November 24, 2020No Comments

Design in Greece 🇬🇷 featuring The Birthdays Design

Our latest addition to the Design Around the World series welcomes The Birthdays Design, an art direction and graphic design studio based in Athens.

Through this series, we've learned much of our understanding of other design communities is based on outdated and generalized information. While what we can read on Wikipedia may be technically accurate, it doesn't account for the complexities and nuances of a culture, place or people.

Likewise, one conversation about a design community cannot summarize or define it. But it does open the door for more learning, and more connections.

It'd be safe to guess many people's perception of Greece is based on its ancient art and philosophy, modern travel photography, and Greek letters appropriated by everything from college fraternities to yogurt companies. As we learned in this interview, those perceptions are so strong, they do affect Greek design to this day. But there's a lot more to it than that. We scratch the surface here with Konstantina Yiannakopoulou and George Strouzas, founders of The Birthdays Design studio.

Hey, Konstantina and George! Tell us a little about yourself. How many people are on your team and why did you decide to open a studio together? What kind of work do you do?

Our office consists of the two of us, and we host two internships per year. We met during our studies at a college of visual communication, and what brought us in contact then was our interest in music, the design of vinyls, concert posters and design history. This interest in music influenced the name of our office, a tribute to Nick Cave's first band, "The Birthday Party." Now that we are 35 and we do not consider ourselves so punk, we also use the abbreviation "Studio TBD."

Before our studies in graphic design, we both had different focuses, one studying public administration at university and the other computer network systems. We have been working together since 2013 while working in other agencies and companies, and we officially started the studio in 2017, when we decided to dedicate ourselves completely to it.

We don't consider ourselves as having a particular visual style, and our aesthetics might be described as a combination of two sides of the same coin. Our work is characterized by diversity, as we try to challenge ourselves by learning from each project or person something new. We seek to think within the given content and context, not separating design from its environment or restricting its existence in mere selling terms. To let it out there to play its part, as part of the wider environment in which it belongs, is unavoidable. We always like to have this in mind while designing.

An important part of our free time is related to research projects. Most recently, we completed a two-year research project within the Vakalo design school here in Athens. Other research projects focus on font design and case studies, such as TBD Armin. TBD Armin is a study but also a form of typographic experimentation taught by Armin Hofmann at the Basel School in Switzerland. We are very happy that this study has become really popular these days. It's like so many people from different parts of the world paying the same tribute to Mr. Hofmann. It's amazing what an educative technique can do after so many years!

Is there energy in the local design community in Athens? Do many platforms and events where you can connect with other designers?

Athens has an interesting and vivid graphic design scene. However its publicity is quite limited to platforms or events, if we think of other cities abroad.

It would be unfair not to mention, perhaps, the most established event for design, Design Athens, which hosts designers from Greece and abroad, as well as EBGE, the Greek Graphic Design and Illustration Awards, which is accompanied by a ceremony. Other important meeting points, where the community is exposed to sectoral issues, is the International Conference of Typography and Visual Communication, and Digitized, a digital design conference with notable speakers from the global scene.

"A 'Greekness' in design exists from the moment the Greek letters are placed, which is a blessing and a curse."

Athens is famous for its ancient arts, culture and learning. But I’m less familiar with the modern arts and design coming from Athens or Greece overall. How would you describe the design you see from Greek designers today? Is it influenced by your culture, history, or environment in any way?

The connection of the Greek designer with the past and the environment is possible in places that are not purely obvious and immediately explainable, as we believe that it happens to any designer anywhere in the world. This transmitter-receiver relationship certainly exists, but it involves a timeless complexity and is difficult to summarize in specific stylistic features, since design is a meeting point of many such material and immaterial stimuli of the past and present.

Regarding the influence you mention, a "Greekness" in design exists from the moment the Greek letters are placed, which is a blessing and a curse. A blessing because it automatically testifies its origin, filled with its diverse and rich features, and a curse because it needs special, careful management to avoid leading to clichés or caricatures – unless, of course, that is the goal. We have come across many such examples even today, such as tourist items for sale that imitate the archaic capital font, which in many cases further limit this dimension of typography rather than evolving it.

This is an example on the edge, and the Greek design scene is by no means limited to this. On the contrary, precisely because there is a particularity in the use of Greek letters due to their special physiognomic characteristics, it has led designers to a more open, non-unilateral and confident design dimension, avoiding key visual summaries or general conclusions. A summarized word is flexibility, which we believe is the result of a deeper understanding of the past, that has nowadays created its own stigma in the current design scene.

It seems that Greece is still recovering from the economic crisis, and COVID on top hasn’t helped. How has this affected the creative industry? What kind of jobs are available for designers in Athens right now?

The COVID crisis is coming as a cherry on top, after the country's many years of economic crisis. It has affected all sectors, including the creative sector, and we expect a deep downturn in the economy as we are directly connected to the market. Designers will have to find once again ways to adapt and rearrange the services we offer, tending more to digital experiences since many services related to natural spaces, museums, exhibitions, events or even retail branding seem to be reducing.

Obviously, this greatly affects jobs. Graphic designers at the moment are called to offer a wide range of skills because there are no longer clear boundaries in new jobs, since specialization is not required. We meet this a lot in the existing job listings.

What does good design mean to you?

In our view, good design is timeless design.

It is a difficult task because "timelessness," as a meaning, is applied to something ephemeral, which is most of the subjects of our work as designers. So it becomes philosophically incompatible with the very nature of the work. But that makes it something revolutionary, even utopian. It lives in the now, it is a child of its time, but it wants to live in the past as well as in the future.

Nevertheless, good design is not only related to the designer, but also to society in general. We must recognize its role in important social issues, and accept responsibility on our part.

I know it varies from client to client but generally speaking, do clients in Greece appreciate good design and understand what it takes?

We are happy to meet people who understand the value of design and can enter into a productive collaboration, who are deeply interested in their subject and therefore in the designer. But of course, there are those who are unable to appreciate or understand the interim procedure (which is what actually leads to design results) and we don’t expect that from the early beginning of a collaboration.

Perhaps this misguided approach is not necessarily related to them, but to a more general perception or misunderstanding that has been established around the industry. In general, however, there are notable clients in Greece who appreciate and trust the collaboration with the designers, and many times they have seemed to exceed expectations. But the effort of designers never stops. Nothing is self-evident.

I read that Greece hired a chief creative officer for the country, to work on the country’s “narrative” and apply design thinking to issues the country is facing. What do you think about this? Do you think good design can impact your country’s society and solve larger issues Greece faces?

It is a positive thing that our government has hired a professional to build this narrative. It is very unjust the way Greece has been promoted in the past.

We ourselves hope for something coordinated, methodical and effective in terms of highlighting a modern and integrated image of the country to the outside world.

Obviously, tourism is an industry that should thrive and emerge in the best ways, as it has direct effects on the economy. But the COVID era has shown that even these established foundations are shaken. The country can no longer rely solely on tourism, and it cannot be a panacea for a better tomorrow either. It is necessary of course, but not the only necessary.

Greece's problems are much deeper, and it requires first an acknowledgment of mistakes and omissions, and then a collective and coordinated effort to create an important framework. In this context, design thinking is applied not superficially, but in substantial structures and with constructive cooperation within these structures.

"We do not consider a cultural identity something static, but the opposite. It is constantly evolving, yet influenced."

Globalization, especially American influence, is on the minds of many designers. Some feel it’s homogenizing design and contributing to a loss of a country’s cultural and visual identity. What’s your take? Has globalization affected Greek design in any noticeable way, either positively or negatively?

As we noted before, we do not believe there is a loss of cultural or visual identity of a place due to our influences, for the simple reason that the use of our letters brings us back to reality.

Even if you have been dramatically affected by something, it reminds you of where you are.

For example, we design covers for Greek publishing houses and sometimes, through design exploration, "West world" influence can make sense, while other times it can be a caricature. We have researched book covers of the past – and mention this application because it is the most massive medium of typographic expression in Greece, along with road signs – and these examples are of incredible interest. Even if those covers were then influenced by something else, we are influenced by them today, and that is what ultimately creates cultural continuity – but not in the context of a nostalgic mood or of preserving a tradition.

Another example from publishing houses: Some have to adopt the same covers as those of abroad (i.e. the original version) by adjusting the Greek title. And indeed the visual result, the tone of it, is completely different and sometimes disappointing, because Greek letters (even the actual translation of the original title), carry their own autonomous, expressive entity and need another handling.

So we do not consider a cultural identity something static, but the opposite. It is constantly evolving, yet influenced.

As the way of speaking and writing has changed, so has the way we process and perceive images. Realizing where you are (that is, that we are part of a global scene, in which you automatically influence and get influenced) leads to design maturity rather than dry imitation.

What is the quality of design education in Greece? Do good design schools exist locally, or do most people study elsewhere?

In Greece there are not so many institutions or schools where you can learn graphic design and visual communication. But each of the existing ones has its own legacy, identity and approach.

In the past, students increasingly studied abroad because they went to countries with a longer tradition in graphic design, such as England or the Netherlands. We believe that this has changed due to the growing popularity of design, but also due to the cost of studies.

The BA programs are also generally not much different from those abroad, and the importance lies in how a student with a personal interest in the subject will respond. If there was something we would like to see in Greece's design education, it would be research and the theoretical background of studies. And the interaction with other disciplines, such as investigative journalism or social sciences or humanities. 

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Social media for us is just another way of showcasing our work, and we must admit is really time-consuming! As for the clients, they often visit only media accounts and not websites at the time being. It’s nice because we stay updated and can easily interact with people from all over the world. And since we don’t get lost in the formality of emails, this is getting more interactive and leading us to more collaborations.

In your opinion, what are 5-10 design studios from Greece that everyone should know?

It is extremely difficult to choose, five, 10 or even 20 design studios because we will definitely leave out designers who do a fantastic job. So we would like to focus on some people who offer something different but relevant to our industry.

1. Tind Extraordinaire  - The work of Manolis Angelakis, a master screen-printer who has greatly helped to popularize silk screen printing as a significant printing medium.

2. Greek Fonts Society - Initiated by T. Katsoulidis & G. Matthiopoulos, an important documentation of historic evolution of Greek typography.

3. Blaqk - The amazing artist duo of G. Paragrigoriou & C. Tzaferos, that master forms of calligraphy and geometry, in collaborative compositions, applied on all kinds of surfaces.

4. Duende Fine Bindings – The work of G. Evangelidis, a bookbinder who is devoted to keeping the materiality of books alive!

5. The Athens Zine Bibliotheque - Run by P. Theofilatou & T. Papaioannou, a library collecting zines of independent publishers, artists and more. 

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Greek design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

All designers and design communities can do a better job of communicating with each other by simply communicating with each other. Through events, discussions, exhibitions, workshops etc., and by highlighting the important matters of each period.

You can become more engaged with the Greek design community by going directly to the source – to the designers themselves, since there is no strong publication material behind us.

On a digital platform, you can visit, +design, a blog for news related to the Greek scene. An important source also is the archive of visual communication, which is probably the first organized design archive in Greece, selected and curated by Dimitris Legakis. And the Greek Fonts Society, which is an important, detailed documentation of the historic evolution of Greek typography.

Finally, we would like to announce a new engagement of ours in collaboration with Miltos Bottis: the Logo Archive Greece. It just started and will function as an archival material of logos in Greece, focused on the decades 1960-1990 and early 2000. It is part of the International Logo Archive, with designers and researchers working hard to create the respective archive of each country. This arose from the need to trace and then disseminate the design heritage of Greek design scene, which contains examples that are difficult to trace or collect in an organized and accessible archive. You can follow it here.

September 22, 2020No Comments

Design in Lebanon 🇱🇧 featuring Studio Safar

In our latest Design Around the World series interview, we are exploring a complex and dynamic design community: Lebanon.

Lebanon has been on the global radar since August of this year, after an explosion in Beirut killed at least 200 people, injured thousands of others and caused $10–15 billion in property damage. The catastrophe comes on top of the pandemic and an already-collapsing economy, and unrest continues in the city. (Read the news if you need to catch up.)

We're thankful Studio Safar made time to talk with us in the midst of all of this – the team is still orienting themselves after their office was destroyed in the blast. Here Hatem Imam, Studio Safar co-founder and creative director, speaks candidly about the situation in Beirut, the danger of reducing a city to a slogan, why women are championing the design scene in Lebanon and the renaissance of the Arabic letterform. Let's get into it.

Maya Moumné and Hatem Imam, Studio Safar co-founders, recently featured in Esquire Italia. Photography: Myriam Boulos

First, tell us a little about yourself. How many people are on your team and why did you decide to create an agency together? What kind of work do you do?

Studio Safar is a design and art direction agency. The team includes co-founders and creative directors Maya Moumné and myself (Hatem Imam), both graphic designers by trade; senior graphic designer Lynne Zakhour; designers Giorgia Labaki and Rana Tawil; business and studio manager Ali Abdallah; and copywriter/editor Sharon Grosso. 

The idea of the creating studio came about after I received a rejection letter for a full-time university teaching job. Looking back, I guess there wasn’t an existing structure that I felt I wanted to belong to, so based on Maya’s suggestion, we started one of our own. Most of our work is centered on the cultural sector and its orbit. The name Safar—Arabic for travel— evokes our interest in crossing cultural and linguistic barriers. In terms of scope of work, we do everything a graphic design and art direction agency does, in addition to publishing our own design and visual culture bi-annual magazine. 

Lebanon sits right between the Mediterranean and the Middle East, making it a passageway between the European and Arab world. And I know Beirut is known for its cosmopolitan vibe, at once historic and modern. How would you describe the design you see coming from Beirut today? Is it influenced by your culture/history/environment in any way?

We grew up being taught this narrative of Lebanon, but honestly, what city in the world is not a "melting pot," and a "rich mix," and, and? The danger of reducing a country or a city to these broad slogans is that it washes over every nuance, specificity or relevance. It generates work that resorts to facile representations that are not well-founded. I see this a lot with students and try to remedy it with research. Thoughtful design work coming from Beirut is rare, but when done right, it can open our eyes to the historic development of the practice, the origin of design conventions and influences, and at best help us learn from these references and innovate for today’s needs. 

Have you found a community of like-minded creatives in Beirut, or platforms and events where you can connect with other designers? 

We work with a network of creative people from a wide array of fields and backgrounds including film, literature, music, illustration, fashion and photography. Definitely our work producing Journal Safar, our magazine about graphic design and visual culture, has helped to broaden and strengthen this network. The fifth and latest issue, Migrations, for example, put the illustrations of fashion designer and illustrator Cynthia Merhej next to Myriam Boulos’ photography next to the musings of artists Sophia al-Maria and Yumna Marwan and the film stills of Elia Suleiman. 

That being said, our networks and communities are very far from “like-minded.” Not only do the individuals and collectives we work with in Beirut have a wide variety of different skill sets, but their backgrounds, opinions, styles and values all vary greatly too.  

Globalization, especially American influence, is on the minds of many designers outside the West right now. Some feel it’s homogenizing design and contributing to a loss of a country’s cultural / visual identity. What’s your take? Has globalization affected Lebanese design in any noticeable way, either positively or negatively?

American and European design history and thinking have definitely shaped our understanding of the field in Lebanon; you can see this vividly in academia. I think a more accurate term for it is colonialism rather than globalization. It starts with language and extends to all fields of cultural production, from fashion to architecture and of course design. 

Of course, it is a double-edged sword: On one hand, there is something exciting and new about the assemblage of influences and references. On the other hand, there is definitely a partial erasure of local conventions. One of our missions is to shift the attention of the design narrative from its fixation on the global north, and to look inwards and backward in history. However, we insist on not doing this purely nostalgically nor nationalistically.  

Sustainable design is increasingly a conversation in the design community. I know Beirut has struggled with this in the past with the 2015 waste crisis, for example. Is environmentally conscious design an interest for designers in Beirut right now? 

Environmentally conscious design is certainly an interest for designers in Beirut, as it is for designers everywhere. 

For us, environmentally-conscious or sustainable design definitely doesn’t preclude the importance of print. Print is a really significant part of our work, particularly our work publishing Safar. When carrying out a print project, sustainability for us means designing something that will remain relevant, beautiful and special for a long time — something that people will treasure and hold on to. It also means printing an appropriate number of copies for a given audience (this, of course, takes some time and experience to estimate accurately).

We encourage our clients to also take the sustainability of their projects into consideration. Even if a project has no print or physical product and is fully online, we strive to create identities that are carefully thought-out and designed and, as a result, will endure for a long time.

Studio Safar's cover design for Riposte Magazine and Slowfactory

In a paper written on Lebanese design 10 years ago, I read “A Lebanese school of graphic design is yet unheard of.” A lot can change in a decade. What’s the quality of design education now, in your opinion?

In fact, the first “Graphic Design” program was launched at the American University of Beirut (AUB) by Leila Musfy in 1992. I put graphic design in quotes because design was taught and practiced before that date in Lebanon, but was never assigned as a university degree as such before. Print houses, ad agencies, book and magazine publishers, poster makers, calligraphers and illustrators all took part in design making predating AUB’s program. The first printing press in the Middle East is located in a monastery in the Valley of the Saints in the mountains of north Lebanon since 1585. Today there are tens of design schools all over the country that can be divided roughly to American and French programs as well as in the Lebanese (public) University. 

I read that women dominate the graphic design scene in Lebanon, but their work is valued more abroad than at home. Do you see this to be true? If so, why?

It is a fact that there is a predominance of women in the field in Lebanon, but unfortunately, this is partly due to regressive societal misconceptions that consider design — and most liberal arts — as almost leisurely pastimes rather than “serious” careers. At AUB where I teach, both graphic design and architecture are under one school, and the numbers say it all: while in architecture you would have a roughly balanced gender ratio, in graphic design you can have 10% or fewer male students per year. 

On the bright side, women are indeed championing the scene and proving the importance of graphic design in cultural production. Perhaps this is resonating more abroad than at home at the moment, but this is slowly but surely changing.

I know Beirut’s economy was struggling already, and now with the pandemic and the explosion on top, it’s hurting more than ever. How has this affected your work? What kind of jobs are available for designers in Beirut right now? 

Previously, most of our clients were based in Lebanon, but as the economy has gotten worse and worse — with banks illegally restricting withdrawals and the exchange rate of the Lebanese Pound (LBP) plummeting against the value of the dollar — and now with the massive devastation of the August 4th explosion, most people simply don’t have the means to fund such projects. On top of that, and especially after the explosion, a significant portion of the population is trying to leave the country to find better work or educational opportunities abroad. That being said, a good chunk of our work comes from outside of Lebanon now.

The Studio Safar offices after the explosion in Beirut.

I’ve always understood it’s incredibly difficult to create Arabic typefaces (and it seems globalization has affected this as well), but I’ve been seeing headlines lately announcing some really beautiful new Arabic types, along with a lot of experimentation around Arabic scripts. Are you seeing more effort and care put into Arabic typography lately? 

There has been a new wave of amazing Arabic type designers in the past ten years or so. Kristyan Sarkis, Khajag Apelian, Wael Morcos and Lara Captan are just a few names of Lebanese designers we love. 

The Khatt foundation established by Huda Smitshuijzen AbiFarès in 2004 in Amsterdam played an important role in this renaissance of the Arabic letterform. This has impacted our work tremendously. When I graduated in 2000, our selection of usable, well-drawn and bug-free fonts was limited to a handful, most of which were straightforward versions of classical calligraphic scripts. Today there are a lot more options for a designer for any usage from the most pragmatic (legible signage for a hospital), to the most expressive (experimental music festival poster). We look forward to more.

Thanks to the internet and now the pandemic, many designers are working for clients overseas remotely. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with local or overseas clients, or is it a mix?

With the ongoing pandemic and the economic collapse in Lebanon, we do a lot of work for overseas clients now. Fortunately, the technology (Zoom, Slack, Google Drive, etc.) readily available to us today makes working internationally pretty simple and straightforward. We definitely do miss the immediacy of real-life meetings, especially at the onset of any project, where people’s body language can be one of the most telling communication signals.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Social media is a great tool with which to promote and share our work on one hand, but more importantly to share our values with our audience. A lot of clients have found out about us and our work through our social media pages — namely, Instagram. We also use our Journal Safar page to share regional design history material and documentation as well as accurate and relevant information about current events and issues in Lebanon.

Social media is also an incredibly powerful tool for us here in Lebanon specifically. The banks in Lebanon have imposed informal capital controls, meaning that people here can no longer withdraw their funds in USD, and they can only withdraw a limited amount in the Lebanese Pound (which has, in the last year, lost around 70% of its value). 

When trying to print the most recent issue of Safar, we needed to pay for the printing in London, but the bank was restricting our access to our money. We posted about it on Instagram, and although we don’t have a massive following, the post received enough attention that the bank called us, apologized and found a “loophole” for us. They also asked us to remove the post. We didn’t because what they are doing is wrong and illegal. 

I know it varies from client to client but generally speaking, do clients in Lebanon appreciate good design and understand what it takes?

Before accepting any project, we always have an in-depth conversation with the potential client in order for both parties to determine if their work and project fit well with the ethos and work process of our studio. A lot of our work depends on mutual trust between us and the client, rather than their knowing or understanding ‘good’ versus ‘bad’ design — of course, not everyone has that background, nor are these notions objective truths. In addition to trust, we try to listen closely to our clients and to make sure that our design work responds clearly and logically to the needs and problems that they present to us.

In your opinion, what are 5-10 design studios from Beirut/Lebanon that everyone should know?

These are not all design studios but rather some Beirut-based creatives whose work we respect and support:

Mind the Gap

Studio Kawakeb

Mohamad Abdouni (art direction, film making, publishing)

The Council for Visual Affairs (communication and animation)

Public Works (critical design thinking and urban planning)

Ghaith and Jad (architecture)

Paul Kaloustian Architects

Far Architects

Fabraca Studios (product design)

David/Nicolas (interior design)

Super Yaya (fashion)

Renaissance Renaissance by Cynthia Merhej (fashion and illustration)

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Read more from our Design Around the World series to learn about design in Egypt, Indonesia, Taiwan, Nigeria, Pakistan and much more.

August 24, 2020No Comments

Design in Egypt 🇪🇬 featuring Nora Aly

Our latest interview in the Design Around the World series continues our journey through Egypt, this time with Cairo-based freelance designer, Nora Aly.

In our last interview with Engy Aly, we learned that the visual culture in Egypt is complex, layered and sometimes confusing. We talked about the quality of design education in Egypt, the jarring commerciality of advertising and more.

Here we continue the conversation with Nora Aly, discussing the visual extremes in Egyptian advertising, the jobs available to designers in Egypt and why the design scene in Egypt is dominated by women.

Hey Nora, tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into design and what kind of work do you do? 

I am a 31-year-old designer born and raised in Cairo. I studied graphic design in the faculty of Applied Sciences and Arts in the German University in Cairo. 

My story with design  – more specifically typography – started really early when I was around 6-7 years old, before even recognizing that this means anything. I was always interested in both Arabic and Latin calligraphy. I remember I used to really enjoy my calligraphy classes a lot. Whenever I had a pen and paper in hand, I used to write my name and some of my family and friends’ names in different experimental styles. I was also known in school by my good handwriting, especially in Arabic, a skill that I believe I inherited from my mother. I used to observe her when she wrote anything and try to imitate her handwriting. 

In high school, I worked on my first Arabic lettering as a tattoo design for a close friend of mine, and she inked it on her leg. However, I was not aware at all that these skills could be developed further and turn out to be something more than a hobby. All I knew at the time was that I am generally interested in art and crafts, and it felt right back then to join a faculty related to that interest. It was more like a gut feeling decision rather than a conscious one, which should be a constant reminder to always follow this invisible voice 🙂

Fast forward five years, I graduated and joined Kairo, one of the rising agencies in Cairo that focuses on advertising and branding. I worked there for five years, in which I learned a lot and gained a lot of experience professionally and personally. Three years ago, I left Kairo to explore a new flexible, independent lifestyle. I am currently working as a freelancer on various commercial and culture-related projects. I get a lot of branding projects, but I try as much as possible to select the ones that are dealing more with Arabic typography/lettering which, I believe, is my main focus and it is also what I enjoy the most. 

In parallel to the freelance work, I am working on my Master’s project which investigates the dying Nubian language (a language only spoken by a special ethnic group located in southern Egypt). This language is expected to die within 50-100 years because of many accumulative social and political occurrences. The language is not recognized by the country and the Nubian mothers stopped passing the language to their children, favoring the Arabic language instead due to the constant pressures that they face as an indigenous ethnic group in a dominating Arabic speaking society. In this project, I am working on a design solution that attempts to help the mothers to reclaim the value of their vernacular, in order to pass down the language to the younger generations and preserve one of the oldest languages in Africa.

Cairo is diverse and multi-layered, with many groups, politics and sub-cultures intersecting. Have you found a community of likeminded creatives there, or platforms and events where you can connect with other designers? 

Being surrounded in university by creatives from different backgrounds, but sharing more or less the same interests and passion, helped in creating a great community that kept on getting bigger by the time. It doesn’t stop here – social media is also playing an important role in widening this network now. It helps to get exposed to a lot of younger, up-and-coming designers, and stay in touch with the fellow creatives that I already knew.

As for the platforms and events in Egypt, I believe we have been seeing a significant rise during the past couple of years. I try to attend these events as much as I can to keep myself updated and connected, especially after quitting the agency life. I feel the need more now than before to meet people and exchange knowledge since I spend most of my time working alone.

In our conversation with Engy, she mentioned the diversity of Egypt's visual culture is shrinking as commercial advertisements take over and speak in a jarring, elitist visual language. How do you see it? How would you describe the current design coming from Cairo?

We have a very diverse, strange, multi-layered visual culture that says a lot about Cairo and its people.

If you are walking in Cairo’s streets, you’ll be overwhelmed with the amount of visuals that you’ll encounter from the excessive amount of billboards, the colorful and overly designed pick-up trucks, to the hand-painted advertisements and the old small shops’ nostalgic signages. 

I would like to make a small comparison that can give you a glimpse of the extremes we have in Egypt. If you look at the design of the majority of commercials on billboards, for example, and compare it to the hand-painted advertisements that are widely spread in less privileged neighborhoods, you can clearly see how the billboard designs are too western in how they communicate, mostly in English, and seek a certain impression that is not really influenced by Egypt or its culture whatsoever. 

While the hand-painted on walls advertisements are completely the opposite because they communicate using only beautifully made Arabic lettering, trying to be striking with very vivid colors to catch people’s attention in the streets.

In between those two extremes, there are designers that always try to produce work that is influenced by Cairo and its visual culture and heritage. Most of the culture-related projects give room for this to come to life.

If you are interested to know more about Egypt’s visual culture, I recommend that you check the following books:

“Khatt” by Noha Zayed and Basma Hamdy and published by SAQI Books.

“Absolute Egypt” by Raghda Moataz and published by Khatt books.

I’ve read that the arts and entertainment industries don’t get much recognition in Egypt, that these aren’t considered as important as other jobs. Do you see this to be true for designers?

Yes, I remember when I was an undergrad, students of other faculties like engineering and pharmacy used to make fun of what we do as designers and belittle our studies. However, I see this is changing with time. People are more aware now with design and its value, especially with the growing scene of entrepreneurship in Egypt. 

Of course, there are still people who don't understand the role of design and underestimate the designer's efforts. I meet some of them as clients, but I believe it is our responsibility to explain to them how design and visual communication can affect their businesses.

Engy described education in Egypt as somewhat limited, although slowly changing. It sounds like you had a positive experience studying at the German University in Cairo. How would you describe the quality of design education in Egypt? 

Before the German University introduced the faculty of Applied Sciences and Arts in 2006, as well as the graphic design department in AUC in 2011, design education was very limited in Egypt. Now, it is growing and getting more attention. However, this does not eliminate the amount of designers who were completely self-taught as well, thanks to the internet.

I know many international companies are headquartered in Cairo. What kind of jobs are available for designers within Egypt right now? 

Jobs for designers, in my opinion, are limited to advertising agencies. Yes, we do have some international companies headquartered in Cairo but the type of work is too commercial, to the extent that it is enough to kill any creative’s soul. 

It is very difficult to find a designer who is satisfied with the quality of work that they produce in an advertising agency, especially in the big/international ones. I believe that the kind of clients that afford to pay big agencies always tend to be on the safe side when it comes to their visual appearance, so the work produced becomes very boring and not challenging enough. On the other hand, startups and small/cultural businesses that can’t afford the fees of a big agency are the ones who most likely are ready to take more risks and experiment with their aesthetics, so they most likely go to freelancers or small studios.

I see that Cairo has a gap in the varieties of jobs that should be available for graphic designers. Currently, the available jobs are in agencies or teaching whether in AUC or GUC.

"A lot of the women designers I know have the best work ethic and drive, and that's why I think the scene here has so many powerful women."

Thanks to the internet (and now with the pandemic on top), many designers are working for clients overseas remotely. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with local or overseas clients, or is it a mix?

I work mostly with local clients but I had the chance to work with some overseas. I worked on several projects in Saudi Arabia, London and New York.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

I used to get my clients through word of mouth mostly but within the past few years, social media started to have a great impact as well. Behance works best for me. I got a lot of clients through Behance, although I am not really good with updating my portfolio. I unfortunately get dragged with the daily routine and I forget to post about my work, but definitely the more present I am, the more clients I get, and this applies on Instagram too.

What does good design mean to you, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole?  For example, I know women’s rights are a big challenge in Cairo/Egypt (like most places in the world). Does design have a place in that conversation?

There is still a lot of “gender-shaming” in choosing specific professions for all genders. Some men might not gravitate to art and design due to wrong gender-conforming ideologies, making it a little more dominated by women here. A lot of the women designers I know have the best work ethic and drive, and that's why I think the scene here has so many powerful women. However, I think that the Egyptian design field (not the advertising field, to be clear) is pretty dominated by whoever works the hardest and creates with passion, regardless of gender.

Design is very subjective if you are going to judge it visually. To objectively judge a good design, in my opinion, it has to serve its purpose conceptually and aesthetically. Sometimes, we fall into the trap of making something that looks interesting visually, but is not necessarily relevant. This defies the whole purpose.

I am personally still exploring if design can have a real impact on a society through my Master’s project. Once I am done I’ll make up my mind regarding this point 🙂 However, I have always had high hopes in which design can make wonders, but I have to try it myself to see whether it is a myth or it can turn out to be true.

Sustainable design is increasingly a conversation in the design community. I know Cairo struggles with air and water pollution, due to the high density of people. Is environmentally conscious design an interest for designers in Cairo right now? 

Yes, it is. I was asked by two clients before while working on packaging briefs to come up with designs that are applicable to environmental friendly materials. It is more happening in product and fashion design though. We have a lot of young Egyptian brands like “Upfuse,” “Reform Studio” and Kojakm, who is a fashion designer who created a dress made out of recycled plastic bags.

In your opinion, what are 5-10 design studios from Cairo/Egypt that everyone should know?

Obviously I can’t skip Engy Aly. She was my first TA in college and my favorite too.

Sarah Mossallam who I used to work with a lot in Kairo, and we collaborated more than once after we both left the agency. She is a great illustrator too.

Ahmad Hammoud who I collaborated with as well on many projects. He is one of my favorite designers.

Christine Adel who designs children's games and owns a brand called “Zagazoo”

Moe el Hosseiny

Maram El Refaei

Omar Mobarak

Archief Cairo

Cairopolitan

Kief Type Foundry

HeheType

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Follow Nora's work on Behance and Instagram. And if you're just now jumping into our Design Around the World series, catch up on our interviews with studios and designers from India, Jordan, Thailand, Serbia, Armenia and many more.

June 23, 2020No Comments

Design in Egypt 🇪🇬 featuring Engy Aly

Our latest addition to the Design Around the World series takes us somewhere we've wanted to explore for a while now: Egypt.

I found no shortage of talent when researching designers and studios in Egypt. Engy Aly's name came up more than once. The Cairo-based graphic designer was thankfully willing to talk with us, and so we did: About the overwhelming commerciality of visual culture in Cairo, about the quality of design education, using social media as a Cairene woman and more.

Hey Engy, thanks for doing this with us. First, tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into design and what kind of work do you do? 

Thank you for inviting me to do this interview! Well, I’m 37, born and raised in Cairo. I live and work in my home and studio in Heliopolis, north-east of the city. I don’t separate much between life and work so I work in the main living space of the apartment – close to the coffee and the kitchen! 

Growing up I’ve always had an interest in visual culture. My parents both studied art and work in architecture and interior design; they have a small studio together. I grew up surrounded by drafting tables, architecture tools, airbrushes and Letraset sheets, a tool I am still especially fond of and work with frequently in my independent project, Life Diagrams. My mum also worked with stained glass for some time. Working with our hands is something we both enjoy a lot.

I first studied graphic design in Cairo, in the early noughties (the early 2000s) at a then newly established design program. After graduation, I mostly worked in "fileclub," an influential and one of the few experimental design studios that existed in Cairo at the time. Sadly they closed around 2009, which is coincidentally also the year I started to work independently. Seven years ago, I felt the need to get out of the city and to go back to school, so I went for an MFA (now MDES) at the Basel School of Design in Basel, a city rich in art and design institutions and museums. 

Most of the projects I work on are related to arts and culture, although sometimes I also do some branding work. The past three years I have primarily focused on artist books and publications, partially because more and more artists are interested in using books as a medium. I also love teaching because it is a constant and mutual process of learning and unlearning. I’ve taught different classes at the American University in Cairo as well as sitting on various student thesis presentations and juries in other institutions. Finally, recognizing the pressing need for establishing platforms where a discourse around design can be expressed, I have also started initiating and organizing curatorial design projects. 

Engy in her studio

Cairo is considered the center of Egypt’s culture and politics. Have you found a community of likeminded creatives there? Do many platforms and events exist in Cairo / Egypt overall that connect you with other designers?

Cairo is the center of the “battlefield,” true! The city is composed of many different groups and subcultures with different, sometimes intersecting, interests. I can’t say I have a large network of fellow designers that I talk to on a regular basis, but I do have a local circle of “creatives” (I’m not so fond of this word) – artists, writers, designers, makers and educators that I am close to. Unfortunately I don’t spend as much time as I would like to with many of them, because I’m a bit of a house potato. 

Platforms are slowly but surely developing. Some might be too commercial for my taste and sadly a couple of the new platforms are completely male-dominated. There is a lack of independent, free-form, non-institutional, experimental constellations which is why I initiated ‘Sporadic Schooling,’ a long term program of happenings that has unfortunately been put on hold because of the pandemic. ‘Sporadic Schooling’ is a pedagogical tool that focuses on developing new models of knowledge production and sharing, by inviting top practitioners in the fields of design, critical theory and museum practice to develop open formats informed by their experiences and perspectives. I look forward to picking it up again when things are more stable.

"Real estate billboards constantly suggest that you are not supposed to feel you are in Cairo anymore. You are now in Paris, in Beverly Hills, on a Greek island."

Mini visual identity for ‘Photomarathon 2019’, Alexandria 15.11. Collaboration with the Luca Schenardi – lucaschenardi.ch

Egyptians are considered the originators of “visual communication design,” from hieroglyphics to the invention of paper to the first use of grids. And I’ve heard the streets of Cairo are vibrant with posters mixed with hand-painted lettering, murals, tiles and colors.

How would you describe the design you see coming from Egypt today? Is it influenced by your culture/history/environment in any way?

Actually the vibrancy and diversity of public visual culture, as well as the sheer quantity of non-commercial visual material, have shrunk significantly over the past few years. It’s not that easy to hang posters on the street anymore. Most institutions are veering toward online posts for announcements of events, since the virtual space offers more safety. This, for me, has also changed my emotional connection to the city. My essay, "The Gradual Disappearance," which I wrote as an introduction to the publication "Delusions and Errors," (2017) discusses this issue. 

