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International Architecture Magazine Platform Built with Craft CMS

Plavno rebuilt a long-established architecture magazine on Craft CMS to support multilingual publishing, flexible editorial layouts, subscription workflows, and shared content delivery across web and mobile.

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Overview

Key Metrics & Impact

The client was an international architecture publication with a 15-year history, 8 languages, more than 3,000 articles, rich photo galleries with rights-sensitive media assets, and paid subscription tiers. The goal was to replace a legacy custom CMS with a modern publishing platform that would give the editorial team more flexibility and reduce dependency on developers.

  • Editorial team gained full control over complex article layouts without developer involvement

  • Faster publishing workflows across 8 languages

  • One shared content source for both website and mobile app

  • Better scalability for subscription-based editorial content

  • Improved frontend performance with page load times below 1.5 seconds

Solutions
Challenges
Use Cases
<span>Key Metrics</span> & Impact
01

Problem

The magazine had been running on a custom-built CMS for years, but the platform had become increasingly difficult to scale and maintain.

Common challenges included:


  • Limited flexibility in article layout creation

  • Growing complexity across 8 language versions

  • Difficulty managing large volumes of editorial content

  • Disconnected handling of subscriptions and gated access

  • No efficient way to reuse content across website and mobile channels

  • Increasing editorial dependence on developers for content updates and structural changes


For a publication built around visual storytelling, long-form content, and multilingual editorial operations, the legacy CMS was becoming a bottleneck.

Problem
02

Challenge

The new platform needed to:


  • Support 8 languages and 3,000+ existing articles

  • Preserve complex editorial storytelling across text, galleries, quotes, and video

  • Manage photo galleries with copyright-sensitive content

  • Provide subscription management with multiple access tiers

  • Power both the website and a mobile application from one backend

  • Improve performance and frontend flexibility


There were also important delivery constraints:


  • Migration from the legacy CMS had to preserve editorial structure and multilingual relationships

  • The editorial team needed flexible article composition without creating design inconsistency

  • Subscription logic had to support basic, PRO, and archive access models

  • The platform needed to be future-ready for new channels and content formats

Challenge

Solution

A Modern Headless Publishing Platform for Digital Media

Craft CMS, Next.js, and GraphQL combined into one scalable solution — giving editors full content flexibility while powering both web and mobile from a single structured source.

Product Highlights

    • Craft CMS migration from a legacy custom-built CMS

    • Matrix fields for flexible article composition

    • Multilingual publishing across 8 languages

    • Headless CMS architecture with Next.js frontend

    • Craft Commerce subscription management

    • GraphQL API for mobile app delivery

    • Centralized media handling for copyright-sensitive galleries

User Flows

    • Create Editorial Content: Editors build articles using flexible content blocks such as text, galleries, quotes, and video in any order.

    • Manage Multilingual Publishing: Content is localized and maintained across 8 languages within one structured editorial system.

    • Control Subscription Access: The platform manages access tiers for basic, PRO, and archive subscribers.

    • Deliver Across Channels: The same content backend powers the website and mobile app through shared APIs.

Experience & Scalability

    • Supports 3,000+ editorial articles

    • Handles multilingual publishing across 8 language versions

    • Works for rich editorial layouts and media-heavy storytelling

    • Supports paid subscription business models

    • Delivers content across both web and mobile from one system

Architecture Overview

Deep Dive: Project Architecture

  • Editorial Content Layer: Craft CMS was used to model article structures, multilingual fields, galleries, and modular content blocks.

  • Flexible Layout Layer: Matrix fields enabled editors to combine text, quotes, image galleries, and video in any sequence without relying on rigid templates.

  • Subscription Layer: Craft Commerce managed paid plans including basic, PRO, and archive access.

  • Frontend Delivery Layer: Next.js provided a fast, scalable frontend with page load speed below 1.5 seconds.

  • API Layer: GraphQL delivered content to the mobile application using the same backend content source.

  • Media & Rights Layer: Gallery assets and editorial media were managed with greater control over structured content and publishing workflows.

Deep Dive: <span>Project Architecture</span>

Value

Quality & Fidelity

Delivering rich editorial flexibility, multilingual content control, and scalable publishing workflows

Flexible Editorial Layouts

Flexible Editorial Layouts

Matrix fields allowed the editorial team to create rich article structures without hardcoded template limitations.

Matrix fields
Editorial UX
Flexible layouts
MVP
MVP
Multilingual Publishing at Scale

Multilingual Publishing at Scale

The platform supports 8 languages in one content system with stronger operational consistency.

Multilingual CMS
Localization
Publishing workflows
MVP
MVP
One Source of Truth

One Source of Truth

The same structured content powers both the website and mobile app.

Headless CMS
Shared content backend
GraphQL
MVP
MVP
Subscription-Ready Publishing

Subscription-Ready Publishing

Paid access models are integrated directly into the editorial platform.

Craft Commerce
Subscriptions
Gated content
MVP
MVP

Benchmarks

Scale & Reliability

Built to support multilingual editorial growth, rich media publishing, and cross-channel delivery

High-Volume Editorial Support

High-Volume Editorial Support

The platform handles thousands of articles and structured content relationships.

3,000+ articles
Publishing scale
Editorial ops
Stable Cross-Channel Delivery

Stable Cross-Channel Delivery

Content remains consistent across web and mobile through one backend architecture.

Web + mobile
API delivery
Shared source
Fast Frontend Performance

Fast Frontend Performance

The headless architecture supports fast page rendering and better user experience.

Next.js
Performance
<1.5s load time
Subscription Workflow Stability

Subscription Workflow Stability

Paid access management is handled inside a reliable publishing and commerce setup.

