In addition to designing functional objects, Nobo Design also creates corporate identity systems, graphic designs and logotypes. The studio’s Informator Tygodnia Kultury Beskidzkiej (Guide to Beskid Culture Week) — a range of catalogues, brochures and flyers providing information not only about the event itself, but also about the region’s culture, art and traditions — won awards at the 'Arting' Industrial Design Project Competition (2010) and the Nationwide Art of Packaging Competition (2009).
We deal with objects in a kind manner, rearing them unconventionally but functionally. This continuous search for new inspiration, new forms and solutions — coupled with great humour — gives rise to objects with strong personality, objects that aren’t afraid to comment on reality," state Aleksandra Pięta and Piotr Wiśniewski.
One will also find books in their portfolio. O Wandzi, która wszystko zbierała (Of Wandzia, Who Was Gathering all) is a story about a designer profession, told in simple and creative terms, suitable for children. Drawings, combined with text, make for a witty narration, which allows the reader to better understand the design process and decipher sometimes-surprising sources of inspiration of famous designers.
Their diversified portfolio proves that they cope equally well with minimal forms and more visually complicated concepts. Nobo Design creates complex visual identities, for example the one for the Object Design, rendered in a restricted color palette of grey, white and red. Pink Sloth on the other hand is an utterly different proposition. A figure of a pink sloth, as if taken from the kids sketchbook, is to act as a business application hero.
Nobo Design’s activities are not limited to design — members of the Nobo team are also involved in disseminating design knowledge, in accordance with the words of Erik Adigard (which they claim as their motto):
Design is in everything we make, but it’s also between those things. It’s a mix of craft, science, storytelling, propaganda and philosophy".
Since 2008, Piotr Wiśniewski has been writing a blog entitled Design po polsku, which has become a source of vast knowledge about Polish (and international) design.
Since 2012, the two designers have been working on a project entitled Odkryj na nowo żywieckie zabawki (Rediscover toys from the Żywiec region), thanks to which it is now possible to learn about the history of toy making in the Żywiec region (the area is home to one of the oldest centres for the manufacture of wooden toys).
Aleksandra Pięta and Piotr Wiśniewski are also the concept creators of the Virtual Museum of Polish Design, a freely available web space containing collected knowledge about the history of design in Poland and elsewhere.
Selected awards
2013
honourable mention: “TOP DESIGN Award 2013″
2012
winners: “Najlepsze Dyplomy Projektowe 2012” , (Best Graduation Projects 2012)
2011
2nd prize, “Młodzi na start” (Youngsters go!)
finalists, Young Design 2011
1st prize in „free style”category, “Art of Packaging 2010”
2010
Elle Decoration Lodz Design Festival award
finalists “Make me! 2010”
2nd prize, “Project Arting 2010”
2009
winners, “Rzecz małopolska. Etnodizajn Festiwal”
2nd prize, „Pamiątka z Polski”
2008
honourable mention, “delicious packaging” category, Art of Packaging 2008
Author: Anna Cymer, September 2013. Updated AM, May 2016.
English translation: Garry Malloy