A large portion of the city’s visual production is commercial advertisement, mostly for real estate developments on the outskirts of the city, and most of these are, frankly, hideous! These advertisements try to speak in a visual language that is intentionally elitist and projects an idealized image of a certain lifestyle as a selling point. Real estate billboards constantly suggest that you are not supposed to feel you are in Cairo anymore. You are now in Paris, in Beverly Hills, on a Greek island. I find this meeting between a perverse concept and the use of a generic visual material grotesque. These are the visuals one actually sees on a daily basis driving around. But on the other hand, there are many designers who do marvelous work, whether in the cultural sector (which is the sector more open to experimentation), the independent scene, or even some entrepreneurial projects that rely on branding, both online and in print.  

A large portion of the visual production is influenced by Western design, I think because material, tutorials and other resources are more abundant and accessible. But a lot of new local projects are based on cultural research and are trying to connect more with local material and the surrounding environment. 

Vector Walla Raster, 2017

Cairo is home to Al-Azhar University, the world's second-oldest institution of higher learning, and has the largest number of schools and universities in Egypt. What is the quality of design education like in Egypt? Do most designers seek a formal degree, or are many self-taught?

I have to say I do not find the history of Al-Azhar to be relevant to this topic.

Design education here is still somewhat limited but is developing quite rapidly, although I think not fast enough to accommodate the rising number of design enthusiasts.

Both public and private design programs exist, but they offer a different perspective on design education. Although some of these programs are a bit conservative in their educational approach, many of the students find their own way and their own paths to self-development. Many good designers are self-taught or have come to design from a different career. I have only worked in the private universities, so I’m not that well informed with what the public ones currently offer. But a conversation between both sectors is much needed. 

AN ANTHOLOGY OF PUBLISHED & UNPUBLISHED WRITINGS BY HASSAN KHAN. With Annotations by the Author 1993 to 2018. Ed. by Philippe Pirotte. Text by Hassan Khan & Philippe Pirotte. London 2019. 17 x 24 cm. 288 Pages.

Thanks to the internet (and now with the pandemic on top), many designers are working for clients overseas remotely. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with local or overseas clients, or is it a mix?

I have mostly been working with a constellation of people from different places and backgrounds – for example a typical project could involve an Egyptian artist, a German museum, an Italian publisher and a Swiss printer all together. So we work in a diverse team that is located in at least two countries, two time zones. It’s great, though it means I work a lot of weekends. Between the local weekend and the European weekend, I end up working all the time! But I enjoy this open and rich connection. The challenge is usually production; I cannot always fly to see the work getting printed and I miss that somehow, being present for the production. But it ultimately works out. I’ve also done some work in the U.S. and a lot of work for Cairo-based individuals and institutions. 

Engy's workspace

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

I’m not sure. As a Cairene female, you encounter constant harassment both in daily life and virtually, so I've decided to keep my main Instagram account private – to avoid attracting a lot of trolls.

Most of the work I get is based on clients coming across my work in person and being interested. I do not depend on my online presence, and maybe that’s why my website has been a work in progress for over ten years now (facepalm)!

"Our society is complex, layered and diverse, and real transformation has to be driven by changes in the whole structure."

A piece from Engy's "Life Diagrams" series titled "The long and utterly nonsensical wait for the world to change."

What does good design mean to you, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole?  For example, I’ve read women’s rights are a big challenge in Cairo/Egypt (like many places in the world). Does design have a place in that conversation?

I don’t believe good or bad design can have an actually large impact on the country. Our society is complex, layered and diverse, and real transformation has to be driven by changes in the whole structure. 

Women are quite present in design education, and I am quite happy with that. The TYPE Lab for example is a project initiated by women educators and hosts and highlights the role of women in type design and typography. There is a strong female presence in academia.

Visual for Sporadic Schooling: Experimental Type Design Workshop, 2020

Sustainable design is increasingly a conversation in the design community. I know Cairo struggles with air and water pollution, due to the high density of people. Is environmentally conscious design an interest for designers in Cairo right now? 

Yes, it is. But primarily in product design rather than in printed media. 

Publication design, Noor Abu Arafeh: Rumors Began Sometime Ago, 2018

In your opinion, who are some of the top design studios or designers from Cairo/Egypt we should know about?

I am not comfortable making a list of "top" designers. I would rather make a non-comprehensive list, in no particular order, of interesting visual practitioners that are part of my scene. Here are some of the people whose work I enjoy a lot:

Nora Aly
Ahmed Hammoud (sometimes Nora and Hammoud work collaboratively)
Salma Shamel
Ramses Wissa Wassef produces amazing scenic tapestry that you could stare at for hours
Nelly El Sharkawy
Mostafa Youssef
Walid Taher

And platforms like:

AUC Type Lab
Cairobserver
100 BAP
The Archilogue 

Some of the students that I have previously taught produce very admirable and bold work, including: Tasneem Tawheed, Salma El Kafrawy and many, many more.

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Thanks so much for keeping it real with us, Engy! We learned a lot through this conversation and will be following to see how the visual culture, education and design continues to evolve in Egypt.

May 14, 2020No Comments

Design in Serbia 🇷🇸 featuring Mirko Zarkovic

Our latest addition to the Design Around the World series is a fun one: Serbia.

I'll be honest. Before this interview, what I knew about Serbia was limited mostly to the fashion world and random stories I'd see in the news. I certainly had no grasp on the design scene there, which is why I set out to do this series in the first place.

After talking here with Mirko Zarkovic, a Serbian designer (who also happens to use Semplice.com for his portfolio), I got a taste of the delightfully weird, vibrant and unexpected voice of Serbia and Serbian design. Mirko's words here have as much style as his designs, and it made for an enlightening and entertaining look into design in Serbia.

Hey Mirko, thanks for talking with us. First, tell us a little about yourself. How did you get into design and what kind of work do you do? 

I'm a 39-year-old interdisciplinary designer from Novi Sad, Serbia. I like how the word interdisciplinary sums me up. My professional experience spans video editing, visual effects, motion graphics, CGI, web design and extended reality. It was heavily influenced by the music I used to listen to and now, the data I browse. This all flows and combines through my career, but, the most important update I go for daily is from the field of visual communications and the relevant technologies. It is a chain reaction guided by instinct, constant questioning and exploration to clear the clutter that piles up around us on every level of our lives. 

This might sound like a careless life, but It was difficult and it still is. Every project must be better than the previous and on top of that, socially and environmentally responsible.

Mirko at LOKAL, the creative space he founded in Novi Sad. Image by Marija Mandic.

I’ve heard Belgrade has become a stylish, creative city, especially when it comes to art. What is the design scene like in Novi Sad and Serbia overall? Is there energy and conversation about design happening among your community?

There’s a difference between Belgrade and Novi Sad. The mentality is different. Throughout history, Novi Sad was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire until 100 years ago, and Belgrade was part of the Ottoman Empire. This is really embedded into the culture and that’s something you can feel as soon as you step in. 

Novi Sad is going to be a European Capital of Culture for 2021, which is nice but there’s something stuck here on the educational level. There’s no link between students and the market. As a designer, it’s really up to how self-thought and mature you are to overcome this gap and aim further for international projects and collaborations.

On the other side, if you scratch the surface you’ll find many brilliant small initiatives scattered across Novi Sad that are popping up in a stealthy manner. They connect like-minded creatives and breed in content and narratives to some new and rediscovered places.   

"I see it as a small dose of Eastern European awareness, mixed with Balkan trumpet bass music while driving your German car in an Armani tight-shirt going out tonight."

Part of the web shop Mirko designed for Revolver Pullover.

I know you run LOKAL for your creative community. Can you tell us a bit more about what this is and the response you’ve seen from local designers? 

Lokal is a small creative initiative that fits into 30sqm. It’s a ground-level commercial space that sits where four small streets intersect. Rarely someone passes by into this easy-to-get-lost area called Almaški Kraj, and it’s still five minutes by foot away from the city center.

The space itself is inviting and it really takes just a click kind of initiative, and it happens. Almost without any effort. No financial plan, no clue what’s next, just pure responsibility to pull up values that are around us and combine them in order to get and feel something whole and different. When you create a wave, it triggers other waves around and then you get this creative social stimulus that results in something tangible through real human connections and creative output. That’s what matters the most.   

A film Mirko animated for ANIMANIMA, an international animation festival.

Besides LOKAL, do many platforms and events exist in Novi Sad / Serbia that connect you with other designers?

Shortlist:

Nova Iskra
PDP Creative Media Conference
DACIDA
Museum of Contemporary Art - Vojvodina
Dafed
Kulturforum

...and there are many small art initiatives that are appearing randomly. 

Part of Mirko's brand identity for PicPic Clothing.

How would you describe the design you see coming from Serbia today? Is it influenced by your culture/history/environment in any way?

I see it as a small dose of Eastern European awareness, mixed with Balkan trumpet bass music while driving your German car in an Armani tight-shirt going out tonight.

Art yes. But, design no.

"It’s really amazing how you can wrap up your portfolio and send it to someone as one-liner within a second. This way I become a part of a global environment."

An image of Mirko's past "workstation" from his About page (one of the best About pages I've seen). mirkozarkovic.com

Considering Serbia’s recent history of conflict, I’ve read that design tends to look forward rather than back. “People here abolish history. They want the new.” Do you agree and see this to be true for Serbian design?

Yes, it’s true. We have a hole in our recent history because of the civil war that happened in the 90s. But in the last 5-10 years, we are becoming aware of our design heritage that comes from the Yugoslavia era. Many institutions from around the world, like MOMA, found it valuable. Then there are Post II World War Yugoslavia monuments and Brutalist architecture from that time. I'd also like to pull up Zenitism, an avant-garde movement that happened before II World War that had a really strong statement and aesthetics. 

It’s really interesting now to see how we’re accepting our cyrilic alphabet. It’s a pity because it’s still mainly seen as something related to Eastern Orthodox Church and its ideology, but that’s something we should definitely overcome. Nowadays, since we have a strong street fashion influence coming from world known Eastern Bloc designers, I see more and more good use of cyrillics that’s mainly coming from young designers' new perspectives. Again we need this self-reflection coming from around us in order to become aware.  

Mirko, reflecting.

Some might argue the internet has homogenized design, with everyone looking outward for inspiration. How do you feel about globalization and its effect on Serbia’s design identity?

I see only good here, and I hope it will always be like this. Because in the end, it is just up to us. 

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Basically no impact at all. I rarely share my work on social media. In a way, I like to act from the backstage and send my work straight to the desired locations. It’s really amazing how you can wrap up your portfolio and send it to someone as one-liner within a second. This way I become a part of a global environment and only this way I can become relevant and bring more to the local community.

Mirko's portfolio homepage.

What is design education currently like in Serbia? Are many designers choosing to study or are most self-taught?

I’d like to mention the Department of Digital Art on Media and Communications Faculty (I hope that’s how it translates) in Belgrade as a great starting point for young creatives. 

Most designers in Serbia are self-taught. Design classes are limited to a small number of students and to be honest, I feel that in order to become a good one, you need to be self-taught and enter this world from a different background to bring something unique and multidimensional. 

On the other hand, I feel that we can’t just jump into design education without learning and practicing creative approaches for problem-solving. That’s a missing piece that is my major concern.

"In Serbia, there’s this feeling that somehow everything works. Like there is an invisible force that just works."

Behind the scenes of Mirko's PicPic Clothing project

What does good design mean to you, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues Serbia faces?

Good design is invisible. It just works. In Serbia, there’s this feeling that somehow everything works. Like there is an invisible force that just works. 

Do Serbian clients, generally speaking, appreciate good design and understand what it takes?

Unfortunately, generally no. Aesthetics are not embedded in our DNA and the amount of visual junk around us is defines clients' expectations while completely demolishing their potential to distinguish between good and bad. Lower offers win the pitch.    

You’ve worked more than a decade in this field. How have you seen it change over the last 10 years? What do you expect or hope for your community in the next 10 years?

Design trends are morphing and recycling but we’re still stuck into our screens. We need to break this tight, two dimensional, non-tangible surface and start thinking about how to reinvent the way we are, what we do and how we relate. 

UX & UI for 3deluxe, a transdisciplinary design studio based in Wiesbaden & Hamburg, Germany.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Serbia that everyone who might be not familiar with the Serbian design community should know?

Peter Gregson
Studio Autori
Lorem Ipsum
BBBrick Studio
Metaklinika
Superawesome

Many more great individuals though.

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Serbian design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Good question. Let’s co-create something about it.

This is Badland, Eugster Belgrade, Nova Iskra, VFX Serbia.
Ivana started SCOOP magazine. She’ll hopefully push for a second release.

April 22, 2020No Comments

Design in Portugal 🇵🇹 featuring Koiástudio

For this addition to our Design Around the World series, we're looking at a place known quite well for its creativity and excellent design: Portugal.

When researching for this interview, we found no shortage of top-notch design studios in Portugal. But as soon as we discovered Koiástudio, we knew we had to talk with them. Look through their work and it's clear they are passionate about good design and just have fun with it, beyond the business aspect. And that's even more apparent in this conversation with Jorge Almeida, in which we talk about designing in the midst of a crisis, doing a lot with little and promoting your work through partying with friends.

Hey Jorge, thanks for taking the time. First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Koiástudio and why did you decide to open your own design studio?

We are three people now working at Koiástudio. It’s me (Jorge Almeida) and Bruno Albuquerque, both graphic designers living in Porto and sharing our office downtown, and Diogo Bento, who is a photographer living and working in São Vicente, Cape Verde.

The studio came about in 2012 when Diogo and I, both working as independent freelancers at the time, realized we could start doing work together, even if there was an ocean between us, since we have a common background (we’ve been friends for a long time) and similar tastes. This opportunity would allow us to challenge and improve our own practices, all the while making something bigger than the sum of the parts. At the same time, we would be able to secure more work and share common projects and goals.

Later on, the opportunity arose for Bruno to join us, bringing new languages and ideas to the studio.

The three of us have been working together for three years now.

Jorge completing the office aesthetic

I read that “the Portuguese find themselves at the crossroads between tradition and modernity” while being very open to new ideas and an international/eclectic cultural influence.

How would you describe the design coming out of Portugal today and what are its biggest influences? 

We think that the relationship between culture/tradition of one’s own environment and the work of design will always exist. And it's a welcoming relationship. It exists not only for us as technicians, thinkers and creators, but also in the mind of the clients and even within the projects we work for. However, we consider that it is also a starting point from where to search for some kind of disruption and where design work can find its place.

As a matter of fact, we can give an example of our own, albeit a simple one: Working with some projects in smaller, less-cosmopolitan towns, in more conservative regions of the country, we always try to push things a little bit forward, without losing the focus and the roots within the given context. We also think that we can always add a little something new to each of these projects that we carry out.

Nowadays we all have access to what is happening around us, almost everywhere, and Portuguese designers are aware and are part of that. We can easily find influences, trends and languages that circulate everywhere. Of course, sometimes we also joke that a certain trend has arrived late to Portugal, but the truth is that Portuguese designers and other creatives belong to this global network and are obviously influenced by it, while also assuming their role as influencers.

Porto seems to have a growing creative scene. What brought this about and are you seeing this elsewhere in Portugal? What about Lisbon? 

Yes, Porto has always been a cluster for the creative industries and design has been a big part of this. Design schools and, more recently, the city council’s cultural policies have played a fundamental role. But this is also due – and we return to the tradition/culture point – to the way of being for Porto’s people and their adopted citizens, like we are. It can be characterized by the capacity to constantly renew oneself and always be in a certain state of inquietação (unrest) – like the singer-songwriter José Mário Branco has reminded us of. This makes the city seem to be always bubbling up.

Obviously, we must not forget that Lisbon is a great creative hub, an incredible city and, of course, has many good designers. In fact, some of the studios whose work we appreciate the most are located there. 

Perhaps the only thing that can be separated here (and this may be an outdated idea) is that Lisbon has always been better known by the big communication agencies, big structures, with projects that involve huge resources, while Porto has always been better known for the small creative studios. This may bring greater proximity between those who actually work on a given project and their clients. What we are seeing is that many of the great cultural venues of the city of Lisbon, such as theatres, museums and cultural spaces, are looking for or working with design studios from Porto.

It's also great to see how smaller cities, although still few, are investing in graphic design in such a visible way. And this is great for everyone and helps to bring forward the industry as a whole. We’re talking about cities like Braga, Viseu or Coimbra.

Diogo in his home office.

Do many platforms and events exist in Portugal that connect you with other designers? Is there energy and conversation about design happening among your community?

We are not very participative in that kind of events, but yes, they do exist. We cannot deny that it has become easier and easier for designers to connect and get together and, therefore, to share different ways of doing design. Speaking about Porto, several initiatives take place regularly during the year, such as the event "Bolsa de Ideias." In Matosinhos, a neighboring city, we have “Casa do Design," where exhibitions are held regularly. We now have the “Porto Design Biennale” (which started in 2019). And there are other smaller initiatives happening all over the city, in places like co-working spaces, galleries or schools.

All this always generates more discussion, energy and interaction between designers; between designers and other creative people; and between designers and individuals who don't necessarily have a creative activity, but who are nevertheless interested in these issues, which seems relevant to us. All this helps to foster a critical attitude toward the discipline of design.

From what I read, formal design education in Portugal is still relatively young – the first courses were created in 1969 and design as an academic discipline in 1975.

What is design education like in Portugal today? Do many designers attend university or are most self-taught?

Nowadays there seems to be a very comprehensive response for those who want to study design, especially at a university level, from formal graphic design to courses focused on specific areas of graphic design, or courses that embrace graphic design as a relevant discipline. Because design education is relatively recent for us, we sometimes notice some variations or uncertainties in these degrees’ programs. Although we would say that’s totally fine, given they are still finding their path or place in the design landscape.

Yes, most active Portuguese designers today have formal higher education. However, we cannot go without those who opened the way for us, who are still relevant both for us and the Portuguese design scene, and who did not have a specific design diploma. We are thinking of, in the field of graphic design, designers such as Sebastião Rodrigues (1929-1997), Victor Palla (1922-2006) or, more recently, João Machado (still active). People that continue to make perfect sense when it comes to talking about design in Portugal.

Although design education in Portugal is still finding its own way, we think that it has become more attractive and more consistent in terms of practical and theoretical approaches, making it a credible field today.

Portugal seems to have a special place in its heart for book and magazine cover design. I see Koiástudio has created some beautiful book covers itself. Where did this all begin and is it more of a specialty today, with more and more designers focusing on digital? 

Universities with more years of graphic design education continue to invest heavily in print media, and especially in the area of editorial design. We think that anyone studying in these institutions will become fascinated with the book as an object. However, as we all know, it's not exactly an easy market; there aren't many publishing houses publishing very regularly. Perhaps that's why we've also seen, and not only in Portugal, a boom of self-publishing authors and small independent publishers owned by designers.

There won't be many designers working exclusively on book covers. But yes, we do have really good and beautiful book covers in Portugal. We advise you to look for the work of Rui Silva (Alfaiataria) or Silva Designers. 

At Koiástudio, this was one of our first major interests. We find it stimulating the fact that the process of making a book cover brings an exercise of interpreting the book content, and the challenge of adding something new to the written narrative without compromising the author’s ideas. We have also a romantic idea of the book as an object that defines a certain time for us, a certain time for the public, and a certain time for us as a society.

However, today we have turned our attention to album covers. Something that has also always had a great interest for us and which we love to do. It ends up having a process similar to that of a book cover. Although in some cases, depending on the genre and the clients themselves, it becomes an even more open exercise, especially due to the nature of the content with which it relates: music and sound.

I know the financial crisis is recent in Portugal’s memory. Did that affect the design scene and your work in any specific way? Does it still?

Yes, it affected us all, directly or indirectly. Trying to bring up something good from this crisis and the severe political measures that followed: we think it brought a more interactive role of the designer as an agent in its community. We remember that people coming out of the university, having to struggle to find a decent job, became more engaged in our communities or, at least, more active. We think we're now seeing a tendency to incorporate or look at different approaches to things, that goes beyond the trends often acquired in schools. Which ends up bringing more diversity.

There seems to be more willingness to take risks in certain groups of designers, especially the younger ones. And if in many cases this goes in the direction of innocuous relativism, in many other cases it brings new ideas that are well-structured and well-founded. Of course, unfortunately, this is almost always at a very precarious or unsustainable level, but it is good to think that it is a way of dealing with things and of opening the way to the new.

Right now, in the face of a crisis that is predicted, we are already thinking about the challenges we may have to face and, as a studio, what can we bring back to us and our clients.

Bruno contemplating Koiastudio's next big idea.

In an article from years ago, someone said, “Portugal it seems that necessity truly is the mother of invention. Forced to work with limited means and resources, it seems that Portuguese designers have become frugality experts by ‘doing a lot with a little,’ being exceptionally creative and ‘doing it all, on call.’”

Is that the case today, or have you seen things evolve since then?

Yes, unfortunately, in Portugal there is often a gap between projects and existing resources. Most of the time resources are not up to the needs of a particular job or the kind of inputs we want to apply to the project. If we said earlier the discipline of design is now a credible discipline in Portugal, the truth is that it still does not have the desirable echo of what is invested in design work. We’re not only talking budget-wise, but also about what is invested in terms of trust in the designer or the time allowed to carry such projects.

Sometimes we come across projects that really interest us, but whose time for design is too limited. Often this time is also made more limited by too much bureaucracy, especially when we talk about institutional clients.

This makes us have to adapt, often overnight. We have had cases of having almost finished projects, and because of late responses from the clients, we have to come up with unforeseen, fast and cheaper production solutions. Obviously, if this would mean a poor output, the work will not go out until we and the client find a better solution.

This seems to be changing, but it will always be a slow change.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

We have to confess that we are not given much to self-promotion, either by direct contact or through the use of social networks. Obviously, we know the full potential of social networks and how showcasing work can help find new clients and projects. We are still trying to shape our individual way of being to make the most out of this. The three of us have always been very inconspicuous! In this sense, what really works for us is the network that we create through our conviviality with friends. Going out partying and being with our friends is our way of social networking. This means that a lot of our clients reach us by word of mouth, and our friends do a really good job at this. We are thankful to them.

We also put a lot of effort into doing our best all the time and establishing a close relationship with all of our clients. We believe this is key to creating a bond and a sense of trust that will encourage a long-lasting relationship with our clients.

I learned about the word “saudade” from Portuguese friends – this deep feeling of nostalgia or longing for something dear that has been lost. 

This feeling seems to be embedded in Portuguese people, tinging the world a certain color and perhaps bringing a deeper sensitivity (generally speaking) to work and life. And it's certainly a pertinent feeling to the world right now. Does “saudade” play into creative work in any way? 

"Saudade," maybe this concept exists to define a certain level of shyness and a need for close human contact. In these times when we are all closed at home, this becomes paradigmatic. 

In general, although this seems to be changing; we need a lot of human contact. Maybe this will bring greater understanding about human relationships, how people interact with each other, and consequently how individuals and communities interact with objects, images, etc. And this may interfere with our work. We try to have a poetic degree in every image that we compose or in every object that we build. And the three of us even have different ways of doing so. 

Obviously, this may not always be visible, it probably isn't, but we like to think that each of our objects/works brings forward some more poetic narrative to those who receive it and see it. 

If this may be something coming from the concept of "Saudade," we are not sure, at least on a conscious level.

"Here in Portugal, it seems there has always been a time problem!"

“Desenrascar” is another word I’ve heard, which literally translates to “unscramble” in English. As I understand it, it’s about doing things “fast and fine” and at the last minute. This seems to be the way for most designers no matter where you’re from. Is it for your team at Koiástudio?

Yeah, the famous "Desenrascar." This concept is most likely related with what we’ve mentioned earlier about finding solutions with the few resources we have and, at the same time, with the time at our disposal for each project. But yes, we Portuguese use this characteristic of doing everything in the last minute to define ourselves. We believe that this is often the designer's work routine all over. However, here in Portugal, it seems there has always been a time problem!

In our work this also happens, not because we do things at the last minute, which is not what defines us in the first place, but above all because we often have very little time to dedicate to a project – and, in many of these cases, we have to find quick solutions.

On the other hand, being already aware of this, we are always trying to find implementation mechanisms that enable us to find the technical constraints of projects early in the process. Basically, we are shaping our tools and working methods to give more relevance to the exploration/discussion of concepts and experimentation with languages, and to spend less time with technical issues.

“Responsible” design has been on the minds of designers today. Creating sustainable designs has become more of a focus. Given your packaging design, for example, is this something you consider in your work?

We would like to say that this is always a premise, but it would not be true. The truth is that sometimes it is very upsetting for us to have to abandon certain materials or techniques. If we try to use sustainable materials – and the truth is that most of our work is printed on recycled or recyclable paper – we tend to trust that the printers will do the same, e.g. in the inks they use.

Of course, it can't stop there, and often what defines the final format or materials for a particular object takes into account how long it will last. This becomes important in regards to these issues. It's different to choose the materials, or even the media, for an object that has to communicate for an unlimited period of time and the materials or media used for an ephemeral object that will last for two or three weeks, or even a month. We often see objects of very short duration with incredible finishings (expensive and unsustainable). For us, this kind of approach does not make much sense.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Portugal that everyone who might be not familiar with your design community should know?

Barbara says
Ilhas Studio
Colónia
Degrau
João Faria
R2
Silva Designers
Dobra
Desisto

Finally, how can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Portuguese design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Starting from the last question, there aren't many blogs or magazines specialised in design in Portugal. However, there are two authors of special relevance dedicated to critical writing about design: Mário Moura, professor, design critic and curator, and Frederico Duarte, also professor, critic and curator.

Both also have several books dedicated to the subject.

We would also like to highlight the work being developed by ESAD-Idea, a design research center, which is currently responsible for programming the “Casa do Design” in Matosinhos and which also has a series of publications on design theory and practice.

Going now to the first question, it is our understanding that the communication between designers and the communities of designers should be less driven by styles or trends and more open to diversity. It is in the discussion of different ideas and approaches that we enrich everyone's work and, through that, the field of design.

Your interview series is an example of an interesting way to put designers in dialogue and we thank you for letting us be part of it.

__

Thank you for doing this with us, Jorge! The energy and dimension in Portugal's design community is obvious, and we're excited to follow your work as well as these other fantastic studios you shared here. We look forward to seeing what Koiástudio creates next.

April 8, 2020No Comments

Design in Argentina 🇦🇷 featuring Twentyfive

For the latest addition to our Design Around the World series, we are going back to South America, this time to Argentina.

My associations with Argentina are based on the Argentinians I know: They are vibrant, warm, full of life. And through talking with those people I know Argentina is a beautiful yet complex place to live. What I didn't know is how that affects designers and their work.

Here we get into it with Ariel Di Lisio, founder & creative director at Twentyfive branding agency in Buenos Aires.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Twentyfive and why did you decide to open your own design studio?

We are currently two people. Ana is a digital art designer and I work as a design director. We work with some people remotely – designers, illustrators, copywriters and programmers.

I always worked independently, until at one point I wanted to set up a studio to improve my work, add more quality, and therefore have more clients. Also opening your studio is a great challenge, which tests our ability in several aspects.

Ana, digital art designer at TwentyFive

Buenos Aires had a big creative/arts scene in the 1920s. Is that still the case? Is there energy and conversation about design happening among your community? What about in Argentina overall?

Argentina has a very strong creative design energy. There are many designers, therefore the design scene is very present through events, conferences, festivals.

It seems to me that all that energy is scattered; we are not very united as a community. I believe that we should be more united to enhance our work more, show ourselves better and empower ourselves.

For a long time Argentina exported many designers, mostly in the 1990s. A few years ago that happened again. Many designers decided to leave the country. That is not good for the Argentine design community, but it is good for everyone who wants to look for their future where it is better.

So, there is a strong design scene but we need to be more united as a community.

"In Argentina, unfortunately, we are used to crises. We live with it."

Do many platforms and events exist in Buenos Aires / Argentina that connect you with other designers?

There are several events, not platforms, or at least I do not know.

There is a very big design event that has been taking place for more than 15 years and that brings together more than 4,000 people. That is the biggest event and that connects many designers. Also, there are other smaller but also important.

It is important that there are events that serve to connect with other designers.

In talking with friends from Argentina, I know the current social and financial situation is on many Argentinians’ minds. How does this affect your work as designers?

In Argentina, unfortunately, we are used to crises. We live with it. There are moments of calm, and that is very good. But when the financial crisis is great, it brings problems.

It is very complex to explain what happens. At some point you could not work abroad because you could not make a bank transfer; it was not allowed (yes, that difficult and crazy). There are many issues related to the dollar that would be long to count... This is undoubtedly very damaging to our work.

In Argentina, you not only have to think of your work as such, but also live with these situations that directly or indirectly affect your work.

Argentina is wonderful, but not in these cases.

I read that Argentina’s financial struggles in the late 90s / early 2000s left most designers working for clients overseas. Is that still the case today? Do you work mostly with local clients or international clients?

Exactly. It happened in the '90s that many designers decided to go to work in other countries due to the deep crises that occurred. Today something similar is happening although the crisis is not the same.

I work with international clients, but most of my clients are local. In 2019 I launched my foundry with my partner, Aldo Arillo. He is Mexican, and we decided to build society in Mexico. That is another type of business and in this way it allows us to work with clients around the world.

"There is something that equals us all and it is the ability to think. We should make more use of it."

How would you describe the design you see coming from Argentina today? Is it influenced by your culture/history in any way?

I think that for many years, the Argentine design had a look similar to everything that was done in Latin America: a lot of color, collage, etc. Somehow you still see that although to a lesser extent; I imagine it is present in the DNA.

In my case it does not happen. My design was always related to European design, (Germany, UK, Switzerland). I imagine that is due to the strong typographic presence that exists in my work and the simplicity that I manage.

Many times they told me that I should go to work in those countries. I had the opportunity on several occasions, but I decided to stay in my country and pursue a career here.

"There was very little to look for inspiration. The inspiration was from the street, in the music and in a search of our own."

Some might argue the internet has homogenized design, with everyone looking outward (especially to the West) for inspiration. How do you feel about globalization and its effect on Argentina’s design identity?

It is true, long ago everything is within reach of a click.

I come from a culture where the internet did not exist. There is something that equals us all and it is the ability to think. We should make more use of it.

I was educated without the internet; we didn't have access to almost anything. Design and / or typography books did not reach Argentina. There was very little to look for inspiration. The inspiration was from the street, in the music and in a search of our own.

I don't watch much of what happens. I design the fonts for almost all the projects I do, I try to generate new languages. My search is to other side. I think it is good to be able to see everything that happens in the world in a very easy way, but it is simply that.

Yes, it is true that globalization transformed design a little in Argentina. You could see what was happening elsewhere and that served as inspiration for many of the new generations.

You do a lot of branding and typography work. With most big rebrands today, we see companies leaving behind the old quirky logomarks in favor of extremely simple, sans-serif text for a logo.

What’s your opinion on this trend?

That is true. I think that in some cases it was positive, but in many others it was not. The problem with following a trend is that everything looks the same. Many logos lost personality and that is not good.

Each brand has a message, and I feel that several lost it. You have to be very careful with trends. The problem with trends is that they do not last over time, and that cannot happen in a logo.

Like any trend, there is an overuse of it.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

I spend little time on social networks; there is something I still cannot understand. I don't know if it only serves to show my work or to get clients. I think it only serves to show my work and in a lower percentage to get new clients.

It is a pending task to give more importance to my presence on social networks. I don't know what is better: I am on Instagram, Behance... Facebook and Twitter I almost don't use. And my website.

But I think social networks are very good.

I read that it took many years for graphic design to become part of the university curriculum in Argentina, but there seems to be some influential design programs in schools now.

What is design education currently like in Argentina? Are many designers choosing to study or are most self-taught?

Many universities have graphic design in their study plans. That is very good. The University of Buenos Aires is where the largest number of people who choose a graphic design career meet.

Most people choose to study; I don't know many people who have made a career of being self-taught.

Also, the UBA (University of Buenos Aires) has a postgraduate degree in branding and a master in Typography. I am part of the branding postgraduate staff since four years.

What does good design mean to Twentyfive, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues Argentina faces?

It is difficult to explain the meaning of good design. There are many projects that I see and like. At Twentyfive we try to design projects that generate impact. As I said before, we seek to generate new languages, we try to break with the established, to go further. It is a great challenge to achieve this in each project, but the search is that.

There is a lot of work time put into each project. We do tests and more tests until we are convinced that what we are going to present is the best we could do.

I'm not sure that design can solve bigger problems facing Argentina, but we can help.

Do Argentinian clients, generally speaking, appreciate good design and understand what it takes?

I always say the same thing when asked what kind of clients are looking for Twentyfive. They are clients who understand the value of design and the impact this can generate on their brands. So constant effort is satisfying.

I read that the work of Lucien Achille Mauzan in the 1920s still has a big influence on poster design in Argentina today. Is poster design still relevant in your community?

I'm not so sure that it will continue to influence poster design in Argentina.

Poster design has a presence; I like to see the city with good posters. Also, there is a great presence of murals and street art. That is seen more and more. Many designers and illustrators are working in that area.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Argentina that everyone who might be not familiar with the Argentinian design community should know?

Five design studios that I like:

Six and five
Cinco
Playful
Yani & Guille
Hueso

How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Argentinian design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

I believe that everyone from their side can collaborate in making a design community. Being good professionals, helping us and respecting us. I don't know any blogs or magazines that we can follow. I think that as we said before, everything is within everyone's reach.

Let's be better and better.

__

Thanks so much for taking the time to talk with us, Ariel. We'll be following TwentyFive's work (and these other incredible Argentinian design studios you shared) and look forward to seeing more from the Argentinian design community.

March 9, 2020No Comments

Design in Nigeria 🇳🇬 featuring Kolapo Oni

We started our Design Around the World interview series in Nigeria with Dá Design Studio. It was a defining place to begin.

We learned about the challenges of designing in a country where design is considered a luxury, and the vision two designers had for the future of Nigerian design. That was three years ago.

Recently, in catching up with Seyi from Dá Design (I had the honor of meeting him in person this year!) I learned plenty has changed since 2017. So we decided to continue the conversation, this time with Lagos-based designer & front-end developer, Kolapo Oni.

Here we talk with Kolapo about the fast-growing tech scene in Nigeria, the radically changing quality of design work and the bold, new confidence of the Lagos design community.

First, tell us a little more about yourself. What first made you interested in design and development, and how did you learn? Do you work independently?

My name is Kolapo Oni. I’m a web designer and front-end developer with a passion for interactive design, aesthetics and clean user interfaces. I love photography, and I take nice pictures which I mostly put on VSCO. I’m also interested in architecture and interior design – I have boards on Pinterest where I curate this.

I enjoy crafting beautiful and interactive experiences. This passion, coupled with the fact that I studied computer science at university, also played a part in my design and development journey. My first major experience in design started from game design and two really interesting games I designed are Pong & Fading. Fading is a minimalist 2D game where you traverse the mind of a man whose wife is dying of cancer. I started working on it while I was in university and it took quite a bit of my time as I had to do UI design and level design alongside programming. The process I worked through for Fading is pretty much how my learning process goes. It’s mostly individual learning, loads of practice and teaching myself the things I want to know.

Getting into web design, I started out designing interactive web experiences and some relevant projects I’ve worked on to date are beautiful experiences, Ose games and my 2019 Year in Review site. You can check out my portfolio website to see more interesting projects I’ve worked on. Although I freelance occasionally, I currently work full-time as a front-end developer at the digital lab of Sterling bank in Lagos, Nigeria, where we’re focused on building digital products. At the work front, a product I’ve worked on is a digital bank called Gomoney, for which I’ve had to work on the early access website, the marketing blog, a web payment portal, as well as a dashboard for viewing user transactions.

Kolapo's portfolio homepage

Africa is one of the fastest-growing tech markets in the world. How do you see that affecting your work and the creative/design scene right now? Does the growth feel tangible in any specific way at this point?

