Hillier College Logo Designed by Fabio Castellano and Natalia Szabla

We have had an interesting journey since graduating in 2016. Natalia and I both went into design jobs after graduating. In our free time we would collaborate together on design projects and after seeing that we have a good work relationship decided to start a studio.

With no idea on how anything works we launched a successful kickstarter that was inspired by our love of architecture, fostered at what was then still called the College of Architecture and Design (CoAD), and it gave us motivation to keep going. We are now what we like to call a "Concept Visualization" studio. We work with other companies in traditional industrial design roles (design consulting, product development etc) but have gone outside of the strict definition of our trades and have expanded our offerings. We have consulted for city governments, worked proposals for exhibition spaces, designed for gift markets; we have expanded what working in design means to us.

We fondly reminisce about our time at CoAD, it really shaped and defined who we are as people and a company. There was always a spirit of experimentation that was instilled in us throughout the years and something that drives us everyday. Being so close the New York was such a blessing, helping us build our network and also expose us to new ideas and trends in real time. And the collaborative attitude at CoAD is what really helped us succeed, we are never afraid to tackle a different or difficult project because we aren't afraid to ask for help; it's an opportunity to grow and learn.

As far as our logo submission, we submitted a couple variations so while we don't exactly know which one was selected I can speak about our mindset for this project. For logo design one of the most important defining factors for us is recognition. We wanted a simple design that could be easily replicated. We think of the students doodling a stylized HCAD in their notebooks during a long Thursday critique. We have seen CoAD/HCAD change over the years and have seen the impacts its graduates have around the world. Such an institution in our eyes deserves a logo that while hinting at being contemporary, can have a long life and be a calling sign to all that see it.

We can go on forever about our work and how CoAD/HCAD shaped us into who we are know, it’s one of our favorite places and we still get excited when we are asked to sit in on a crit.