Listen
Interviews, an audit of what exists, and a short written brief we can all agree on.
The studio
Three people, a long table, and a preference for less.
Northline is an independent design practice working between Lisbon and Berlin. We make brand systems, publications and digital products for cultural organisations, small companies and people with a clear point of view.
How we work
Most projects begin with a conversation and a stack of references. We spend the first week listening, asking obvious questions and writing down what the work actually needs to do. Then we make things: sketches, prototypes, printed sheets, a working page in the browser.
We prefer small teams and short feedback loops. You will not be handed to an account manager. The people who start the project are the people who finish it.
We are comfortable with complexity, but we do not confuse it with quality. A good system should be easy to explain, hard to break and pleasant to use after the novelty has worn off.
Make
Two or three directions, quickly. We test them in the formats that matter, not only on a slide.
Leave it usable
Files, rules and a handover that lets your team carry the work without us in the room.
People
Anna M.
Founder, design direction
Tomas S.
Editorial, typography
Ines L.
Digital, code
Selected clients
Harbour Archive, Common Ground, Paper Radio, Field Notes, Quiet Ledger, Atelier Norte, Câmara de Sintra, The Long Table.
Recognition
Work from the studio has appeared in independent design annuals and small exhibitions across Europe. We keep the list short on purpose.