I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN!

STUDIO

MISSION

cypher13 is an interdisciplinary design team striving to improve the human experience.

RESPONSIBILITY

We recognize the opportunity for communication that we've created and with it the inherent responsibility. From this responsibility stems a commitment to enrich culture through the creation and execution of our work.

DESIGN PHILOSOPHY

While design is often equated to or loosely defined as an artfully strategic approach to problem solving or to the formulation of a plan intended to prompt some effect, we believe it's much more. Design is language and is part of a greater system intended for encoding and delivering information. Like all languages, design requires extensive experience to speak fluently. cypher13 speaks design - fluently. It's the language of our work.

CLIENTS/PROJECTS

The clients we choose to align with and projects we choose to contribute to are carefully considered. We leave a portion of ourselves within every project we take on. Projects that possess integrity, convey forward-thinking, and signal social relevance are sought after, those lacking character - avoided. We aim to create lasting, significant work. In order to have the opportunity do so we must choose our projects wisely.

TEAM/HISTORY

The cypher13 team is made up of three; Alex Henry, Lucian Foehr, and Todd Berger. The "three" have been producing professional design work as a team for a combined 25 years. The collective cypher13 mentality is simple, all for one - one for all. There is no hierarchy. The best idea always wins. The end goal is always the same - good design.

CONTACT

Location
cypher13 Design Studio
2037 13th Street
Boulder, Colorado 80302
USA

Get in touch
+1 720 562 0193
info@cypher13.com
Check out our Flickr
Follow us on Twitter

Directions from Denver International Airport:
1. Exit 6 for E-470 Tollway toward I-70/Fort Collins
2. Turn right to merge onto US-36 W
3. Turn left at Arapahoe Avenue
4. Turn right at 13th Street

Map it
maps.google.com

cypher13 team

A DECADE OF DESIGN

cypher13's roots go back to 1999 when Todd Berger founded his first firm. Shortly thereafter Todd met Alex Henry. The two quickly became partners and began to cultivate a vision of what the design team of the future might look like. When Lucian Foehr magically appeared the team was complete. "The three" were poised, ready to take risks and determined to create a new powerful force in the universe. They wanted something they could share equally, contribute to individually, and grow collectively. That something is cypher13.

  1. 1999
  2. 2000
  3. 2001
  4. 2002
  5. 2003
  6. 2004
  7. 2005
  8. 2006
  9. 2007
  10. 2008
  11. 2009
  2. 1999
  3. 2000
  4. 2001
  5. 2002
  6. 2003
  7. 2004
  8. 2005
  9. 2006
  10. 2007
  11. 2008
  12. 2009
I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN!

STUDIO TOUR

I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN!

THOUGHTS

  • C13

    Getting into Design | December 23, 2009


    We're often asked for recommendations regarding getting into design by young aspiring professionals. Funny sorts of questions really, since we consider ourselves still aspiring. Having not formally studied design in school, we're in a rather unique and sometimes uncomfortable position making recommendations. Regardless, we do our best to lean on the years we've spent working professionally and the experiences we've had to try and inform and inspire those trying to enter the field.

    We can remember when we were asking ourselves the very same question, "How do I get into design?" It seemed like such a nebulous arena to enter. Where did one start? And, once you've started, then what? While, we in no certain way claim to have cracked the lock on some magical door, behind which lies the secrets to becoming the designer of tomorrow - we have learned a few things over the past decade.

    For starters, like entering any field you may be interested in, you ought to know that once you're in, you're going to have to take some lickings. But, since they'll come fast and furious, and seemingly out of left field, we won't dwell on them for now. A better vantage point from which to start would be way, way out. And, by way, way out, we mean, outside of the industry.

    With design being a very interdisciplinary field it can be quite difficult to narrow in on a specific area of focus. While some individuals know precisely what it is in design they wish to accomplish, or why design is the field of their choosing, a great many others do not, and just wish to enter a space where creative opportunities are bound to arise.

    Regardless of whether one knows the sort of work they'd like to create or not, everyone should begin their entry into the practice of design by studying those that have come before them. With the advent of the internet, this has become increasingly simple. Between the blogosphere and the ease of on-line book buying it's not very difficult to stumble upon, literally, thousands of design resources. And, don't forget about the library. Some of the resources you find will inevitably be more valid then others, but that kind of deciphering is all part of the process of becoming a designer.

    Begin by seeking out work that you enjoy, be it graphic, interactive, fashion, industrial, conceptual, or purely artistic. By loosely informing yourself on all of the areas of design it will soon become apparent that similar thinking is shared throughout and across disciplines. Once you've found work that's in your interest, learn all

    that you can about its creator. Look for interviews with the designer, books they may have written or been published in, and review the portfolios linked on their websites. In essence, study their thinking. You may find that it's similar to your own or you may find that it is not. Either way, you'll learn a little bit more about the sort of things you might like to design, the sort of problems you'd like to attempt to solve through design while also learning about those you would not.

    One of the surest ways to begin to hone in on the specific area of design you'd like to work in, is to determine those areas in which you would not.

