A graphic design studio founded by
Joanne van der Wal (10_1999)
and Annegien Schilling (10_1999).
Based in Utrecht, partly Rotterdam,
and occasionally Arnhem.
info@figureten.nl
@figure__10
INFO
RECENT ACTIVITY
SERVICES
A graphic design studio founded by
Joanne van der Wal (10_1999)
and Annegien Schilling (10_1999).
Based in Utrecht, partly Rotterdam,
and occasionally Arnhem.
info@figureten.nl
@figure__10
INFO
RECENT ACTIVITY
SERVICES
de verrassende ontdekking van
een oer-Hollands landschap
This 579 page book, designed for Caroline Waltman and Gloria Waltman Flore, documents a rich collection of images, drawings, and informative texts. The content revolves around a specific location—a small island with a tiny house set in a peat meadow. The book immerses the reader in this microcosm, blending historical, visual, and anecdotal material. Our design approach focused on balancing these diverse elements, ensuring the layout flows seamlessly across the book’s expansive content while maintaining a sense of rhythm.
* Selected for The Best Dutch Book Designs 2023
We designed the visual identity for the exhibition A Moth in the Room, featuring work by eight researchers and designers from the Piet Zwart master MIARD. The poster, which also served as a visitor flyer, was inspired by moths, hole punchers, and peep holes. During the exhibition, visitors could collect, punch, and modify red and teal RISO-printed handouts. Each handout featured an image of the project on the front and a project description with contact information on the back, creating an interactive and customizable experience.
* Exhibition photography by Michèle Margot
To celebrate the 100-year anniversary of VPRO, the Dutch broadcasting network, we were invited to create a short ident that captures their innovative spirit. Set to Here is the News by Electric Light Orchestra, the ident shows a Hollywood-style VPRO logo set in a mountainous landscape. However, the scene quickly shifts as Earth floats by in the background, revealing that this is not set on our planet. This ident reflects VPRO’s unique position in the media landscape, using unexpected perspectives to offer new ways of seeing the world through their programming.
We handled the layout, text, and icon design for the ArtEZ Theatre & Dance magazine, which features interviews, photo series, and articles on the bachelor and master programs of ArtEZ Arnhem and Zwolle. The magazine is bilingual, allowing readers to flip 180 degrees to switch between English and Dutch. We also created seven unique icons, each representing a department of the academy. These icons are highlighted in the index and appear throughout the magazine, acting as a visual guide and footer, reinforcing the connection between different sections and the departments they represent.
We designed the book for Huigh van Donselaar’s research project on the make-ability of the Dutch landscape and the significance of peat. The publication combines historical references, current issues, and future strategies, presented in an essay supported by archival and original images, collages, infographics, and an architectural intervention. A recurring box along the outer edge of the 359 pages displays the NAP level of the content, emphasizing the relationship to the Dutch landscape. The narrow, rectangular shape of the book echoes the form of a block of peat, reinforcing the thematic connection between design and subject matter.
Over the past two years, we’ve led several iterations of the workshop Powers of Scale. In this workshop, we explore the effect of zoomed-in and zoomed-out imagery in books and print. Participants examine editorial decisions in print design and investigate the hidden relationships between images when presented together in their chosen medium, focusing on how scale influences perception and meaning.
We developed the overarching visual identity for the 2022 ArtEZ Art & Design Arnhem graduation shows. The project involved creating wayfinding systems, banners, merchandise, handouts, invites, and posters. Our approach focused on designing a cohesive visual language that could be applied across multiple platforms and physical spaces, unifying the various events and ensuring clear communication of the ArtEZ identity.
* In collaboration with Marianne Born, Isa Grienberger, Minji Kim, Erwin Joziasse
We designed the book for Lieke Dreijerink’s PhD thesis, which examines the spillover effects of pro-environmental consumer behavior. The project was commissioned by Wageningen University and printed on 100% FSC recycled paper to align with the thesis's environmentally conscious theme. The cover was RISO-printed, adding a unique and tactile quality to the design, making the publication not only a study in sustainability but a physical embodiment of the subject it explores.
The Rietveld Solar Observatory is a participatory installation that allows visitors to observe sunspots while reflecting on the act of observation itself. Participants look through a telescope and record the sun's activity, documenting their experience on a specially designed form. The observatory functions as both a scientific tool and an artistic experience, encouraging people to reconnect with celestial bodies and question their place in the universe. The installation is both a physical object and an ongoing archive of human interactions with the sun.
* Exhibited during the Solar Biennale at Nieuwe Instituut
For Roelf de Boer’s novel, Een stille verplichting aan de zee, we crafted the layout and produced an accompanying photo series that visually mirrors the story. The photographs serve as a subtle, visual extension of the narrative, which revolves around a quiet conversation near the sea. This collaboration brought together the written word and imagery, creating a cohesive, reflective piece that deepens the reader’s engagement with the text.