The visual identity for the National Design Award 2024 was created on the basis of a closed competition announced by the Slovak Design Center. Our starting point was the very process of design-making—the tools and objects that precede the final output: molds, matrices, printing blocks etc. The letterpress block, an iconic tool of traditional printmaking techniques, became the core element of the visual system.

In the identity, we translated its traditional typesetting principles into a digital environment. While we respect its rules, we work with them freely—sensitive composition and typographic play form the backbone of the visual language. This approach extends across all media, from online communication to print materials and spatial applications.

The competition was accompanied by an exhibition held first in Bratislava and later in Košice. We chose printed textile as the main material, allowing for a visually strong, flexible, and financially sustainable solution.

The National Design Award is a complex, year-round project that includes the creation of a wide range of promotional materials, the preparation of exhibition design, the visual identity of the Award Gala, and the design of the exhibition catalogue. Developing a visual language that is clear, consistent, and anchored in a strong conceptual foundation was therefore essential to our approach.