Yes, the growth is quite tangible. From Nigeria alone, these past few years have seen a drastic rise in a couple of tech companies (both old and new) and this has kind of broadened the career diversity in the tech space. Now there are more graphic designers, photographers and content writers and other creative roles in the tech space than we’d have seen like, five years ago. As a person who draws inspiration from my environment and people around me, the diversity in the tech space has made a positive impact on how I think and work.

Web design & development work for Ose Games. Duru (@durustudios on Instagram) created the 3D models.

As we understand it, getting design gigs can be more difficult in Nigeria because clients believe they will get higher quality work elsewhere.

Is this still true today, generally speaking? How is it for you, especially working independently?

Looking at 2017 till now, we have seen a positive radical change in the quality of work that Nigerian designers have been putting out, so I don’t think getting design gigs based on quality of work is more difficult for Nigerian designers. I know designers who get gigs both within and outside Nigeria. I’ve also had discussions with a few clients interested in working together based on my portfolio.

As recently as last year, I got more emails and messages from people I’ve never met, from Nigeria, Europe and the U.S. appreciating my work. So if we’re discussing quality of work, I think the global impression is positive as more than a few of us are already known for putting out dope work.

What is your opinion of the current state of graphic design in Nigeria right now? What about in Africa overall?

I can’t really say about Africa in general, but for Nigeria, particularly Lagos, the current graphic design scene is becoming bold and daring because studios like Dá Design and Niyi Okeowo have set new standards and raised the bar of expectations for graphic and visual design in Nigeria. This can be seen from a couple of outstanding works they’ve put out there.

In our interview with Dá Design Studio, Seyi said many local clients, when outsourcing their work to other countries, “fail to realize the importance of context in design, especially when designing for Nigerians.”

What makes designing for Nigerians different? What is the context a designer from South Africa, for example, might not have?

I agree that context plays an important role in design. Generally, culture and environment influence design, and certain elements like color and language hold cultural values. Language, for one, is diverse across nations and color is also an element that can have different meanings across cultures. A South African designing for Nigerians might find it difficult to convey a message a Nigerian can pass across when working with translations that deal with metaphors. Same way a Nigerian designer might struggle in the South African context.

Yaba, Lagos

Have you been able to find a network or circle of like-minded creatives in Lagos? Any local design platforms or networks that you participate in?

For me, it’s mostly casual hangouts with friends that are already in the creative space. There are also events centered around art, photography and design I’ve attended in Lagos.

Usable is also a design meet-up that is held every last Thursday of the month at CCHUB in Yaba, Lagos. It is one of the most consistent design meetups, which I’ve attended a couple of times.

In our interview with Dami and Seyi, we learned good design is still considered a luxury in Nigeria, given the country’s other more pressing problems.

Why do you think good design is important (despite or maybe because of these problems) and what does good design mean for you?

So irrespective of these problems, I think good design is important because it improves our day-to-day experience and interaction with our environment by making our lives easier. In our general daily life, we interact with hardware, spaces and digital products, so I would say industrial design, digital product design, architecture and interior design all play important roles in our lives either directly or indirectly. I  think the outcomes from these fields are crucial. If, for example, I find it hard to use a blender, navigate a site or use an app, it will inevitably make my life more difficult, but good design will cut these problems off before I even interact with them.

Lekki-Ikoyi link bridge

Though Lagos can be a beautiful city, I understand there are also certain pressing problems that still affect us daily. I think good design is very important because you honestly don’t want to make something that’s going to add to the existing level of stress and chaos.

For me, good design means intuitiveness and clear expression of function.
Good design is timeless.
Good design is great storytelling.

"I honestly believe that if you are consistently putting out good work... you will draw the right attention and eventually gain visibility."

You are all about good taste and aesthetics. Do you see other Nigerian designers with the high level of taste who want to raise the bar for good design?

What do designers in Nigeria need most right now in order to do that?

Yes, there are a couple of Nigerian designers doing great work. I’ve worked with some of them, and I have seen some beautiful work from other designers I haven’t personally interacted with.

I think staying inspired, being open-minded and always pushing the boundaries as to what’s achievable is something that’s really important in raising the bar for good design.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

For me, it’s Twitter. I’ve made a couple of relevant connections and gotten gigs just talking about a site I designed and my work in general on Twitter.

I believe doing good work isn’t enough. You also have to showcase your work on platforms where you’re active or reachable. And I honestly believe that if you are consistently putting out good work, even if you don’t share all of it, you will draw the right attention and eventually gain visibility.

Also the fact that my work has been featured on web design platforms like Typewolf and thegalley.io this year has amplified my visibility. A few clients have reached out just seeing my work featured on these platforms.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Nigeria that everyone who might be not familiar with the Nigerian design community should know?

Dá Design Studio (brand identity and art direction)
Niyi Okeowo (art direction & photography)
Spacefinish (interior design)
Tomi Odusanya (web design)
Joshua Oluwagbemiga (product design)
Spazio Ideale (interior design)
Dare Adekoya (product design)
Onyekachi Mbaike (product design)
Duru Azubuike (Photography & 3d design)
Feyisayo Sonubi (product design)

How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Lagos design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Besides a few design gatherings that are held from time to time (like Usable), I think having more casual hangouts with other designers and creatives would help.

At the moment, I don’t know of any major platforms you can check about design in Lagos. However, an idea I’ve been toying with is a podcast interviewing creatives in Lagos, and designing a site to showcase great work from creatives based in Lagos. I think these will help a lot.

__

Keep an eye on Nigeria and specifically Lagos – it's obvious a lot more is coming from this design community and it's happening fast. The links above are a good place to start, as well as Kolapo's website and Instagram. We look forward to seeing what another three years bring for Nigerian design.

October 29, 2019No Comments

Design in Tokyo 🇯🇵 featuring Irobe Design Institute

We recently started exploring design in Japan through our Design Around the World series, starting with Nagasaki. Now we are looking at the design scene in Tokyo with Irobe Design Institute.

Given the breadth and quality of design in Japan, we knew we still had much to learn after our interview with DEJIMAGRAPH in Nagasaki. We also knew exactly who we wanted to hear from. The team at Irobe Design Institute, based in Tokyo, creates pristine brand identities, wayfinding systems, packaging design and more. They've received awards from Tokyo Art Directors Club Japan One Show Design and D&AD, to name a few. So we were thrilled when Yoshiaki Irobe himself agreed to chat with us.

Here we talk with Yoshiaki Irobe about the lack of quality design education in Japan, how one small action can trigger big change and, of course, the 2020 Summer Olympics logo.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Irobe and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

My team is based in Nippon Design Center, Inc. (NDC). Speaking of, I’m still a member of NDC which is a long-established design company in Japan. After I joined NDC in 2003, I was in a big team which heads Kenya Hara. Eventually I got an offer for an individual from clients, which led to having my own team inside NDC. At the beginning of 2011, I was the only team member. Now we have eight designers, including myself and a project manager.

Japanese design is known the world over, but tell us a bit about design community in Tokyo specifically. Tokyo is considered the design hub in Japan – what makes it so special? And do many platforms and events exist in Tokyo that connect you with other designers?

Everything is gathering Tokyo — not only culture (including design) but also business and politics. So when you see it from outside of Japan, this makes Tokyo special.

When we take it inside of Japan, geographically Tokyo is located in the middle of the Japanese archipelago, so many cultures are crossing by each other and mixed on average. This could also be what makes Tokyo special. These days there are energetic graphic designers based in the Kansai area (the west side of the Japan center on Osaka) and Hokkaido. 

We all have an idea of Japanese design in our minds, to the point where some might stereotype it or think of cliches (minimalism being one of them). How would you generally describe the design you see coming from Tokyo and Japan today?

Speaking with the perspective of a long history, there are two contrasting aesthetic senses in Japan. One is the austere beauty represented by ISE JINGU, which has a link to minimalism. The other is the flashy beauty represented by NIKKO TOSHOGU SHRINE

I feel that there is nothing like a big “ism” or style that should be noted recently. It may seem that the individual preferences are subdivided and it could feel “weak” as the entire tendency. Looking at the last 5-10 years, especially on the economic side, the rapid growth period is over and the maturity period is reached in various ways. 

I feel that the cycle of making new things (whether it is necessary or not) has stopped, and the movement to use and modify what already exists is increasing. 

In Europe, hundreds of years of historical buildings have been renovated and used carefully. As a recent tendency of Tokyo, many buildings that do not have historical value are renovated in the same way, yet without the historical value. These kinds of approaches are increasing more and more.

Recently, I was in charge of the renovation project of the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tokyo with Jo Nagasaka, an architect. Unless it was a relatively new building completed in 1995, it was necessary to renovate only with the new sign system and furniture, without touching the design of the architecture due to ordinances. 

For a museum with a hard impression made of stone, iron and glass, a combination of materials such as cork and wood gives the space a softness. A flexible sign, and a furniture system created changes in conductors and location. In the future, I feel that the movement to devise and improve existing things will be activated, regardless of whether the product is new or old.

"Visual language is global and can easily cross a border like a verbal language, and the internet environment is pushing this further."

Globalization seems to be a big topic on designers’ minds today, specifically the concern about Western influence. How do you feel about globalization and its impact on design in Japan? Do you see designers reacting and striving for individuality in their work?

Visual language is global and can easily cross a border like a verbal language, and the internet environment is pushing this further. For example, it was hard to imagine a European designer knowing my design only half a century ago. For designs that have evolved in small communities, the range and depth of expression seem to be rapidly evolving with the environment that knowledge from around the world can be shared. 

Many designs I see from Japan, especially poster designs, combine both Japanese and Latin/Roman characters. Is this just an aesthetic choice or do most of your designs need to cater to an international audience?

Needs to target an international audience is also an opportunity. In the first place, Japanese typography is made up of a combination of three different characters: Chinese characters transmitted from China, Katakana created based on them, and Hiragana, which was originally evolved. 

Of course, there is no problem if English is included in the Japanese text. Accepting and changing such different languages is the complexity of Japanese and makes it interesting as well. It's difficult to think about design with different elements, but it's a unique point. It may be a sense that is not compatible with minimalism, but I think creation while accepting complexity is also a unique Japanese sensibility that was nurtured through everyday life.

I’ve read that Japanese typeface design can be so complex, designers often create characters just for specific headlines, rather than designing a full typeface. Is that accurate for your work? 

Unlike the alphabet, Japanese has about 3,000 characters, so it takes time to develop from scratch. In addition, even if the kanji was used on a regular basis, there are 1 to 23 strokes, so unlike the alphabet, the density of characters can be greatly uneven. Furthermore, Katakana and Hiragana, which have a small number of strokes on average, have a different line quality of the characters themselves, and the combination itself is very complicated.

From what I've read, the Tohoku earthquake of 2011 had a big impact on Japanese design, shifting the priority from style/personality to form and function. Has this impacted you and your work in any specific way?

I don't think that my design trend has changed due to the Great East Japan Earthquake of 2011. If anything, because of the nuclear accident, I think I have a higher consciousness of disaster preparedness. In addition to this, I think that people are becoming more aware of sustainability and the community.

Do you see Japan moving toward more environmentally friendly designs?

At a global level, Japan may still be less aware of the ecosystem. Excessive packaging is one of the serious problems in the Japanese market. Regarding the package design that I am working on, I would like to eliminate waste as much as possible, including the cost aspect. However, on the other hand, material-rich expressions such as paper made by craftsmen should remain necessary. 

I read that Japanese designers still seek a contrast between traditional design craftsmanship and new media in their work. But it seems that Tokyo specifically is diverse and open to new ideas. Where do you stand on this? 

I want to be open to new media all the time, and also want to be open to the diversity of each project, not to stick to my own expression. On the other hand, even if it is a new method, I would like to have a natural relationship with something like the history of graphics.

What are the job opportunities available for designers in Tokyo right now?

It is difficult to answer because job opportunities are becoming increasingly diverse. In Japan, there are high expectations for inbound demand for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the 2025 Osaka Expo, so various facilities have been newly created and renovated. There seems to be a lot of projects related to such development.

What is design education like in Tokyo? And do most designers seek a formal education?

I don't think there is a system that can define design education in Tokyo. Especially when I was a student, the curriculum is quite focused on creating. There were not many teachers who were asking the way of thinking and process. I think the current situation seems to have changed considerably, but at that time there were only a few teachers who had practiced it. To be honest, I think it was quite immature as design education. 

Related with my current team members, I think we have a variation of members who have unique experiences. In that way, rather than passively educated people, we have many members who have been actively investigating their interests, and I think it is good to have such people gathered.

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Many designers, including myself, have studied mainly on print media, but we also actively propose dynamic on-screen media. Visual design is a technology that instantly conveys sensuously across languages.

Don't stick to the familiar tools in seeking how to communicate. Our team continues to challenge themselves and pursue this possibility.

Tokyo is so large and moves so fast, I imagine the design industry does too. Do agencies have the same crazy, fast-paced nature as we do in New York?

I don't know the situation in New York clearly, but I feel that the West coast is changing more rapidly with the development of technology. In Tokyo, the industry itself seems to be a slow tempo compared to the speed of the whole city. The overall trend is that rather than being renewed within each design agency, newborn teams are creating something new and pushing for change. 

Under such circumstances, Nippon Design Center (to which my team belongs) is an old company with a 60-year history, but we keep evolving with proper speed. Based on the idea of “identify and visualize the essence”, we will continue to create with the intention of being both authentic and innovative.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you actively work with international clients or focus mostly on local clients? And do businesses typically work with local designers and studios?

I am actively working with overseas clients. This is because there is a desire to expand the ability to visualize the essence of ourselves to the unknown. And I don't think it's global because it's an overseas project. On the other hand, just because it is a Japanese region, I do not think that it is not global. Companies, countries and regions are all local when viewed from the surroundings, and I think it is our role to visualize and open local attractions in an easy-to-understand manner.

Based on my research, it seems that the government doesn’t provide much support for design in Japan. Given the popularity of design there, I found that surprising. What do you personally think needs to happen in Japan for this to change?

I think that there are two specific actions to get the government to recognize the importance of design and get support.

The first is to create a national design museum. It may seem surprising, but Japan does not have it. It is a shame that the value of design is not recognized despite the fact that we have globally famous designers in fashion, architecture, products and graphics. 

The second is a change in education since childhood. In Japan, from elementary school to high school, design belongs to a sub-category that is introduced on several pages of art textbooks. I think it’s good too, teaching it as a separate subject while recognizing the commonality with paintings and sculptures. Personally, I think that design is a technique that can contribute to society and people in a different way from art. In order for people to live better in various situations, we need a lot of design power, and I think it is important to spread the benefits.

With the popularity of design in Tokyo and the number of new businesses opening every day in the city, how do you strive to stand out from the competition?

While observing the status of other companies from time to time, we are basically focused on generating the best solutions for our projects. We don't do anything to differentiate ourselves from other companies. However, I think that it is important to differentiate the design itself from the others, so we are working on design that is not possible or conceivable by others.

"Please do not hesitate to take any action based on your own thoughts. Something should change regardless of how big it is."

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

I haven't analyzed the cause so I don't know, but in Japan, there is a unique saying: "if the wind blows the bucket, makers prosper." It means that one trigger can have eventual effects in unexpected ways. The important thing is that nothing will start unless you take action to make the wind of the first move. 

I believe that there are endless possibilities to connect people, including this interview (laughs). I had an independent proposal to rethink Japan's address plate even though nobody asked me, and these activities went around and led to a branding project for a national park in Japan. If there is a young person reading this article, please do not hesitate to take any action based on your own thoughts. Something should change regardless of how big it is.

I am also a believer in small actions leading to big change and have seen that to be true for myself.

Do you think good design can impact your society in a significant way or solve any issues it faces? And what does good design mean to you?

It’s a simple and difficult question. I don't want to define it strictly in my personal sense. There is also the term “optimal solution” that represents a good design, but it is the language on the side of accepting the design, not the language on the side of creating/providing the design like us. 

Personally, I think that the term “individual solution” is more appropriate because I think many projects require individual, special answers. I would be very happy if I could solve the big and small problems I faced through my skills and ideas.

In your opinion, what are the top design studios from Tokyo that everyone who should know? 

This is the hardest question to answer… There are so many interesting studios in Japan that make it difficult to choose. And there are various indicators such as uniqueness and solidity. 

From well-balanced, medium-sized design companies such as NDC, we belonging to private studios where individuality stands out, there are so many attractive studios. If we have a chance to have dinner together, let me answer this question.

How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Japanese design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

If we have a closed impression from the outside, that is what we should care for more. Some magazines have a history such as IDEA magazine, but I can't find any design journalism that I think is interesting now. If there’s anything interesting outside of Japan, please let me know.

The 2020 Summer Olympics logo has been controversial in the design community, with a non-official concept finding more favor on the internet than the official logo. What's your take on the official logo? And are you noticing lots of positive design opportunities and initiatives in Tokyo as the Olympics get closer?

As a personal opinion, I do not think that it is perfect as a design. From the viewer’s perspective, the Olympics is a highly entertaining event, so picking up such expectations well is the most important. In that way, I don’t think it responds enough.

From a more specialized point of view, I'm most concerned with the type design. The formability and concept of the emblem are great, but the type design is too reluctant. Since this is a national event, couldn't there be any form of advice or collaboration from experts with knowledge of typography? I’m disappointed, a little.

But if you give me a question of right or wrong, my answer is right. I think that it is an extremely wonderful proposal in terms of the proposal ability of the emblem. I think that there has never been a case where the commonality and difference between the Olympics and the Paralympics have been so vividly expressed. But to the extent I can now know, no positive changes or initiatives have been found so far. After the first emblem that was chosen had trouble and was withdrawn, the design feels a little timider than before because of fear of criticism.

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Yoshiaki Irobe, thank you so much for talking with us. We look forward to seeing what you and your team do next and seeing where each project, large and small, leads you from here.

Friends, check out Irobe Design Institute's work and if you know of any great design literature in Tokyo or elsewhere, share it with us and Yoshiaki Irobe. And if you're just discovering our Design Around the World series for the first time, you can catch up here.

October 1, 2019No Comments

Design in Nagasaki 🇯🇵 featuring DEJIMAGRAPH

With this long-awaited addition to our Design Around the World series, meet DEJIMAGRAPH, a planning and design studio based in Nagasaki.

Somehow, this is our first look into the vibrant design community in Japan. Perhaps it's because good design is in such abundance in Japan, we barely knew where to start. Then we discovered DEJIMAGRAPH, a tiny team of four focused on branding, packaging design and planning, and were instantly drawn to their work. Working exclusively with local clients in the small city of Nagasaki, the team has a unique perspective on design in Japan.

Here we talked with Yuko Maltino Murakawa and Junichi Hayama about design in Nagasaki, how the city's complex history influences that design, and the balance between preserving tradition and challenging it.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Dejimagraph and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

DEJIMAGRAPH Inc. is a small office with three designers and a copywriter who also works as a planner. 

We offer various advertising work, package designs and product planning, as well as product branding. We support our clients’ projects from the planning stage to the end, communicating product values through reasonable and heartwarming designs. We believe that great designs provide comfort and happiness for both our clients and their customers. 

Tell us about the design community in Japan and specifically, Nagasaki. Do many platforms and events exist in Nagasaki that help you connect with other designers?

Although there are some large organizations of designers and creators in Japan, we have a chance to get together only once a year or so. On the other hand, designers in closer areas can meet more often. I am glad that we can see each other quite easily because of the physical distance. 

Speaking of Nagasaki, there are not many events or platforms for designers to gather in one place. In the Kyushu area, however, there is a group called Kyushu Art Directors Club, and they hold K-ADC AWARD once every three years as well as different types of events. In Nagasaki, designers usually meet and connect with each other individually. 

We all have an idea of Japanese design in our minds, to the point where some might stereotype it or think of cliches (minimalism being one of them). How would you describe the design you see coming from Nagasaki and Japan today? 

Not only in Japan, but also anywhere in the world, logo design and typography are becoming more and more minimal and simple due to the web. One good example is that decisions are made depending on whether the design is easier to be applied as an icon on smartphones. 

In Japan, the design trend varies in each region. For example, design in Nagasaki is greatly influenced by Western culture and Chinese culture. It is because Nagasaki was once the only port open to overseas trading ships during the Edo period. Unique patterns developed in Nagasaki which were inspired by the national flags that foreign ships were flying. These have been firmly established as well as red and yellow colors often seen in Chinese culture. We often get comments from designers from outside of Nagasaki such as, “I see a lot of colors in Nagasaki” or “things are so colorful here.”

These days, in Japan, branding and design that emphasize distinctive features of the locality seems to be in trend.

See these unique patterns, for example.

"Inspiration always comes from the clients, and the idea of preserving our individuality is not the top priority here."

Globalization seems to be a big topic on designers’ minds today, specifically the concern about Western influence.  How do you feel about globalization and its impact on design in Japan? Do you see designers reacting and striving individuality in their work?

Actually, we have never thought about globalization as we do our job. What we always have in mind is to value the design created through communication with our clients, rather than the design we want. Inspiration always comes from the clients, and the idea of preserving our individuality is not the top priority here.  

Many designs I see from Japan, especially poster designs, combine both Japanese and Latin/Roman characters. Is this just an aesthetic choice or do most of your designs need to cater to an international audience?

I guess it is similar to when Westerners use Kanji (Chinese characters) and Katakana in design. Latin/Roman figures are so simple and beautiful that they are often used in design as an aesthetic choice. (Most younger generations now can read simple English words, so sometimes English words are adopted as a title.) But I know on some occasions, Roman characters are used just to ensure the message is understandable for foreigners.

In Nagasaki, there are a lot of inbound visitors, so it is sometimes necessary to use these characters. Still, it is my impression that they are used for an aesthetic purpose in general.   

I’ve read that Japanese typeface design can be so complex, designers often create characters just for specific headlines, rather than designing a full typeface. Is that accurate for your work? 

We often make fonts when we believe existing ones cannot express our intentions. Japanese people deal with a great number of characters: numbers, Roman characters, Hiragana, Katakana and Kanji. Kanji conveys not only the sounds, but also the meanings (ideographs). 

It is probably in the nature of Japanese people to see emotional overtones and special meanings carried in each character. Maybe that’s why we are particular about small details in the shapes of each character. We feel those details show emotion and atmosphere. And that makes us want to create unique fonts. Whenever we create new fonts, we are always careful to make them legible and easy to read in order to deliver the message without fail – not just appeal visually as a part of a design.   

In our design community in the States, we still struggle with collaboration between content and design. Design usually comes first, resulting in placeholder copy, and teams don’t have a clear process for true collaboration. 

Murakawa, as a copywriter and planner, how is it for you? Is content valued and understood in your community, or do you struggle to fight for copy’s role in a project?

Here is how we go about it:

First of all, we define what the creative works are for in the project. 

Share it with everyone on the team.

Share the goals with the clients.

Choose the best possible means to achieve the goals. 

We and our clients want to have the best outcome, so we all simply have to look in the same direction.  

In Dejimagraph, planning and copy are prioritized. We believe that it is a natural flow in working with clients. I take part in a project as a creative director, so I usually set a definite policy before our designers start their job, including the ideas and concepts that the designers must follow. Our designers do not design completely freely on their own discretion. 

I usually explain to our team the importance of copy as well. If the designers can do the designs as they like without considering the whole, the goals of the clients’ business will not be achieved.

We are not artists. The source of our creativity is our clients. Our clients have a set of clear goals in their business. And our job is to play the creative part in order for our clients to achieve their goals.

It is not “design first,” but it is more likely to be “client first” or “business first.” We sort out and re-form the concepts of our clients’ services and products so that the values of the products and services can be easily understood.  We first describe the direction of creative works using words and share them with our clients. Designs can be understood so differently between individuals, so words help everyone to have less misunderstandings.

Creating a logo design is one of the major works that we deal with, but words always proceed.

Copy and words are essential in design, and of course, vice versa. 

I read that the Tohoku earthquake of 2011 had a big impact on Japanese design, shifting the priority from style/personality to form and function. Has this impacted you and your work in any specific way?

After the earthquake, many people shifted their attention from designing for business to designing for society, creating design that can solve social problems.  

Japan is the only nation that was the victim of atomic bombs. Nagasaki is one of two locations where the bombs were dropped. There is an education program in Nagasaki in which people here can learn the importance of peace and the misery of atomic bombs from a young age. With this background, our designers have been conscious of designs that convey those messages. In this respect, we can say that design to serve society and to solve problems has been a focus since long ago. 

Japan also seems to be moving toward more environmentally friendly designs. Do you see this to be true in packaging / branding design like you do?

It’s true. Nowadays, more clients are interested in employing packaging materials that are free of plastic. Besides, from a cost perspective, we try to make a proposal that can avoid excessive packaging.

I read that Japanese designers still seek a contrast between traditional design craftsmanship and new media in their work. Where do you stand on this? Do you consciously seek to work traditional methods into your design or strive for newness?

I'm sure there are aesthetic qualities that can be seen only in handwritten letters and letterpress printing. Since Nagasaki is the place where the letterpress printing method was introduced, we actively adopt those methods if the feeling matches the project scope. The analog feeling and uneven qualities created by such analog methods are very attractive.  

It looks like most or all of the designers on your team have a bachelor’s or even a master’s degree in design. What is design education like in Japan? And do most designers seek a formal education?

Hayama graduated from a design course in high school, but many people who now work as a  designer majored in unrelated fields in school. Graduates of art universities and vocational schools may have had more opportunities to think about design while they were in school and it sure is an advantage for them. Yet, I don’t think the majors in school really matter. 

In Dejimagraph, we value enthusiasm and devotion in design rather than a person's major and expertise. I know some people who purchased a Mac on their own and design as they like while studying engineering or literature in school. We would love to work with people like them. 

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

1. Local governments have been striving to provide information about their unique services in a simple way for local residents by employing design.

2. We see that businesses and local governments are now acting throughout the nation to establish a hub that leads to the revitalization of local communities. There are now more local governments that adopt and utilize design for the purpose of promoting and encouraging more people to settle in depopulated areas.  

Based on my research, I understood that the government doesn’t provide much support for design in Japan. But it sounds like it's slowly becoming more aware of its value. What still needs to happen? 

We need to abolish bureaucracy-led speculative works. Spec works and unpaid competitions have been spreading because the emphasis is placed heavily on fairness. I don’t think the bureaucracy will realize the importance and the value of design in such an environment. The system of such spec works itself needs to be redeveloped. 

Design competitions organized by local governments are often run by members who do not know much about design. All the necessary steps to hold the competition including the drawing of the competition outline, screening process, selection of judges and so on, should be led by experts in the field. To do so, design associations and organizations should be involved more actively.  

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you actively work with international clients or focus mostly on local clients? And do businesses typically work with local designers and studios?

We would love to work with clients overseas. In fact, we sometimes receive offers and requests from overseas. However, we haven’t taken a step forward yet due to the complexity of contracts and differences in business rules and ethics. In order to do business with overseas clients from now on, we definitely need to receive legal support. So, adjusting and enhancing the environment is the first thing we need to do now.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

It does have an impact on getting new clients as well as recruiting designers, etc. But the one that has the greatest impact, which we use the least, is probably Pinterest. It looks like people often go to Pinterest to seek good design. 

A still from DEJIMAGRAPH's video for the Japanese noodle, somen, made in Minamishimabara.

What does good design mean to Dejimagraph, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues it faces?

Good design is design that brings our clients advantages. 

Design that discovers people who empathize with our clients.

We believe that design can solve a lot of major issues in our society. We believe in design.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Nagasaki/Japan that everyone who should know? 

TERASHIMA DESIGN

AKAONI DESIGN

commune

studiowonder

How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Japanese design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

I think it would be interesting if there were opportunities for not only the designers, but also the clients to socialize and communicate with each other. Clients share a common basis in terms of having found the value of design in the first place, and they decided to request a designer to do work. So, I think they will see eye to eye with each other. 

This does not really help our creative works (lol), but there are many articles written here by people who work in the creative field. I can feel refreshed reading those articles. Refreshing your mind sometimes is important. 

__

Murakawa Marino and Junichi Hayama, thank you for your time and thoughts. It's clear there is nowhere quite like Nagasaki, and we're thankful to gain some insight and context for the great design we see coming from the city. We talk a lot about design on this blog, but not enough about how design and content work together. It's refreshing to hear from a studio that puts equal emphasis on both, and learn how that informs your work. We will be following along and can't wait to see more.

April 4, 2019No Comments

Design in Jordan 🇯🇴 featuring Turbo

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, meet Turbo, an independent design studio and creative space in Amman, Jordan.

Throughout this series, we've learned that much of our personal experience as designers is universal. Other designers must work to educate their clients. Other design communities debate the role of design in business. Other design communities are embracing the "new breed" of hybrid designers that fill multiple needs in a company.

But a young design community, fresh-eyed and still finding its footing in the world, has its own unique challenges and opportunities. So is the case for Amman, Jordan's capital. Here we talk with Turbo founders Mothanna and Saeed about Amman's burgeoning design scene, the creative space they carved out in the middle of it and their efforts to push boundaries in their community.

First, let's talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Turbo and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

Both Mothanna Hussein and I founded Turbo together and we continue to be the sole team behind its creations. We are both graphic designers who have been working in the design field for the past 13 years. The decision to establish Turbo was fueled by two reasons:

First, we have both had enough of working in companies where we could not make final decisions or push the boundaries regarding graphic design and general design trends with clients. In addition, there is a general lack of smaller design studios producing well-thought out, wholesome design.

Second, we fell in love with our space when we found it, although it was technically a dump that hadn't been used since the eighties. We felt that once renovated, it could go beyond a typical design studio and give us space to combine work and play.

 

Tell us a bit about the design community in Amman. I read the city is very open and creative, and many young people seek to live there. Yet it seems like the design scene is still fairly new. What are the advantages and disadvantages of living in a city with a young design scene?

The design scene is still young but quite promising. That said, there are some great designers who have been around for quite some time. In recent years, the rise of Instagram and other social media platforms has brought lots of different talent, both old and new, into the limelight.

An advantage is probably that the scene still has a way to go to reach a certain level of saturation and experimentation, so it is fertile ground. Then again, sometimes a certain level of competition is necessary to push everyone forward and evolve — which as things stand right now, is still lacking.

Turbo clearly contributes to that evolution. You participate in Amman Design Week (now in its second year) and host design events and exhibitions yourself in the Turbo space.

Are others out there making an effort to build the community? Do other events and platforms exist in Jordan that help you connect with other designers?

Social media is where one would get to know about other designers, illustrators and makers. As far as events go, from general exhibitions and performances, we get to meet other people in the creative scene. But then again, the scene is quite small and everyone knows each other. Amman is where most activity is when it comes to the arts and design scene.

We heard a lot of “risky,” and “silly” and “why?”

In an interview with The New York Times, Mothanna mentioned, “Everyone was against the idea of Turbo.” Why were people against the idea of your studio? Have opinions and perspectives changed since then?

The area where the studio is located, which is one of the oldest streets in the capital, and the conditions that we found it in were the major reasons behind other people’s skepticism. We heard a lot of “risky,” and “silly” and “why?” Many of those naysayers have since changed their minds, especially once we were done fixing up the space and started hosting different exhibitions, print sales and general pop-ups.

What are the job opportunities available for designers in Jordan right now?

Although more and more dedicated graphic design studios are getting established, a lot of designers have opted-out of working in offices and have been freelancing. Or they freelance on the side of a more corporate job, since big advertising agencies are a place where many designers would start their careers in Jordan.

It is still difficult for smaller studios to sustain stability in a small-ish market where well-paying clients usually choose to work with big advertising agencies.

 How would you describe the design coming out of Amman and Jordan overall right now? Does your culture or environment influence your design in any specific way?

It does, and probably subconsciously. The design coming out of Amman is quite good but again, worthwhile and well-executed design, or even design with a more experimental edge, is still being produced by a small number of individuals and studios for smaller events and clients.

What is design education like in Jordan? Do most designers seek a formal education within the country or overseas? Or do you see many successful designers who are self-taught as well?

Yes, most designers will seek formal education whether here in Jordan or overseas. Graphic design courses have been improving in the past couple of years judging by the grad shows we attend at times. With that said, there are also some with no formal education who are self-taught. Saeed, for example.

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

For many, especially with the current economic situation, design becomes a luxury of sorts. In addition, good graphic design is still undervalued and not fully understood. In many instances, this leads a client to go with a design studio or designer solely based on their price offer.

There is also a fundamental problem which might not be specific to Amman or Jordan. It’s a combination of design being a visual field where personal taste will always come into play (“I like blue”), and the lack of professional trust and understanding when it comes to the client/designer relationship. One does not often argue with a doctor over a diagnosis.

"The day you stop pushing boundaries, whether yours or the client's, is the day you should quit."

We've heard from others in the series who said design is considered a luxury in their country. While that may not be the case generally in the West, uneducated clients can definitely have an impact on our work.

How do you deal with these challenges and how can designers work to change them? In the meantime, are you forced to compromise in any specific ways?

It is a challenge, but we believe that part of our work as designers is to inform and educate the client about the design process and what happens behind the scenes. Either in presentation form or an actual meeting, we would try to explain why and how we reached a certain approach, or why we have opted for one approach and not another.

We think it is of the utmost importance for designers to try and push the expectations of their clients. Work produced with the goal of simply pleasing the client comes out quite bland and lacks character. The day you stop pushing boundaries, whether yours or the client's, is the day you should quit.

In regards to compromise, the compromise is usually in the pricing. Choosing the safer option would make our lives quite easier in many instances, but even when we try, we cannot get ourselves to do it. At the end of the day, the project will come out under our studio's name.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you work with mostly international or local clients, or is it a mix? And do businesses work with local designers or seek agencies outside the country?

It is a mix of both, and yes, most local businesses work with local designers and studios.

 

Being located in a part of the world where conflict and unrest often make international headlines, do you notice any stigma or frustrating stereotypes when connecting with clients or others outside the Middle East?

Not so much stigma as a bad local economic situation, which eventually will play a part in the amount of work one gets.

Economy certainly plays a large part. I know Jordan presents other challenges as well, like water scarcity and a lack of other resources.

What would you say these are unique topics on the mind of designers in Jordan today? For example, is environmentally friendly design a common discussion?

Yes, it is. Seeing what the past two Amman Design Weeks had on display, environmentally friendly design and using design and technology to raise awareness have been a point of focus, from interactive displays and installations to recyclable packaging and materials.

With that said, we as a country have many more problems and needs to attend to before environmentally friendly design becomes a priority.

"In Jordan, word of mouth is king."

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general?

For us, social media attracts an international clientele. In Jordan, word of mouth is king.

What does good design mean to Turbo?

Good design is honest, communicative, and pushes boundaries and expectations.

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 design studios from Jordan that everyone who might be not familiar with Jordan’s design community should know?

Both of us still do our solo projects, so you can check out some personal work here:

And here are some local designers:

How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Jordan design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Not sure how that can be achieved, although it would be quite nice. In regards to Amman, Amman Design Week would be a good place to start, seeing it combines and showcases design from many design fields, whether it's graphic, product, furniture or installation design.

Daftar Asfar (Yellow Notebook) was a project where different artists, designers or illustrators from the region would pass one notebook around, and two different people would complete each other’s work on a single spread of the notebook.

In addition to that, the 100 Best Arabic Posters exhibition/competition is a good place to get to know designers from the region.

A mural in your space reads “Yes Yes.” What does it mean?

There is no meaning behind it. It was a spur of the moment thing that a friend of ours came up with and was conceived and produced in the span of an hour. The calligraphy itself was produced by master calligrapher Hassan Kanaan who we work with often. It is funny – when sitting in the studio, you keep hearing passers-by read it aloud.

__

 

Thank you for sharing your experience with us, Mothanna and Saeed. I admire what you're doing in Amman and hope to check it out the studio in person someday. In the meantime, I'll be following your work and reading up on the other resources you shared. Readers, be sure to check out Turbo's site and follow along with their work on Instagram.

