Fleetwood Diner

type of work

UX Design Design Systems Branding

role

Design Lead

timeframe

January - March 2026

Translating a diner’s authentic in-person atmosphere into a modernized web experience.

Since 1949, Fleetwood Diner has been a neon-lit sanctuary for late-night students and early-morning locals alike. It’s more than a 24/7 landmark; every square inch of its sticker-plastered walls serves as a living time capsule of Ann Arbor’s culture.

As the design lead, I led the end-to-end redesign of Fleetwood’s digital presence, establishing a comprehensive design system to bridge the gap between the diner’s legendary in-person charm and a high-performing, seamless user interface.

OBJECTIVES

REIMAGINING FLEETWOOD DINER

The process began with an immersive analysis of Fleetwood’s physical atmosphere and market position to bridge the gap between its grit and a modern web experience. I translated the diner’s iconic sticker-bomb aesthetic and neon signage into a cohesive visual system through iterative sketching and refinement.

STICKER SYSTEM EVOLUTION

LOGO EXPLORATION

OBJECTIVES

DESIGN TOKENS

I created a scalable design system using Primitives, Semantics, and Tokens to streamline the handoff from design to development. Primitives establish foundational values such as colors and typography, while semantics assign them context-specific meanings. Those are then converted into tokens to provide developers with production-ready assets. This ensures consistency, efficiency, and adaptability across the platform.

To mirror the 24/7 nature of the business, I leveraged my design system to create a dynamic interface that transitions from light to dark mode at sunset, simulating the moment the physical neon flickers to life.