Visual Design Directory

A curated collection of resources for curious designers.
Version 1.0—2021/Q1

Design Firms

A very short list of visual design firms and studios doing interesting work across myriad fields and concentrations. Some are very large, others are very small, with a loose common thread of producing work at a large scale and high level of refinement by modern standards.
Accept & Proceed, Anagrama, Athletics, Champions, Character; Collins, Dia, Firebelly, Franklyn, Gretel, Huge, Instrument, Manual, Moniker, The Office of Ordinary Things, One Design Company, Order, Pentagram, Span, Spin, Stranger & Stranger, The Designers Republic, Wade & Leta, Wolff Olins, Work & Co

Online Archives

A very short list of online archives for viewing historical work. History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.
The People’s Graphic Design Archive, The Letterform Archive

Inspiration

A very short list of editorial sites, publications, and blogs that curate excellent forward-thinking work.
BP&O, The Brand Identity, Brand New, The Dieline, Eye on Design, It’s Nice That, Typewolf, Visuelle

Organizations

A very short list of creative professional organizations.
AIGA, Creative Mornings, D&AD, The One Club for Creativity, The Type Directors Club, The Society of Typographic Arts

Institutions

A very short list of schools and institutional programs that are progressing design discourse and practices.
Art Center College of Design, California College of the Arts, The Cooper Union, University of Illinois, Maryland Institute College of Art, MIT Media Lab, Parsons School of Design, Rhode Island School of Design, Stanford D.School, School of Visual Arts, Yale School of Art