February 1, 2019No Comments

Design in Indonesia 🇮🇩 featuring Sciencewerk

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, meet Sciencewerk, a "micro" design studio based in Surabaya, Indonesia.

When we set out to do this series, we expected to learn about design communities that do or see things differently than we do in the West. To understand how their different cultures, processes, environments or influences compare to our own. And we have. But it's equally enlightening when we see our similarities. This was the case while talking with Sciencewerk.

Here we talk with Danis Sie, Sciencewerk founder and design director, about the misconceived value of design in their country, the relatable designer hiring gap and how to stand out in the "jungle" that is Indonesia.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Sciencewerk and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

At first, I was working overseas for some years. I felt stuck in the rat race and took a few month’s break to finally go back to my hometown in Surabaya.

I founded the studio in 2011 in hope of contributing something to our local design and art scene. It’s a compact studio mainly made up of two divisions, design and illustration. Our Surabaya studio is run by me and Evelina Kristanti. Design is lead by Natasha Ng, and illustration by Yosephine Azalia and Steven Renaldo. Our partners Devina Sugono and Erin Harsono, who are based in Jakarta, lead events, copywriting, interior, content and production.

A glimpse into the Sciencewerk office

Can you tell us more about your design and art scene? I read that design is relatively young in Indonesia. Are there many designers and independent studios like yours, and do many platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers?

There is a design organization based in Indonesia, ADGI (Asosiasi Desain Grafis Indonesia). There is also the government-based organization BEKRAF that was established in 2015 to focus on the Indonesian creative economy. Some creative spaces exist, mostly in Jakarta, that host design-related events such as Dia Lo Gue.

We are a new player in the industry. What I can see is that design business is still heavily-centered in Jakarta, but independent studios outside Jakarta are starting to grow as the demand rises in other cities such as Surabaya (here), Bandung, Malang, Jogjakarta, Bali, etc.

Part of Sciencewerk's identity for Out of The Blue!, a bistro in west Surabaya

Indonesia is a diverse blend of Arabic, Chinese, Malay and European influences. How is this reflected in the design coming out of Indonesia today? Aside from work for clients that follows a brief, do you notice a specific design aesthetic or identity?

I think we are all still struggling to define what Indonesian Design is in the context of graphic design. Most design work here is heavily influenced by other countries and cultures. We have more than 300 local cultures that make it even more complex and difficult to define. Each Indonesian designer is also influenced by their individual experience be it their culture, heritage or where they studied design. Maybe that diversity is part of our identity.

"Nowadays, most companies set expectations very high while new graduates overestimate what their skills are worth."

What are the job opportunities available for designers in Indonesia right now?

The demand is always for the Jack of all Trades designer, of course. Illustration, new media and digital designers are on the rise. The Indonesian market is very big. Creative-based businesses are appearing and there are actually many opportunities for anyone who dares go beyond their comfort zone.

What I find funny here is that there are thousands of design graduates every year, but friends from agencies and studios are having a hard time finding the right candidates. There might be many factors like design skill, taste and resumes involved but in my observation, there is one underlying problem. Nowadays, most companies set expectations very high while new graduates overestimate what their skills are worth. It’s good to be confident, but we must regularly do a reality check by thinking outward, not inward.

Aside from the mismatched expectations, what would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Design value. In Surabaya, some people are still thinking that design is free, so they just pay for the print and they get free design. This practice is rather toxic, undervaluing the design industry especially for next-generation Indonesian designers. So today, we try to educate our clients and people about how design can bring value and profit to their business. Every time we meet a potential client, we still have to explain what we do in the simplest way.

Ningyo the Fishman, a proposed concept for a local rice wine product.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you work with many clients outside of Indonesia or mostly local clients? And do businesses in Indonesia seek to work with local studios?

At the moment, the majority of our clients are local clients. The international ones are those that are expanding their business to Indonesia. Businesses here are starting to consider working with studios regionally. But with the internet, they can work with anyone in other cities too.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

It’s good but still a lot less efficient than personal recommendations and networking. What works best for us is still recommendations.

Identity work for Threelogy, a coffee shop in Surabaya

I read that graphic design in Indonesia originated with politics and propaganda. Do you believe design still has the power to influence the political or social landscape in Indonesia today? For example, I know Indonesia has experienced devastating natural disasters this year. Can design play any part in helping or recovering from issues like this?

Of course graphic design has the power to influence. It subconsciously influences people to act, to buy or to do something. It can solve problems or add problems indirectly.

In the context of political issues in Indonesia, graphic design can add more problems. For example, when creatives are paid to spread political propaganda not knowing whether it’s a fact or a hoax, promoting a candidate that may be a corrupt leader. And so much more. In the context of social issues, I think graphic design is still far away from really helping. It may help but indirectly through awareness.

"Indonesia is like a jungle. There are so many animals and you just need to be a different kind of animal in the jungle."

What does good design mean to you at Sciencewerk? 

Good design makes people happy, think, remember and act.

Good design is relative. Here we can’t force certain principles of good design on all clients and projects. The design industry in Indonesia is like a jungle. Sometimes you will meet someone who appreciates good design, but many others don’t. There are so many animals and you just need to be a different kind of animal in the jungle. This will attract a flock of animals who understand your uniqueness.

"The Last Supper"

In your opinion, what are the top design studios from Indonesia that everyone who might be not familiar with the Indonesia design community should know?

ThinkingRoom

Leboye

Artnivora

Nusae

Table Six

To name a few

Last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with Indonesia’s design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

You should start at DGI.OR.ID.

_

Thank you for your time and honesty, Danis. It's fascinating to see that some of the same issues we struggle with here in the States (the disconnect between companies and designers, for example) are present in other countries as well. We learned a lot talking with you and look forward to seeing how design evolves in Indonesia.

Friends, check out the inspiration Danis shared with us here, and be sure to visit Sciencewerk's site to see what they're doing in Surabaya and beyond.

November 27, 2018No Comments

Design in Taiwan 🇹🇼 featuring HOUTH

Our explorations of design communities around the world have led us everywhere from Brazil to South Africa to Pakistan to China. Now we're looking at design in Taiwan with the lovely team at HOUTH.

HOUTH, a creative studio based in Taipei, is the work of co-founders Ho Wan Chun and Huang Chi Teng. They describe themselves as designers who "appreciate simple, pure things and interpret this hilarious world through a unique perspective." In a time when we as designers take ourselves and our buzzwords very seriously, I appreciate HOUTH's lighthearted outlook.

Here Ho and Hans tell us about the creative landscape in high-tech Taiwan, the country's "mix and match" philosophy and why we should be talking less about globalization and more about good design.

Hey Hans and Ho, excited to have you in the series. First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind HOUTH and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

Ho Wan Chun: Both of us are co-founders of HOUTH. I have been working as a designer in design studios and creative companies for over five years. Everything was uncertain during that time, and opening my own design studio was always only a dream for me. Luckily, I got the chance to visit some cities in Germany in 2014. That was my first time to Europe. What I saw completely changed my mind, especially in Berlin. After the trip, I decided to open my own studio with Hans (Huang Chi Teng).   

Huang Chi Teng: Before we started HOUTH, I had been working in different fields like publishing, marketing, event planning, project management etc., but I always liked to read design/creative-related news. When Ho mention opening a studio with me during my mid-thirties, I knew I needed to do this or the rest of my life would probably be the same.

Ho Wan Chun: Because I love design and he loves photography, we think it’s a good and fresh mix to combine design and photography as a creative design studio.

Hans & Ho

Taipei was named World Design Capital in 2016. It seems like for Taiwan overall though, design is still growing. Can you tell us a bit about your design community? Is there a strong design presence beyond Taipei and do many platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers?

Ho Wan Chun: Young designers are emerging all over Taiwan’s design community. In this information-overloaded age, young people can find design references from the internet easily. More and more designers are willing to do voluntary design proposals to get their opportunities or simply hope to make society or life better. Designers pay close attention to social design than before. It’s good for social development, but also more competitive to run a design business.

Huang Chi Teng: Except for some design joint exhibitions, there are not so many platforms or regular events for designers to hang out or connect with each other.

HOUTH's bottle and packaging design for GQ Taiwan

What are the job opportunities available for designers in Taiwan right now?

Ho Wan Chun: Compared to 10 years ago, the design opportunities now are bigger, better and more flexible. There are so many creative forms to express design from traditional graphic/layout design to product/packaging design to art installation to live events/performances and even interactive experiences and exhibitions.

Huang Chi Teng: More and more people are starting to appreciate design and understand how design can change the game. They would love to put more effort and money into the design field, and create more design-related job opportunities.

Taiwan is the 22nd-largest economy in the world, and its tech industry plays a key role in the global economy. How has this affected the design community? Are many designers working in the tech space?

Ho Wan Chun: We have the most advanced copyrights, skills and technology in the tech industry, but the main business model is still OEM, and other countries which provide cheaper rent and salaries will replace Taiwan sooner or later. It’s time for tech industry owners in Taiwan to seriously think about the next move, and we suggest putting more efforts on “Design Thinking” to change the business model from OEM to ODM.

Huang Chi Teng: Of course, there are many people work in the tech space, like programmers, web/UI designers, product designers, 3D modeling/rendering, AR/VR designers etc., and also some outsourcing projects from the tech industry, like logo, packaging and website design.

The sunny HOUTH office in Taipei

Taiwan has quite a complex culture given its history of colonization. How would you describe the design you see coming from Taiwan today? Do you notice a certain style or formative influences, or is it influenced by your culture in any way?

Ho Wan Chun: Mix and match is the way we describe design here! We have to deal with the conditions and limitations we have and solve the problems with the design method we propose. Taiwan is a small island but at the same time, she shows the possibilities of richness.  

Huang Chi Teng: The charming feature of Taiwan is the people’s warm hospitality, and this not only affects the design but the whole lifestyle.

Explore the Wild/YLD – HOUTH's branding for a beer collaboration between Taiwanese Taihu Brewing and Japanese Yo-Ho Brewing

It seems like designers in many countries today are concerned about globalization/commercialization and its impact on their country’s design and culture. How do you see it for Taiwan?

Huang Chi Teng: Instead of arguing globalization or distinctive local culture, we should be asking more about “What is good design?” Instead of talking about the distinctive culture, we should dig more into what’s behind the local culture. How does it work with visual/design language? How can we make it better, more connected and sustainable?   

"There are many design trends that pop up and disappear just like a flash in the pan."

Taiwan is one of the most highly educated countries in the world. What is design education like in the country, from your experience?

Ho Wan Chun: I went to art school and then majored in visual communication design in college. During that time, I learned art history, background knowledge and skills mostly from books. The education direction is more focused on building stable and good techniques or skills. We spend a lot of time refining skills, but don’t care enough about creative thinking or design concept.

But art education has changed. Teachers are teaching students more creatively and in a more fun way, like having workshops or work with exhibition planning. These fresh, active and diverse ways will inspire creative imagination in students.

Part of HOUTH's work for Nativeye, a creative production company based in Tokyo and Kanazawa

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Ho Wan Chun: First of all, the market in Taiwan is small and competitive, and people prefer to follow the trend. That means you will probably see many similar design styles or work during certain times.

Huang Chi Teng: Because of society’s fast consumption, there are many design trends that pop up and disappear just like a flash in the pan.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. And of course, Taiwan already has a strong presence in the international marketplace. How is it for you?

Do you work with many international clients – and do businesses seek to work with local studios or international?

Huang Chi Teng: Except for the mostly local clients, we also have clients from Hong Kong, Japan, China. We also receive many inquiries from around the world.

International corporations or big companies here still prefer to work with international designers and studios, only because of the analyzed numbers and data. But there are more business and organizations start to support local designers and studios.

Ho Wan Chun and Huang Chi Teng doing the open floor plan right

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Ho Wan Chun: Social networks like Facebook and Instagram works for us as a way of information sharing and self-promotion.

Huang Chi Teng: Design platforms like Behance do sometimes help us get new work and clients.

What does good design mean to you at HOUTH, and how do you see its role in your society? Do you think it can solve larger issues it faces?

Ho Wan Chun: Good design not only solves the problem, but also stands the test of time and makes it sustainable.  

Good design is changing our society now. Take the Aestheticell textbook redesign project, for example. This project invites designers to redesign textbooks for elementary school students, not only visually but also functionally. The Big Issue Taiwan helps the homeless to make their living easier. The TFT (Teach for Taiwan) focuses on rural education in Taiwan. There are many young companies or organizations dedicating themselves to improving Taiwan’s culture and life through social design.

Product photography for Danzo studio

Do clients in Taiwan appreciate good design and understand what it takes?

Huang Chi Teng: We are very lucky! All the clients we’ve met understand the possibilities of the creativity. At the same time, they are willing to take the bold, unique and creative direction we suggest.

In your opinion, what are the top design studios from Taiwan that everyone should know?

Ho Wan Chun and Huang Chi Teng:

Wang zhi hong

Aaron Nieh

Timonium Lake (Ho Chia Hsing)

Lin Xiao Yi

Onion Design Associates

HOUTH animated the JJ and Jason Mraz "I am alive" music video

Last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with Taiwan’s design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Ho Wan Chun and Huang Chi Teng:

We still don’t know how, but we hope there will be a system to support designers and help them become more engaged in the international design community in the future.

Social networking is probably the best way to engage with the Taiwanese design community, but most of the content is probably written in Mandarin. It’s a pity that we still don’t have a blog or magazine that helps us (especially graphic designers) build a design community that can connect internationally.

Thank you so much for sharing us your time and thoughts with us, Ho Wan Chun and Huang Chi Teng. I agree that designers could benefit profoundly from being more connected across countries and languages, and I hope we keep getting closer to that.

In the meantime, be sure to follow HOUTH's work and read our other interviews with design communities around the world – the talent, inspiration and information out there is endless.

October 22, 2018No Comments

Design in China 🇨🇳 featuring A Black Cover Design

With this long-awaited Design Around the World feature, we're finally looking at design in China with A Black Cover Design.

We've had China on our list since the beginning of the series, knowing full well the vast country and its design community can't be easily summarized. Guang Yu and Nod Young, founders of the Beijing-based creative studio, were quick to enlighten us. Design in China is still relatively new and with that comes unique challenges and opportunities – including design education, finding perspective on globalization, and making an effort to challenge one's own narrowness. Let's get into it.

First, let’s talk about your studio. How did you meet and ultimately co-found A Black Cover? What made you decide to start your own studio together?

Nod: We used to work in a four-people studio called tomeetyou Graphics. About three years ago, we two started the current studio A Black Cover Design, focusing on brand design. The other two former partners also set up their own studio, focusing on life aesthetics.

Guang: We got to know each other very early. The first time I saw Nod's works was at the first “Get It Louder” exhibition, and I really appreciated it. After working together, we have more trust in each other, and we've found that our understanding of design is also very consistent.

Nod and Guang Yu on a sunny Beijing day

Tell us a bit about the Chinese design community. I know design in Shenzhen is strong, but is it beyond key communities like this? Do many platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers and share your voice in the community?

Nod: The situation in Shenzhen is quite special. In Shenzhen, there is an organization called Shenzhen Graphic Design Association which can be joined through recommendation, voting and other links. Although this organization contains "Shenzhen" in its name, its members come from different parts of China. 

I feel that in China, graphic designers receive much attention as exhibitions and cultural exchanges are frequently organized. The graphic design community is also very big, attracting sufficient attention from society. We two are relatively self-independent in China and basically do not join any organization.

Guang: Apart from some local designers in Beijing, we don't have much contact with designers in Shenzhen and other areas. There may be only a few ones. Neither of us really likes frequent communication in the industry. The way to release one's voice is through one's works. I believe that you are interviewing us today not because an association recommended us, but because our work was displayed on a certain platform, and the impact of our work is being felt.

Nod: I think designers should communicate with the public through the normal “application” method, such as commercial sales. Either communication via associations and agencies or “internal communication” belongs to communication between designers.

The competitive landscape seems fierce in China, especially in the tech space. With competition and technology changing so rapidly, companies race to build their next app releases, for example. How does this compare to or affect the graphic design industry?

Nod: Ten years ago, no one cared about graphic design in China and the social economy would not tilt toward graphic design. In the recent decade, especially in the past five years, graphic design has received unprecedented attention for reasons such as economic development, technological innovation, increased consumer awareness among common people, and importance attached to design by companies and brands.

Guang: The previously “quiet” situation in the field of graphic design was because everyone's demand remained on a shallow level, and there was no competition between brands. At that time, everyone did not have brand awareness and did not need to maintain a visual image. Just as in a time marked by extreme material scarcity, it would be very nice to have a military coat. You would not consider what brand it was, you just needed to ensure your mere subsistence.

Now that the problem of mere subsistence has been solved, everyone can take time to pick style, texture, color, brand and design, which is a kind of satisfaction for spiritual needs. So the development of graphic design is directly correlated with the improvement in people's living standards. And be it the fierce competition in other commercial fields or graphic design being valued nowadays, it is actually a manifestation of improved living standards.

How do China’s heritage and culture influence its design style and set Chinese design apart? Do you have any examples of Chinese design style you can share with us?

Nod: The local culture of the Chinese nation basically exists in people's living habits. For example, the age distribution in China's current society is featured by a majority of middle-aged and elderly people, so their living habits will affect the overall social environment. However, these middle-aged and elderly people may not always conform to the tradition. They differ in cultural literacy, and most of them are even deficient in this respect. They have special preferences. For example, they like the bustle, red color, gorgeous clothes, etc., thereby affecting the visual reality of Chinese society. By contrast, the proportion of real traditional cultural factors is very small, especially on the application level. Most people only have a smattering understanding of these factors.

So look at the work that graphic designers are engaged in today. Take me and Guang Yu as an example. We can be counted as more of an "urban type.” From the perspective of the scope classification all across China, our style and mode can't be ranked as 5%.

A peaceful corner of the ABCD office

Guang: We don't have any special "Chinese style" to share with you but rather, being Chinese, what we are doing now is a kind of Chinese style. What I mean is in today's globalized world, we don't want to use the "Chinese style" to pursue design. The design we output is neither the Eastern nor Western style. Instead, it is a solution to the problem.

Nod: For example, today we use a Chinese-style "moire pattern.” Who is it intended for? How many people on earth will have an inner yearning for this pattern? We don't know about it ourselves, so we can't make a judgment. Another example: A dragon is a Chinese symbol known to the entire world. However, what different responses will the dragon trigger when consumers see it? I think every person and every case is different.

Speaking of globalization, I read that concern about western influence and its effect in the world today is a topic on the minds of Chinese artists and designers. Some see globalization as a threat to China's distinct cultural heritage. How do you feel about globalization and its impact on design in China?

Nod: China is indeed a very stubborn country. During the Qing dynasty, foreign envoys hoped to establish diplomatic relations with her, yet the emperor's reaction was that such relations were unnecessary. I think this was not only caused by the backwardness or isolation, but also by the Chinese people's reluctance to communicate with the outside world.

Today, it has become quite different. For example, in the Wangjing area, Beijing, you may find yourself getting in touch with the Korean culture. However, the Chinese people's psychological aspects still remain the same. For example, the way they get on with others. So in my opinion, this issue should focus on what changes "globalization" will bring to the Chinese people.

Guang: "Globalization" is a boon. Some people may think that this is a threat, which goes against my understanding. Doesn't the U.S. president always stress the China Threat Theory in his speech? It seems that there are idiots everywhere. The influence of “globalization” can have both good and bad impacts on design. It makes everyone share something in common, such as aesthetics and expression method. But at the same time, some of the individuality disappears, and life and design become monotonously the same.

Even those who don’t speak Chinese appreciate the beauty of Chinese calligraphy, and I know it was important to China’s visual culture in the past. What’s your relationship with calligraphy as designers today? Do you often use it in your work, and do you see other designers using it in effective and unique ways?

Nod: Calligraphy is not just a kind of character. It is a fine art and an image with text as its carrier. So when we appreciate calligraphy and Chinese paintings, we will feel an unrestrained feeling because it has no boundary: craze, grace, individuality and commonality can all possibly exist from the perspective of emotional expression. I can't say exactly what affect calligraphy exerts on design. It may exist as a gene does, instead of just a reference to a method.

Guang: I think calligraphy is great. Many designers will get in touch with the style or elements of calligraphy, but we won't deliberately refer to it in our work. Some designers around us would use the elements related to calligraphy for design. It can be said that calligraphy is still en vogue today, and the artistic conception of calligraphy is something I appreciate.

Nod: Take an example: The Dutong Tie (Stomach Ache Calligraphy Copybook) by Zhang Xu in the Tang Dynasty is a copybook to describe his stomach ache. It is also a kind of design to some extent because the calligraphy conveys his feelings about an incident – the way the calligrapher wields his brush, the character shape expresses the stomach ache he suffers from at the moment of writing. As is the case for many Chinese designers when doing their design. There will always be some content for emotional output, expressive of a certain situation in the image.

Posters also played a big role in the history of Chinese design, specifically in regard to propaganda. Is poster design still relevant/popular in the Chinese design community? Do you find it’s still an effective way to communicate a message?

Guang: In foreign countries, there are special environments and facilities to put up posters such as a poster column. However, it is forbidden to put up posters in the street by laws and regulations. In China, the design community likes to make posters for the sake of making them. A poster is more like a personal work. Previously, posters were one of the main ways to convey information. At present, due to the sophisticated network and widespread use of smartphones, the form of posters is no longer limited to paper printing.

Nod: "Haibao" in the Chinese language does not entirely overlap with the word "poster" in the English language. Posters in China may manifest themselves more as a banner of a website, or an image matrix composed of nine pictures clicked open in a mobile phone. These are Chinese-style posters that I can easily find. So this is very different from the way foreign posters are presented. A poster may not need to be printed and the audience it addresses may not be the same, because the event it describes may happen in a remote place, not in the vicinity. For example, today I saw a poster on my mobile phone and the event it described happened in Tianjin.

I read that most designers in China are young, so design mentors aren’t very accessible yet. Design schools are graduating thousands of designers now but qualified instructors are harder to come by. Is this accurate? What is design education like in China from your experience?

Guang: The reason why thousands of designers graduated at the same time is related to China's huge population base and to the demand for design. As for whether it is difficult to find qualified instructors, I think this is a problem arising in design education. First of all, I don't think basic education is doing well. In addition, schools are not clear about what kind of population the future graduates should serve. China's design education lags a little behind, in my opinion.

Nod: I agree with Guang Yu's view. In China, people outside the education system are indifferent to education, resulting in the shortage of educational resources. In foreign countries, education is an important topic. As in today's interview, educational issues may emerge, indicating that everyone cares much about education. If a society cares little about something, then it won’t develop.

I don't think there is something wrong with Chinese teachers. Rather, they are isolated. The reason they are isolated is not that they are doing poorly. The conditions involved are complicated. For example, Guang Yu and I don’t converse with those who teach design courses in school. They may not know us. We are designers, but who are they? This is the estrangement caused by the social system's indifference to education.

Guang: Another point is that design education in school focuses more on the form of the image, which I think is a bit worse. If students taught in this way only care about the form of the image and do not touch upon the genuine needs, then I think it will always create a contradictory situation. Everyone is airing his own view without paying attention to others' ideas – meaning, I just say my needs and you provide your design. It's difficult for us to meet each other halfway.

What are the main job opportunities available for designers in China right now? Do you find that tech companies are hiring most qualified designers, or are many designers finding jobs at design studios like yours?

Nod: I can't answer this question because I don't have a survey data in hand. As far as I know, one of my students does a poor job in design. However, he makes a good fortune by cashing in on the shares of the company after it goes to public, and can quit the design business at any time. But this is an individual case. If I were him, I would have made it, or at least tried.

Guang: I also know that after graduation, some young people go to a Party A company, where they enjoy a nice income in a stable environment. But some people choose to come to studios like ours or even set up their own studios directly. These are personal choices on which I will not comment, as they are choices based on personal values.

"I think design should serve the public, not the minority. If it is really to serve the minority, then we can pursue art at any time."

In an interview with It’s Nice That, Guang Yu categorized non-commercial Chinese design into “elite” design and “power” design – an “elite designer” being someone who’s known internationally (but not locally) and not serving society, and a “power designer” being someone who works in the public sector. Why are power aesthetics more mainstream in China, as you mentioned? Do you see one or the other being a more valuable pursuit?

Guang: Why are power aesthetics more mainstream in China? I think everyone knows that it is not necessary to answer this question. Neither "elite" nor "power" design is what I go after. Maybe we set one foot on the boat of "elite design," because we're working hard enough in design. It's not that we only know how to make designs that look beautiful and win us awards instead of serving society. On the contrary, we are noticed because we've made excellent designs that serve society.

Nod: We can talk about phenomena, pursuit, ideals, but what is the reality? It is what Guang Yu once summarized. We don't pursue "power" or "elite" at all. We just do well what falls within our capacity, this is our pursuit. I think design should serve the public, not the minority. If it is really to serve the minority, then we can pursue art at any time. Today, we choose design as our career with a purpose of improving people's living standards a little, even if only ten thousand or a hundred thousand people benefit from our designs. This is my ideal.  

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Nod: One is your horizon, and the other is your understanding of the times. The former is about how big the world is in your eyes. For example, Sichuan people should not think that except Sichuan cuisines, other cuisines are rubbish. The latter is our understanding of the era in which we live, whether you are willing to follow the changes in the situation and economic development to generate new design aspirations, motives and methods. I can hardly find the above in Chinese designers. Most of them are still designing things 15 years ago and haven't changed at all, though the world has already changed.

Guang: I can't speak for designers around me. But I do think that they, including myself, are challenging their own narrowness.

Nod: We are also trying to make ourselves less narrow-minded and more open-minded. This is also a challenge for us.

It seems like the government has been supportive of the design industry in China. Have you seen this to be true and do you experience tangible effects from government interest in your work?

Nod: The government's support for the design industry is tangible. Take, for example, actions such as planning a special area as a creative park. Or providing convenient conditions for young people related to creativity and innovation when they start up their businesses, through reduction in rent and other policy support. But the government won't make a person grow. What it provides is the convenience for such growth. Whether a person can do well has nothing to do with the government. I myself haven't had direct contact with the "government" in the real sense, because I don't know who the "government" is and where the "government" is. For me, it remains to be a concrete existence.

Guang: I was once invited to design by a relevant government department, but I did not follow it through because the cost of communication was too high. I think the government's demand is not specific enough compared to that of the company. By contrast, a company has its own employees and competitive pressure, and it will tell me its demand and let me know who I am to serve. In my experience dealing with that government department, the person from the government department was always stating his personal opinions and understandings, but I didn't really care whether he liked it or not. What I cared about was which group of people would like or dislike my design. So nothing came out of it finally.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you actively seek international work or has this happened naturally for your studio? And do Chinese businesses typically work with local designers and studios?

Nod: When I first operated my own studio, I targeted overseas customers which accounted for more than 80% of my business. At that time, there were not so many domestic customers and the domestic market was in a state to be further explored. At present, China's market demand is very robust. Many companies have begun to pay attention to design and attach due importance to design, and feel that design is a part of brand competitiveness. Currently, our studio focuses more on domestic design, having no time to take care of foreign markets. Besides, I am more willing to contact Chinese customers as I understand this market as well as the psychology of customers. So naturally, I take more initiative to get in touch with domestic customers.

Guang: When local designers deal with local customers, in most cases, they are more competent than overseas designers in every aspect. So are Chinese companies. In most cases, they are willing to cooperate with local designers, and meanwhile Chinese designers are gradually maturing.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Nod: I think social media plays a big role. Social media is not the same as “socializing.” For example, I myself have trouble with socializing. If you put me in a party, I will feel ill at ease. If you ask me to post something on social media, I will be very pleased. So social media is not simply used for socializing, but as a way for an individual or a team to output and display itself, and in turn, reap an all-around understanding of itself from the outside world.

However, we do not use it as a channel for obtaining customers. Our situation is basically to obtain new customers from old customers' recommendations. The designs we have made for our customers are seen by more people, providing a commercial model for them. I have never published my works on Weibo. I have only a few words about my works, but more opinions and ideas about phenomena and events.

What does good design mean to ABCD and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole?

Nod: I think a good design is "neat,” which does not refer to the material aspect.

Guang: I thought that you would comment on “good design” from a commercial perspective. However, you said what it looks like.

Nod: It's really hard to say, as there are different angles to describe. A "good design" that I identify with makes it possible for more people to improve their quality of life. Even if it is improved a little, I think it is a good design. Ikea, Uniqlo, McDonald’s, Nike... all produce good designs through the joint effort of the designer and enterprise.

Guang: I see eye to eye with him but because I used to focus on art design, I am not weary of niche design as it has its own audience. I feel that there will be problems if all designs are purely commercial in a country. From the perspective of having a good influence on both the country and community, there should be an abundance of design in different categories. Then design will be rich and interesting.

Nod: This question is also particularly relevant to what one cares about. Who I care more about are not those who are also designers like me, but the audience. When it comes to the impact on the country, I think it definitely exists. The brands we participate in have all gained attention in the industry. The success of business means to serve the public, which is equal to serving the country.

In your opinion, what are the top design studios from China (or at least Beijing) that everyone should know?

Nod: Mei Shuzhi and 702 design.

Guang: From a commercial perspective and understanding of customers, Mei Shuzhi is a new type of designer. He is a person with a sense of service, not just focusing on personal expression. In addition, designers who specialize in a specific category include Ma Shirui, Roujiang.

Nod: UDL Studio is also quite good.

Final question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Chinese design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Nod: I think "exhibition" is the best way. Two designers, like two people who practice martial arts, should stage a set of boxing techniques for the purpose of communication, instead of empty talks. Just as two masters should put on a genuine fight when exchanging blows. Similarly, works are displayed together to judge their respective value, which, I think, is the best way. In addition, we can also conduct some open dialogues on the scene.

To be frank, there is no good medium domestically that only deals with design as it is too narrow.

Guang: I think competition is also a very good way. As Nod says, works are on display so that the ideas and techniques are compared, to see what can be learned from them and what experience can be drawn on as well.

Nod: It is not difficult for foreign designers to look for opportunities here in China. Of course, they should be proficient in Chinese. But customers all over the world, including Chinese customers, prefer to choose a well-known designer. So maybe you are famous abroad. However, no one may know you domestically. In view of this, you need to establish prestige for your work in the local area and give customers a reason to choose you. In my opinion, in China, it won't happen that a company or brand does not choose you as you are a foreign designer. But its reason to choose you may not be so sufficient.

Guang: You are recommended to read Details, from which we can learn about some information and special reports on art and design.

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Guang and Nod, thank you so much for your time! I appreciate your straightforward, no-bullshit answers – this interview has been illuminating for me.

Readers, be sure to check out ABCD's website to see more of Guang and Nod's work. And if you're just now joining the Design Around the World series, catch up right here.

October 7, 2018No Comments

Design in South Africa 🇿🇦 featuring HOICK

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, meet HOICK, a creative agency and collective based in Cape Town, South Africa.

We were immediately drawn to Hoick and inspired by their work, a strange and delightful mix of experimental art and design. At the center of the studio is Dale Lawrence and Claire Johnson. They talked with us about why it's the perfect time to be a creative in South Africa despite the challenges that designers — especially young designers – currently face.

First, let’s talk about your studio. How did you meet and ultimately co-found HOICK? What made you decide to start your own creative agency together?

Claire: We met at design college twelve years ago. We both went on to study fine art and started freelancing together during our studies, going on to work together at a small studio after graduating. Dale set off to start Hoick and I joined him a while later.

Dale: We had a friend living in London who had approached us to start a studio whereby he would source and we would service clients. That worked well for a while, but we ended up parting ways and focusing more on the local client base we had built. Relying on a local client base was a scary prospect for us initially – South Africa’s design industry can be conservative at times and creative work is often undervalued. A lot has changed since then and many independent creative practices have flourished. We work with a range of very interesting (mostly) young businesses with great energy. It’s a good place to be.

Running our own studio allows us to make our own progress and our own mistakes. We’re able to test different modes of working to see what works for us and have the flexibility to act on new ideas. It’s hard work, but ultimately it makes a big difference to motivation to know you’re doing it on your own steam.

Hoick's dreamy office space in Cape Town

Cape Town was named World Design Capital in 2014 by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design. Is there a strong graphic design community in South Africa beyond industrial design? Do many platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers?

Claire: The design community generally come together for cultural and social events (gallery openings, designers’ clothing launches) rather than specific design events. The design, art and fashion industry is all quite fluid in Cape Town, and there is strong support from the Cape Town creative community.

Design- and art-orientated events like First Thursdays and Ladies, Wine and Design and some larger forums such as the Design Indaba, Business of Design, Open Design Afrika and Investec Cape Town Art Fair, bring the creative community, and those interested in design and art, together.

What are the main job opportunities available for designers in South Africa right now? And are most opportunities in places like Cape Town?

Dale: Cape Town has traditionally been thought of as the creative capital of South Africa, but I would argue that Jo’burg is a strong contender for that title now.

Most job opportunities are with digital or advertising agencies servicing corporate clients. It’s difficult for independent agencies to achieve stability enough to grow in size without seriously compromising the standard of their work, so there aren’t many job opportunities provided by studios that are producing good, critical work. It’s a bit of a problem, because younger designers often aren’t able to receive proper mentoring to get off the ground.

That said, there are many opportunities for freelance creatives to collaborate. While the only consistent members of the studio are the two of us, we draw from a large network of independent creative people depending on the needs of the project.

A few of several sculptures Hoick created for Littlegig Festival

South Africa has been called “the rainbow nation" due to the range of cultures, languages, and religions there. Does this diversity influence the design coming out of South Africa in any way? What specific influences or styles do you notice? 

Dale: I think South Africa still has a long way to go to achieve the multiculturalism and the integration of diverse tastes and aesthetics we are striving for. Slow progress in economic transformation and the Western-centric status quo have lead to many (most) not embracing each other’s points of view as sources of inspiration, rather than points of difference.

It’s a great position to be in as an artist or designer in South Africa; our attempts to create work that speaks across cultural divides will hopefully contribute to a greater understanding of each other’s cultures in the greater scheme of things, and to the realization of South Africa’s founding vision of an overarching culture built on the celebration of diverse viewpoints.

The contemporary art industry stands out as the most progressive of our industries in this regard. Artists like Athi-Patra Ruga, Zanele Muholi, Billie Zangewa and Igshaan Adams are among the most accomplished of the new generation of South African artists. They are making massive strides in the creation of an African aesthetic that is representative of the vast multiplicity of the people of Africa. There are also those, like Manthe Ribane and Dear Ribane, who are breaking the barriers between music, performance and art.

Claire at work

Speaking of art, you both have post-graduate degrees in the field of art and design. Is it common for designers to seek a formal education like this in your community? What is the quality of design education like in South Africa?

Claire: It is fairly common for designers to have diplomas or degrees in design, communication, advertising or fine art. Also, the crossover between fine art and design has become quite fluid – the two practices inform each other and strengthen the depth and scope of work.

There are some very good design colleges where one can obtain degrees and postgraduate diplomas, but as yet there are not opportunities for masters degrees in design. This is something that will hopefully come with time, but people seeking master’s or doctorate degrees in design fields have to do them in Europe or America. There is a big gap for a master’s degree in design in South Africa.

"Countless fresh and important design voices are lost as people are unable to break through into the creative field."

What are the other unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Claire: Trust and bravery. Most South African companies are highly conservative and tend to look at what others are doing to guide decisions. Some local brands want to push the envelope (in theory) like they see some international brands doing, but are too afraid that their audiences won’t “get it” and commit. They don’t give the public enough credit. Design doesn’t need to be didactic to communicate effectively.

Another huge challenge is education. There is so much potential that is lost in the creative industry because of limited access to studies and training, and the high cost of higher education in South Africa. Countless fresh and important design voices, and their messages, are lost as people are unable to break through into the creative field.

