Design Today

Those who have traveled to Switzerland most likely understand it to be a fairly reserved, structured place. Enter Pablo Berger, a young designer based in Basel since 2009. Boisterous, brash, and bald… he is the opposite of reserved; the opposite of Swiss. He’s, well… Mexican.
Berger unwittingly commands the attention of a room. His jubilance, sharp wit, and intensity are not only hallmarks of his personality, but also of his design work. In fact, Pablo’s personal life and work are intertwined as one entity — the foundation of which is an arsenal of stories that could stack up against a well-travelled old man’s. The core of good design is skillful storytelling, and Pablo Berger has much to tell. He possesses an insatiable appetite for learning about people from all walks of life. Evidence of his extensive travels are peppered throughout numerous combined typo-photographic experiments and frequently uploaded to his Facebook page. The careful mingling of type and image (or, type as image) is central to Berger’s visual investigations. 
Additionally, Berger does not miss a chance to play with and challenge the letterform through typographic expression. Often, adventurous use of color and evenly gridded activations of entire formats fuse together in his energetic works. In many cases, a certain complexity is evident– an indication of a persistent and meticulous work ethic. There is a certain generosity underlying Pablo Berger’s body of work. Whether it be a photograph, poster, or colossal thesis for the design of the Sagrada Família’s floor, he intends to create inclusive opportunities for reflection, contending that even fleeting emotions produced by design are meaningful. These visceral, micro-experiences can disengage people from their daily reality, supplying a feeling of delight, amusement, or perhaps introspection. Viewers of his work are then reintroduced into their own reality refreshed; newly aware.

Although a bonafide extrovert, Berger’s designerly process is focused intensely inward. He travels deep within himself to produce projects that serve clients successfully while remaining true to himself as creator. Design finds itself in an age of emphasis on the team-oriented mindset, throwing around phrases like “design-thinking” incorrectly and to an exhausting degree.  As this pendulum swings, the field is disconnecting from emphasis on aesthetics. Meanwhile, Berger refreshingly situates himself as one who concentrates on pushing and evolving design excellence – not only for himself, but for the profession as a whole.
A 2012 ADC Young Gun, it is worth noting how prolific Berger is for his age. Prior to his studies in graphic design, his creative endeavors began at the tender age of eleven, working as an artist in his homeland of Mexico. His background is rooted in the traditions of gravure, painting, photography, and traditional animation— fairly archaic concepts to the young designer today.
However, it should be a lesson that deep knowledge and profound sensitivities developed from methods like these may be a weapon against the visual mediocrity and redundant images swirling around us today. Berger extends himself into the future with a great respect and comprehensive understanding of the past.
He has recently established the studio berger+stadel+walsh in Basel. No doubt there is much to look forward to as his life becomes increasingly populated with stories to share through his work.

www.pabloberger.com