We are delighted to be part of this year’s jury for the Design Made in Germany Award in the category Typography and Type Design.


We are delighted to be part of this year’s jury for the Design Made in Germany Award in the category Typography and Type Design.


We are excited to once again teach screen design and time-based media at the Stuttgart State Academy of Art and Design, as well as typography at the Merz Akademie, this semester.
H A N D develops meaningful and long-lasting visual identities, publications, printed matter, and websites with and for individuals, institutions, and businesses of all sizes and budgets, across the fields of art, culture, design, and commerce.
Rooted in the intellectual and creative methodologies of graphic design and driven by a limitless curiosity for emerging technologies, we operate at the intersection of tradition and modernity, constantly expanding our horizons to explore progressive visual languages and pioneering production techniques.
Our design approach is based on a collaborative dialogue with our clients, through which we uncover and articulate each project’s underlying contexts, aspirations, and values. Throughout the process, we critically engage with both theoretical and practical challenges, continuously examining aesthetic perceptions and functional conventions. This leads to solutions that move beyond superficial visuals, shaping unique narratives and deeper meanings that transcend any aesthetic, medium, or space.
Alongside our studio work, we are deeply committed to share our knowledge and experience by teaching classes, giving lectures, and conducting workshops on typography, book and screen design, and time-based media at various institutions and universities.




H A N D was founded in 2021 by communication designers Valentin Alisch, Niklas Berlec and Tobias Hönow, whose combined expertise across complementary disciplines enriches both the studio’s design practice and conceptual thinking.
VALENTIN ALISCH
Valentin operates at the intersection of code and design. With a background in web development, he investigates how technical systems can become vehicles to explore the boundaries between functional interface and experimental interaction.
NIKLAS BERLEC
Music has consistently influenced Niklas’ aesthetic thinking. Through his practice in VJing, he developed an experimental and synesthetic approach to design. His work delves into the temporal and spatial dimensions of graphic language, encompassing static compositions and dynamic 3D environments.
TOBIAS HÖNOW
Tobias’ interest in typography and language — its sign systems and potential as carrier of meaning — led to his passion for semiotics and type design. He translates this research into conceptual frameworks and typographic systems across various media and materials.
Art Direction
Creative Direction
Graphic Design
Motion Design
Typography
Web-Development
Through trusting, long-term partnerships with our clients, the studio’s work has been honored with national and international awards and has been shown in various museums, exhibitions, and publications, such as the Kulturforum Potsdamer Platz, Museum für angewandte Kunst Wien, Ginza Graphic Gallery Tokyo, The Paper Gallery Seoul, National Centre for Architecture and Design Glasgow, C·PARK Haisu Culture Plaza Shanghai und Galerie Pro Arte Salzburg.
| 2025 | 100 Beste Plakate D/A/CH |
|---|---|
| 2024 | Tokyo Type Directors Club Annual Awards, Prize Nominee Work |
| 2023 | International Poster Festival, Selected Work |
| 2021 | Type Directors Club New York, Certificate of Typographic Excellence |
| 2021 | Tokyo Type Directors Club Annual Awards, Excellent Work |
| 2020 | Golden Bee Global Biennale of Graphic Design |
| 2020 | Akademiepreis der Staatlichen Akademie der Bildenden Künste Stuttgart, Fachgruppe Design |
| 2020 | Die Schönsten Deutschen Bücher, Longlist |
| 2020 | Tokyo Type Directors Club Annual Awards, Excellent Work |
| 2019 | 100 Beste Plakate D/A/CH |
| 2019 | International Poster Festival, Selected Work |
| 2019 | Macau Design Award |
| 2019 | Antwerp Poster Festival |
| 2018 | 100 Beste Plakate D/A/CH (2×) |
| 2018 | German Design Award, Newcomer of the Year Nominee |
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