Part of Hoick's identity for Hokey Poke, a poke bar in South Africa

Cost does seem to be a large barrier overall. I read that South Africa has the seventh-highest per capita income in Africa, yet poverty and inequality remain widespread. When talking with designers from countries in similar positions, they explained good design is considered a luxury for this reason. Is that the case in South Africa?

Dale: It is the same here. It is assumed that people with limited economic means simply require access to inexpensive goods and services. The sad result is that this becomes an excuse to offer poorly considered, cheap things that are unsatisfying and often cost more in the long run, while companies profit from their lack of concern. High levels of inequality contribute to those statistics.

With regards to communication, businesses are often scared that more unique concepts will “go over people’s heads,” which becomes another excuse to offer generic services and communicate them with generic designs that satisfy no one.

It is less that design is a luxury, but rather that many businesses in South Africa (particularly the large ones) are content not understanding their audience, because their audience often has no alternative but to use their product – so there’s no incentive for them to change.

You mentioned that when starting Hoick, you decided to work with local clients. Is that still the case?

Claire: We’ve worked with international clients on several projects, but currently most of our clients are local.

It makes a lot of sense for international clients to work with South African agencies: the cross-pollination of our different contexts and points of view makes for very exciting work, and the exchange rate is beneficial. But in our experience it only works out well if the client has made the decision to work with us based on merit and character, never when price is the main motivation.

Hoick's tapestry for Max Bagels

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Dale: We rely mostly on word-of-mouth and people finding us through projects we have done before. We find it works best when clients and collaborators are directly familiar with work we’ve done and are specifically looking for our approach.  

Claire: We use our Instagram account as a behind-the-scenes, as projects often take a while to finish and we want people to know what we are up to. It’s less a tool for getting new business than it is for keeping in touch with peers.

More from Hoick's identity for Hokey Poke

What does good design mean to HOICK, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues it faces?

Dale: Good design is attentive, experimental, brave, honest and transparent, rooted in its context and of the moment; specific to its context but broad in its reach. It captures the essence of a subject and is flexible enough to evolve with it. It is simultaneously unique and universal.

Claire: Design has the power to communicate without words and across languages. Any tool that can help people understand each other better will be powerful and important for the future of South Africa. That is the main hurdle we as South Africans face right now, to understand and communicate better.

"Bits and Pieces" by Dale for an exhibition titled "On Second Thought"

In your opinion, what are the top design studios from South Africa that everyone who might be not familiar with the South African design community should know?

In no particular order:

Ben Johnson / Bad Paper (great book design and publisher of editioned books and art)

Jana and Koos (good crossover of design and art)

Studio H (design through the lens of food)

MAL Studio & @mal_ideas4good (graphic)

Studio Muti (illustration and animation)

Utopia (balance of NPO projects and client work)

Porky Hefer Creations (furniture)

Lukhanyo Mdingi (fashion)

Lorne (jewelry)

Dokter and Misses (furniture)

AKJP (fashion)

Ninevites (textile)

Claire and Dale clean up nicely. Photo by Jonathan Kope - jonathankope.com

And now to our final question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the South African design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

h10and5.com

thelake.co

inter-magazine.co.za

chipsonline.co.za

nataal.com

adjective.online

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Dale and Claire, thank you very much for your honest and eloquent answers. I'm inspired by your work and excited to learn more from South Africa's design community.

To see more of Hoick's work, check out their website right here. Be sure to also visit Claire's website and Dale's website to see their individual art, and explore the resources they shared here as well.

And until our next interview, catch up on the Design Around the World series featuring studios from Iran, Armenia, Brazil and more.

August 27, 2018No Comments

Design in Tel Aviv featuring Studio Koniak

With our Our Design Around the World series, we've explored design communities and met designers from countries like Brazil, Nigeria, Pakistan, Singapore and more. Now, we're learning more about design in the Middle East with Studio Koniak.

Run by Nurit Koniak and partner Natasha Boguslavsky, Koniak is a branding consultancy based in Tel Aviv. The studio does everything from art direction to branding to motion graphics to packaging, with a decidedly elegant and minimalistic style.

While it's clear the tech scene is currently exploding in Tel Aviv, but we didn't know much about the design community specifically, or how political tensions in the country are affecting it. Nurit shares her perspective with us in this interview.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind Koniak and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

I founded the studio in 2005. After about six years, I needed to expand the business, so I started to develop a professional team. One of my leading designers whom I love and adore, Natasha Boguslavsky, joined me around that time and helped me build the business. Eventually, she became my partner, and together we have shaped and defined the studio’s voice over the years. We focus on brand design and image making, with special attention to consumer goods – our greatest passion.

Nurit and Natasha at work in the studio

Tell us a bit about Tel Aviv’s design community. Is there a strong design presence and do many platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers?

Tel Aviv is an amazing design destination. The local design scene has grown tremendously over the past ten years, and there’s a real dynamic ambiance everywhere. Somehow, despite the political difficulties, there’s a real creative hub with multiple cultural influences that fuse together into something new and intriguing. Gallery openings, restaurants and pop-up shops are springing up everywhere. There are lots of design collaborations because people are always somehow connected and the help is nearby.

Technology is thriving in Tel Aviv and many large tech companies have established a presence in the area. It’s been compared to Silicon Valley with the second-largest number of startup companies in the world after the United States. How does that affect the design community? Are most job opportunities for designers in the tech scene right now?

This is a very interesting development. Despite the cultural thrive, the economic reality is so grim that people in Tel Aviv cannot imagine buying their own property or living as a family in the city. Prices have gone far beyond anyone’s reach. So it’s obvious that designers opt for higher paying jobs in the startup scene. This has become a real goal for graduates. They prefer to play in a band or design posters after their day job hours. As a result, the independent design scene lost a lot of talented designers to corporations and startups.

How would you describe the design you see coming from Tel Aviv today? Do you notice a certain style/influence or is it influenced by your culture in any way?

I think what makes the Israeli design scene so interesting is the specific fusion of American, European and Middle Eastern influences. The Israeli design heritage is very tender since the country itself is only 70 years old, but our complex relationship with the Palestinians and our neighboring countries has had an inevitable influence. Israeli culture was never about opulence and abundance, so Israeli design is quite austere and minimal but manages to remain fresh.

Take a look at some good examples such as Maskit, Muslin Brothers, Lara Roznovsky and Gur Inbar.

You live in one of the most educated countries in the world. In 2012, it ranked third in the world in the number of academic degrees per capita. What is design education like there? Do most designers seek a formal education or do you see successful designers who are self-taught as well?

Design education is big in Israel with great schools and academic programs, and of course hundreds of designers graduating every year. But the design industries here are limited in their resources, so many of the students don’t really end up in the practice. People often migrate between fields within the design world or alternatively dream of working abroad to jump-start their career locally.

What would you say are unique challenges for designers in your community right now?

Our biggest challenge would probably be keeping our voices heard. Our current government is very right-wing and recent developments have given us reason to believe freedom of expression is at risk. In basic Israeli mentality, design is considered somewhat of a luxury and is often regarded as fluff – not being taken seriously enough. It’s very frustrating over time, and one needs to be patient and understanding to sustain in the industry.

“The clients look outward only to learn that the local work is actually better.”

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, working with international clients is very common. Do you actively seek international work or has this happened naturally for your studio? And do businesses typically work with local designers and studios?

We have been lucky in the studio to work with international brands as well as Israeli brands. We love the versatility in working with both. Long-distance dialogue is possible these days, but there are many advantages to being physically close to your client and having an intimate talk to make progress on a project. Ironically, we’ve had quite a few Israeli clients approach us after they were disappointed with UK based firms. The clients look outward only to learn that the local work is actually better.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Instagram is a very interesting platform in that respect. We feel like the era we live in a transitional period in media and its usage. Social networks are big, but their full potential is yet to be discovered. It has become somewhat of a replacement to websites, but it’s still lacking a formality and technical tools that could enable it to become a real business card. It’s great for self-promotion but it still feels very limited.

What does good design mean to Koniak, and how do you see it impacting your country’s society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues it faces?

We never think about the long-term effect of what we do, but we always try to aim for a signature that’s very minimalistic and timeless in style. A test for good design would be to look back at something you did ten years ago and smile. In some cases the decade’s footprint is apparent and in others, you don’t feel the time passing at all.

How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with your design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

We highly recommend following Telavivian Magazine, a brand we designed a few years back and remains one of the most interesting local platforms for engaging in local creation. There are other great independent publications such as Milk & Honey and A5.

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Thank so much for talking with us, Nurit! We appreciate your straightforward, honest answers and look forward to seeing how design in Tel Aviv continues to evolve.

Friends, be sure to check out Koniak's beautiful work as well as the resources Nurit shared with us. We'll be back soon with more insights into design communities around the world, and you can catch up right here in the meantime.

July 27, 2018No Comments

Design in Malaysia 🇲🇾 featuring LIE

Our Design Around the World series explores design communities outside our own, introducing us to new creatives and perspectives. With this latest interview meet LIE, an independent graphic design studio based in Kuala Lumpur.

As soon as I discovered LIE, I knew I wanted to include them in the series. The studio's work is fresh and vibrant, and their team clearly has personality. Driv leads that team as LIE's founder and art director. Here he gives us a peek into the Malaysian design community, still young in the country with great opportunity ahead.

First, let’s talk about your studio. Who is the team behind LIE and why did you decide to open a graphic design studio?

Having stuck at work as a designer for several years in overseas, I took a long break strolling around Japan for three months. Along the journey, I met many Japanese people who dedicated their lives to their business and career. Inspired by such dedication, I decided to start a design studio in Kuala Lumpur with the hope of contributing to my hometown and the local design community. To date, LIE consists of an art director, three designers, a content writer and an intern periodically.

It seems as though industrial design is big in your country, but is there a strong graphic design community as well? What are the job opportunities for a designer in Malaysia?

The graphic design industry in Malaysia is not as mature, nor are the values of graphic design as well-recognized, as in other industries. In the past, most designers went to advertising agencies. Yet it is getting more and more exciting in the recent years, as an increasing number of amazing work and small to medium-sized design studios have been popping up. With the popularity of online platforms, talented creatives have increased exposure and opportunities to work individually.

Illumination 10, one of several beautiful music packaging projects by LIE.

Do many local design platforms or events exist yet?

There aren’t many mainstream graphic design-related events in Malaysia, but there is an increasing number of small to medium scale events and activities related to graphic design. These are initiated by designers through cross-collaboration, or organizations such as wREGA, ThinkCity, Malaysia Design Archive, Design Union and Huruf, to name a few.

I’ve read Malaysia’s colonization plays heavily into its design history, and Malaysian design in the past was influenced by its social and political climate. How would you describe Malaysian design today? Do you notice a specific style or influences?

Malaysia as a multicultural and multiracial nation has inspired and influenced local artists and designers. Nowadays though, designers are taking influences or references from everywhere. As such, it is rather difficult to define a particular style or identity as "Malaysian design." Nevertheless, with our diverse culture and the collective effort of local designers, I still look forward to seeing design here slowly take shape and lead to what we can proudly claim as Malaysian design.

"A Fruitful Mind," LIE's work for an exhibition celebrating local Malaysia fruits.

What is design education like in Malaysia? And do many designers seek a formal education or are they self-taught?

Malaysia has quite a number of institutions of higher learning with design courses. Some of these institutions focus solely on design education. Most designers still seek a formal education at local institutions or further their studies overseas.

What would you say are unique challenges for Malaysian designers right now?

There are actually a lot of talented designers out there, but we don’t have enough established companies or platforms to keep everybody together. A lot of Malaysians will have to look for jobs overseas for better pay. It might be different if the design scene in Malaysia improves and more opportunities arise that could attract talented designers back to Malaysia to progress their career.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Since social media is more targeted to an individual and direct consumer, it is good to generate awareness but doesn’t have a significant effect on new business for us yet. The typical mediums such as our company website, Behance and word-of-mouth still work best for us.

What does good design mean to LIE, and how do you see it impacting Malaysian society as a whole?

Good design isn’t just about aesthetics or design according to our own preference. We reckon good design should provide a solution to a problem that could make a positive impact on a business and do good for society.

In general, not many people in Malaysia really understand the value of graphic design. It’s actually OK that the client doesn’t understand, so long they are open-minded and willing to work alongside the designer for a better solution. Our role is to guide them through the creative process. A good design process is a collaborative effort between client and designer, not just following the brief or vice-versa.

When more and more good design is presented, we hope that Malaysian society will get to see and appreciate the values of design, and that it eventually creates an impact.

LIE's illustration for Nike Running: Shanghai Marathon 2016

In your opinion, what are the top creative agencies or design studios from Malaysia that everyone should know?

Kawakong Designworks
Fictionist Studio
Studio MMCMM
Kongsi Design
Some Early Birds
Shine Visual Labs
Bad Design
Huruf
NoworNever
Where’s Gut

The core LIE team: Wennie, Driv and Nick.

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Malaysian design community? Are there any blogs or magazines we can follow?

Design festivals, design conferences, collaboration and community-led talks featuring local designers and visiting artists encourage the exchange of ideas. This would certainly help.

Unfortunately, there isn’t a specific or common platform in the Malaysian design community yet, but organizations such as ThinkCity, wREGA (Graphic Design Association of Malaysia) and Malaysia Design Archive endeavor to bring the local designers and resources together to help shape the design community.

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Driv! Thank you for sharing your honest thoughts with us. We're inspired by your work and excited for the future of design in Malaysia with studios like LIE leading the way.

Friends, be sure to visit LIE's site and check out their work. And catch up on our other interviews with studios in Mexico, India, Singapore, Armenia and more.

July 17, 2018No Comments

Design in Mexico 🇲🇽 featuring Anagrama

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, we're excited to feature the awesome Anagrama studio located in Mexico City.

It's likely you're already familiar with Anagrama and their branding work. I've personally admired the studio and followed their work for a long time now. So it was an honor to talk with Daniela, creative partner at Anagrama, about the growing design community in Mexico and where it's headed next.

Hey Daniela, let's do this! First, tell us a bit about yourself and your studio. Who is the team behind Anagrama?

We're a multidisciplinary studio with work spread out into three big branches: branding, architecture and interactive. We are eight partners: Sebastian Padilla, Mike Herrera and Gustavo Muñoz. They started the company around 10 years ago. Roberto Treviño, Carolina Ortiz, Roberto Castillo, David Gutierrez and myself joined the partnership later. And there’s more. We are a team around 40 talented creative people with different roles in different areas. We are a big family!

Mexico City was named the sixth World Design Capital in 2018. It seems like Mexico overall has been receiving attention for its design lately, especially architectural design. How did this reputation come about? 

I love this fact. Mexico is a country full of culture, colors, aromas, shapes, sounds. Somehow all the diversity that surrounds us is part of our visual growth. 

I feel honored that our team is part of the current design movement in Mexico. It’s true to say that something is going on here; there is so much creativity in the air. In the city there are galleries, exhibitions, installations, social media art/design content and murals. I think this might be a response to the current hunger of creative expression.

And wait for more – we keep moving.

Part of Anagrama's branding for Maka, an environmentally-conscious water company with strong Mexican roots.

Does Mexico have a distinct design style? If so, how would you describe it and how does your country’s heritage play into it? Do you have any examples for us?

Well, I believe that a good design project should follow the brief more than its own culture or heritage. If we talk about a project where Mexicanity is part of the brand values, we have good examples in our portfolio. Amado and Maka had Mexicanity as an important message, so we did communicate it through the brand, avoiding clichés.

You work with clients around the world. Did it take any special effort to reach an international audience or did this happen naturally for your studio?

It started naturally since the beginning, but we have plans to expand to the U.S. market. Hope I can share more info about it soon! So excited.

Work for Alfredo Gonzales, a Rotterdam-based brand.

What is design education like in Mexico? I’ve read that the entire Anagrama team attended university. Is this common for designers in Mexico or are many self-taught as well?

Unfortunately there’s so much to do about design education in Mexico. Sadly, politics and corruption have affected the education system. For a lot of people in Mexico it’s a privilege to go to university. We feel grateful to say we all have degrees, but I can say too that there are talented people we have worked with who didn't have a formal education.

We don’t believe it's crucial if a person has enough interest and practice in design and creativity. That said, design education is improving as the creative industry is growing and getting stronger in Mexico.

Anagrama's Lavaderos project for Rosewood Puebla

Why do you think good design is important, and what does good design mean for you at Anagrama? Do you think it has the power to create social change in your country?

Good design communicates efficiently and offers a strong differentiator for brands. These days it’s all about connecting people with products and services — not only for the product or service attributes, but for sharing a philosophy of life, a way of thinking. We believe design and an integrated branding experience is the perfect tool to execute a well planned identity strategy.

And yes, our main goal is to upgrade Mexico’s visual culture.

Anagrama honored yet modernized traditional Mexican motifs for the rebranding of Café la Nacional, a Mexican coffee shop.

In an interview with It’s Nice That last year, Sebastian Padilla said “Many people think Mexico is cheaper, too, and that’s not a good thing for us, because our quality is so high.” 

How is your design community overcoming this perception? Is it just a matter of educating clients and continuing to put out great work? 

I can say times are changing and much has improved since then. But the truth is we keep working on to change that mindset. Hopefully we are closer now.

Anagrama's reimagined Mexican coat of arms for Cafe La Nacional.

In your opinion, what are the top creative agencies / design studios from Mexico that everyone should know?

Futura

Monumento

Panama Studio

Brands and People

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Mexican design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Follow us, haha. Well, there are several places and platforms like Archivo Diseño y Arquitectura, Cool Hunter, Tag CDMX, Local.mx and Codigo Magazine that provide a fresh update about what is going on in Mexico.

___

Daniela, thanks so much for sharing your experience and thoughts with us. It's clear this is an exciting time for design in Mexico and we can't wait to see more from your creative community.

Friends, be sure to check out Anagrama's latest projects as well as the excellent resources Daniela shared with us. And if you're just joining us in the series, there's lots to learn from the design communities in Nigeria, India, Brazil, Pakistan and more. Catch up here.

June 13, 2018No Comments

Design in India 🇮🇳 featuring Animal

With our Design Around the World series we aim to meet new designers and explore design communities outside our own. Now we're excited to share add India to the series, featuring the lovely team at Animal.

Animal is an independent creative agency with offices in New Delhi and New York. They create beautiful work for clients like Adidas, National Geographic, One Plus and lots more. They're also champions of the Indian design community. Take Indianama, the platform they started to highlight and create dialogue around contemporary Indian design.

I talked with Kunel and Sharon, co-founders at Animal, all about life as a designer in India today, the change they see happening now and where Indian design will go in the future.

First, tell us a bit about your studio. Who is the team behind Animal and why did you decide to open a creative agency in India?

Kunel grew up in New Delhi, India. Sharon studied here and later joined advertising. Having seen the industry change over the years, we naturally felt the need to create alternatives for things that were working and avenues for those that weren’t. India is a robust, developing market that is changing at the speed of light, and the opportunity to do amazing things is vast.

There’s just so much raw material to play with.

A traditional structure (at the time we started) would have slowed us down and so we experimented by working with a new style of structure, where people with different talents could work under one roof, as opposed to the traditional agency model that is limited to art, copy, planning and management. This new kind of structure gave way to a freer approach of thinking on briefs and concepts, as well as a chance to collaborate with a wider set of talent, from India and abroad.

 

There seems to be a growing voice for design in India, for example projects like “India Design Platform” and your work with Indianama. Do you see the creative landscape shifting or evolving in a significant way – and what sparked this dialogue?

Oh, it has come of age. And yes, it’s evolving in a beautiful way.

This thing we call "the underground" has fast taken the centre-stage and at the risk of sounding like a prophet, we’d say it’s our great reckoning. We transitioned into what some pedants are calling the post-text era, smoothly. There's still a long way to go but we’re on our way, and that’s all that matters at the moment.

Part of Animal's Adidas Originals EQT project

I read you started Indianama because as a brand, India lacked a modern visual presence. It seems like design and art is very much a part of India’s history, though. Do you feel Indian design has a dated or inaccurate reputation? Why has India lacked a modern design identity to this point?

All the way up until this moment, design in India was deeply inspired by historic references to architecture and textiles from different parts of the country, truck art, matchbox art, Bollywood films and other such clichés. While they are special in their own way, we believe we’re done exploiting them for commercial application in design and somehow they are being bundled under one category that is purely kitsch.

We wanted India to surface gracefully onto the international design scene. One way of ensuring that was Indianama — retain the India you know and love, reimagine the India that you’d like to see.

There’s no word which, on its own, can define the Indian culture. One predominant aspect of the country’s identity is that of being a mix, a melting pot, of ideas and systems. That sure makes the terrain of design here a little difficult to maneuver, but that’s also what keeps us from getting comfortable.

Dated, we’ll say yes. The accuracy is what we’re here to seek.

How would you describe India’s evolving design style? Does your heritage and culture still fit into it, just in a different way? 

On the timeline of where we’re coming from and where we’re headed, we’d call it the post re-interpretation phase. We’re contemporizing our heritage and culture — giving birth to new vantage points that show different sides of India to everyone looking over — as opposed to one universal definition of India as a heritage state.

At the cusp of being exploited and enriched, some of the notable examples would include Old-Delhi based Painter Kafeel whose rich brush strokes and meticulous typography originating from the 1950s appear, with a dose of nostalgia, in advertising campaigns for the likes of Google.

Also Mira Malhotra, who has delved into the cultural significance of the saree. Her "How to Unfold a Saree" is a unique piece of graphic design. It’s a one-off mini-zine that celebrates this iconic fashion garment at the intersection of design and culture.

Hoshiyar Singh, who once started as a billboard painter 45 years ago, has been collaborating on fashion shoots and set designs with the likes of world-renowned fashion designer, Manish Arora.

Calligraphy seems to play a big role in India’s graphic design history. Is calligraphy still a common practice among modern graphic designers there?

Calligraphy in India has become a two-sided coin. If we were to see it on small town walls or sign boards of local shops, we’d nonchalantly term it as bourgeois, a style that conforms with the kitsch aesthetic of old Bollywood. As we move onto bigger brands and high-end spaces, the style is labelled artisanal.

Our languages are just as complex as they are numerous. As an ode to them, we’d love to experiment with them in a setting that’s both contemporary and functional. That’s also something we’re enthusiastically working toward.

In 2012 Kamal Nath, former Minister of Urban Development in India said, "India has already unleashed its entrepreneurial ability, now it needs to unleash its creative ability. We need design." Has the government helped advance design in the country in any tangible way? I know in the past it invested in fashion to support the textile industry, but what about graphic design?

Governments change every five years, so do the initiatives. Which is why it is becoming more and more important for the design community to look at initiatives with long-term goals. With Indianama, that is what we have envisioned.

We have the National Initiative for Design Innovation and such, so surely the government understands the need of the hour. The tangibility can, however, only be commented on after a few years of gauging the impact.

I’ve heard new design schools and courses are opening up in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune. What is the quality of design education like in India? Did most designers at your agency study at a university or were they self-taught?

Yes, there are some great design schools in the country. But we’re in a fix because of two things: while design education is still fairly new and mainstream in terms of taste inspired from the West, the global shift in that same taste with technology has fast seeped into our Instagram feeds, creating a dichotomy of opinions — a war of sensibilities within the industry.

We get a mix of people, from those who studied at design schools like JJ School, Srishti, NIFT and NID to those who are self-taught. Some don’t even know the full spectrum of design software, but they have a great taste. Now who wouldn’t love that.

“On one hand we have the Internet that travels and progresses at the speed of light. And on the other, we have the labyrinth called India.”

Recent reports predict India will continue as the world’s fastest growing internet market. It seems like India’s design community is still catching up to this growth – is that an accurate perception? For example I read that India’s many complex scripts are being adapted into typefaces for consistency online.

On one hand we have the Internet that travels and progresses at the speed of light. And on the other, we have the labyrinth called India.

They are two disparate mammoths. It will take more than genius to get the two on the same page through design. So for now, the wise thing would be to go one step at a time.  

Our traditional typefaces, keeping in mind the uniqueness they hold, are worthy of digital preservation and commemoration. The job might sound tedious, but who’s to say that the result won’t be exquisite?

Animal's work for Google Allo

 Why do you think good design is important, and what does good design mean for you at Animal?

Good design works against the psychological violence of banality. It also transcends medium, message and time.

The beautification that design offers is obviously the cherry on top of the cake that’s communication. Good design then becomes the foundation of good communication. The aesthetics you play with should first serve the purpose at hand, be it advertising or branding.

As we’ve talked about earlier, the land we’re out to explore offers a terrain that’s not easy for a conformist to steer through. Our people are varied, so are their sensibilities. Good design, for us, is design that can educate the people en masse about its importance in everyday life.

Adidas Originals NMD, conceptualizing the never-ending journey of the urban nomad

In your opinion, does design have the power to create social or systematic change in your country, for example propelling the economy forward and/or decreasing poverty?

Design in an economy like India is also treated as a medium of marketing, a way of presentation that’s bound to get your attention. It gives us, the designers, the power to steer change through visual communication. The simplest way of doing the same is coming up with simple and effective systems of information absorption, making our people understand the values that would drive us forward.

While this helps corporations and startups that work with creative agencies like us, empowering them with great design systems, there’s a whole other side of it that is completely ignored.

At least until now.

In this year’s edition of Indianama,  our focus lies on improving the design landscape at a grassroot level. We’re going to the streets, working with the really small businesses and local shops and providing them access to quality design through collaboration with 71 designers around the world.  Once adapted on a larger scale, it could definitely help certain sectors of the economy grow.

That is the bigger picture we’re working toward, and undoubtedly the most ambitious one.

Is good design valued in India as a whole? Do your clients understand its potential and are they willing to pay for what it takes?

The ideal comparison would be that of one project with the other, rather than of clients. Largely, how receptive and appreciative they are of good design depends on what they’re offering and who they are offering it to. Many a time, we’ve worked on projects based on experimental design with brands you’d perceive as traditional. Other times, the up and the coming companies are the ones on the lookout for conventional, tried-and-tested methods. Overall, the standards that underline design in India are definitely on the rise.

I’ve read that India excels in system design, creating incredibly efficient and streamlined processes. Is that reflected in the design industry or the clients you work with?

Great system design is sometimes an effect of dire need. Our land is beautifully chaotic, which makes us work continuously toward systems and processes that are efficient, effective and sustainable.

The Dabbawalas of Mumbai are the perfect example here. That kind of functioning at that scale has been achieved, we feel, because it’s a community working toward a common good without the meddlesome bureaucracy of MNCs.  

More from Animal's work for Google

In your opinion, what are the top 5-10 creative agencies / design studios from India that everyone should know?

Quicksand

Beard Design

Codesign

The Brewhouse

Creativeland Asia

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Indian design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

There’s a lot of dialogue amongst designers and like-minded communities from around the world on platforms like Instagram and Behance. Curating some great content from an Indian perspective and relevance to culture would be websites like Platform Magazine and Homegrown. For a deep dive into the upcoming and often untold stories from the Indian sub-culture, there’s Motherland Magazine. And for a fairly new, but edgy source of the latest dialogue on the design industry in India, we’d recommend Design Fabric. To those wishing to visit some of the local design events, we say don’t miss out on Kyoorius Designyatra, an annual design conference and festival that in Goa every year.

In terms of books, there’s the award winning Dekho, by Rajesh Dahiya and India: Contemporary Design by V&A curator Divia Patel.

___

Kunel and Sharon, thanks so much for taking the time and giving us a peek into your world. It's truly exciting to see the work you're doing at Animal and Indianama, and I'll definitely be following these other studios and publications you shared as I learn more about the Indian design community.

Friends, be sure to follow Animal on Instagram to keep up with their work. And if you're just now jumping into the series, catch up with our other Design Around the World interviews right here. Until next time!

April 13, 2018No Comments

Exploring the Design Community Beyond SF & NYC

We originally began our Design Around the World series because frankly, we were tired of always hearing about the same studios and design circles in SF or New York. We wanted to spotlight design communities we don’t often hear about (especially those not based in the West) and see what we could learn from them. Almost a full year into the series, we’ve learned a lot.

After interviewing creatives in 11 different countries across continents, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite insights from the series so far. Thank you so much to these talented people who took time out of their busy schedules to give us a peek into their design community. It’s invaluable to us and we hope our readers have enjoyed the series as much as we have.

1. Design and art can help change society

“I’ve come to a realization that while a society needs its doctors and engineers, it also needs its poets and artists and designers for life to feel truly liveable, for a culture to remain humane and compassionate.” - Shehzil Malik, designer & illustrator from Pakistan

"I’d say design can’t really solve issues in our country by itself, but it can help in how others perceive these issues and influence them to change it." - Craig from Plus63 in the Philippines

“The nature of design is problem-solving and there are problems unique to us that good design can solve.” - Damilola from Dá Design Studio in Nigeria

Damilola and Seyi from Nigeria

 

“Good design for us is not about making things look and feel good; it should also change people’s behavior in a positive way, and we feel it is our job to continue educating our clients on this.” - Constant creative agency in Hong Kong

“Pakistan is generally a harsh place to live in a number of ways; most of the systems don't work and society is becoming increasingly intolerant. It’s getting harder every day to have meaningful conversations around social issues. This is where art can step in." - Shehzil Malik, designer & illustrator from Pakistan

"It’s easier to talk about beautiful pictures and foster empathy through an image that is honest.” - Shehzil Malik 

Shehzil Malik from Pakistan

 2. In some countries, design is still struggling to find its voice — and creativity can even be considered a luxury.

"People still think that a creative career is not a financially-viable path to take. Parents still prefer to see their children take conventional courses like nursing, medicine, law and accountancy." - Dan from Plus63 in the Philippines

“Nigeria is a hard country! Basic amenities aren’t basic so creativity appears to be a luxury. This is an illusion, but many brands are willing to buy and feed into this illusion.” - Damilola from Dá Design Studio in Nigeria

“[Design education in Vietnam is] growing and trying to find its voice. However, when it comes to design I don’t think young designers look up to the institutions to legitimize their creativity as we see in the West. Here, because of our past and the influences of technology, creatives are often time self-taught. There’s a huge reliance of intuition, self-determination and an pursuiant of passion. You might not see design that is globally groundbreaking all the time, but you can really get a sense of working best with what you got.” - Cong from Rice Creative in Vietnam

"Graphic design is relatively young in this country; we are all still finding a place to stand in the world." - Jean from Farmgroup in Thailand

Christina, Eliza and Mary from Armenia

“We live in a country with a developing design industry. We have a big share in its development… Step by step, with hard work over many years, we gained people’s trust and made them believe in quality design.” - Christina from Backbone Branding in Armenia

“Many designers have trouble communicating with their clients because a large number of clients do not understand what modern design is.” - Everyday Practice from South Korea

“I don't think we are that productive as a nation to be honest... I hope clients can understand that good design takes time, and hope that they do a lot of homework and planning so that each project can be planned ahead, so as to gain ample time for execution.” - Yah-Leng Yu from Foreign Policy in Singapore

Yah-Leng and Arthur from Singapore

3. Love of good design unites us.

“Humanity is complex; good design helps us enjoy our complexities when we can and brings simplicity when we can’t.” - Damilola from Nigeria

"Good designers here and everywhere work hard to push the boundary with their clients. Good designers here and everywhere are hungry to make a change in the client’s industry through their work...  This is what matters to Foreign Policy: to create design that makes an impact, design that matters." - Yah-Leng Yu from Foreign Policy in Singapore

“We believe in design that makes people move, makes them feel, makes them happy or sad and forces them to do something.” - Studio Melli in Iran

The Studio Melli team in Iran

4. Crises and risk lead to creativity.

“I believe it is at times of crisis that the potential for change, discovery and innovation is at its highest. In fact, I believe the creative market can thrive during times like this.” - Leo from Bonde Conference in Brazil

“As nonsense as it may seem, crises are extremely interesting for the creative industry, because it is at this time that people reinvent themselves, come up with products and seek to escape the crisis.” - Isabela from Sweety & Co. in Brazil

The Farmgroup team from Thailand

"Where there is no risk, there is no creative breakthrough." - Jean from Farmgroup in Thailand

5. Design events & platforms in many countries can sadly be as insular they are in the United States.

“I see that there is an enormous willingness of the designers to exchange experiences, but I do not see common sense. There are many micro-events of little relevance [in Brazil] and others fostered by universities, but I still see them as shallow and purposeless.” - Isabela from Sweety & Co. in Brazil

“In Korea, the term ‘hipster’ is a trendy word among designers. If you visit any design communities they talk about their favorite brand, fashion, club, etc. They may think they lead the trend of design, but if they only focus on the design community, they will lose their sense of communication… Of course we need to share information and collaborate each other, but I would hope that such a community does not serve some only to reject others.” - Everyday Practice in South Korea

The Everyday Practice team in South Korea

So much more to learn

Of course these interviews give us only the tiniest of glimpses into complex societies and design communities. We’re eager to keep learning from these designers and following their work, and we already have several new interviews lined up with others. If you're still catching up, here's the full list so far:

Design in Brazil ?? featuring Sweety & Co.

Design in Armenia ??featuring Backbone Branding

Design in Pakistan ?? featuring Shehzil Malik

Design in the Philippines ??featuring Plus63 Design

Design in Nigeria ??featuring Dá Design Studio

Design in Vietnam ?? featuring Rice Creative

Design in Thailand ??featuring Farmgroup

Design in Iran ?? featuring Studio Melli

Design in Singapore ?? featuring Foreign Policy

Design in Hong Kong ?? featuring Constant

Design in Brazil ?? featuring Bonde Conference

Design in South Korea ?? Featuring Everyday Practice

Featured "Earth Flag" image by Oskar Pernefeldt. 

March 27, 2018No Comments

Design in Vietnam 🇻🇳 featuring Rice Creative

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, we're looking at design in Vietnam with Rice Creative design studio.

Rice Creative may be located in Ho Chi Minh City, but their work is recognized and requested around the world. This diverse and multi-talented team works with big brands like Uber, Unicef and Coca-Cola but also lovely little artisan chocolate makers. I was curious to hear their perspective as a branding studio based in Vietnam with clients and team members from all over the world. And to my excitement, three members of their design team answered all my questions about it.

Tell us a bit about yourselves and your studio. How many people work at Rice and how did it all begin?

JOSHUA: It began with a leap. We felt we had to work with people doing good things. Having had enough of the advertising scene here and wanting to do more, it forced our hand to create this studio of like-minded creatives. No looking back. The team now fluctuates between 18 and 20 people.

CONG: Rice Creative is kind of an anomaly in comparison the other studios in Vietnam, but also abroad. While we operate similar to your standard design studio in that we mainly do design work, from branding to packaging to digital, we see ourselves more like a collective of people with disparate skill sets who work together really well. Because of this, one of our most important priorities is curating an amazing team. Rice not only consists of designers, we have researchers, illustrators, communication specialists and a robust production team.

Vietnam’s economy is growing fast and is predicted to become one of the world’s largest by 2025. How has that affected the creative industry and Rice Creative specifically?

JOSHUA: It is very exciting. We see so many new, thoughtful companies come through the door. We are witnessing all the established ones reinventing. What it has afforded Rice is a chance to be even more selective about our partners, and encourage ones we feel are visionary.

DAN: As well as working with new businesses, It’s really exciting to be in a position to give big companies a voice in Vietnam.

The beautiful Rice Creative studio.

What’s the quality of design education like in Vietnam?

CONG: It’s growing and trying to find its voice. However, when it comes to design I don’t think young designers look up to the institutions to legitimize their creativity as we see in the West. Here, because of our past and the influences of technology, creatives are often time self-taught. There’s a huge reliance of intuition, self-determination and an pursuiant of passion. You might not see design that is globally groundbreaking all the time, but you can really get a sense of working best with what you got.

JOSHUA: It is really nothing like more developed nations. In a way, it is starting from scratch. We find this liberating most days.

Early iterations for Eastlake, a brewery & taproom in Minneapolis.

