Meet Julia B. Aguiar & Carlos Bocai — instructors of the Decoding Identities course.

Hey Carlos and Julia, how are you?

CB: Intense, but good! Just returning from a few days off in Rio for Carnaval, so I'm settling back again. Meanwhile, Julia and I are designing a photobook for a friend and constantly making updates to our course material. So a lot is happening, but all exciting things.

JB: Life has been fun and busy, as it should! I just returned from a week in New York and an inspiring company retreat, so I am ready to pick things back up. 

Nice! Let's take a look back; you are both from Rio de Janeiro and have known each other since college. How does this influence your approach to design?

JB: Being a creative in Brazil is tough. You have to make the best out of what you get because most people don't have the opportunity to work with high-profile brands or a big-budget unless they are employed by a handful of Brazilian studios with access to those sorts of clients. Even those studios often struggle to stay in business due to all the political and economic challenges we face here. So, if you want to be in this industry, you must be passionate about it. You have to get creative with your resources. And you learn a lot from being so hands-on, from strategy to project management and all the other parts in addition to the creative work itself. 

CB: The good thing is that there's a strong sense of community among creatives in Brazil. When we met in 2014 at PUC-Rio, our first projects together were school assignments. Since the beginning, we felt there was a unique work chemistry between us and a shared ambition to build something relevant. We both pursued individual careers and have worked at many design studios over the past decade. Still, we never stopped working together, even when I moved to New York, and Julia remained in Brasilia. That's how our ongoing practice Anywhere was born. It was our answer to keep the collaboration alive regardless of where in the world we are.

Both of you began your careers in Rio, but you have worked at many studios worldwide. How do you feel you managed to stand out in such a competitive landscape?

CB: I believe that growing up in Brazil with such a culturally diverse background and experiences shaped who we are as designers. For a long time, we used to work directly with clients and had to be our work's best advocates and wear many hats. This autonomy led to the development of a holistic mindset, a highly appreciated skill in the context of an agency. We never stopped working together, and we even overlapped at some studios. We constantly push each other forward by sharing knowledge, opinions, and opportunities and by questioning and learning from one another.

JB: Exactly; our design process and repertoire are what unites us. Over time, we've adapted to the workflow and context of an agency, but we carry them with us wherever we go. Together, we learned that the verbal aspect of the design process is just as important as the visual. Knowing how to translate visual thinking into verbal or written forms, and vice-versa, can be a game-changer in effectively communicating your ideas to colleagues and clients. This way of thinking, combined with our own unique perspectives and skills helped us stand out in this landscape.

What would you say are each other's strengths?

CB: Julia is extremely curious and hungry for knowledge of any kind. I'm always impressed by how much they enjoy the discovery phase, dedicating themselves to thorough research to understand everything possible about the project subject. Julia's multidisciplinary approach enables them to access theory and complex information and, through excellent conceptual thinking, convert everything into strong, accessible ideas.

JB: Carlos is one of the bravest people I know. He's not afraid to make bold moves, voice his opinion, and constantly challenge himself. He is deeply committed to everything he sets his mind on, a drive that's fueled by his ongoing interest in all things visual. It baffles me how much he can accomplish in so little time, with the highest quality and critical thinking. Always with a point of view and an open mind.

Your course, Decoding Identities, has been around for almost four years in Brazil. Why did you decide to create the course?

CB: In 2020, during the pandemic, Aprender Design invited us to create a course from scratch focusing on visual identities. As we looked at the Brazilian design course landscape, we noticed that most courses promoted formulas for guaranteed success — a mentality we don't believe in. There's no absolute truth or right way of designing. While others had a more conceptual or niche focus, which is beneficial for expanding students' perspectives, we recognized the prevalent financial insecurity faced by designers in 2020. With many relying on freelance work to supplement their income, we decided to create an industry-focused course. 

JB: There's an outdated idea of “good design” embedded in those "formulas for success," which we wanted to deconstruct by creating a course that isn't just about practical skills but a collective exercise of critical analysis put into practice — decoding what's behind successful design work. That perception isn't limited to a location, so taking our course globally was a natural step.

If you think about it, many people have access to the same tools and references, yet some brands stand out more than others. That's partially because most impactful design systems respond to a context and are in service of an idea. So how can we stimulate our class to think about design, from both practical and theoretical perspectives, before designing? Our goal is to provide students with tangible learnings that they could immediately adapt and apply to their day-to-day workflow.

How does teaching inspire your creative practice, and do you find that your work influences your teaching?

CB + JB: Teaching is a way for us to contribute to the community, continue evolving, and meet people from diverse backgrounds. It's also a social process, especially considering Aprender’s scholarship offerings. We wanted to create a space to talk about design while using our privilege with the opportunities we had throughout our careers to contribute to the educational landscape in Brazil. Through teaching, we learn a lot from students and gain refreshed perspectives.

Our goals remain the same on a global scale, but our viewpoint has evolved. Our experiences working abroad for several years, often with some of the world's largest brands, allow us to share new insights and ways of working with an even more diverse group of students. We've seen firsthand how critical analysis and a concept-driven process rooted in strategic thinking can significantly impact success in the branding landscape.

You have invited guest critics since the first edition of Decoding Identities in 2020. Why is that important to you?

CB: Since the course is heavily focused on the industry, bringing more perspectives enriches the learning experience. It's an opportunity for students to connect with other professionals and hear different approaches and opinions that may differ from ours. There's beauty in the plurality of perspectives, and design is all about that.

JB: We also admire many people in the industry and are eager to learn more about their work. So why not share our learning space and create a platform for conversation? It could lead to future collaborations, and it's often the first connection guests have with Aprender Design. 

What do you expect your students to take away from Decoding Identities?

CB: Our ultimate goal is to equip students with the ability to decode and analyze design pieces in context, understanding what makes it work (or doesn’t work). During the program, designers are assigned a group project to create a visual identity system for a playlist, mentored by us. Since music is a broad and creative subject, we want this project to inspire them to showcase their full potential and use the classroom as a space to share, learn, and grow. Projects are opportunities, so the brief allows students to work on something they might not have had the chance to do, enhancing their portfolios.

JB: We believe one's unique perspective and background are one's biggest asset, and we know the importance of feeling empowered to express ideas and advocate for a point of view. The course methods, analysis, and discussions aim to help with that. We hope students can incorporate as many of them into their practice as they see fit. It is incredibly rewarding to hear that the project has helped former students stand out in job interviews or that a methodology has increased their success at work. It makes everything worth it.

 What should we look forward to in the next edition this March?

CB: Decoding Identities is a collaborative exercise. Since the first edition in 2020, we've been asking for feedback and adopting suggestions for improving the program each time – doing our best to implement them. We are constantly making updates so the course remains current and relevant. 

JB: Last edition we had the incredible duo Leo Porto and Felipe Rocha from PORTO ROCHA as guests, and we are super excited about our current guest critic as well. Gabriela Namie was the first designer we invited to Decoding Identities Brazil, and we're thrilled to have her again in the international edition. Her work is incredible and directly connected to the course's assignment, making it an excellent opportunity for our students. We can't wait to meet the upcoming cohort!

In a world saturated with brands, become fluent in comprehending and crafting standout and impactful visual identity systems with Carlos Bocai (Base) and Julia B. Aguiar (Jones Knowles Ritchie). Check out the final projects of Decoding Identities first class here.