On a recent educational visit to Berlin, I paid a visit to
HORT, an internationally acclaimed design studio known for its quirky, off the
wall approach to graphic design, art direction and visual communication. It was
really exciting to be visit a new area of Berlin that I hadn’t previously
explored, and even more exciting to experience first hand a professional design
environment.
We were greeted by the head of accounts who gave us a tour
of the studio space a talked us through a number of recent projects undertaken
by HORT. She explained the structure of the studio, the relationships with
clients, a typical day at the studio. She went on to describe the studio
culture, it’s concerns aims and general approach to visual communication. When
asked about HORT’s aesthetic or style, she said that she didn’t necessarily
think that it had a uniform/distinct style as such which I found very
interesting. She made a point that each brief is individual and should be
treated this way. Each brief HORT undertakes is approached in a unique way that
will suit the needs of the client, product and audience. I disagreed initially,
because I do believe that HORT has a distinct style which actually sets them
apart from a number of studios doing similar work.
I took a lot away from our short visit to the studio. I
instantly felt at home when I walked in the door and could definitely picture
myself working there one day, or at least that is the dream. I have known for a
long time that I would ideally love to work in a European city doing something
creative, and Berlin offers me everything I would desire. I did ask about
internships and the processes involved with applying etc. This is definitely something
I will strive to do, either next summer or directly after graduating from the
course.
I know that internships, placements and work experience
sessions are vital in getting my foot in the door of the ever changing and
expanding creative industries. I am going to make all the effort to apply for
as many internship placements in Germany and the Netherlands as possible when I
feel confident enough and find a suitable time slot. I see these two countries
as the places where I would feel most at home. I also get really excited over
design that is produced in these places. Next time I am in Berlin, which will hopefully
be very soon, I will consider returning to HORT and hopefully get the opportunity
to meet the owner Eike Konig who I find highly inspiring and exciting as a
creative practitioner.
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