Studio Mast: A legacy of simplicity and storytelling in design

Based mostly in Denver, Colorado, Studio Mast is a small however mighty outfit that finds inspiration in every little thing and everybody, from Paul Rand and the Vignellis to “passionate purchasers”, artwork, literature, and nature.

Its design ethos is described as “simplicity with character”: Studio Mast strives, it says, to create “distinctive outcomes that our purchasers really feel possession of and that efficiently meet their wants”. As a small studio of solely 4 folks (principal Travis Ladue, lead designer Jacob Trahan, designer Amanda Regh, and venture supervisor Cait Smith), it had a particular focus, working solely on initiatives that concerned constructing or redefining identities to make sure consistency.

However its purchasers are wide-ranging: current initiatives embody the model and artwork course for structure and design studio Cadence; designs for Santa Fe Classic, A world-renowned classic assortment in New Mexico; branding for Denver’s La Vista Motel; and an ongoing partnership with international cost know-how firm Stripe.

It is common for the studio to have such long-standing partnerships with purchasers, a key one being the Frasca Group, a restaurant group in Colorado with which it has labored on a number of current initiatives. A standout venture from that secure was Studio Mast’s first collaboration with the group on the Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant Pizzeria Alberico, for which it reworked the id, together with altering its title and visible model design. “Previously generally known as Pizzeria Locale, a beloved Boulder staple on Pearl Road, the restaurant holds a deep connection to its roots and the group,” says Ladue.

To replicate this, the studio labored intently with the restaurant workforce to develop an id centred across the historical past of the eatery’s namesake, the Alberico household, who immigrated from Italy. “Pizzeria Alberico pays homage to the household of proprietor Bobby Stuckey’s father-in-law, Dick Alberico. This familial connection and the wealthy custom of pizza-making had been central to the story we wished to inform via the design,” Ladue continues.

“The restaurant’s transformation represented a major second in its journey. It was not nearly a brand new title however about honouring its heritage whereas evolving to replicate its future. Our position was to reimagine its id in a manner that felt genuine and aligned with its values. Combining Italy’s timeless design traditions with modern parts created an id that feels recent but rooted in historical past..”

Studio Mast went on to work on Pizzeria Alberico’s sister restaurant, Osteria Alberico, aiming to create a definite model id whereas sustaining a connection to its counterpart. Once more, the visible language honoured the Alberico household’s wealthy Italian heritage whereas additionally reflecting “the standard osteria’s mix of approachability and class,” says the studio, including that in Italy, “the osteria has lengthy been a cornerstone of culinary tradition.” The result’s an id that feels cohesive with Pizzeria Alberico, but uniquely its personal – “a model that speaks to custom and innovation, welcoming friends into a well-known but recent expertise,” based on Ladue.

Whereas the studio’s work is constructed on foundations of people-centric collaboration and emotion, there’s additionally an air of pragmatism to the best way it goes about issues. Except for its motto about simplicity, the studio works to the maxim “Nothing is sacred till it is paid for” – a phrase adopted by Ladue “to lighten the temper when an thought is discarded by the shopper or internally, to carry some levity to the method,” he says. “We imagine each venture needs to be actually collaborative, each internally and externally.

“No course or thought stems solely from one particular person; all of us work inside one another’s recordsdata to realize the very best end result for the shopper…After we accomplice with others, we uphold this precept, making certain we ship the very best outcomes with out stepping on our companions’ proverbial toes.

If collaboration and ease are two of Mast’s cornerstones, storytelling is the third – however every of those sides to its proverbial triangle continuously intersects and informs each other. All through its output, Ladue says that Studio Mast appears to be like to pair “lovely, considerate visuals with trustworthy, related messages”. What he means by a “related message” once more returns to simplicity and reality, “by no means counting on persuasion or over-complication,” he provides. “We see concepts—whether or not massive or small—as inherently lovely, and we work to carry these concepts to life.”

That sentiment of discovering the sweetness in an concept that’s pared again to its most basic essence is undoubtedly impressed by the designers Studio Mast appears to be like to as its largest inspirations. “Stylish designs typically carry a timestamp, however we’re extra involved with constructing one thing that might have been made 50 years in the past or 50 years from now,” says Ladue. We’re impressed by pioneers like Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Paul Rand, Wolfgang Weingart, Muriel Cooper, and CGH—figures whose modernist method and ease align with our ethos… On the identical time, we discover inspiration in maximalists like Sister Corita and Robert Indiana once we’re seeking to infuse a bit extra character into our work.”

As for any nuggets of knowledge he has for newer designers seeking to set up their very own artistic studio, Ladue reckons that nothing comes near good old school expertise. “Work at numerous studios and roles to seek out what actually resonates with you and fuels your love for the work,” he advises. “For those who do not love what you are doing, every little thing else turns into tougher. Self-promotion, writing contracts, coping with legal professionals, and paying lease all really feel worthwhile once you imagine in your work and are excited to go to the studio every single day.”