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Companies and startup

Barcelona’s leading design agencies

Written by Ana Petrusevski

The design industry has been going from strength to strength in the last decade and many publications, Including the New York Times have speculated about the importance of design thinking being embedded in any business today.

“The idea that design can generate profit is now being embraced by venture capitalists, too — that rarefied class known for its relentless focus on the marketplace as the ultimate arbiter of value. The well-regarded Silicon Valley venture firm Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers raised eyebrows last year by bringing in John Maeda, the former president of the Rhode Island School of Design, as a partner. The firm has noticed more designers starting companies with the help of engineers, rather than the other way around.”

design-workshop

Photo by Visualhunt

Let’s have a look at some agencies putting Barcelona on the world stage with their contribution to the design industry.

Table of Contents

Toormix

Toormix guys are mucho cool and are helping to head-up the upcoming Barcelona Design Week (Link to my other article) Their style is fresh, inspiring and aesthetically on trend. Established in 2000 by Ferran Mitjans and Oriol Armengou, they have since been making a name for themselves by working with clients such as Desigual, Camper, Spanish Ministry of Culture, Barcelona City Council and chef José Andrés to name a few.

In their words, Toormix is “working to help clients boost their business through design. We think then design.”

They have recently opened an atelier space for the development of personal projects and research.

Folch

Founded in 2004 Folch focuses on strategic thinking and inspiring narratives around brands through their projects. The ‘Editorial Environment Concept’ was a brain child of this studio and one of the projects that is an expression of this is Eldorado. This new territory is about “a bigger ecosystem where storytelling, strategy, design, social networks, copywriting, and art direction all contribute to engage a conversation with the audience and build relationships.”

Hey

Involved in the recent OFFF Festival, Hey specialise in brand identity, editorial design and illustration. Their roster of international clients include Apple, Vodafone, General Electric, The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Porter, CBS, Film Commission Chile, Inditex, Fortune Magazine, Design Studio and Monocle.

In 2014 they opened an online shop. This is a URL where Hey can share their passion for typography and illustration; two things Barcelona is well-known for internationally.

Designit

man-on-laptop

Photo by Visualhunt

Designit is a well-established firm with roots in Copenhagen, Denmark. At the moment, it has over 400 employees across its many offices around the world.

They have dedicated more than 20 years to developing their business and from that have developed the 5 Step Strategic Design Process. Designit focuses on three major themes in their work that define our future: Future Citizens, Smarter Living. and Healthier Lives. Have a look at some of the work they’ve done here.

About the author

Ana Petrusevski

Ana Petrusevski is an Australian writer living and working in Barcelona.

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