I’ve found that pursuing the things I’m most scared of has been a good compass for personal growth.
I see ACRE as an opportunity to re-evaluate what a design studio can and should be.
Motion is an incredibly effective bridge between brands and their audience.
To design without our planet in mind is to create problems rather than solutions.
The article profiles Hondo, a design studio founded by María Vioque and Fran Mendez, based between Palma de Mallorca and London. It explores their collaborative philosophy and highlights their brand identity project for Italian furniture company Castil, featuring a bespoke typeface and design system inspired by industrial materials. The piece emphasizes Hondo’s focus on cultural work, community, and experimentation across analogue and digital mediums.
The Brand Identity interviews Jonas Zieher, founder and creative director of ACRE, about launching his London-based design studio after years at Pentagram and SPIN. Zieher discusses his philosophy of collaboration, sustainability, and motion-led branding, as well as the challenges of starting a studio and building a creative culture. The conversation highlights ACRE’s human-centered approach to design in the age of AI and its commitment to rethinking what a modern studio can be.