figma

dock-tip-bgrgba(236, 236, 232, 0.82)Code3 files
dock-tip-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6)Code3 files
Aadock-tip-ink#1d1d1fCode2 files

Messages window

messages-page#ffffffCode2 files
messages-barrgba(246, 246, 246, 0.92)Code1 file
messages-linergba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Code1 file
messages-in#e9e9ebCode1 file
Aamessages-in-ink#000000Code1 file
messages-meta#8e8e93Code1 file

404 alert

alert-bgrgba(246, 246, 246, 0.84)Code2 files
alert-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.6)Code2 files
Aaalert-ink#1d1d1fCode3 files
Aaalert-bodyrgba(29, 29, 31, 0.72)Code2 files
alert-buttonrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)Code1 file
alert-button-hoverrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)Code1 file

Desktop right-click menu + Get Info

Aacontext-menu-selectedrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Figma1 file
Aacontext-menu-separatorrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)Figma1 file
info-page#f6f6f6Figma1 file
info-linergba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Figma1 file
Aainfo-label#6e6e73Figma2 files

Stanford light over the painting

light-goldenrgb(255, 158, 77)Figma1 file
light-nightrgb(31, 43, 92)Figma1 file

Control Center

cc-tile-bgrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05)Code1 file
cc-tile-hoverrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Code1 file
cc-glyph-offrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.08)Code1 file
cc-glyph-on#1d1d1fCode1 file
spotlight-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.82)Code2 files
Aaspotlight-ink#0d0d0dCode2 files
Aaspotlight-bodyrgba(38, 38, 38, 0.7)Code1 file
Aaspotlight-faint#6e6e73Code2 files
spotlight-selectedrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.07)Code1 file
spotlight-dividerrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)Code1 file

Window and page palettes (10 groups)

Safari "Work" window

menubar-selected-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.22)Code1 file
scrollbar-thumbrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.28)Code1 file

Safari 26

safari-capsule-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.78)Code1 file
safari-capsule-dividerrgba(60, 60, 67, 0.16)Code1 file
safari-tab-hoverrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04)Code2 files
safari-segment-bgrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.05)Code1 file
safari-page#ffffffCode3 files
safari-borderrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)Code1 file
safari-toolbarrgba(236, 238, 241, 0.86)Code1 file
safari-dividerrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.06)Code1 file
safari-iconrgba(60, 60, 67, 0.8)Code1 file
safari-icon-dimrgba(60, 60, 67, 0.3)Code1 file
Aasafari-ink#1d1d1fCode2 files
Aasafari-ink-strong#1c1c1eCode1 file
Aasafari-ink-card#1d1d1fCode1 file
Aasafari-ink-muted#86868bCode1 file
safari-pill-bgrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8)Code1 file
safari-pill-borderrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.1)Code1 file

Notes "About" window

notes-chromergba(244, 245, 246, 0.9)Figma1 file
notes-line#e0e0e0Figma1 file
Aanotes-ink#1c1c1eFigma2 files
Aanotes-muted#8e8e93Figma1 file
notes-selected#0a60ffFigma1 file
notes-selected-soft#e0f0ffFigma1 file
notes-tagrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.04)Figma1 file
button-blue#007affFigma2 files

Case study pages

case-page#f5f5f7Figma1 file
case-window#ffffffFigma5 files
case-chrome#f9fafbFigma2 files
case-line#e5e7ebFigma2 files
Aacase-ink#111827Figma3 files
Aacase-muted#6b7280Figma3 files
Aacase-body#374151Figma3 files
Aacase-faint#86868bFigma1 file
Aacase-link#2563ebFigma3 files
case-barrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.85)Figma1 file
case-sheet-scrimrgba(0, 0, 0, 0.18)Figma1 file
case-hero-tintlinear-gradient(90deg, #e2e4ec, #f1edf6 50%, #ebf1f5)Figma1 file
case-badge-blue-bg#e0e6f8Figma1 file
case-badge-blue#2563ebFigma1 file
case-badge-green-bg#ecfdf5Figma1 file
case-badge-green#059669Figma1 file
case-error#c81e1eFigma1 file

Protected stories

Aacase-body-strong#111827Figma1 file
case-accent#2563ebFigma2 files
case-accent-midrgba(37, 99, 235, 0.45)Figma1 file
case-accent-softrgba(37, 99, 235, 0.18)Figma1 file
case-bar-lead#60b8ffFigma1 file
Aacase-bar-muted#cbd5e1Code1 file
case-bar-current#d1d5dbFigma1 file
case-tint-bg#eff6ffFigma1 file
case-tint-line#bfdbfeFigma1 file
case-missing-bg#fee2e2Figma1 file
case-missing#b91c1cFigma1 file
case-partial-bg#fef3c7Figma1 file
case-partial#92400eFigma1 file
case-unlocked-bg#ecfdf5Figma1 file
case-unlocked-line#a7f3d0Figma1 file
case-unlocked#047857Figma1 file
case-insight-bg#fff7f8Figma1 file
case-insight-linergba(244, 164, 176, 0.3)Figma1 file