Do you have much competition from other studios within Vietnam? What’s the design community like and how many designers are pursuing freelance vs. studio work?

CONG: The creative scene in Vietnam in many ways is going through our very own renaissance phase. It seems like everywhere you look there are things popping up left and right whether it be in the field of fashion, design, art, music, architecture or even smaller scale businesses. Part of this insurgent of creativity is partially because 70% of Vietnam’s population is under 30, with a desire to differentiate themselves from their parent’s generation and of course the interconnectedness of social media. We’re actually seeing a decline of creatives wanting to work in studios, especially more corporate agencies, and preferring to work amongst friends or starting their own practice altogether.

JOSHUA: There are others popping up in the scene all the time, and that is great. We hope for a richer and richer scene. The large advertising agencies still offer branding services and we hope they will stop, because advertising is really its own expertise.

DAN: Looking beyond just design, it’s so inspiring seeing such young people doing independent creative things for the first time ever in the country. I’ve met some boutique shop owners for example who don’t even seem to realize that they’re pioneering something here.

Illustration seems to be a popular field in Vietnam. Is that one of the most common creative career paths in your country? What kind of work are most designers getting?

JOSHUA: There is huge pool of talented illustrators in Vietnam. Image making in general is very strong here. I find a strong sense of narrative in most work here.

DAN: It’s great to know that we can take an illustrative approach to our projects with no doubt that the results are going to be fantastic. We’ve been fortunate enough to collaborate with some amazingly skilled and incredibly versatile creatives recently.

Intricate chocolate packaging illustrations for Marou in Paris.

You have clients everywhere, from Vietnam to France to the United States. How easy was it to break into the international market and was this your intention from the beginning? Are many studios doing the same?

JOSHUA: Currently we have clients from Japan, the U.S., Canada, New Zealand and Europe. It happened when we released our first works online. Suddenly we were getting international inquiries; there was something in that work that people were responding to globally. Having a very international group in our studio is crucial to our success. All of these viewpoints and different experiences challenge and benefit the work greatly.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

JOSHUA: To date, we have not really marketed ourselves much. We maintain our Instagram, which we keep more personal. We hope our audience can see our culture and lifestyle there.

Most of our online exposure has come from publications sharing our projects. We have had a lot of exposure from sites like The Dieline, but it’s also been a bit tricky because we do not specialize in packaging. We are overhauling our website and it should be our strongest asset in showcasing what we are all about. Our clients are also very proud of the work we have done for them and it will be a great place for them to point people to us and show off a bit.

DAN: It’s a tool for much more than reaching out to clients. Social media is often the platform through which prospective employees are exposed to the studio too. Being able to offer someone on the other side of the world and insight into how we do things is a reminder of just fantastic social media can be.

Rice's work for uberMOTO in Vietnam.

 

Why do you think good design is important and what does good design mean for Rice Creative?

JOSHUA: Good design solves a problem. We find ourselves going well above and beyond the original brief. Good design will solve problems for years to come. Since we also choose clients that are already doing something “good,” good design for them is very likely.

DAN: The importance of design craft and visual communication is really well understood here. The implications of symbolism in ancient motifs and designs are still prevalent. You only need to take a walk down the street to recognize the level of craft that goes into everything from the metalwork in housing gates, to the details within traditional street performer costumes. It’s really inspiring.

CONG: Design can only be as good as the client. You get a good client who is just as smart, talented and passionate as you are, then 90% of the work is done.  

"The question is not whether good design is valued and celebrated; but rather how the design communities have overcome these challenges and continue to thrive even on a smaller scale."

Rice Creative has won a ton of awards from associations in other countries, but I don’t see any from Vietnam. Is good design valued and celebrated in Vietnam? Why or why not?

JOSHUA: We cast an international eye on Vietnam, on purpose. This is why we go for awards. All of them were firsts for Vietnam. We get more Vietnamese clients and more Vietnamese names in the awards. Someday Vietnam may have its own creativity award — maybe we’ll start one — but for now, at least the world is talking about Vietnam as a creative place.

CONG: I think one of the things that we understood early on about starting a design business in Vietnam is that the industry had to start from scratch from post-war years. Colonization really altered the course of this field and many others — as a result of the war many people left, certain crafts died out, there was more red tape, etc. The question is not whether good design is valued and celebrated; but rather how the design communities have overcome these challenges and continue to thrive even on a smaller scale.

Rice's work for Wallpaper* Thai edition, inspired by Vietnam's neon signs.

I’ve read that negotiation is a big part of Vietnamese culture and commerce. Is that an accurate perception and if so, is this true for the creative industry? Are companies willing to pay a fair price for creative work?

JOSHUA: We do not have much time for haggling. We’ve been able to avoid that situation because we choose the right clients that have a general appreciation for the value effective design brings. You know, you get what you pay for.

I know community and family is highly valued in Vietnam. How does that play into your workplace culture and work/life balance?

JOSHUA: We have a great culture in the office. It’s tight. I think we all wish to spend more time eating and partying together, but everyone is also seriously determined. A lot of us are pretty exhausted by the end of the day. During the day, everyone is really supportive of each other. We do have beer on tap at the office from our beer client. So now that I think about it, we do kind of hang out a lot at the studio with brews.

CONG: Of course family dynamic is a big central theme in Vietnamese culture. And in that sense, it does bleed in our work a lot. We often see ourselves as not just colleagues but friends and chosen family. It’s not unlikely to see some of us congregate to grab dinner or go out together. We actually try to make it a habit to hang out with each other outside work hours at least a few times a month.

DAN: Being one of the many people who have moved around the world to be here at Rice, I definitely feel a sense of family here. For the people like me, we are in this together. We’re learning things from each other’s backgrounds and discovering things here together. Both in and out of work. Inclusive community traditions still live strong here in Vietnam, and they do not stop at the workplace. It didn’t take long to feel at home.

The culture in Vietnam is a complex adaptation of Chinese, Japanese, French and American colonial influences. How does this influence its graphic design style and aesthetics?

CONG: I think there’s a lot of nostalgia for the traditional crafts that predates colonization; in a way a reimagination of what Vietnam would’ve been like without its particular past. But we also see an embrace and/or influences from colonial and war time. This is often because it’s the most readily accessible “visual language” we see — whether it be from leftover signage or corroded motifs on buildings. Due to our past, I think the mentality has always been about a strong DIY culture, where you have to really work with what you got. It just means a less emphasis on materiality but more on problem solving.

In my research I saw that Vietnam’s Thu Phap calligraphy involves “blowing beauty into every single character.” I love how intentional and thoughtful that sounds. Does this mindset translate in the Vietnamese design community in any way? Is beauty highly valued?

JOSHUA: It does. We certainly embrace thoughtfulness and meticulousness. Beauty is certainly highly valued. Often it’s about how that beauty was reached that makes it really resonate.

CONG: What's also really interesting is that while visual language is increasingly more valued and embraced in Vietnam, the uses of language to describe that work is just as important and in many ways can be just as beautiful.

For BRAIN mag's "strawberry red" cover theme, Rice blasted strawberry purée at a wall through a stencil.

How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other?

CONG: The magic of Ho Chi Minh City in many ways can be experienced through “hidden hẻm.” Hẻm is a Vietnamese word for the little alleyways populated throughout the city. It’s kind of a play on hidden gems. Like these hẻm, the design communities are not centralized in one place but rather dispersed throughout, and encounters are often met in serendipitous manners. This makes communicating to the mass a bit tricky but running into each other every other moon at an art opening or design launch super rewarding.

DAN: Coming from the street culture, I think there is a real face-to-face element that lives in the creative scene. Companies have faces and thus personalities. People know and support each other as friends. There is a real ingenuity to what people are doing here; people are doing unconventional things in unexpected places. It wouldn’t be the same if these initiatives existed only online. To experience it you really have to come here and discover it for yourself.

"A Year with Thirteeen Moons" by Rice Creative

I read that Vietnam owns about 20% of the coffee market share, and is the second largest coffee producer in the world. Which leads me to one question: How many coffees have you had today? 😉

JOSHUA: I usually have one a day. One big thermos I brew every morning that lasts all day. Pour-over, Vietnamese light roasted Arabica, of course.

CONG: Two yummy cold brews!

DAN: I’m totally hooked. If Rice doesn’t keep me here, the coffee for sure will.

___

Joshua, Cong and Dan — thank you! Very grateful for your thoughtful answers to my (many) questions about design in Vietnam. I feel like I have a much better understanding of the creative community there now, and I plan to keep learning. To keep up with Rice Creative's work, follow them on Instagram and visit their site. And be sure to check back for more Design Around the World features coming soon.

March 2, 2018No Comments

Design in Singapore 🇸🇬 featuring Foreign Policy

With this latest addition to our Design Around the World series, meet Foreign Policy in Singapore.

Everything Foreign Policy creates just feels like smart humans are behind it – no tired buzzwords or dated design trends to be found. Their work has so much personality,  I knew the team behind it must be awesome. And they are. I visited the Foreign Policy studio in Singapore to meet them in person and talk with Yah-Leng, the studio's inspiring co-founder, about the design community in Singapore. And of course, I brought my camera.

Hey Yah-Leng, tell us a little bit about yourself and your studio. How did you and Arthur WeeSheng Chin decide to co-found Foreign Policy together? And what inspired the studio name?

Arthur and I both came back from New York after studying and working in the U.S. for 15 years in 2007. We wanted to build a design practice that different from the bigger international agencies that were the main players in Singapore during that time. We started with two and today we are about 12. The name Foreign Policy is really a reminder to ourselves that we should keep a more global perspective and diversity when we approach design.

Inspiration everywhere in Foreign Policy's creative space.

What is the design community in Singapore? It seems like you contribute a lot with events like LUMEN and The Swap Show. Are there other events or platforms where designers can connect with each other?

The Singapore design community is a young and vibrant one. I think I said in 2015 that this is absolutely the best time to be a designer in Singapore. Everyone is driven and inspired to do good work, to up the design standards and to have their own voice in each project. I think this is really heartwarming to see as the landscape was different when I first left the country compared when I came back. Many designers are taking initiative to organize various events and exhibitions, and working on collaborative projects with different creatives, which is absolutely awesome. It brings the designers ever closer and grows the community even more beyond the non-design community.

Foreign Policy's work for Singapore Design Week

The Foreign Policy team works across many disciplines, from branding to architecture to website design. Is it standard for studios in Singapore to be full-service this way, or are most more specialized?

It really depends on their goals and mission. Singapore is a tiny market for us; it just makes sense as we grow. Especially since we are creating brand experiences for our clients and their customers, a holistic 360 approach works best so we can cover all bases in terms of delivering a consistent brand experience.

"As with all designers in the world, designers in Singapore do not have it easy."

The kimchi burger, please.

You trained and worked in the States for quite a long time before going back to Singapore. That gives you a pretty unique perspective. How would you compare the life of a designer in Singapore to other places you’ve experienced? Do Singaporean designers and studios work or think differently in specific ways that you’ve noticed?

As with all designers in the world, designers in Singapore do not have it easy. We have to be sure we stay in touch with current affairs, be on top of current and future trends, and stay knowledgeable in various genres. We cannot only be knowledgeable about design, but every non-design subject. Every project is a new subject to be learned, a platform to harness our previous experience. Good designers here and everywhere work hard to push the boundary with their clients. Good designers here and everywhere are hungry to make a change in the client’s industry through their work.

“Proportion”, representing the ratio of men to women designers in the design industry — 85:15.

Does Singapore have recognizable design style? How does your culture and history influence the work you do today?

We do not particularly have a Singapore design style. As an island nation with a super strategic geographical location, we are a hub for trading and air travel — we were founded by the British due to our strategic port for trading in the 1800s.

We are really quite well-exposed to various cultures and influences coming through the city or going out. Especially in this day and age, many of us are super well-traveled and well-informed of what's out there outside of our little island. Our jobs, our education and air travel being so cheap and accessible, we get to see the world much more frequently. Being a former British colony, we do get influences from the British; many design students choose to further their studies in the UK. But I would say we find influences all over.

Oh, the colors!

Singapore is considered one of the most technology-ready nations as well as the city with best investment potential. How does that impact your work as product and digital designers? I’d imagine you get to work with some exciting startups and projects.

I think it's becoming to be — the past 10 years were just a lot of restaurant and cafe startups, with a lot of work coming from that sector. In the last two years and moving forward, we are seeing more tech startups in the city nation. I hope they do work with designers; it would help to jump start yet another aspect in the UX/UI and interface design side of things, as well as a larger spectrum of projects that would challenge Singapore designers.

"Either we as a nation need to learn to be better planners or we as a nation are too quick to react and demand a solution too quickly."

Singapore is also the second-most competitive nation, based on factors like economy and business innovation. That seems like a lot of pressure! As business owners, do you see or feel that spirit of productivity and competitiveness?

I don't think we are that productive as a nation to be honest, but yes — demanding clients and a super fast pace for sure. Lead time to launch is usually shorter and rushed; either we as a nation need to learn to be better planners or we as a nation are too quick to react and demand a solution too quickly. I hope clients can understand that good design takes time, and hope that they do a lot of homework and planning so that each project can be planned ahead, so as to gain ample time for execution.

Foreign Policy's work for The Space Program

Singapore is of course a small country compared to its neighbors. Do businesses typically look to work with local studios like yours within the country, or do you find yourself competing with companies outside of Singapore? And on that note, how often does Foreign Policy work with clients overseas?

I do think we have some advantages due to our strategic geographical location. And being a former British colony, our business language is English. That has helped us gain access to other countries, especially the developed western countries. With that, doing business is much easier and that helps with our overseas business development. Plus, we are pretty bilingual — Chinese being our mother tongue, it helps us bridge the gap between clients from China. Our communications barrier is zero. I would say half of our work is from outside Singapore.

Branding work by Foreign Policy

 

I’ve read that UX/UI designers as well as designers with coding ability are highly sought after in Singapore, since the market moves fast and new companies need websites. Have you seen this to be true? What are the biggest opportunities that you see for designers in Singapore right now?

Yes, and I think this is true everywhere. Singapore is a small market so you have to know many skills to do as well and be able to approach a problem from different perspectives and viewpoints. I think that is very valuable, and clients and employers hold this breed of designers in high esteem. I would like to say Singapore designers are always looking to challenge and better themselves, choosing more testing work with each new project.

Why do you think good design is important? What does good design mean for you at Foreign Policy?

Good design is not just a pretty design — that is a given. What's most important to us is that the story holds water and strikes an emotion with the beholder and most of all, that it makes an impact in somebody's organization and somebody's life. This is what matters to Foreign Policy: to create design that makes an impact, design that matters.

The Swap Show, an event Foreign Policy puts on for creative exchange.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 design studios from Singapore that everyone should know?

WORK
Kinetic
H55
Asylum
Bravo
Roots
Do Not Design
Somewhere Else
Bureau
Foreign Policy (haha)

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Singaporean design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

I think the internet and social media are pretty strong links for everyone globally. I also encourage the Singapore design community to put their work and their thoughts on these mediums. We cannot deny these are very powerful bridges to the rest of the world. Myself and my fellow design studio owner friends run a design society here in Singapore and hopefully in 2018, we can create a greater awareness of the Singapore design community to the overseas design community.

___

Yah-Leng, thank you so much for taking the time out of your travels and busy schedule to talk with us! So many great insights here and I'm excited to continue following your work and learning more about Singapore's design community. Readers, be sure to check out Foreign Policy's awesome site and follow their work on Instagram. You'll not only learn more about other design communities outside your own, but I promised you'll be inspired by Foreign Policy's unique approach to design and life.

February 2, 2018No Comments

Design in Hong Kong 🇭🇰 featuring Constant

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, we are happy to introduce Constant, a creative agency in Hong Kong.

Constant helps brands across the world redefine themselves. With offices in both Hong Kong and Copenhagen, they have a unique perspective on their local design community — from where it all began to where it could go in the future. I got to visit the Constant studio in Hong Kong and even take a few photos of their talented team at work.

Now we're talking more with Tim and Paul, partners at Constant, about what it's like to design in one of the most insane and inspiring cities in the world.

First, tell us a bit about your studio. Who is the team behind Constant and why did you decide to open your own agency?

The team consists of brand and business strategists, art directors, designers and writers. We opened the agency to play a part in pushing Hong Kong’s design and creative industry forward, and to help brands position themselves toward the rest of the world.

You rebranded and expanded to Copenhagen in 2015. I read that it’s uncommon for Asian businesses to expand into Europe and usually works the other way around. Why is it uncommon and how was the experience for you?

In past decades, bigger American and European agencies saw the obvious monetary value in growing in China and other parts of Asia. They have been focusing on building capabilities and setting up shops here. Doing just the opposite was not very common, but with one of our co-founders being Danish, along with our existing network of talent, it was not as difficult as it sounds to build a new base outside of Hong Kong.

The Constant office in Hong Kong

In an interview, Tim Ho said your expansion followed a trend of more Asian companies wanting to go global and adapt global design thinking. What’s influencing that trend in Hong Kong and is there a specific reason for this — assuming the market in Hong Kong and wider China is already big enough?

There have been, and still are a lot of successful manufacturers across Asia. As their knowledge and technologies mature, some begin to develop their own products, designs and identities, with the vision to grow brands globally. By transforming themselves from manufacturers to brands which are independent and have full control of their product quality and developments, they are in a position to reach an international audience and compete on a global scale.

When I search for Hong Kong design, I see a lot of bright and intricate illustrations. How would you describe Hong Kong’s design style and how does your culture or history influence it?

Hong Kong design for us is very “efficient” and adaptive. Like many other cities, infrastructure and culture plays a big part in design influence. Bright and intricate illustrations may have evolved from our fast paced lifestyle and cramped cityscape, similar to the famous neon light scenes you see all around Hong Kong — many signs, symbols and designs were created to quickly grab the attention of busy and restless Hong Kongers.

"It is only natural that creativity will continue to grow and flourish in a city like this. There is inspiration, dynamism and change happening all the time."

Constant's art direction for the Calvin Klein Performance line.

There seems to be a strong design community in Hong Kong, with many events and organizations dedicated to supporting art and design. What has allowed this community to grow? Are many people actively supporting and pushing for a stronger design community in Hong Kong?

The design and creative communities in Hong Kong have certainly evolved from as recently as our parents' generation. Older generations found it hard to believe in the creative industry being a “career” for their children. It wasn’t considered lucrative or stable. But over the last decade or so, creativity now has found a voice and the art of design and branding is more widely accepted and celebrated. We have seen more design schools open in Hong Kong and the younger generations now have a greater impact and position in society as a whole (you would have seen that with the recent Umbrella movement) and with that, freedom to pursue creative interests and subsequently greater demand for resources dedicated to the arts.

A look behind the scenes at the Constant Studio in Hong Kong

The government has seen the evolution of the design industry and growing support in this area, and has invested in materials and resources which can only continue to fuel the growth and development of our already awesome city.

Hong Kong is also an extremely cosmopolitan and diverse city that sits up there with all the biggest cities in the world — it is only natural that creativity will continue to grow and flourish in a city like this. There is inspiration, dynamism and change happening all the time.

In my conversations since I’ve been here, I’ve heard that good design isn’t as valued by clients in Hong Kong just yet. Is this true? Why is good design important, and what does good design mean for you at Constant?

It may not be fair to assume good design isn’t valued by Hong Kong brands, but it’s definitely rare to be put as a priority. When high level executives are not knowledgeable in design, it is hard to expect them to properly invest in it or use design to solve business problems. Good design for us is not about making things look and feel good; it should also change people’s behavior in a positive way, and we feel it is our job to continue educating our clients on this.

Constant for District15

It seems like most agency blogs inevitably fall to the wayside because client work comes first. Not so for Constant. You’re pretty active on your blog and seem to put a lot of thought into it, covering topics from social media to veganism. Why is it important for your creative team to write?

We write to express our views, but more importantly, we write for ourselves. Whenever we work on a project, we do an extensive amount of study and research internally to educate ourselves about our subjects. It was natural for us to turn this knowledge into articles which we can share with our peers.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general?

We feel the more brands know what we are thinking about or working on, the more we can be trusted as a team that’s capable of creating solutions with depth and thorough thinking behind it. That said, we haven’t been actively building a large following.

In your blog feature about Aesop, you talk about how much “sameness” there is in Asia, and how brands should believe in their unique identity instead of trying to fit the Asian context. Is this still a relevant issue? What is the Asian context and why is there so much sameness?

This was a pretty old article but an inspiring viewpoint at the time. The point here was that many brands entering Hong Kong or China tried to model themselves after some magic formula for success: a “this is how it works in Asia” style thinking. Other than creating a lot of sameness it also underestimated the global mindset and international influence of consumers in Asia, which is becoming more apparent everyday. Yes, there are things you should understand about the market, but changing your brand to fit in was not the way to go.

Constant Art Direction and Photography for Arkk

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Hong Kong design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

There are communities forming around the PMQ and it will be interesting to see what the new M+ museum brings to the city. Magazines like Obscura and Blackbird are good to follow as they present an international viewpoint but from Hong Kong.

––

Tim and Paul, thanks so much for taking the time to answer our questions and give us a peek into the Hong Kong design community. Be sure to check out Constant's work and follow them on Instagram to keep up with what they do next.

And if you're just now jumping into the series, catch up on our other Design Around the World interviews here.

January 19, 2018No Comments

Design in Thailand 🇹🇭 featuring Farmgroup

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, meet Farmgroup, a creative agency in Bangkok.

Farmgroup's work is delightfully unexpected. I was immediately drawn to their offbeat style as soon as I landed on their website. Then I toured the studio and met the team when I visited Thailand, and they exceeded my expectations. The way they think about design reminds me why I got into it in the first place. Meet Tap, Jean and Irin from Farmgroup.

First, tell us a bit about your agency. How many people work at Farmgroup and how did it all begin? And is there a good story behind the name?

TAP: There’s isn’t much story behind our name; it’s something very spontaneous. We wanted something very humble, down to earth and simple. Thailand is an agricultural country and we wanted the name to hint that we’re the ones who produce the work, not the ad agency. So farming seems to be the right name for us. It started as just a small graphic design studio. We first named it “Graphicfarm.” Then when the work caught on, we started to get bigger and bigger projects beyond just graphic design. So we became Farmgroup. The word group was added so there’s a sense of people, a multidisciplinary approach and also open room for future opportunities.

Now we are a full service design consultancy. We design everything from branding, identities, typefaces, prints, digital, events, exhibitions, installations and commercial interior spaces. We believe in integrating these various disciplines to create a complete brand experience for our clients.

We’ve been operating since 2005 and started with only three people. Now we are a team of 20.

 

The Farmgroup studio in the heart of Bangkok

Your website mentions social workers are part of your team. Can you tell us more about that? How does social work fit into the work you produce?

JEAN: When we say social worker, we mean working to improve our society with design. So much can be done in Thailand simply through better awareness of what art and design can do. To make art and design more accessible, Farmgroup annually organizes Hotel Art Fair, bringing galleries around the country under one roof for a weekend (you should come next year).

Irin & Jean

TAP: Running a design firm in a developing country doesn’t give you much freedom to pick and choose projects or clients. Most of our projects are commercial projects, but often we feel like there’s a need to feed our souls. So whenever these two worlds can overlap, it feels great. For example, the Bamboo Chandelier project we did in Chiangrai province. We got to collaborate with local craftsmen and also help them create jobs. They took off from there and are now able to take care of themselves and their villages.

We also take on many pro bono projects. There is no limit to how many we take on in a year, just as long as we can do it and it doesn’t affect the existing paid projects. Most of our team members are also independent volunteers in numerous fundraising projects. The firm also initiates our own art and culture events to support local artists and designers.

"Another Story" branding by Farmgroup

"Motion Landscape," by Farmgroup

It seems like a lot of your clients are based in Bangkok or somewhere else Thailand. Do you choose to work mostly with local clients? How common or uncommon is it for agencies to work with clients outside of Thailand?

IRIN: Tap and the partners are usually the ones who find and select the clients. When they get the projects, they ask us designers whether we would like to do them or not. I believe that the location of the clients is not something we chose consciously.

Out of all the projects I’ve done this year, only two are for clients who are based outside of Thailand. But confusingly enough, although these two projects are for international clients, the target audiences are in the end Thais. On the other hand, we have projects for clients who are Thais but are working for global international brands, or are hoping to release their new Thai product outside of Thailand. So, in the end, which projects are considered international?

With the help of technology (FaceTime, the Internet etc.), borders and distance between countries are not much of a problem. Regional economic policies, on the other hand, are larger factors. Luckily, the Association of Southeast Asia Nations Economic Community (AEC) are slowly turning the region into a single market and hopefully making the process of hiring across borders easier and more common than before.

A beautiful mess on the streets of Bangkok

What’s the design community like within Bangkok? Beyond your own events, are there opportunities for designers to connect and learn from each other?

TAP: The design industry in Thailand is young, but growing fast. New generations of designers are very active and connected. You can see that there are small talks, workshops and design markets happening almost every other week. We have also seen design firms from Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia starting to interact with the Thai design scene in the past couple of years. We’ve had a full-time junior designer from Malaysia on our team before. We’ve also received many visits from design firms in Southeast Asia.

IRIN: In terms of official larger events, this year alone we have the Bangkok International Typographic Symposium (BITS), the Type Directors Club Exhibition, the Bangkok Art Book Fair, the Wallpaper Thai Edition Design Talk and a Design Film Festival Bangkok. We also have official associations like the Thai Graphic Designers Association (ThaiGA) and the Typographic Association of Bangkok (TAB). The designers who show up to these events or associations are usually familiar faces — people we already know or have at least heard about.

A peek into the Farmgroup studio

"Graphic design is relatively young in this country; we are all still finding a place to stand in the world."

When I picture the Thai aesthetic, I think of ornate textiles, tile work and temples. Does that translate into Thailand’s graphic design style at all? How does your culture and history influence the work you do today and what are perfect examples of typical Thai design style, in your opinion?

JEAN: The ornate textiles, tile work and temples are more of a product rather than a process. Ornaments are often used when one wants to convey heritage, but I wouldn't say that this is engrained in the Thai graphic design style, which is much more contemporary.

Farmgroup, however, has a different way of work. It is less straightforward. Spontaneity and I dare say, a little bit of cheekiness comes into play. Graphic design is relatively young in this country; we are all still finding a place to stand in the world. I think one of our fortés is being crafty (in both meanings).

Designers at work.

Bangkok is one of the world’s top tourist destinations and the food scene seems to be booming right now too. Are these cultural trends affecting the design community? What kind of work are most designers in Thailand looking to do right now?

IRIN: Bangkok being one of the world’s top tourist destinations definitely has less apparent effects than the booming food scene. We do have several projects that deal with Thai-ness, but the audiences for these projects are mostly Thais or expats, not tourists. Perhaps we play with Thai-ness and borrow from our heritage in our projects purely out of the same nationalistic fever taking over the entire world. Joking.

As for food, Bangkok is completely saturated with nice cafes and restaurants with Instagram-ready interior design (or at least a corner or wall). Naturally, when we get a cafe or restaurant project, it is becoming more of a (good) challenge for us to somehow find a place in that market for it to exist. Personally, I do like working on F&B projects for I too like spending on food and exploring the new restaurants.

"For us, it is not just about creating good design, but also making the wider audience understand what good design is."

Annual report Farmgroup designed for Noble.

Why is good design important? What is good design and what does it mean to you at Farmgroup?

JEAN: Good design is important because it make our lives run more seamlessly. A piece of good communication design, for example, makes you understand a complex message in a matter of seconds. The interplay between the image, shapes and words creates something complex and occasionally unexpected. Good design works around human capabilities. It is so important, especially in the world today, when we are inundated and drowning in information, to get messages across as clearly, quickly and effectively as possible. It’s our job to get everyone on the same page about something.

TAP: Good design means everything to us. That is the reason we get up everyday to come to work. For us, it is not just about creating good design, but also making the wider audience understand what good design is. As a developing country, knowledge of design for the general public is very low, so it is our duty to stay committed to our crafts and educate others at the same time.

"Where there is no risk, there is no creative breakthrough."

You’ve won awards from both local and national organizations. Would you say Thailand as a whole appreciates and celebrates good design? Why or why not?

JEAN: Not as much as we’d like them to. The word "good" is rather subjective, because everyone aspires to have the best design they can possibly have. However, their perception of what is good very much differs to ours. We consider good design to be effective in both form and function. It should communicate a point (or a few) effectively. It may mean occasionally challenging the views of the norm. However, the general public may seek something much more comforting and familiar. The appreciation of risk is not there yet. Where there is no risk, there is no creative breakthrough.

The ultimate focus.

TAP: To be honest, we don’t really care or believe in design awards at all. But again, Thai clients seems to care about it maybe because they do not have enough knowledge in design, and an award is the only guarantee that they can hold on to when selecting a design firm. We’ve realized that in the past couple of years, so that's why we started to submit some works to local and regional design competitions.

Thailand as a whole does not appreciate good design enough to see it as an important investment. I think this is just part of being a developing country like us. Design is still undervalued and overlooked most of the time.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 design studios or designers from Thailand that everyone should know?

TAP: Oh, wow… this list is going to be very personal. But here it is, in no particular order or category:

Farmgroup (of course!)
B.U.G Studio
Pink Blue Black & Orange
Cadson Demak
Practical Design Studio
KKelvin Studio
TNOP Design
Slowmotion Design
Conscious
Ductstore the Design Guru

I just had to take this picture in the Farmgroup studio.

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with Thailand’s design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

JEAN: That’s a good question; I do feel that we spend much of our time within our own country. We do look at what other countries are up to, but there is not much dialogue exchanged. A conference, perhaps. What we do is when we are abroad, we visit other design studios to exchange our work and connect.

Farmgroup's Bamboo Chandelier project

TAP: Technology now give us freedom to connect, I think it’s just a matter of reaching out or not. Like Jean said about studio exchange, we are taking a company trip to Shanghai in January 2018 and we’ve reached out to a couple design firms there to see if we can visit and meet them. They are super nice and willing to give us a tour and chat with us.

So it is not difficult to connect to each other, you just have to do it.

Tap, Irin & Jean - THANK YOU. I loved hearing your unique perspectives and thoughts on the Thai design community, and I can't wait to see what you do next.

Readers, be sure to check out Farmgroup's website and follow their work on Instagram. And if you're just now jumping into the series, catch up on our other Design Around the World features here.

January 10, 2018No Comments

Design in Armenia 🇦🇲 featuring Backbone Branding

Our Design Around the World series introduces us to designers in other countries, giving us a glimpse of their unique design community and culture. For our latest interview, we're happy to introduce Backbone Branding from Armenia.

Backbone Branding is a branding studio located in Yerevan, the capital and largest city in Armenia. They are a vibrant team of young people passionate about changing design's role in their country. And they are leading the charge – the country's design community is small and only just developing. We spoke with Christina, Eliza and Mary about Armenia's artistic history and culture, how it translates to their work and how step by step, they are changing the perception of design in Armenia.

First, tell us a bit about your studio. Who is the team behind Backbone Branding and why did your founders open the studio? And we’re curious about the name — is there a story behind it?

ELIZA: Stepan Azaryan, our founder and creative director, wanted to take Armenian design to the highest level, so he opened a studio and took the responsibility for this goal. We shared the same desire and joined Backbone when there was already small team.

Backbone employs persons, not positions. This is a team of very hard-working people. We have become real friends here. Our differences help us to be a great team: We complete each other and combine our views to have a broader perspective. We never do design just for design’s sake. Instead, we use it as a tool to communicate. Functionality and results are our priorities.

As for the name “Backbone Banding," Stepan explains it this way: “We develop the brand’s backbone which supports the product’s strong position in the market.”

The Backbone Branding team looking fresh on a trip in Iran.

When I research Armenian graphic design, I notice a lot of typographical based design. Of course the rich colors and intricate detail of Armenian carpets come to mind as well. How would you describe Armenian design?

ELIZA: That’s a very good point. Typography and our letters are essential in the Armenian culture. We have been facing the problem of keeping our national and religious identity over centuries and our writing, especially the alphabet, plays a big role in that. As the first country to adopt Christianity as its official religion, we value our unique identity, especially the alphabet, as it reminds us of the challenges we have overcome. Our letters have kept us the way we are.

There are several ethnic types of the Armenian calligraphy and typography. One of them is Trchnagir (Bird writing), which combines calligraphy with the rich colors and intricate details that you mentioned, stylized as a bird. You can see many original manuscripts presented in Matenadaran, the depository of ancient manuscripts, the most appreciated museum of Yerevan and one of the few in the world.

"We value our unique identity, especially the alphabet, as it reminds us of the challenges we have overcome."

The Republic of Armenia is an independent state from 1991, but our history and culture begins thousands of years ago — it is at least four thousand years old. One of the most important stages (for design) of that history was the Middle Ages with the rise of traditional Armenian miniature art. Now this heritage plays a big role in the formation of Armenian design. One of our new projects (not yet published in our portfolio) is an Armenian restaurant, Kololak. Besides the main branding, we created a lot of artwork for the interior which features Armenia's beautiful calligraphy.

Backbone's interior design work for Kololak.

It seems like the arts are appreciated in Armenia, especially in Yerevan with its museums and art galleries. Is graphic design valued the same way in your country? Do people seek quality design and recognize its potential social impact?

CHRISTINA: We live in a country with a developing design industry. We have a big share in its development; we have helped many businessmen learn about the impact and power of design. At first very few of them would trust a local company with big projects. We showed our first clients how important design can be for a business and how we could help them solve their communication and marketing problems. Step by step, with hard work over many years, we gained people’s trust and made them believe in quality design.

ELIZA: Design has been valued in Armenia for a long time, but it wasn’t graphic design as we know it. We had and still have talented artists working passionately, but could not adapt to the requirements of today's commercial world, which is why the design often lacked commercial approach and become more artistic than creative.

Armenian calligraphy – more work for Kololak.

How does Armenia’s history, culture and art inspire or influence your own work?

CHRISTINA: The influence is huge; we grew up in an environment where everyone tells you how important your heritage is. This inspiration is very useful when the brands we develop are connected to an Armenian identity. But for the rest of the projects we try to leave behind these borders. When developing the concept for Cafe Diego, an Argentine restaurant named for soccer player Diego Armando Maradona, we sought the spirit of Argentina and found it.

In some ways the Armenian heritage is a pillar on which we build our work. But we use all the world’s materials and techniques to keep building on that pillar. The goal is to create good design, not just Armenian design.

Backbone's brand design for Cafe Diego.

 Why do you think good design is important? What does good design mean to you at Backbone Branding?

CHRISTINA: The answer may sound quite simple. Why do people always design something new? Why do manufacturers change the packaging of their product all the time? They want to be seen, to be recognized, to stand out on the shelf full of competitors. After all, they want the product to be sold. Design is becoming a primary tool in business, combining art and commerce.

Whether it’s commercial or non-commercial, good design reflects the ideas of a brand. A designer must understand the essences of the brand, its vision and goals and use them as a foundation.

Christina behind the scenes.

I’ve read a lot of international businesses operate out of Yerevan. Does Backbone Branding seek to work with international clients? Why or why not?

MARY: Backbone Branding does work with dozens of international brands, some of which you can find in our portfolio, such as the above mentioned Cafe Diego in Abu-Dhabi; MØS, a Scandinavian restaurant in Moscow; and MooGoo, a Slovenian dairy company. We’re not concentrated on the Armenian market. In fact, we love to set new goals and challenges.

We give the world our original approach as an Armenian studio, and we exchange values and ideas. Both sides benefit from this kind of cooperation.

Packaging for MØS, a Nordic restaurant in Moscow.

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

MARY: We actually get quite a lot of inquiries via social media. We do our best to create work that makes us proud, then, of course, we promote it through social media. That’s where people often find and share our work. It’s also our platform for keeping in touch with the world’s design community. Besides, there are clients who prefer social media messengers to email communication — in particular Facebook as it is #1 not only in the world, but here in Armenia as well. We use others as well, each for a certain purpose.

