How CASALEX Blends Classical Art with Modern 3D Design

For this Graphis Design 2024 Awards entry, designer Haotian Dong shares the inspiration behind the brand design for “CASALEX,” a design firm founded by Alex Beaufort. The design incorporates elements of classical art and modern 3D/VFX design to create a unique artistic personality. The CASALEX logo, a classic that meets modern design, blends Alex’s initials together, and the black and white color scheme represents the founders’ personalities.

By: Haotian Dong 

About CASALEX 

“The idea for CASALEX originated from a casual conversation I had with its founder, Alex Beaufort, over drinks at a bar. We were brainstorming names for a design firm for him, and eventually, we decided on ‘CASALEX,’ a combination of the Spanish word ‘casa’ and the name Alex. The name means ‘Alex’s home’ or ‘Alex’s cottage,’ evoking the comfort and familiarity of home and suggesting that clients can find their own design within CASALEX. 

“The design of CASALEX is inspired by the artistic preferences of Alex Beaufort, the founder, and myself. We both have a passion for Renaissance and classical art and modern 3D/VFX design, so I incorporated elements from these different artistic styles to create the overall artistic personality of CASALEX. The central image is a painting, ‘The Fallen Angel,’ by artist Alexandre Cabanel, created in 1847, which symbolizes the idea that even an angel who falls to earth will always find a home, reinforcing the theme of home that runs through CASALEX’s design. 

“The overall design of CASALEX uses only black and white to represent the founders’ personalities. Alex likes black items, while I prefer beige, so we used only these two colors. The CASALEX logo is a variation of Alex’s personal logo, which I designed to blend his initials, ‘A’ and ‘B,’ together. The logo is classic and modern, with curved serifs, decorative lines to show elegance and a sharp serif font for visual balance. 

“The poster design is inspired by ‘x-ray films on hospital walls.’ Through the creation of ‘looking through the three-dimensional model inside,’ I tried to mix classical and modern together. Looking at the poster, there are actually many variations of the CASALEX design. There are many variations of the CASALEX design, including a one-line version and a two-line version with ‘CASA ALEX,’ because we couldn’t decide which was better. We decided to use both versions in all designs, as seen in the stationery design.

“At CASALEX, we aim to enhance communication through tailored, functional, and aesthetic messages. We believe that design is not only about aesthetics but also about communication, so we integrate design with communication objectives in every project to ensure the most effective message is conveyed.”

Check out Haotian Dong here.

You can also check out Alex Beaufort, the founder of CASALEX, here.

Social Media: Instagram, Twitter, Tumblr, LinkedIn

If you want to enter our current Design 2024 competition, click here.