Researching & designing a complete brand identity for a built-environment-focused publication’s annual fundraiser while helping shape its social media strategy, publishing, and broader digital footprint.

Unique Visual Language, Social Graphics

Visual Design Intern

Figma, Illustrator

Summer 2026

Challenge 01.

Initial Research

The initial direction for defining the evening was vague, but carried significant weight. As a donor-funded publication, ARCADE’s fundraiser was a homecoming for the architects, designers, and contractors who had built its legacy. As our director put it, “It’s like inviting the person who renovated your kitchen over for a dinner party.”

We initially presented visual references rooted in organic, print-made textures, museum exhibition design, and existing campaign identities, alongside curated dinner menus and invitations. The feedback was to move beyond literal interpretations and find a more distinctive voice for the campaign.

The distinction was subtle, but presented us with a unique challenge: don’t show the gritty poster that draws you into the indie wine bar, but the streetlight outside it, and the feeling of sharing a cigarette with new friends after it.

This shifted our approach towards creating an evironment rather than a singular invitation. We began to interpret ARCADE and its legacy through four distinct atmospheres, abstracting the evening into an immersive experience.

The team favored a hybrid system that sat somewhere between atmosphere 02 & 04, combining rigid orginization, physical overlay, and natural texture with a bit of surrealism.

Inspiration

Yep... for a fundraiser. You can imagine this led to a lot of iterating. 

Initial Pitch
Concept 01. + 01.5

Concept 02.

Feedback

XXXFeeling close, yet not completely sasfied, we headed towards more iterations—scrapping pages, designing groups sprints, & physically engaging with our assets on a variety of materials. 

Chosen Direction