The Backbone team in action.

Do any events or organizations exist yet that connect and educate Armenian designers?

CHRISTINA: The community is just developing. There are some events a couple times a year like discussions, master classes, etc., but mostly they are one-time events, so I can’t mention anything significant. Our studio also organizes meetings and master classes to share and exchange experience with different audiences.

There are a couple of colleges and universities here in Yerevan that teach different branches of design. Also, Tumo Center of Creative Technologies operates in the capital and many regions of Armenia, providing training programs, workshops, master classes and exhibitions for teenagers interested in different creative fields.

Another shot featuring Backbone's work for MØS. 

"We just do our job as well as we can, thus people get interested. It's a chain reaction."

When I hear news about Armenia, it’s usually related to the country’s political and economic tension. I’m curious to know how the design industry fits into this story. Do you think design can make a positive social impact in your country?

ELIZA: The media mostly cover the news that have high demand from the community and/or society. Same goes for the news about design industry. When you make something with obvious impact, everyone wants to read about it. Among the latest design-related news in Armenia was the new design of Armenian dram banknotes, which was very controversial. This is a topic that touches everyone in the country. We all deal with those banknotes and have no other choice.

On the other hand, tech news, which always speaks about progress, is in demand. You may have heard about Volterman, the multi-functional smart wallet. This is an Armenian project that holds a crowdfunding record, having collected 100% of its goal on the very first day of the campaign and 2287% ($1,555,343) by the end of the 1-month-long campaign. Backbone Branding is proud to be a part of the campaign.

As for our projects, being in the news is not among our primary goals. We just do our job as well as we can, thus people get interested. It's a chain reaction.

I read that Armenian children begin thinking about their careers at a very young age, and that parents conduct a ceremony with infants to determine their future career path. Is design considered a prestigious or desired profession to Armenians? And have you wanted to be designers since you were infants? 😀

ELIZA: I’m not sure what I had picked back then, but I’ve certainly had the desire to become a designer for as long as I remember. At first I was dreaming of it without a clear idea of what design even means.

The profession is respected, though sometimes the existing stereotype of a designer is not always correct. Some might think that it’s an easy job that doesn’t require much. But then they see hard-working professionals working long days, seeking perfection and succeeding with hard tasks. They realize that design requires both talent and professionalism, and the Backbone Branding team is proud to be a good example for everyone.

CHRISTINA: Just like Eliza, I’ve been dreaming of this profession since I was a little girl. But I hardly knew anything about graphic design, instead I was dreaming of fashion design. As I grew up and chose to become a graphic designer, I’ve still had that dream. Here at Backbone, I’ve had the chance to work on many kinds of projects and even make my childhood dream a reality. This was due to the project Shabeeg, as we developed t-shirt illustrations and prints for the brand.

A lifestyle shot for Shabeeg.

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Armenian design community?

As we mentioned, our design community is just on its way of development with small steps. There are no blogs nor magazines dedicated solely to design. A couple of portals write about advertising, sometimes publishing articles about branding as well, but they are only in Armenian.

If you want to find any information, it’s either on company websites or general news/entertainment portals. Yet, we are open to communicating with everyone who is interested. You can even visit us here. Dinner is on us – you’ll have a chance to learn about the famous Armenian hospitality :).

___

Thank you so much Eliza, Christina and Mary for making this interview happen and giving us such a meaningful look into the Armenian design community. I'm in particular in love with your recent work for Kololak and will be following your work closely in the future.

For everyone reading, please check out the Backbone Branding website and be sure to follow on Instagram. And of course as always, if you enjoyed this interview or have questions/feedback, please let me know via Twitter @vanschneider

November 14, 2017No Comments

Design in Brazil 🇧🇷 featuring Sweety & Co.

With this latest interview in our Design Around the World series, we're excited to introduce Sweety & Co., a branding studio based in Porto Alegre.

Sweety & Co. may be located in Brazil but you'll find their work all over, from the U.S. to the Netherlands. The Sweety team lives up to its name, owning a vibrant, emotional style that just makes you happy. Grinning cashews dive into lively pools of milk in one package design, apples and blueberries dance across the next.

Isabela Rodrigues, the studio's founder and creative director, is sweet too — but she doesn't hesitate to speak her mind in this interview.

Tell us about yourself and your studio. You have a background in digital but now focus on packaging and branding. Why did you choose this path and what made you decide to open your own studio?

I worked for a long time in the digital world, but I was always highly requested as a freelancer for branding — and my dream was to work with packaging, but I had no knowledge. I began to realize that although I had a lot of experience in the digital world, what I did best and what my portfolio showed best was branding. So I dived deeply into learning and relearning print design. And I never stopped.

I opened the studio in 2011 as “Isabela Rodrigues - Sweety Branding Studio.”

In 2015, we went through our own rebranding. It was motivated by the fact that from time to time there were misunderstandings with our brand positioning; people did not understand that I did not work alone, I had a team.

So "Sweety Branding Studio" became Sweety & Co.

Packaging for Wild Leaf, a tea company in the States.

“Incredibly, we have become better known outside Brazil than inside.”

You work with companies in many different countries. How do you form these international relationships as a studio? Is it common in Brazil to work for clients overseas?

It is not that common for design studios to provide services outside Brazil. I don't know many who work this way.

The most interesting aspect is that we captivate our clients in a very organic way; we have never done any kind of prospecting. It comes naturally from our portfolio. I also believe that we are able to charm and provide a sense of security for our customers, having worked with different cultures and methods in the past.

Incredibly, we have become better known outside Brazil than inside. Now we are balancing things around here.

Sweety's work for Ofélia, a Brazilian startup.

I picture Brazilian design as being colorful, joyful, full of life — this could certainly describe Sweety & Co’s work. How would you describe Brazil’s design style, and how does your culture and history influence it?

Brazil sells itself culturally because it is multi-ethnic, very colorful and diverse. The carnival, the tropicality and the heat influence the way Brazil is represented in the eyes of those who see it.

Our design relates a lot with the happy vibe of Brazil, although we are located in the south of Brazil that is not so influenced by this tropical heat of Rio de Janeiro and Amazonas. We certainly live with this aesthetic, but try to reinvent and transcend this style.

“Crises are extremely interesting for the creative industry, because it is at this time that people reinvent themselves…”

Brazil went from a huge growth period to a sudden economic crisis within the last decade. Yet the digital market and startup scene continues to boom. How have these ups and downs impacted your work as product designers?

As nonsense as it may seem, crises are extremely interesting for the creative industry, because it is at this time that people reinvent themselves, come up with products and seek to escape the crisis.

That's where we come in. Most of our clients are new projects, new products, people who have left their daily lives, left their jobs (or lost a job) and are ready to invest and to undertake. It's really cool to see that passion.

Work for Aura, a group of art curators in Brazil.

What job opportunities are available to designers in Brazil right now? Are most local designers seeking to work with startups?

The Brazilian market is very divided at the moment. I see lots of people venturing out, setting up their office and making it happen. I also see a lot of people leaving Brazil.

It is extremely difficult to be an entrepreneur here in Brazil. Taxes are high — not only the standard monthly taxes but also the taxes we pay to have the best equipment. If you are successful in Brazil, you are at least very good.

Tell us more about the local design community. There seem to be many events and platforms for the tech community to connect in Brazil. Is there a strong design community outside of that?

There is still much to be developed in this regard. Behance and its Behance Review event have a very interesting role in terms of dissemination and deepening in design. I see that there is an enormous willingness of the designers to exchange experiences, but I do not see common sense. There are many micro-events of little relevance and others fostered by universities, but I still see them as shallow and purposeless.

A cheerful corner of the Sweety & Co. Studio.

What’s the quality of design education like in Brazil? Do most designers seek a formal education or are they self-taught?

I'm very curious about education in Brazil. I took a technical course in industrial design and I started working very early, at age 15. I went to college at age 19, a big gap compared to those graduating high school and going straight to college.

With this I developed a "self-taught" critical eye and when I went to college, nothing impressed me. Now when I talk with students, I see a lot of discontentment with college, especially with shallow and/or old-fashioned teachers. I speak of people I have access to. I don't know all the teaching methods of all Brazilian colleges, although I know that the Rio de Janeiro Design College, ESDI, has huge cultural value.

Why is good design important? What does good design mean to Sweet & Co. and how do you see it impacting Brazilian society?

Good design for Sweety & Co. is design that excites, sells and perpetuates.

We always want to be remembered for making products and projects highly recognized, and for solving problems. Each project that leaves the studio should be a reason for pride and desire.

More vibrant packaging from the Sweety studio.

Is good design valued in Brazil as a whole?

The way people see design is changing as they begin to understand its importance. The visual references of people are also changing, adapting and improving. With this, a graphic "caution" is essential in everything. Our clients always come to us with very high expectations and complete research, wanting to create and innovate.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 designers or studios from Brazil that everyone should know?

Below are some studios and designers that I believe to be located in Brazil:

Hardcuore
Br/bauen
Leo Natsume
Valkiria
Guayabo
Luciano Pouzada
Tátil Design
Criatipos
Lud Co
Pedro Veneziano

Work for RAWCHA, located in United Kingdom.

“Design is practically a universal language."

How can designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Brazilian design community? Are there any blogs or magazines we can follow?

Design is practically a universal language. I believe there are not too many barriers between the international community other than language, since we are all connected.

Two great Brazilian references that have reach even abroad are Abduzeddo and Choco la Design.

Isabela, thank you for your insightful, no-nonsense thoughts in this interview! We appreciate the glimpse into your design community and look forward to seeing more.

Friends, follow Sweety & Co. on Instagram to keep up with their work, and be sure to check out the links above to get more familiar with design in Brazil.

If you're new to our Design Around the World series, you have lots of catching up to do 🙂 Start here.

October 31, 2017No Comments

Design in the Philippines 🇵🇭 featuring Plus63 Design

Our "Design Around the World" series explores design communities from all over, with a goal to learn more, meet new people and broaden our horizons. With this long-anticipated addition to the series, we talk to Plus63 Design Co. from the Philippines.

Plus63 is a branding studio located in Quezon City. Everything this small team creates seems to be made with love and care. It’s as if they finish a project and then ask themselves, “But what if we did more?” And they do a whole lot more. One step at a time, the members of Plus63 are helping change the way design is viewed and valued in their country.

Meet Dan, Bernice, Jo, Raxenne and Craig.

Tell us a bit about yourselves and your studio. Why did you decide to open a branding studio and how did you all come together?

BERNICE: Plus63 is a continuation of our journey in finding ways we can contribute to and lift up Filipino design. A decade ago, a group of friends, including Dan and Rhea, created a socially-oriented design studio focused on nonprofit organizations and development communications. After several years, we transformed into Plus63 as we realized that we wanted to create good design — design that makes a difference.

DAN: Me, Bernice and Rhea started Plus63 to continue developing our design identity and scope, and redefine how we want to run our company. Bernice was my classmate back in school at the University of the Philippines, and Rhea was one of our partners in the previous design studio. Joanna, spotted by Bernice when she was a panelist at her senior thesis defense, became our first full-time designer. At a Behance portfolio review in Manila, Raxenne’s work stood out, and later on we hired her to complement the studio’s varied design and illustration styles. Craig was a former Plus63 summer intern and now he’s our most recent hire.

We never really set out to focus on branding, we just wanted to continue working on graphic design projects. But when we started getting exciting brand identity projects, we realized how much we enjoyed it since we became part of the brand’s journey from start to finish.

The Plus63 team

“We realized that we wanted to create good design — design that makes a difference.”

I noticed that Plus63 is part of Hydra Design Group — how does that fit in?

DAN: Hydra Design Group is a creative collective that we started a year ago. Plus63 recently moved into a new office space together with Inksurge (graphic & web), The Acid House (motion & animation) and KM Design (interior & space). Our studios’ diverse and complementary skill sets allow us to work together on large-scale projects and learn from each other. We still keep our independence as Plus63, but when we need to work on projects with a much larger scope, we volt-in as Hydra.

+63 is the country code of the Philippines. Does your heritage and love for the Philippines play into your work beyond that?

JO: A lot of Filipinos are very friendly and warm in general, and we at Plus63 are also like that (or at least that’s what I’d like to think, haha). I guess those traits get carried over to the way we interact with clients. We like to get to know them better and understand where they’re coming from before we start brainstorming. Looking “Filipino” isn’t something that we aim for or choose to avoid. For us, it’s more about catering to what the client needs or suggesting something better-suited for their brand.

Plus 63's branding work for Theo & Philo, a Filipino chocolate maker.

“Filipinos have a way of taking everything that passes our way and processing it in terms of our already established culture.”

A Filipino friend of mine told me that the Filipino design community as a whole is heavily influenced by Western design and culture, partly because it’s an English-speaking country that absorbs a lot from the internet. I imagine the country’s complex history and colonization creates an identity issue as well. Is that an accurate perception? Is there a distinct Filipino design style?

BERNICE: Filipino design is a visual mishmash reflecting our culture and history. Our jeepney is a sample of typical Filipino design: a modified jeep (American) decorated with anime stickers (Japanese), spray-painted Catholic images (Spanish), zodiac signs (Chinese), decals of landscape scenery (Southeast Asian), and portraits of family. Western design is more prominent since America was the last colonizer. We speak English, our fashion and even food preference is very Western. Filipinos adapt quickly and integrate those influences the Filipino way.

CRAIG: I guess if you were to describe design nowadays, most of the time you would consider the more well known ones as “Western” in origin. I also agree with you that a lot of our sensibilities here have been influenced by Western culture through different eras of colonization. In terms of influences though, I’d say Filipinos have a way of taking everything that passes our way and processing it in terms of our already established culture. So I do agree that Western design and culture has had a large impact on how we see design, but the translation of this most often will be a balance of both Western and our own.

Brand identity for Kushikatsu Daruma, a Japanese restaurant.

The Philippines seems to have a fairly active design community, especially in Manila. Is the creative field a common career path in the Philippines? How easy or difficult is it to become a designer?

DAN: It’s an exciting time to be a designer in Manila. There’s a lot of energy in the local scene and in the community, with a growing number of design events and initiatives all over the country, as well as government recognition that design plays a significant role in helping develop the economy. That said, it’s still not a common career path in the Philippines. People still think that a creative career is not a financially-viable path to take. Parents still prefer to see their children take conventional courses like nursing, medicine, law and accountancy.

RAXENNE: When I graduated six years ago, being a designer wasn’t really the goal of most of my peers. We wanted to be art directors and work for advertising agencies. I didn’t think graphic design was a career path I could take. I think it’s because of the lack of graphic design courses here, so there’s not much exposure. All the things I know so far, I’ve learned while working. It’s different now though. You see a lot of young creatives pursuing design and illustration more.

As for getting into design studios, it’s kind of harder. We don’t really have huge design studios here. Most are small-scale so it’s difficult to get a spot unless one of their designers leave. What happens is designers freelance, or start their own studios or groups.

“Design can’t really solve issues in our country by itself, but it can help in how others perceive these issues and influence them to change it."

Brand identity for The University of the Philippines athletic program.

What does good design mean to Plus63, and how do you see it impacting Filipino society as a whole? Do you think it can solve larger issues the country faces?

CRAIG: Good design is important to me because I believe it helps in how we mature as individuals. Design isn’t something we really need in order to survive as a species, but good design helps us somehow put form and sense into what we see around us. I’d say design can’t really solve issues in our country by itself, but it can help in how others perceive these issues and influence them to change it.

DAN: For me, good design is coming up with the best (clever and thoughtful) solution to a problem. It’s important to show that designers can contribute to the success of a small business, help a community recover from disasters and even assist in developing effective government programs. At Plus63, we ultimately want to lend our skills as designers and strategists to help the design community and the country.

Branding for Recession Coffee, a pay-what-you-want shop.

To support the industry on a larger-scale, I joined a team composed of designers (led by Jowee Alviar of Team Manila, AJ Dimarucot, Angel Guerrero, Brian Tenorio, Arriane Serafico and many others) from various industries such as graphic design, furniture, fashion and media that pushed for a national design policy and what we now have as the “Philippine Design Competitiveness Act of 2013.”

In a nutshell, it states that government will support and enhance the growth and sustainability of the design industry. The studio has also worked with the Design Center of the Philippines to help local furniture companies become more competitive in the international furniture market.

To help organize our particular design community, we established the Communications Design Association of the Philippines (CDAP) with Jowee Alviar, AJ Dimarucot, Angel Guerrero and Brian Tenorio. We’re hoping that the organization can provide the support that designers need and enable the overall success of the industry.

Design can make a difference. While design alone can’t solve all the problems in a society, it still plays a significant part.

Trophy design for the Adobo Design Awards.

The policy seems like a huge win. Would you say there’s a positive shift happening around design in your community? What factors have made the country take notice and invest in design?

DAN: It has come to a point that not putting design on the economic development agenda would put the country at a greater disadvantage in the global marketplace. Now more than ever, there is a need for government to recognize design as a driver for economic growth, as well as nurture the culture of creativity and innovation. There are people in government, through their work in diverse capacities from legislation to trade and export promotion, who understood the challenges our industry faced and supported us. Leaders from various design-driven industries got together, as well as educators, and supporters in media.

Cliché as it may sound, the passage of the Philippine Design Competitiveness Act showed what people can achieve when they take the initiative and find common ground. Because of this the implementing government agency for the policy, the Design Center of the Philippines, has shifted its mandate from commercial export promotion to include the support and promotion of Filipino designers, as well as the development of Philippine-made products through design. This is also great for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) that need assistance in enhancing the quality and value of their products.

More work for The University of the Philippines.

“But of course, this is only the beginning. There is still so much to do... Fortunately, we now have something to build on.”

Since then, the Communication Designers Association of the Philippines have been meeting to understand the current landscape, who make up these communities (and the design disciplines involved), what their professional/enterprise challenges and needs are, and how we can to support one another.

This has been a long time coming, since we’ve been trying to organize representation for our own industry and at the same time tend to the realities of running our own design studios or practice. But of course, this is only the beginning. There is still so much to do in shifting the mindset of design's cultural value and its role in nation-building. Fortunately, we now have something to build on.

Branding for LIT, a bar that specializes in Japanese whisky.

What’s the quality of design education like in the Philippines? Do many designers seek a formal education or are they self-taught?

BERNICE: I think design education is improving since there are more schools, courses and better facilities created to cater to young, aspiring designers. Design education instills the fundamental foundation for specific design careers. For example, in the University of Philippines, fine arts has various academic majors such as visual communication, industrial design, painting and sculpture.

I’m not sure about the statistics of formal education vs. self taught, but I think designers do both. I took visual communication where I learned visual perception, design theories, editorial design, production methods, photography, etc. After graduation, I had to learn Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign on my own because it wasn’t really taught to us back then.

JO: I graduated from the University of the Philippines’ College of Fine Arts with a degree in visual communication. It was a broad course with only a few design subjects, but that way I got to experience a lot of things like figure drawing, marketing or electronic media. I only started to understand and actually design better when I got out of college and started working in a design studio. I think it’s the same for a lot of people. What’s great now, though, is that a lot of design studios offer practicum slots for students who are interested in graphic design.

Work for Move Philippines, a disaster preparedness program for kids.

What would you say are unique challenges for Filipino designers right now?

CRAIG: I think one of the biggest challenges Filipino designers face right now is proving to the world that we can be just as good as designers from other countries. From my experience and my friends’, somehow when you say you’re getting a Filipino designer, the first thought that comes into the client’s mind is that we work cheap. I know there are a lot of clients that don’t think this way, but there are still some who treat us like simple workers rather than partners in creating good design. It’s not so much the money that makes me worried about being a designer in this country, but more the idea that we aren’t seen on the level of designers from America or Europe.

RAXENNE: I’m not sure if this is unique here, but I agree that potential clients are still not ready to pay for good design. They are often surprised when we give our quote. It can be frustrating, but I understand. We’re a third world country and design is still a luxury, so this makes pricing difficult. There is no standard and you have to adjust your rates. I’m still getting the hang of it.

Branding for Your Local, a restaurant that serves Asian comfort food.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 designers or studios from the Philippines that everyone should know?

Inksurge
The Acid House
Team Manila
Vgrafiks
AJ Dimarucot
And A Half
Bad Idea
Serious Studio
Studio Dialogo
The Office of Culture and Design

How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Filipino design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

BERNICE: Online, there’s Behance and a site we made called plus63.net (but we need to update this). In print, we have Adobo Magazine, Bluprint and Real Living, where they annually feature emerging artists. There are also events such as those organized by Ayala Museum and Graphika Manila that create a venue for people to engage with the Filipino design community.

Plus63 team! You're an inspiration. Thanks so much for your time and thoughts. I'm excited to see what you do next for your clients and the Filipino design community.

Be sure to follow Plus63 to keep up with their work — you won't be disappointed. And if you're just learning about this interview series, catch up here.

July 12, 2017No Comments

Design in Brazil 🇧🇷 featuring Bonde Conference

Recently we started our “Design Around the World” article series on DESK. The goal is to feature design communities we might not hear that much about. So far we’ve talked with designers from Nigeria, Iran, Pakistan and South Korea. Brazil was next on our list.

Then I stumbled upon Bonde, an upcoming conference in New York dedicated to bringing attention to Brazil’s work and highlighting the Brazilian design community. I met briefly with the two organizers, Felipe and Leo, and loved hearing about their motivations and the Brazilian design community. I think you will too.

Hey, Leo and Felipe! First question: WHY are you doing Bonde? I assume it’s anything but easy to create a conference like this. What brought the idea about and what would make Bonde a success for you?

FELIPE & LEO: Thank you Tobias, it’s a pleasure to talk with you. We couldn't agree more; it’s anything but easy to create a conference like this.

LEO: It all started with the desire to connect Brazilian creatives living in NY. We wanted it to be a small gathering at first, but as more and more people showed interest in it, we realized Bonde could serve as a bigger platform — one that could not only connect Brazilian designers amongst themselves, but most importantly, connect Brazilian designers to the rest of the world.

The Bonde Website

One of our main goals with Bonde is to raise awareness of Brazil's many contributions to design, while presenting a more complete perspective on what Brazilian design could be.

“Brazil is so big and so diverse that it is impossible to explain its aesthetic like one would with Swiss, German or Japanese design.”

When you search "Brazilian design" on Google, you will probably see a lot of colors, organic shapes, ornaments and tropical-themed illustrations, which we don't think are misinterpretations of the country’s design necessarily, but there is a lot more to it that is sometimes overlooked. Brazil is so big and so diverse that it is impossible to explain its aesthetic like one would with Swiss, German or Japanese design.

Brazilian design has multiple dimensions and possibilities. That is why Frederico Duarte, one of the biggest researchers and experts in the field, will open our conference with the talk, “What If There’s No Such Thing as Brazilian Design?” We can't wait to see it!

(Brazilian design on google images)

Like you said, Brazil is massive. More than 200 million people live there and it’s the 5th largest country in the world. As I understand it, the country experienced rapid growth in the past decade making it the 8th largest economy in the world. This was followed by an economic crisis in 2014 that still continues into 2017.

How have these factors influenced the Brazilian creative industry and design community? What are the unique challenges for Brazilian designers that we don’t see anywhere else?

FELIPE: The economic growth Brazil went through in the past decade helped the creative industry in a couple of ways. With the rise in accessible technology, information and digital tools became readily available and as result, design became a mainstream profession. Besides, government-sponsored university programs such as Pro Uni and racial quotas have helped make college education more democratic in the country, including design, which was previously considered to be an elitist profession.

With the recent crisis we are facing, many of these achievements are unfortunately at stake. Studying design in Brazil is expensive, and being a designer doesn't pay well. With the uncertainty of a successful professional future, young people are pressured to pursue traditional professions.

One of the challenges we face working as designers in Brazil is the fact that creative industries are very much driven by advertising culture. That means large design jobs that should have been assigned to a design firm are repeatedly handed over to the creative departments of ad agencies (the 2014 World Cup identity is a good example of that). As a result, most large brands in Brazil have their accounts associated to a specific ad agency that handles all their communications throughout the year, with no distinction between advertising or design jobs. And while there are amazing small design studios doing great work in Brazil,  when they get the chance to work for these larger brands, it is often as a contractor to advertising agencies, meaning there is little to no direct communication between them and the final client.

Another challenge I believe is specific to working in Brazil is the fact that opening, keeping (and closing) your own business is an extremely hard process. So as an entrepreneur, a large portion of your time and energy ends up being spent on these bureaucracies, and not in developing your creative work.

“I believe it is at times of crisis that the potential for change, discovery and innovation is at its highest.”

On top of that, it sounds like most Brazilian businesses, with less confidence in the economy, decrease their budgets and tend to be more risk averse when it comes to new ventures. As creatives, we not only thrive when there is confidence in our work, but also when companies value what good design can do for them. But as you mentioned, design is often seen as an elitist field. It’s not considered the solution to a problem, but something only afforded when you’re doing well.

How do you think Brazilian designers can convince companies that design might be exactly what they need?

LEO: We wish we knew how to convince companies that design is exactly what they need, especially at times of crisis. But we know it's not that simple.

I agree that the role of design is sometimes overlooked. Especially at times of recession, it can be labeled superfluous by clients who have bigger issues to deal with. It makes sense for companies to want to take a more conservative approach and lower their risk tolerance, but I believe it is at times of crisis that the potential for change, discovery and innovation is at its highest. In fact, I believe the creative market can thrive during times like this. Adverse circumstances can serve as stimulus for change, and Brazilian creativity is in many ways an example of that. Brazil has a rich history of design innovation, especially involving challenges like environmental sustainability, social equality and diversity. I would argue that the creativity Brazilians are known for is probably results from the need to find creative ways to work with limited resources.

I remember joking when I met up with you that every creative agency in New York used to have at least one Swedish designer, mostly because Sweden is good at exporting their creative talent. But now, it seems as though every agency has at least one or more Brazilian or Latin American designers. What do you think is the reason for this change and the increase in Brazilian talent being exported around the world?

FELIPE: I think there are a couple of reasons why there is such an increase in Brazilian and Latin American talent being exported around the world. One of them is the economic recession, which we just discussed. The second one is the fact that there are many Brazilians in leadership positions at creative companies like Huge, BBDO and R/GA that end up connecting and attracting Latin talent through their networks. Others professionals have partnered to open their own business on American grounds (FLAGCX and Work&Co are two good examples) creating a bridge between Brazil and the U.S., and facilitating transfers of talent between the two countries.

You both work in New York but were born and raised in Brazil. Do you think it’s important for your origins to influence your work?

FELIPE: I think everyone's origins, life experiences and all the visual and cultural stimulus one absorbs throughout their lives (whether consciously or not) will influence their work. I feel privileged to have had the chance to experience different cultures and to bring that with me to New York. Not necessarily just because I am Brazilian, but because I come from a totally different place and my experiences can add something to the table.

LEO: I am a true believer that creative innovation is often the result of collaborations and cultural collisions between people with different points of views and different backgrounds, so in that way, yes, I think it is important that your origins influence the work you do.

Let’s talk about Bonde for a second. I noticed you have a nice lineup of Brazilian speakers, some I haven't heard about, which is exactly the reason I love so much what you’re doing. What was your criteria when you put the list of speakers together?

LEO: The main criteria for selecting our speakers was to not have a single criteria that could be applied to all the speakers. Instead, we had the desire to invite a diverse group of people that could bring different perspectives to the discussion.

(Bonde speakers)

Our final lineup is a wide range of design-practitioners, including names like Jonathas de Andrade, a fine artist who uses graphic design as a medium to discuss contemporary Brazilian subjects; Barbara Soalheiro, a writer who is challenging the design process through her new entrepreneurship; and Rimon Guimarães & Zeh Palito, a duo that spent all of last month painting murals in refugee camps in Syria.

(Jonathas de Andrade – O Museu do homem do Nordeste)

For those of us who are interested in getting to know the Brazilian design community more, are there any blogs, publications or other resources that would help us to get a better picture of Brazilian design?

LEO AND FELIPE: Unfortunately, it’s hard to find a lot of content in English, so we decided to share a list of things about Brazil that inspires us, directly or indirectly related to Brazilian design.

For Portuguese speakers or people who are willing to learn it:

  • Plana, the Brazilian version of NY Book Fair
  • Diagrama, a new design podcast in Portuguese
  • A Escola Livre (the Free School), a design education experiment.
  • NoBrasil, a Brazilian culture platform dedicated to diversity, with a focus on the country's African influence.

And if you happen to be in NYC:

(Bonde’s instagram)

____

Leo and Felipe: Thanks so much for your thoughts and insights into the Brazilian design community! I feel like I already have a deeper understanding and appreciation for Brazilian culture and design, and I know the Bonde conference will share so much more.

Everybody else: If you can be in NYC on July 22, buy tickets to Bonde, and be sure to tell your NYC friends! I promise it will be worth your time.

Thank you for reading,
Tobias

 

June 20, 2017No Comments

Design in Pakistan 🇵🇰 featuring Shehzil Malik

This interview series aims to shine light on different design communities across the world. With our fourth interview we look at design in Pakistan, featuring designer and illustrator Shehzil Malik.

Shehzil is unstoppable. Her work, a comic book explosion of color inspired by her life, Pakistan’s history and the future she’s working toward, tells a story and has a purpose. There are Pakistani superheroines. There are powerful depictions of life as a Pakistani woman. There are scenes and patterns and details that both honor and reveal Pakistani culture. Much like Shehzil’s work, there is a lot to unpack in this interview. Let’s get to it.

First, let’s talk a bit about you and your work. When did you start working as a designer and illustrator, and what motivated you to pursue it as a career?

I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, so it only made sense I’d go to art school. I chose to study design instead of fine arts because I liked the idea of design being art used for problem solving. My first job after graduating was as art director at a socially conscious clothing label. At the time it was my dream job; I got to draw for a living, create good design and fund social impact. After a year, it was again time to challenge myself, so I applied for higher education and got the Fulbright scholarship to pursue a master's degree in computer graphic design. Since returning to Pakistan, I’ve been trying to figure out what I can do as designer with a focus on social change.

Now I do a mix of collaborative graphic design jobs, create illustrations, sell art prints through my e-store and stay involved in the international human-centered design community. Every day is different and that’s what is exciting for me — there is so much to explore and learn and create! Next on my agenda is to design more products and public art projects, and become more involved in our design community through workshops and residencies.

Receiving the Fulbright Scholarship is an impressive achievement. What’s the typical path to a design career in Pakistan? Is quality design education available within Pakistan or are most designers self-taught?

I’d definitely say getting the Fulbright scholarship is not the typical way and I would encourage more art students to apply for it. Studying abroad was a life changing experience for me; it was my first time in a multicultural environment and I learned so much more than I had in the classroom. Now the Trump administration is considering cutting the funding for the Fulbright program by 47%. This is a disastrous move specifically for Pakistan, because the impact I’ve personally seen Fulbrighters make in our community is invaluable. Also, most of us can’t dream of an education abroad without financial aid.

In terms of design education in Pakistan, we have a few institutions offering degrees in our major cities and I often feel we are behind the times. There’s a strong focus on print design despite the fact that even our market is changing to demand more UX and interaction designers.

“There’s no easy formula for good design; it’s the unglamorous method of working hard, being obsessive, spending time studying the processes of the best in the field and slowly getting better.”

My advice to anyone interested in design in Pakistan, whether they have formal design training or not, is to be self-motivated and find resources online to help you. Between online tutorials, design portfolios, process work and great inspiration, the internet has been invaluable to my learning to design. It is also a good idea to look for mentors — locally or abroad. There’s no easy formula for good design; it’s the unglamorous method of working hard, being obsessive, spending time studying the processes of the best in the field and slowly getting better. Many of the best designers and illustrators I’ve met in Pakistan have been self-taught, passionate people.

Shehzil in her creative space.

Tell us a bit more about Pakistan’s design community. What are the job opportunities for a designer in Pakistan, and do platforms or events exist that help you connect with other designers?

Things have changed over these last couple of years. When I returned after my masters I had a tough time finding the right job for myself. This is also why I began to focus on my illustration practice and start an online print shop to supplement my income. It’s after searching for years that I’ve now found like-minded individuals who’d be open to creative coding and more innovative interaction design projects.

Get prints of Shehzil's illustrations at shehzil.com

Traditionally, designers become part of the advertising world or join large agencies. Now there’s a new start-up culture, and independent design and game studios are popping up. Design conferences are also beginning to emerge — we recently had our first UX Design Conference and a National Digital Design Conference is taking place in September. Times are changing and if you’re motivated and have a vision for yourself, it’s an exciting time to be a designer in Pakistan. I personally turn down many of the projects offered to me, because I like to focus on a few good projects as opposed to spreading myself thin. I hope more designers work hard and put their work online so we can spread and share these opportunities amongst one another.

“The challenge in all walks of life in Pakistan is to not fall into despondency and cynicism. If you let all the negativity get you down, you will never change things.”

read an article that said Pakistan's film scene is suffering from lack of budget, direction and confidence. It suggested there’s no faith in big ideas and the Pakistani audience. Does any of that ring true for the overarching arts and design community in Pakistan? What challenges does the Pakistani design community face right now?

I personally have little faith in big institutions in general when it comes to creating anything that is cutting edge or innovative, since they rarely take the risk of going against the tried and tested. I think young people have to let go of the notion that someone older with a big budget is going to change things. I like examples of movies like “Once,” which was made with a shoestring budget (but with a lot of heart) and became a huge success. With self-publishing, crowd funding and the internet as a distribution network, it’s the age of creating our own material.

In terms of Pakistan, I like to look at it not as a lack of opportunities, but as a time to create those opportunities for ourselves. The challenge in all walks of life in Pakistan is to not fall into despondency and cynicism. If you let all the negativity get you down, you will never change things. It all comes down to being stubbornly optimistic — write that book you wanted to read, make that movie, draw that graphic novel, start that design company. This is the incipient stage of design in Pakistan and we have to work consistently and well to define what good design looks like in our local context. You could suck at first but a few years down the line, you could become our Pixar, Disney, Apple, Ideo or Pentagram.

“I’ve come to a realization that while a society needs its doctors and engineers, it also needs its poets and artists and designers for life to feel truly liveable, for a culture to remain humane and compassionate.”

"Walk III" from Shehzil's "Women in Public Spaces" series.

In a country fraught with social and political angst, it seems as though good design could be disregarded as unessential or excessive. Is good design is valued in Pakistan? Why do you personally think good design is important?

This is a question I’ve struggled with over the years and the answer changes depending on the day you ask. However, I’ve come to a realization that while a society needs its doctors and engineers, it also needs its poets and artists and designers for life to feel truly liveable, for a culture to remain humane and compassionate. Pakistan has been struggling with huge issues for years now. Tragedy strikes, we react and life resumes.

We’ve always had beautiful design in terms of our historic architecture, pottery, textile, craft and jewelry, and a rich visual language of kitsch from our cinema hoardings, street posters and signage. Graphic design, and especially good design as it is recognized internationally, is new to Pakistan. But with the rise of globalization and people increasingly interacting online, companies are beginning to realize that they need to invest in design to communicate effectively. A country may have security threats but business and economic activity continues, and good design is slowly being seen as good business. Not just in Pakistan — the whole world is changing and becoming more intolerant — but I think you can always find beauty and humanity if you look for it. I think designers need to consider the role they play in bringing this side of humanity to light.

“I’m amazed at how often our very specific stories have a universality to them.”

Much of your art focuses on issues like women’s rights, and it’s clear you consider design a tool for social change. How have you seen design positively impact society in Pakistan?

I think you can use any field as a tool for social change if it is the intention or motivation of those involved. If you look at projects in human-centered design in Pakistan, there are many efforts being made. I have friends who work on innovations in education, clean energy, child immunization, maternal health and water sanitation. Part of their process is assessing the impact their projects have on the community. I hope more people discover how designers and engineers can work together to make these positive interventions.