Capsule

cover-accent#7297c5Figma1 file
Aacover-apple-title#e5e5eaFigma1 file
cover-apple-glowrgba(248, 248, 248, 0.25)Figma1 file
cover-apple-glow-hoverrgba(248, 248, 248, 0.5)Code1 file
cover-lightrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.55)Code1 file
case-violet#6d28d9Figma1 file
case-violet-bg#f5f3ffFigma1 file
case-violet-line#ddd6feFigma1 file
case-grad-warmlinear-gradient(225deg, #ff967d 14.6%, #f4a4ce 85.4%)Figma1 file
case-grad-coollinear-gradient(225deg, #f4a4ce 14.6%, #6c8cee 85.4%)Figma1 file
case-grad-deeplinear-gradient(225deg, #6c8cee 14.6%, #9678e6 85.4%)Figma1 file

Lock panel

lock-panel-bg#f5f5f7Figma1 file
lock-icon-bg#e8e8edFigma1 file
lock-line#d1d5dbFigma1 file
Aalock-placeholder#9ca3afFigma1 file
lock-arrow#60b8ffFigma1 file

Photos window

photos-glasslinear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.4), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.1))Figma1 file
photos-barlinear-gradient(90deg, rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.5), rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2))Figma1 file
photos-borderrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.2)Figma2 files

Player controls

player-barrgba(40, 40, 40, 0.55)Figma2 files
player-bar-edgergba(255, 255, 255, 0.14)Figma2 files
Aaplayer-ink#ffffffFigma2 files
player-trackrgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3)Figma1 file

Safari page-load progress line

safari-progress#0a84ffCode1 file

Materials

Liquid glass

The About card and the dock use Figma's Glass effect. CSS can't refract, so a WebGL shader draws it: each surface registers its live position, and the shader bends, splits and frosts the painting under it, then adds the light rim. No borders; a CSS blur is only the fallback without WebGL.

Parameter	About card	Dock
Refraction	0.5	0.71
Depth	30px	49px
Dispersion	0.4	0.56
Frost	0	90
Light angle	315°	315°
Light intensity	0.7	0.8
Radius	24px	20px

Glass type

“hey! i'm jia” is solid white text run through an SVG filter: the fill at Figma's opacity, drop shadows cut out of the glyphs (a CSS text-shadow would show through the translucent letters), and a lit bevel with a faint dispersion fringe from the Figma light angle.

jia

Blur

`blur-glass`	10px	windows, work tiers
`blur-menu-bar`	20px
`blur-card`	12px	light cards, dock, glass windows

Typography

hey! i'm jiaInstrument Serif · The headline, and every case study title and display line 6 files
i care about how thingsGeist · Headline line 2 and the case study cover art 2 files
feelCedarville Cursive · One handwritten word 2 files
Work · Art · About · ContactSF Pro Rounded · The default: menu bar, cards, dock labels, case study body copy 7 files
Photography · 18 itemsSF Pro Text · Window chrome, Safari and Photos, the notification, dock tooltips 17 files
Design and ProductInter · The Notes window, as in Apple Notes 1 file

Scale

Aatext-1010pxcaps eyebrows
Aatext-1111pxtimestamps, dates, caps section headers
Aatext-1212pxchips, subtitles, role rows
Aatext-1313pxmenu items, body in windows, card copy
Aatext-1414pxmenu bar name, expanded subtitle
Aatext-1515pxAbout card description
Aatext-1616pxwidget name
Aatext-1717pxlock panel title
Aatext-1818pxproject window title
Aatext-2020pxfeatured case study title, Photos album title
Aatext-2222pxnote title
Aatext-2424pxexpanded widget name
Aatext-3232pxheadline line 2 (Geist)
Aatext-5656pxfull-screen Work intro name
Aatext-128128pxheadline line 1

Weights

regular 400
medium 500
semibold 600
bold 700

Spacing

The px values used across the Figma frames, kept as they were.

space-2
space-4
space-6
space-8
space-10
space-12
space-14
space-16
space-20
space-24
space-28
space-40full-screen Work intro, space above the grid
space-48hero edge inset for widget + notification

Radius

radius-bubble18px
radius-alert26px
radius-context-menu12px
radius-spotlight-field30px
radius-spotlight-row14px
radius-menu-item6px
radius-chip8pxchips, note rows
radius-tile-sm10pxcard icon tiles, images, notification icon
radius-tile12pxdock app tiles, Get Info windows
radius-window16px
radius-glass20pxwidget, dock, notification
radius-glass-lg24pxexpanded widget, lock panel, app windows
radius-round999px

Shadows

notif-shadow
dock-shadow
safari-capsule-shadow
safari-card-shadow
notes-shadow
case-shadow
case-sheet-shadow
photos-shadow
dock-icon-shadow
dock-tip-shadow
alert-shadow
spotlight-shadow
shadow-bar
shadow-glass
shadow-window-lifted

Motion

One vocabulary for every interaction, mirrored in motion.ts for the Web Animations API. Things move with transform and opacity; masks draw things in (“feel”, these blueprint outlines). Every effect has a reduced-motion off switch.

