work-form is a graphic design studio based in London, run by Charlie Abbott, Jake Hopwood and Alex Hough.
We work with a diverse range of clients – from individuals, community groups and independent businesses, to cultural institutions and international brands – to create visual identities, typography, print design and websites.
We take an open, collaborative approach to every project, informed by detailed research and development. We are particularly interested in exploring the relationship between People and the Places they visit and live in. We look for opportunities to investigate what ideas of The Local might mean today.
Our detailed knowledge of production methods informs our design process – we enjoy experimenting with analogue and digital techniques to develop unique solutions for each project, from bespoke typefaces to co-design workshops. The compact size of the studio enables strong working relationships and the ability to adapt to the ever changing needs of the clients we work with.
Education is an important part of our studio practice – we teach Graphic Design at Camberwell College of Arts, University of the Arts London, and regularly run projects and workshops at a range of universities and institutions.
Some of the clients we have worked with include:
AIR (Archway in Response), Airspace Gallery, Assembly Point Gallery, Austrian Cultural Forum London, BBC Media Action, Bethlam Gallery, British Council, City & Guilds of London Art School, Cos, Cubitt Artists, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Estuary Festival, Flat Time House/John Latham Foundation, Freedom From Torture, Institute for Global Health (UCL), Kingsgate Workshops, Lewisham Art House, London Borough of Barking and Dagenham, London College of Fashion, LUX, Royal College of Art, Sir John Soane’s Museum, Sotheby’s S|2 Gallery, Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery Trust, Towner Art Gallery, Whitstable Biennale.
Selected Press
Good practices in design pitches and tenders
FAD Art Directors and Graphic Designers’ Association, April 2019
Design studio work-form talk awkward typography, black holes and metallic gold
It’s Nice That, November 2018
Tears Shared: work-form on collaboration, ornamentation and bootlegging their own work
It’s Nice That, August 2016
Workshops, Publications and Special Projects
Who is it for?
How should it be?
Workshop
Airspace Gallery
June 2019
People, Places & the Local
Talk
London College of Communication
May 2019
A Book is a Sequence of Spaces
– after Ulises Carrion
Workshop
Royal College of Art
March 2019
Veggie Type: Printed Typography
Workshop
Northfleet School for Girls
March 2019
It Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time
Talk
Chelsea College of Arts
November 2018
Experimental Language
Workshop
Spitfire Audio
August 2018
Design Takeover: work-form
Interview
South-East London Journal no. 12
The Art School Issue
Spring 2018
Layout for Graphic Designers: An Introduction
(contribution)
Publication
Bloomsbury Publishing
Spring 2018
Ideal Science – A Risographic Survey
Group Exhibition
Newlyn Art Gallery & Exchange
December 2017 – January 2018
work-form bar (III)
Art Licks Weekend
October 2017
Contemporary Typographic Design
Short Course
Chelsea College of Arts
August 2017
Taking a Line for a Walk:
Assignments in Design Education
(Contribution)
Editors: Nina Palm & Emilia Bergmark
Spector Books
Autumn 2016
Sheerness Sans
Workshop
Whitstable Biennale
November 2016
Hangout vs. Layout
Design & Interaction Debates
Talk
Central St Martins
October 2016
work-form bar (II)
Art Licks Weekend
October 2016
Art History, Criticism & Communication
Short Course
with Wouter van der Hallen, David Price,
Jeremy Atherton Lin & Esther Collins
Central St Martins
August 2016
Where is the Work?
Re-make/Re-model
Talk & Workshop
Norwich University of the Arts
October 2015
Studio Solutions
Project
City & Guilds of London Art School
October 2015
work-form bar
Assembly Point Open Studios
October 2015
Crowd Talks Volume 1
Panel Discussion
at Studio 350 Brighton Degree Show
Rose Lipman Building
July 2015
Comic Sans for Cancer
Group Exhibition
London
August 2014
(Poster selected as curator’s choice)
Graphic Design Tasting Notes
Talk
Royal College of Art
27th November 2013
A Presentation of Failure:
Defining Practice
Talk
Kingston University
March 2013