Studio Schultzschultz was founded by Marc Schütz and Ole Schulte in 2007. Seventeen years later, their small team of four still operates in the same location in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. They started out working for electronic music labels and fashion brands, which still influences the studio’s output today. Schultzschultz focuses mainly on digital lettering, custom typefaces and simple geometric graphics; just as computers play a central role in the creation of techno music, they aim to make the tool visible in their work, as well.
I spoke to Schütz to learn more about the studio’s type in motion.
Do you see graphic design and typography as moving ever more toward motion?
Absolutely. Digital applications of typography are becoming dominant, with more and more text displayed on screens. In the realm of display type especially, motion has become a powerful tool for creating expressive design. Motion is now as fundamental to the typographic systems we develop for clients as letterform, color and layout. It’s an elemental feature we incorporate into every project.
Many designers use tools as if they were toys to be played with. I for one have secretly been toying with some AI, but will try hard not to use it for creation.
We like to approach the creative process with a playful mindset. To encourage this, we often adapt our tools—or create new ones—that support or even enforce this mindset. For instance, we replaced the standard mouse and keyboard input with a gamepad, which is typically used in a recreational setting. The muscle memory from the gamepad tricks your brain into feeling like you’re playing rather than working, which changes the vibe and the creative output.
What are, in your opinion, the most significant of all the tools you have conceived?
I’d say the tool we call touchtype. It’s the product of a long, iterative process that started years before the current version was finalized and put online. This tool embodies everything we aim for when developing new tools: It’s innovative, intuitive and playful. Plus, it supports a fast-paced, experimental workflow for creating lettering, which is central to our approach.
Your studio is both a business and a recreational venue. How do you achieve balance?
Our projects naturally define the business side—meetings, planning, deadlines, and so on. Even during periods of intense work, though, we make a point of blocking out time in the calendar for creative, playful projects and discussions. During the summer, we start most days with a relaxed espresso meeting outside, talking about personal things and design ideas. Many of our best concepts have started in this “recreation time.”
How do you expect the studio to progress in the future?
I think our design practice will always be shaped by the projects that come our way. But we’d like to use our free projects to guide the studio towards more experimental and interactive typography. Ideally, clients will come to us for work that satisfies both our creative interests and business goals.
What is on the drawing board now?
We’re currently working on several typographic tools, both commissioned and personal projects. I’m excited to share them once they’re finished!