--ease-outquick start, long soft landing

--ease-expandsheet ⇄ full page: even sweep, ~50% at 1/4 time (liumichelle.com)

--ease-inexits: get out of the way

--ease-spring

Duration

duration-press120ms
duration-fast180ms
duration-base320ms
duration-expand400ms
duration-slow640ms

Components

Live specimens of the desktop pieces, built from the same CSS modules the desktop uses. The window controls follow Apple's macOS 27 kit.

Window controls

Menu bar items: idle, open window

AboutWork

Dock icons

Work

Art

About

Contact

Notification

feelings, craft, and why I do what I do

Case study blocks

Case studies are MDX written with 40 blocks, all on one white template. A few, live, with the words from the studies they come from:

KeyInsight · from Era

Key insight

Nothing is shown until someone opens it: in the book, on the posters, and in the room.

ProblemStatement · from Mosaic

How might we

…recreate the immediacy of visual perception with immersive soundscapes, so blind and low-vision visitors can explore art on their own?

StatTiles · from Capsule

180hackers competing
36hours to build
4people on the team

QuoteCards · from Era

“Nothing lasts. Still, it did.”

“For a while, this was everything.”

Where each block is used

Block	Studies
`<Split>`	Apple, Capsule, Era, Goldman Sachs, Mosaic, OneGS, Sequoia
`<Statement>`	Apple, Capsule, Era, Goldman Sachs, Mosaic, OneGS, Sequoia
`<Hero>`	Apple, Capsule, Goldman Sachs, Mosaic, OneGS, Sequoia
`<Cards>`	Capsule, Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<Section>`	Capsule, Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<StoryBody>`	Capsule, Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<Figure>`	Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<DataTable>`	Capsule, Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<ProblemStatement>`	Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs · incl. a protected story
`<Video>`	Era, Mosaic, Goldman Sachs · incl. a protected story
`<DisplayTitle>`	Capsule, Sequoia
`<FigurePair>`	Goldman Sachs, OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<Highlights>`	Era, Mosaic
`<KeyInsight>`	Era, Mosaic
`<Learnings>`	Era, Mosaic
`<Lede>`	Capsule, Sequoia
`<PhotoRow>`	Era, Mosaic
`<QuoteCards>`	Era, Mosaic
`<Results>`	Goldman Sachs, OneGS
`<BarChart>`	Goldman Sachs · incl. a protected story
`<BulletCards>`	Capsule
`<ConceptMap>`	Mosaic
`<Detail>`	Sequoia
`<FlowDiagram>`	Capsule
`<Gallery>`	Apple
`<HeroVideo>`	Era
`<Journey>`	Capsule
`<ListCard>`	Mosaic
`<MetricCompare>`	Goldman Sachs · incl. a protected story
`<Mockup>`	OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<Personas>`	Capsule
`<Project>`	Apple
`<Projects>`	Apple
`<Quotes>`	Goldman Sachs · incl. a protected story
`<RowName>`	Capsule
`<StackedBar>`	OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<Stat>`	Sequoia
`<StatTiles>`	Capsule
`<Status>`	OneGS · incl. a protected story
`<TextLink>`	Capsule

Design Systemjiajialin.me

Moments

Arriving

Letters rise in, one at a time

“feel” writes itself

A notification with somewhere to go

The painting moves

The painting keeps Stanford time

It remembers where you left off

A tip that only shows once

Spotlight

Search the whole site

It says hi back

It’s honest about the résumé

macOS, down to the details

Windows grow out of what opened them

The dock behaves like a dock

The traffic lights work

Minimize shrinks into the dock

Contact opens right above its icon

Windows have a little weight

Windows stay where you left them

Right-click the desktop

The clock is Jia’s

Scroll to see the work

Reading the work

Studies open as a sheet

Safari loads the page

Expand grows in place

Closing goes one step at a time

A wrong password shakes

Unlocking starts from the top

Long stories keep their place

Art

Photos grow out of their tiles

Films play like they’re on a Mac

Underneath

The blueprint doorway

Glass letters without muddy shadows

A Control Center for visitors

Every animation has an off switch

Focus is never lost

Accessibility

Surfaces

Desktop

Work · Safari window

Case study sheet

Case study page

Lock panel

About · Notes window

Art · Photos window

Color

text

glass

window chrome

Window controls

Hero cards

Notification

Radial darkening behind the headline

Dock

Glass windows

Keyboard focus rings

Figma

One shading for every dock icon

Dock tooltip, not in Figma

Messages window

404 alert

Desktop right-click menu + Get Info

Stanford light over the painting

Control Center

Safari "Work" window

Safari 26

Notes "About" window

Case study pages

Protected stories

Capsule

Lock panel

Photos window

Player controls

Safari page-load progress line