I personally lean toward taking on design projects that have social impact, like making an online store for women artisans or helping brand social ventures. This impact is easier to measure; I’ve seen an increase in sales by putting the handicraft of the women of Behbud online and how documenting the journey of a social venture on sustainable food can create a new source of income for everyone involved.

I also think of illustration as a form of storytelling with transformative power. A lot of my art works as a catharsis to my experiences — they are literally notes I write to myself that I post online. I’m amazed at how often our very specific stories have a universality to them, from the difficulty of navigating public spaces as a woman, to questioning perceptions of beauty, to the struggle between tradition and modernity when you’re searching for identity.

"I am Now Socially Acceptable" illustration by Shehzil Malik

Pakistan is generally a harsh place to live in a number of ways; most of the systems don't work and society is becoming increasingly intolerant. It’s getting harder every day to have meaningful conversations around social issues. This is where art can step in. It’s easier to talk about beautiful pictures and foster empathy through an image that is honest. A public art project I’ve been a part of addressing intolerance and extremism was a transformative experience for me. I can only hope it helped others in our community feel a sense of hope as a counter-narrative to the extremism around us. I am hoping to work on similar projects in the future. It simply needs more planning before tackling an issue this sensitive.

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, many designers are working for clients overseas remotely. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with Pakistani clients or internationally as well? And do Pakistani businesses typically use local designers?

I think many of the most talented designers in Pakistan choose to work freelance and with overseas clients. It pays better and their work is accepted for what it is. The downside to this is that we locally don’t see great design, nor do we hear about or recognize great designers. Businesses here typically use local designers since it’s much, much cheaper than finding a designer abroad. I personally choose a project based on how exciting it is, be it local or overseas. If it’s cool and has something to do with female empowerment, technology or storytelling, I’m in! If I don’t find such a project, I make one up for myself. A lot of my work has been either passion projects or a collaboration that’s come about by my approaching a company I admire. An example of this is a Pakistani feminist fashion line I’ve designed with a local clothing retailer that will hit stores this summer. I’m very excited!

Shehzil in her natural habitat.

How much impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Turns out, social media has made all the difference in how I work. I’ve had a website up for years, but it’s only recently that I made a Facebook page for myself, and it really changed how my work was seen and acknowledged. After I left my stable advertising job, almost all my projects have come by word of mouth or by reaching out to someone cool I found online.

I use my Facebook page as a showcase of what I’m up to professionally, and my Instagram as a more personal archive of my art, places I’ve seen and design motifs I’ve come across. I often use Instagram as a visual diary to take inspiration from. I don’t have a strategy behind how I post; I do what comes naturally to me. I feel that if the work speaks to you, people will organically share it and publications will write about it. Let’s see how well this strategy works in the future!

When I look up “Pakistani design,” I see Mehndi tattoos and Pakistani fashion in all its incredible, ornate detail. But I unfortunately know little of Pakistani graphic design. Does Pakistan have a distinct design style?

That’s a very good summation of what design in Pakistan feels like to an insider also! We are heavily involved in fashion design. Many women run small boutiques from their homes, and we have a very sophisticated fashion design industry with a huge market for it locally and overseas. The graphic design field in comparison is nascent, tiny. I think this has to do with our priorities as a people. Pakistanis in general are obsessed with weddings and fashion, and are willing to pay for it. People follow the money when it comes to choosing a career path. Graphic design is often seen as something with no tangible raw materials and it’s often a struggle to convince a client to pay well.

In terms of a Pakistani design style, it’s hard to say. Most designers end up playing it safe and derivative, quickly copying something they’ve seen online. Copyright laws are non-existent and many designers are not accustomed to creating anything from scratch — may it be taking an original photograph, working on typography or drawing an illustration. This is something we must work on because there’s a plethora of indigenous art, architecture and craft to take inspiration from and make into something new, beautiful and functional. The closest we have come to this is customizing our very distinct painting style on trucks (“truck art,” as it’s locally called) but in my opinion we need to continue to find new hybrids in our visual language.

“I try to question the fixed ideas we have about our own identity and challenge the stereotypes associated with being from this part of the world.”

How does Pakistan’s culture and history influence your work?

I am committed to contributing to a Pakistani visual language that is both modern and rooted in culture, so I often take pictures of our flora and fauna, textiles and patterns to use in my work. I often juxtapose aesthetics and symbolism from both the East and West to show our interconnectedness — how our shared experiences are at the heart of our humanity.

My illustrations can take inspiration from the traditional Indian Miniature painting and Western comic books, and depict historic figures like Mughal kings, women warriors, Hindu gods or contemporary characters. I often use background patterns from the architecture and craft I find in my travels around Pakistan. This is part of my personal mission to to take ownership of where I’m from. I try to question the fixed ideas we have about our own identity and challenge the stereotypes associated with being from this part of the world.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 designers or studios from Pakistan that everyone should know?

The design scene in Pakistan is pretty scattered, and the difficulty I’ve had collecting names has made me realize the need for more design studios and blogs (this may be the push I needed to start my own!). I’m just listing a bunch of things that stand out.

Cool initiatives:

  • Patari: Our version of Spotify. The largest repository of Pakistani songs built and designed in Pakistan. Check out the Patari website or find it on Facebook.
  • Citizen’s Archive Pakistan: “The Citizens Archive of Pakistan (CAP) is a non-profit organization dedicated to our cultural and historic preservation, mostly through the tradition of oral storytelling, emphasizing the importance of such narratives in a dialogue on national identity.”
  • Mazaar Bazaar: This is the definitive book on Pakistani visual culture by Saima Zaidi.
  • Makistan: Our first maker space that wants to teach everyone to be creative and code for fun.
  • Zer Zabar Paesh: A platform for arts and humanities in Pakistan.
  • Quaid Say Baatain: An animated show aimed at teaching empathy to young children through conversations with the founder of our nation.

Cool people & studios:

While we have many internationally recognized fine artists from Pakistan, designers and illustrators are only now emerging. The following are individuals making their mark.

Mazaar Bazaar book by Saima Zaidi

Last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Pakistan design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

You reaching out, asking questions and bringing to light our design community is one fantastic way of starting this engagement, because I think we often feel invisible living in Pakistan. Highlighting what we do, the steps we are taking and following our progress on social media would be amazing. Being open to acting as a mentor or speaker at one of our new conferences, talking to design students, becoming friends with us (dinner’s on us!) — all interactions would be tremendous! We as a community would love every opportunity you can send our way.

Ways to reach the Pakistani design community:

Connect with this Facebook group on UX design.
Learn more about the 1st National Digital Design Conference.

____

Thank you so much Shehzil for this absolutely wonderful interview. Please keep doing what you do!

For everyone reading here, please make sure to follow Shehzil on Instagram (it's worth it) and check out her work on her website right here. Oh, and if you enjoyed this article, please say hi to Shehzil on Twitter.

If you're interested in more insights into design communities around the world, check out our recent features:

Design in ?? Nigeria
Design in ??South Korea
Design in ?? Iran

Thank you for reading,
Tobias

June 10, 2017No Comments

Design in South Korea 🇰🇷 featuring Everyday Practice

Brand new to DESK, this interview series aims to shine light on different design communities across the world. In our third interview we look at design in South Korea, featuring Everyday Practice.

Everyday Practice can't easily be summed up. Their clean yet experimental work spans pretty much every category, from traditional graphic design identities, to web and even exhibitions. I most admire the studio's focus on working with non-profit organizations and cultural institutions. They'll tell you about all of it in this interview.

Let's get into it!

Tell us a little about yourself and your studio. How and when did you meet your Everyday Practice partners, and what made you decide to open your own studio together?

The three of us — Kwon Joonho, Kim Kyung-chul and Kim Eojin — went to Royal College of Art together and met in 2000. I (Kwon) was studying visual communication. Later I worked in the UK while Kim Kyung-chul and Kim Eojin worked in design agencies in Korea.

Ever since we were students we’d been talking about what design can do for society. We also wanted to design what we wanted. So we started our own studio in 2013. Now we have a new designer, Kim Rewon. We have different identities as individuals, but a common goal we want to achieve through our design practice.  

The Everyday Practice Studio in Seoul

I went to Seoul about two years ago and fell in love with the city. While talking with some friends there I tried to get a sense of the design community, and was told that competitiveness and a sense for conformity made it hard to work as a creative. Do you think this is still true today? Please tell us a little more about the life of a designer in South Korea.

Around ten years ago, it was difficult to find small design studios like us. There were mainly commercial agencies with a lot of hierarchy between designers. Recently, there’s been a shift. Larger cultural clients are starting to look outside agencies for something different and less commercial. 

Even better, those young designers have been working on not only traditional graphic design projects like posters and books, but have also tried to expand their boundaries. So they are taking part in organizing an art book fair, food market and goods shop. I think these movements are making Korean design much more diverse.

2016 Government Art Bank New Acquisitions by Everyday Practice

South Korea (with its 50 million people) went from being one of the poorest countries in the world to becoming a developed, high-income country in just one generation — it’s now the 4th largest economy in Asia and 11st largest worldwide.

Just looking at that I can only imagine the unique challenges of South Korean society and how you can help solve them as a designer. What are some of the design challenges you think are unique to South Korea right now?

Because of the fast economic growth, there is a huge gap between the design field and everyday life in Korea. It is hard to say that the quality of Korean design has reached a certain standard in general, but the mixture of highly developed design and poor design is commonly found.

Although this mixture shows very unique and interesting scenery to designers, many designers have trouble communicating with their clients because a large number of clients do not understand what modern design is.

Work by Everyday Practice

Describe the design community a bit more. For example, are there many design platforms or events that help you connect and meet up with other designers?

Nowadays there are more and more design platforms, but those platforms and communities are running only for designers. I think a designer is a maker who creates something through a relationship with other people, so I am not sure those communities could provide meaningful value.

“Of course we need to share information and collaborate each other, but I would hope that such a community does not serve some only to reject others.”

That’s a unique and interesting perspective. Why do you think those communities might not bring meaningful value? What do you think would be more valuable?

In Korea, the term “hipster” is a trendy word among designers. If you visit any design communities they talk about their favorite brand, fashion, club, etc. They may think they lead the trend of design, but if they only focus on the design community, they will lose their sense of communication.

I've engaged with some of these communities before and their main issue was their clients’ low intellectual level. I think this attitude will isolate designers from the public. Of course we need to share information and collaborate each other, but I would hope that such a community does not serve some only to reject others.

Work by Everyday Practice

Why do you think good design is important, and what does good design mean for you at Everyday Practice?

We think design is a way of movement. We have been working on not only client projects, but our own personal projects in an effort to share our voice with our society. In that way, collaboration with nonprofit organizations has meaning for us. We think our role as designers is making effective visual language that conveys their voices and ours. That makes a meaningful change for society. That is why many of our clients are nonprofit organizations and cultural institutes.

"X: Korean Art in The Nineties" catalogue by EP

"We think design is not simply a way to make beautiful objects, but a tool to deliver a meaningful voice to society."

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, we see many designers working for clients overseas remotely, not bound to clients within their own country. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with South Korean clients or also internationally?

We generally work with Korean clients. That is because we think design is not simply a way to make beautiful objects, but a tool to deliver a meaningful voice to society. It would be hard to design something if you do not have cultural, historical, background knowledge of the society.

We enjoy collaborating with clients from over the world, but at the moment we are trying to focus on issues in Korea.

Work by Everyday Practice

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

We promote ourselves with Facebook. There are many online platforms from Korean IT companies, but they are not social and not easy to share. Although Facebook is also a closed system, it is still a powerful platform for small studios like us.   

After visiting Seoul I had the opportunity to work closely as an advisor with the local startup community. I noticed that over the last couple years, the South Korean government made substantial efforts to push the startup scene and increase opportunities for people seeking to work in tech. On top of that, South Korea is famous for having the world’s fastest average internet speed, which of course only helps build new tech startups.

How has the rise and fast growth of the tech community impacted you as a designer or as a design studio? Do most designers now seek to work in tech? Where do you see the best opportunities for upcoming designers?

Actually, as design studio, we are far from high tech. Personally, I think the output of graphic design is beginning to look more and more similar, because nowadays everyone can access design tools such as Illustrator and Photoshop. That’s why we prefer handmade and craft-based design methods. That gives us differentiated design color from others.

 

The Everyday Practice Studio in Seoul

“I think that the madness is becoming a unique aspect of Korean design.”

What is South Korean design? How does your culture and history influence the work you do today and what are perfect examples of typical South Korean design, in your opinion?

Similar to other countries, South Korea has a complicated history and the concept of design has been developed by Western culture. So it is not easy to define what typical Korean design is. I think there may not be a certain Korean design style — but then again, that complexity could be South Korean design style.   

South Korea, especially Seoul, is a mixed society with various attributes. This chaotic mixture cannot not be called character of design in traditional sense, but I think that the madness is becoming a unique aspect of Korean design. There is no simple definition, and that’s what defines it.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 design studios from South Korea that everyone should know?

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the South Korean design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

Actually, the online design community is not very active in Korea. But if you visit Korea in November, please come to “Unlimited Edition,” which is an art book fair hundreds of young graphic designers participate in.

____

Guys! Thank you so much for this insight into your work and the South Korean design community. I personally hope to visit Seoul soon again and meet you all in person.

For everyone else here reading, please check out the work of Everyday Practice and have a look at the top 10 studios from South Korea above. If you aren't familiar with the South Korean design community yet, this is the perfect way to get started.

Thank you for reading,
Tobias

June 3, 2017No Comments

Design in Iran 🇮🇷 featuring Studio Melli

Brand new to DESK, this interview series aims to shine light on different design communities across the world. In our second interview we look at design in Iran, featuring Studio Melli.

There is something magical and captivating about Studio Melli's design. To me, it's uniquely satisfying to study it without even knowing the language — to appreciate the shapes and strong lines, the pure visual experience. I'm clearly a big fan of the studio's work. Their typographical and editorial designs feel contemporary yet traditional, with strong ties to Iranian culture.

I reached out to Omid and Mahsa, who founded Studio Melli in the heart of Tehran, and asked them to be part of this series. I'm happy they accepted.

Hey, Mahsa & Omid. Tell us more about yourselves and your work. When was Studio Melli founded and why did you decide to start your own design studio?

We started working as graphic designers more than 16 years ago while studying at university. For many years we worked as freelance graphic designers for various publishers, art institutes and small studios. We also worked on our own independent and experimental projects. Three years ago we decided to start our own studio and named it Studio Melli. 

In Farsi Language “melli” means “national” or something related to or maintained by a nation, something belonging to the nation, and that’s the philosophy behind our work.

"In Farsi Language 'melli' means something belonging to the nation, and that’s the philosophy behind our work."

Studio Melli is a Tehran-based, multi-disciplinary design studio with a bold focus on multilingual typography. We discover and create visual concepts with a contemporary approach to our visual culture and the aesthetics of our social life. We create visual identities for arts and cultural organizations, exhibitions, events, brands and people. We design posters, books, magazines, websites and many other things. But we have deep and strong passion in typography, so we try to focus on that feature.

Most of the time we are three to four people in the studio. Depending on our needs we invite some talented and interested young designer to join our team. Sometimes we have interns in our studio helping us with some parts of a project.

In my research I found quite a lot of traditional graphic designers and specifically poster designers who graduated from design universities in Tehran. But I didn’t find many designers or design studios that focus on branding, editorial or interactive design. Can you talk a little more about the local design community? What are the job opportunities as a designer in Iran?

That’s a very important thing you mentioned about designers graduating in Tehran. This is an educational issue and it’s part of the long story of our educational system. Interactive or media-based fields are very new in our graphic design courses in Iran. In our new generation of graphic designers, many are talented in interactive, editorial and digital.

One important thing is that most Iranian designers in the past were not very familiar or connected to international design networks. Most of the time they only shared their works at poster competitions, but these days they are presenting the new side of Iranian graphic design to the world.

With more than 80 million people living in Iran, it counts as the 18th biggest country in the world. Just looking at that and the country's fast-changing pace, I can only imagine how unique the challenges are and how you might be able to help solve them as a designer. What are some of the design challenges unique to Iran right now?

If we put aside the past history and culture of Iran, this country is in a very strong development way now. So it is expected that we have many challenges in design projects. Many art galleries and art-cultural institutes are opening in the heart of the country. International artistic exchanges and collaborations are happening in Tehran and many projects run as a startup. Then they need designers to show the subject in a strong, creative way.

That’s why we think strong “identity design” is one of the most challenging parts of new graphic design era in Iran. These identities are not only part of the project; context for Iranian identity is essential to the project.

Exir Magazine by Studio Melli

For those of us who are not too familiar with the Iranian design community, can you describe it a bit more? For example, are there many design platforms and events that help you connect and meet up with other designers?

We are member of the IGDS (Iranian Graphic Design Society). This community organizes some annual events and exhibitions to show the works of its members. In recent years we’ve seen many collaborations between independent designers and nonprofits, as well as design exhibitions and collaboration between teams in different cities of Iran.

Most of the time designers come together through an event, exhibition or some collaborative project. The relation between designers and studios is competitive yet friendly.

We are connected to some of our freelance friends or studios from past years in university through free courses or group exhibitions.

The AASSTTIINN branding by Studio Melli

You founded your own design studio, so of course you appreciate the value of design. But why do you think good design is important, and what does good design mean for you at Studio Melli?

It’s not easy to explain what “good design” is or what it means. As we mentioned, we at Studio Melli are looking for a contemporary approach to our visual culture and aesthetics of our social life. We hope to show the idea by our knowledge and experiments in graphic design; we use multiple disciplines to get the result. We believe in design that makes people move, makes them feel, makes them happy or sad and forces them to do something. We want to find connections between logical things and the deep feeling around us.

"We believe in design that makes people move, makes them feel, makes them happy or sad and forces them to do something."

Kurdistan Diaries Poster by Studio Melli

As the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet, we see many designers working for clients remotely, not bound to clients within their own country. How is it for you? Do you work mostly with Iranian clients or also internationally?

We’ve had various opportunities to work and collaborate with foreign design studios and clients. It's very important for us to understand and think not only of our local situation, but also work to people with different cultures and ideas. That kind of experience improves our relationships and connections with design platforms around the world.

BĀN by Studio Melli

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

Social media has a big potential to introduce designers or studios and their abilities, so people can find good options for collaborations. We share everything we like on our social media whenever we have time, and we do it sometimes for our clients. We’re not very focused on our personal strategy or the networks we use.

As you mentioned, the startup and tech community in Iran is growing rapidly. There are dozens if not hundreds of new startups popping up every year. How do you feel about this trend toward tech and do you see a lot of demand for digital product designers in Iran right now?

This is a battleground when you talk about the fields of digital markets that need designers. Yes, they are popping up quickly and for sure there is lots of demand for it. While it’s exciting, it’s very risky for designers because most of the time there is not enough time for startup projects. We're not against this tech-based trend but there are many critics and details around designing for startups. Few of these projects could afford an exciting design and even fewer have survived.

Meez Identity by Studio Melli

When I think of Iranian design I often picture Persian design or art. Rich, earthy colors in combination with delicate ornamental elements. But I'm sure it's more complex than that. How would you describe Iranian design, and how does your tradition and history influence your work?

Earlier in another way we explained that we visually show our culture and the aesthetics of our social life in our work. In that way it is connected to our history. We are not trying to use the ancient Iranian symbols directly; we are influenced by old and historical Iranian calligraphy, philosophy, literature, poems and architecture. Yet we use them with a contemporary touch.

Help us get a bit more familiar with Iranian designers. In your opinion, what are the top 10 design studios from Iran that everyone should know?

Studio Kargah, Studio Tehran, Studio Shizaru and Studio Chapchin are a few we know and have worked with.

We also have some old graphic design heroes in Iran. For example Morteza Momayez is one of the old and famous ones, and one of the designers who studied out of Iran and came back to start the graphic design courses in Iran's universities. And then of course Reza Abedini.

Another old one is Farshid Mesghali. The one we're really inspired by is Behzad Golpayegani.

We will always respect them. We actually respect all the old designers and heroes in our profession. But we don’t really look up to them and we're not following their style or mindset. We are inspired by them but we're inspired by many designers, many simple things and many situations around the world.

Siavashan Poster by Studio Melli

Last question: How can all designers and design communities from other countries do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Tehran design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

One of the most important magazines you can refer to is Neshan Magazine. Unfortunately most of the Iranian design blogs are only in Farsi language. But you can Google and find designers by their name and their studios.

____

Mahsa & Omid, thank you so, so much for this interview. I appreciate these insights into the Iranian design community and your work at Studio Melli.

For everyone who is interested in learning more about Iranian design studios, be sure to check out the studios Studio Melli mentioned above, and of course, follow Studio Melli on Instagram. Trust me, it's worth it.

PS: And if you haven't already, read about Design in Nigeria, featuring Dá Design Studio.

Thank you for reading,
Tobias

May 20, 2017No Comments

Design in Nigeria 🇳🇬 featuring Dá Design Studio

Brand new to DESK, this interview series aims to shine light on different design communities across the world. Up first is  Nigeria, featuring Dá Design Studio. 

A while ago I sent out a tweet to my Nigerian design friends asking for a list of design studios and designers they look up to. I got dozens of names back. Among them I found Dá Design Studio and I immediately fell in love with their work. It's clear that Damilola and Seyi, the perfect team that runs the studio, both care deeply about design and its potential for their community. You'll see what I mean when you read their answers. Let's get started already.

 

First, tell us a little more about yourselves. How did you meet and ultimately co-found Dá Design Studio? What made you decide to start your own studio together?

SEYI: Dá Design Studio was founded in September 2015. We observed that the power of good design was greatly underutilized locally. Everybody was simply imitating European design trends and, most of the time, these trends don’t communicate well enough within our immediate environment. Nobody was bold enough to harness our nuances for design.

We really want to change that. We want to show Nigerians that logos and identity systems are very crucial to brand experience and they should be treated with utmost importance and respect.

I am a graphic designer and an all-around visual creative. I really love intelligent design. You know, work that’s functional, meaningful, aesthetic and actually solves problems. I’m also a freelance photographer. I met Dami in design school; we both studied architecture for our first degree then completed our master’s in environmental design. Dami is a well-rounded and knowledgeable person. She is very sensitive to mood. She might not be so excellent with actual graphic work but she is a good judge of how things should feel and how well they communicate.

I did some freelance work during my master’s studies and to be honest I wasn’t so impressed with the current state of graphic design and brand identity locally. I don’t mean to brag but I had invested so much time, money and other resources into studying graphic design that wherever I worked, I quickly rose to the top. There weren’t any pure visual identity design studios in the country that impressed me at that time. So I talked to Dami about it and she got on board as art director, and together we founded Dá Design Studio.


DAMI: I believed there was so much more to be done than what was being done. I was far from impressed with what was available in Nigeria, and was annoyed by the mediocrity we seemed to be at peace with and even celebrate. I knew there was a
temptation that sort of trapped a truck load of Nigerian creatives into maintaining the status quo. Something in me was certain that the temptation had found home in a lot of established studios and agencies. I wanted to run as far away as I could from the temptation. Yeah! So I’m the super cliché “wanted to change the world so I started my own” type of story. Cliché, but absolutely honest.

“We were going to shit on them all, we were going to put Nigerian graphic design on the map.”

Seyi was another me on this, so when he proposed to me I was like “Yes! I will marry you.” It didn’t go that way exactly but you get the idea. I was in love with the partnership and the dream so I sailed on that boat. We were going to shit on them all, we were going to put Nigerian graphic design on the map, so we streamlined our focus to something we were sure we could be badass at: visual identity design. Nobody else was focusing on that; it appealed to our rebellious side. Juvenile dreams? Maybe, but that hasn't changed. What has changed in almost two years of practice is that I now have more respect for those before us because I now understand some of their limitations — but it still stops at understanding, nothing more. I am still very aware that I am not bound by these limitations.

Plus, I am super into the idea of being my own boss.

The Dá Studio space in the heart of Lagos.

Between architecture, environmental design and now graphic design, you both have pretty diverse backgrounds. Do you think this path is fairly common for graphic designers in your community?

SEYI: It’s quite common actually for architects to delve into other forms of visually driven professions. I have several friends who are into photography, strategic advertising, freelance illustration, fashion design and a whole lot of other creative stuff. It might be cliché to point out, but studying architecture actually does prepare you for anything. This is probably due to its critical thinking requirements.


DAMI: Yes it is. Why I think it’s common here is, like with many other forms of design in the country, mediocrity thrives. The difference is that the architectural industry in Nigeria has structure, a defined legal structure. So you can't just start out by rebelling. It sucks you into the mediocrity and as a young person, it’s for chicken change. So a great number of us seek solace and fulfillment elsewhere.

With more than 180 million people living in Nigeria, it's the 7th biggest country in the world. Just looking at that I can only imagine how unique the challenges are and how you can help solve them as a designer. What are some of the design challenges you think are unique to Nigeria?

SEYI: Trust. A lot of the big brands don’t trust our local designers to deliver the quality they seek. They are quick to engage South African companies and outsource work to people who don’t understand Nigerian perception and behavior. They also fail to realize the importance of context in design, especially when designing for Nigerians.

We usually find ourselves educating our clients about the benefits of good graphic design and what it can do for their brands. It can be quite tasking sometimes because some of these companies don’t have design intermediaries, so I could be discussing Pantone or process colors with someone who has no clue what I’m saying.

DAMI: Poverty is a big problem. It’s the excuse for everything. It’s the reason why the fields are clouded with mediocrity. It’s the reason why brands don’t truly respect their audience enough to put enough thought into their visual communication.

Nigeria is a hard country! Basic amenities aren’t basic so creativity appears to be a luxury. This is an illusion, but many brands are willing to buy and feed into this illusion. There are a lot of challenges but these challenges make Nigeria a difficult, yet beautiful and captivating, place to create in.

View from the studio balcony.

How can you convince companies and organizations that design and creativity might be part of the solution here? Have you noticed a change in the recent years?

DAMI: Articles like this help. A lot of value in Nigeria isn't really recognized by Nigerians until it gets international or foreign appreciation. When there’s international exposure on good design from Nigeria and its effects, there is a higher tendency for those Nigerians with the muscle and cash to be more interested, willing to pay for and fund good design.

“What I’m trying to say is Nigerian designers need to ignore the illusion, ignore the sponsors of the illusion and not give up on good design.”

The nature of design is problem-solving and there are problems unique to us that good design can solve. What I’m trying to say is Nigerian designers need to ignore the illusion, ignore the sponsors of the illusion and not give up on good design, because aside from its obvious and direct benefits, it may also eventually bring the right kind of international exposure which in turn can convince these big Nigerian companies and organizations.

Another thing that helps is competition. Attention on design has improved within the last 6 - 8 years. The internet has opened the market up. These people may be poor but they are not stupid. They can see clearly what is happening around the world and they are demanding for better. Nigerian brands are starting to compete for attention based on international standards.

A lot of Nigerian corporations play the price game, not the quality game. The more they become aware of the fact that the market isn’t settling for less, the more they are willing to up their game. Convincing them revolves around pushing the image of the new forward-thinking Nigerian market, the Nigerian market that thrives on genuine creativity. Because at the end of the day for a lot of these brands, it’s about money — which isn’t totally a bad thing, by the way! These people usually know the power of creativity and good design, but how much of a priority is it to them if it’s not reflecting directly and immediately in their pockets? They need to see that good design literally pays, ching ching!

Dami on her way to a client meeting.


SEYI: The truth is that the companies that recognize and understand the power of good design and effective visual identity, and are genuinely interested in bettering the current living condition of the average Nigerian, usually don’t need convincing. This is because these brands know what they have to offer to Nigerians, and their long term goals are very clear and well thought-out. Once they encounter design that aligns with their brand message, they buy into it quickly.

Fixing poverty requires long-term dedication. A lot of Nigerian brands use graphic design to achieve short-term goals. For instance, not too long ago, Nigerian banks started to rebrand because other Nigerian banks were rebranding. Some of these banks really messed up the legacy they had going for them, all in the name of following trends. In essence, what I’m saying is that you cannot convince brands that aren’t interested in genuinely fixing poverty about the benefits of creativity and good design in fixing poverty.

We also need to focus on design long-term, not just for when events need to be publicized or new products need to be marketed. Consistency breeds trust.

One way to potentially combat these challenges is to assemble the local design community. Describe the design community a bit more. Are there many design platforms and events that help you connect and meet up with other designers?

SEYI: Yes. They are quite few, like Blank White Sheet by Surkreo. Nobody seems to be concentrating on core design, however. We don’t have conferences like the AIGA conference for instance. As a studio, we are trying to help define that some more by recording podcasts that express our day-to-day experiences as designers in Lagos.

DAMI: I can't say much for other fields but for graphic design, we are all just trying to figure it out. So we hang out as friends sometimes, chill and gist and exchange ideas. Nothing grand or elaborate, just social media pages, Whatsapp groups and of course small but commendable seminars like Blank White Sheet by Surkreo. We hope our podcast really helps as well. I’m positive it will.

“Humanity is complex; good design helps us enjoy our complexities when we can and brings simplicity when we can’t.”

Seyi working hard or watching YouTube, no one knows.

I’m already a fan of the podcast and love that you are actively engaging the community to talk about good design. Why do you think good design is important and what does good design mean for you?

SEYI: I quickly lose interest in things that aren’t clear in intent/purpose or things that aren’t easy to use or understand. I think good design is important because it just works. It’s really that simple. Less headache in trying to figure out what things are about.

DAMI: Good design works. It just works! Humanity is complex; good design helps us enjoy our complexities when we can and brings simplicity when we can’t. In graphic design, good design is resolved thought made visual. Good design is clarity, purpose and appeal. Good design feels like a missing rib, it fits just right. Without good design, we’ll all need meds.

As you’ve mentioned, the world is getting smaller with the help of the internet. As a result, we see many designers working for clients overseas remotely, not bound to clients within their own country. Do you work mostly with Nigerian clients or are your clients from all over?

SEYI: Yes, we do. We have just recently worked with some Zimbabwean and South African clients and we hope to do some more work with clients outside Africa.

DAMI: Not to sound cocky, but our business fills a void here in Nigeria. So there is a Nigerian demand for the kind of work we do. I enjoy it! But I really wouldn't mind some more international collaborations. If Jason Little reaches out for a collaboration, WE’VE BLOWN!

Only some of the great work by Dami & Seyi at Dá Design

What impact does your social media presence have on getting new clients and self-promotion in general? What works best for you?

SEYI: Not much, really. We get the bulk of our jobs from referrals.

DAMI: Most of our work comes from referrals. We work with a lot of startups and most of them haven’t even launched yet, so for confidentiality sake, we can't put a lot of work up on social media. So they show their closest friends who call us for work or refer us to friends too. Plus we are a small studio and we get really busy and it’s a little hard to be consistent. We are working hard to make that part of our brand more consistent, because we understand it’s power.  

A design friend of mine from Nigeria told me that there aren’t that many traditional design studios anymore, because the tech startup industry is booming and hiring most of the design talent. Do you think this is true? And if so, how do you feel about it?

SEYI: The tech industry is booming, but we both know that there are a lot more design services than UI/UX design. They are hiring the best UI/UX designers. That’s it. Studios like ours are very few, not because of tech companies but because brand identity design is relatively young in Nigeria.

DAMI: Seyi took the words right out of my mouth.

When I think of Nigerian design I picture rich colors, beautiful illustrations and patterns, and a vibe that just feels good. But most of what I know about Nigerian design comes from your prominent and internationally recognized fashion scene. How would you describe Nigerian design and how does your tradition influence your work?

SEYI: Haha! Well, you’re right and wrong. I don’t really think that we have pronounced Nigerian design per se. I think what your description covers is our graphic art. Some designers have gradually started to adapt some of our day-to-day visuals and culture into design work, you know, to communicate more subconsciously. But I think it’s still too early to really categorize with clear and distinct qualities. It is getting more and more defined by the day though.

“I’m very inspired by how we live as a people, our food, how we express our emotions, our common stories as a country and the ones we have in common with the rest of the world.”

DAMI: I don’t think there is Nigerian design. Nigerian graphic art is more defined. But in the midst of the chaos and poorly designed church posters and clustered Nigerian movie posters, there are some recurrent visual devices and styles that can be harnessed into Nigerian design. Eventually that will happen. For now a lot of us designers get cues from the international design community — so much so that we even feed into the expectations they have from our design, like the beautiful patterns for instance. There is so much more that we can do with our visuals than these expectations. But you are right about the feel good part, we like enjoyment.

I’m very inspired by how we live as a people, our food, how we express our emotions, our common stories as a country and the ones we have in common with the rest of the world. We recently designed an identity for a coffee club that truly captures what I’m trying to say. I can’t wait to put it out. To get an understanding of what I mean by defining the Nigerian aesthetic, please check out The Fallacy of the African Aesthetic, Lagos Drawings and Lagos Patterns.

In your opinion, what are the top 10 design studios from Nigeria that everyone who might be not familiar with the Nigerian design community should know?

In no particular order:
Dá Design Studio (visual identity and identity systems) (duh)
Cregital (digital products)
Helloworld (digital products)
Niyi Okeowo Studio (brand identity and photography)
Kolapo Oni (game design)
Osione Itegboje, Light Studio (brand identity)
Karo Akpokiere (illustration)
Osaze Amadasun (illustration)
Nifemi Marcus-Bello, Coca Goods (industrial design)
Smiling Hat (brand identity, illustration and animation)

And now to our last question: How can all designers and design communities do a better job of communicating with each other? How can we become more engaged with the Lagos design community? Are there any blogs or specific magazines we can follow?

SEYI: We need to meet more to discuss core design issues. Our approach to poster design, signage, danfo typography — our own stuff, you know. (I know some people will roll their eyes because I am slightly antisocial.) There are a few platforms. Tune in to our Soundcloud to hear about the challenges young design studios and freelancers face daily. Check out Cregital's blog, they write some cool stuff.

DAMI: I think it will happen organically overtime. For now I think we need more stuff online. Digital journals, blogs, curated sites, etc. Those will definitely help. A lot of hook ups *wink* and friendships start in the comments section, you know?

___

Dami and Seyi, thank you so, so much for this interview. I've learned so much and feel like I have a deeper understanding of the Nigerian and Lagos design community now. I know there is so much more to it, so I look forward to listening more to your podcast and following you and your favorite studios.

For everyone reading this, be sure to follow Dá Design Studio on Instagram and check out their work.

Please stay as you are and keep spreading the good vibes.

Thank you,
Tobias

May 19, 2017No Comments

Introducing: Design Around the World

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you may have noticed that we try to take a different angle on topics you may or may not have heard about.

Recently we introduced a new destination on this blog called “Series." With that we launched two series that we continue to fill up with new articles. One is about getting a job at some of the most admired companies in design, and the other speaks about life as a freelancer.

A series for us is something special. It’s an attempt to put more thought and work into an idea and publish multiple articles about it over the course of many months. The goal is to find different perspectives and angles on the subject, helping you broaden your horizon and hopefully learn something new.

Today we're happy to share a new series we’ve been working on called

? Design Around The World

I personally love to travel (I’m writing this article from Tokyo, btw) and have had the privilege to visit many countries in my years as a designer. During these travels I always try to immersive myself as much as possible in the local culture, especially the local design community. It's fascinating to me how design works around the globe and how different it may be than what I’m used to.

I'm personally a little tired & sick seeing the same designers and same studios from the United States (mostly SF and NYC) being featured and talked about on every blog or podcast. It's always the same people and the same perspective. But instead of complaining, I set out to change this and publish this series.

I simply have one goal: Shine light on design communities around the world we might not know much about. Some communities you might know better than the others. I hope to provide some perspective and introduce designers and studios in other countries who not only do great work, but also have unique design challenges very different from our own.

So far we've already published:

Design in ?? Pakistan with Shehzil Malik
Design in ?? Nigeria
 with Da Studio
Design in ?? South Korea with Everyday Practice
Design in ?? Iran with Studio Melli

Thank you for reading,
Tobias