Original Practice/Applied Learning
We work in the space before language — where meaning manifests before it is named.
We build bridges between what is and what refuses to arrive quietly.
Working in design, for us, isn't a service — it's a way of thinking made visible. We take on commissions as questions, and treat the making as the way we answer them. The medium changes with each one; the inquiry doesn't.
We measure success by the strength of those relationships — and by a shared, uncompromising commitment to craft and excellence.
We work across the surface of design and past its edges — editorial and publishing, typography, identity, exhibitions and events, cultural programming, journalism, and experiments. Books, brands, shows, podcasts, institutions — and the occasional flag.
Designer, educator, photographer, community builder, trained meditation instructor, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, producer of Faculty, an annual journal, host of the Underscore podcast, and founder of the Chicago Graphic Design Club and OP/AL. His work spans identity, culture, and communication. Christian teaches graphic design at DePaul University.
Brings a background in business and business administration to OP/AL, overseeing the organizational and operational infrastructure allowing our practice to run with clarity and intention.
Distinguished by risk, innovation, and fabulousness. Rick brings all of that and a relentless push for excellence into OP/AL.
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We work with collaborators — people who share an interest in meaning-making and a commitment to practice and craft as serious inquiry.
If that's the kind of work you're after, write to us.