Brutalist, yet harmonic. Utilitarian, yet evocative. Conceptual, yet open to interpretation. These contrasting ideas find unity in the work of Warsaw-based designer Vlad Boyko, who says that he builds a foundation on the emotions behind his design work before focusing on the conceptual aspects. “I want my designs to make people feel something and guide their emotions,” he explains. “I also try to go away from conventional, straightforward design and keep it less literal, giving my viewers more space for interpretation and feeling.” Fueled by creativity from a young age, having grown up in a family of musicians, Boyko studied media art at the Academy of Fine Arts and the Polish-Japanese Academy of Information Technology, both in Warsaw. Now, what fuels him is the idea of experimental design practices—which, as he explains, some people refer to as “anti-design”—in which he explores new, unconventional meanings and relationships between established forms and tools in design. “I’m not trying to make my work innovative intentionally, since it [adds] pressure and expectations that can ruin the process,” Boyko says. “Instead, I’m just trying to produce stuff that satisfies my inner critic and feels fresh. It’s more than enough to inspire my audience and educate them on what forms design can take and what approaches are possible.”