Subscription access
Paid content
Platform stability

Data Protection

Security & Compliance

Secure handling of editorial content, subscriber access, and protected media assets

Role-Based Editorial Access

Role-Based Editorial Access

Editors, admins, and operators work with permission-based access inside the platform.

Secure Subscription Management

Secure Subscription Management

Paid access workflows are managed through structured platform rules and user controls.

Controlled Media Governance

Controlled Media Governance

Rights-sensitive image and gallery assets are handled through centralized editorial workflows.

Innovative Experience

Industries & Use Cases

Craft CMS development for media brands that need flexible publishing and multilingual scale

Editorial & Magazine Platforms

Editorial & Magazine Platforms

Support rich storytelling, modular articles, and long-form publishing workflows.

Multilingual Publications

Multilingual Publications

Manage content operations across multiple language versions more efficiently.

Subscription Media Businesses

Subscription Media Businesses

Operate paid content access and gated publishing models within one platform.

Cross-Channel Media Products

Cross-Channel Media Products

Power both website and mobile experiences from one editorial backend.

Delivery Crew

Project Team

High-performing developers for growing companies

Eugene Katovich

Eugene Katovich

Sales Manager

Need a modern publishing platform for a multilingual media brand?

Plavno builds Craft CMS editorial platforms for magazines, publishers, and subscription-based media businesses that need flexible content workflows and cross-channel delivery.

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Competitive Ability

Key Performance Flow

Demonstrating how Plavno transformed a legacy editorial system into a flexible, multilingual publishing platform

From editorial creation to subscription delivery across channels — everything happens through one structured Craft CMS flow

01

Model Editorial Content

Structure multilingual articles, galleries, quotes, and video content inside Craft CMS.

02

Compose Flexible Layouts

Editors build rich article experiences with Matrix fields and modular blocks.

03

Manage Access & Publishing

Control subscription access and publish content across languages and audience tiers.

04

Deliver to Web & Mobile

Serve the same content source to both the Next.js website and mobile app via GraphQL.

Delivery & Automation

Delivery & Automation

    • Automated multilingual publishing pipelines

    • CI/CD for editorial content and frontend updates

    • Scheduled subscription access updates

    • Cross-channel content sync (web + mobile)

Throughput & Scale

Throughput & Scale

    • 3,000+ articles with structured relationships

    • 8 language versions maintained in one CMS

    • Sub-second GraphQL responses for mobile app

    • <1.5s frontend page load at scale

AI Intelligence & Quality Stack

AI Intelligence & Quality Stack

    • AI-assisted content tagging and categorization

    • Automated quality scoring for editorial assets

    • Smart content relationship mapping across 8 languages

    • Rights-sensitive media validation workflows

Results

Measurable outcomes delivered by a modern Craft CMS publishing platform

Editorial Independence

Editorial Independence

The editorial team can now manage complex article layouts without relying on developers.

Better Multilingual Operations

Better Multilingual Operations

Publishing across 8 languages became more manageable within one structured system.

Unified Content Delivery

Unified Content Delivery

Both website and mobile app now consume content from the same source of truth.

Stronger Subscription Support

Stronger Subscription Support

Paid access tiers are integrated directly into the publishing platform.

Faster User Experience

Faster User Experience

The headless frontend improved platform speed and responsiveness for readers.

Tools We Used

Technology stack

Frontend

Frontend

Next.js
React
Headless frontend
Infrastructure

Infrastructure

Cloud hosting
CDN
Scalable deployment
CMS Core

CMS Core

Craft CMS
Matrix fields
Localization
API Delivery

API Delivery

GraphQL API
Mobile app delivery
Shared content source
Commerce & Access

Commerce & Access

Craft Commerce
Subscription tiers
Access control

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Frequently Asked Questions

Quick Answers

Find answers to your common concerns

Why was Craft CMS chosen for this project?

Craft CMS provided the flexibility needed for multilingual editorial workflows, modular content layouts, and structured publishing at scale.

How were complex article layouts handled?

The team used Matrix fields so editors could arrange text, galleries, quotes, and video in any order.

Did the platform support subscriptions?

Yes. Craft Commerce was used to manage subscription tiers including basic, PRO, and archive access.

Can the same content be reused across website and mobile?

Yes. The website and mobile app are powered from the same backend through GraphQL.

About Plavno

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The 3D configurator has received positive feedback from customers. Moreover, it has generated 30% more business and increased leads significantly, giving the client confidence for the future. Overall, Plavno has led the project seamlessly. Customers can expect a responsible, well-organized partner.

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Plavno's efforts in addressing challenges and implementing effective solutions have played a crucial role in the success of T-Rize. The outcomes achieved have exceeded expectations, revolutionizing the investment sector and ensuring universal access to financial opportunities

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Product Manager, T-Rize Group

Thien Duy Tran

“We are very satisfied with their excellent work”

Through the partnership with Plavno, we built a system used by more than 40 million connected channels. Throughout the engagement, the team was communicative and quick in responding to our concerns. Overall, we were highly satisfied with the results of collaboration.

Michael Bychenok

CEO, MediaCube

Michael Bychenok

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Plavno's codes and designs are user-friendly, and they complete all deliverables within the deadline. They are easy to work with and easily adapt to existing workflows, and the client values their professionalism and expertise. Overall, the team has delivered everything that was promised.

Helen Lonskaya

Head of Growth, Codabrasoft LLC

Helen Lonskaya

“The app was delivered on time without any serious issues.”

The MVP app developed by Plavno is excellent and has all the functionality required. Plavno has delivered on time and ensured a successful execution via regular updates and fast problem-solving. The client is so satisfied with Plavno's work that they'll work with them on developing the full app.

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Founder, 24hour.dev

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