    Once you've begun to take interest in a specific discipline or direction, focus on learning what it takes to succeed in that space. Understand that there are tools you'll need to obtain and learn to use. And that most likely there are rules, perhaps already in place. Learn these rules. Try to understand why they were created. Never forget that design is a communications profession, and like all forms of communication, it hinges on language, and languages are based on standards and rules. Before one can begin to break the defined standards or rules of any given language, or in our case, design discipline, one must have a firm understanding of why they were created in the first place.

    Learning what you like and what you don't is a very important step to becoming a confident designer. Striving to understand why we like what we do is what tends to makes us better designers. In all likelihood the work we enjoy most is the result of some masterful use of the appropriate tool or tools coupled with some form of either an immediately visible or more subtly hidden adherence to a set of rules, with just the right amount of worldly individuality added. In this manner, things are uniquely designed, and ideas are uniquely communicated.

    Remember, there are no shortcuts. Being a designer is a life-long process. The more one pays attention to the world around them, and the greater their awareness, the more likely they are to succeed at whatever it is they choose to accomplish.


  • C13

    Logo ≠ Brand | October 28, 2009


    When considering a logo, soon to be or existing, it must be understood that a logo is not a brand. A logo is just a mark or symbol, be it iconic or typographic or a combination of the both that is created with the intent of representing or embodying an ideology or a set of principles larger than the sum of its inherent parts.

    A logo, poorly or well-executed can come to stand for a great many things. All of these seemingly embedded definitions or characteristics lie far beyond the logo's built-in aesthetic nature. For a logo to take on such layered meaning it must be supported by ideas, actions, outputs and ultimately human beings. It's at this juncture that logo and brand intersect.

    A brand, in time, can come to define a logo. And, human beings, in time, can come to define a brand. A logo on its own can not define a brand. A logo can represent or identify a brand, but not define one. It's the thoughts, actions, and output of the human beings behind a brand and thereby behind a logo that come to define a brand and ultimately imbue a logo with meaning and value.


  • C13

    Business Earth: A 20-Point introduction to Ecological Economics | September 17, 2009


    • 1. Business Earth
      Given the modern consumer-centric world we now live in it could be helpful to look at Earth in the context of business. As a series of ideas, Business Earth aims to provide a simplified view of ecological economics to hopefully present some eye-opening perspective on the value and ever diminishing abundance of Mother Nature's free goods and services.
    • 2. Natural Capital
      The thinking behind Business Earth is contingent upon the idea of natural capital, the application of the economic notion of capital as applied to environmental goods and services. Earth's natural capital is made up of all of its ecosystems and the valuable goods and services that flow from them.
    • 3. Forests, Fisheries & Aquifers
      Some examples of natural capital include forests, fisheries and aquifers, These forms of natural capital all yield natural income, things like timber, fish, and fresh water.
    • 4. Natural Income
      Waste assimilation, erosion prevention, flood control, and uv protection via ozone are all services provided from natural capital. Along with the capital assets mentioned previously, these life-support services could also be considered natural income.
    • 5. Intact Ecosystems
      When considering natural capital and it's byproduct natural income, we must consider ecosystems. Ecosystems can be viewed as the factories from which natural capital is output. Business Earths' continued production of natural capital hinges on intact ecosystems, or sound factories.
    • 6. Types of Capital
      Natural capital can be broken down into three categories: Renewable capital stocks - replenishable capital stocks - and non-renewables capital stocks
    • 7. Renewable Natural Capital
      Renewable natural capital stocks includes living species and ecosystems. These capital stocks are self-producing and self-maintaining and if managed sustainably can provide an indefinite flow of assets and services.
    • 8. Renewable Example 1: Trees
      Trees are renewable capital. In looking at trees from an economic perspective they provide us both immediate visible products - things like timber, food, and medicine and less immediately visible services, things like oxygen production, and CO2 reduction.
    • 9. Renewable Example 2: Fish
      Fish too are considered renewable. Like trees, they are a product of their larger economies, streams, rivers, lakes, and oceans, providing us with food. They also help ensure that their factories, or ecosystems remain structurally intact.
    • 10. Replenishable Natural Capital
      Replenishable natural capital stocks are non-living but can be continuously restored. Replenishable natural capital includes things like surface and ground water and stratospheric ozone.
    • 11. Replenishable Example 1: The Ozone Layer
      Ozone is a replenishable. It is a naturally occurring product contributing to the creation of the stratospheric ozone layer. The ozone layer provides us with income in the form of a service - blocking harmful utraviolet rays which would otherwise lead to sunburn, skin cancer and cataracts.
    • 12. Replenishable Example 2: Soil
      Similar to ozone, soil, is also considered replenishable. It provides continual services in the form of water purification and catchment helping to reduce flooding. It also provides the primary nutrient base for most terrestrial plant life.
    • 13. Non-renewable Natural Capital
      Non-renewable natural capital stocks are analogous to physical inventories. They are made up of things like fossil fuels, and mineral deposits. Use of non-renewable natural capital requires extinguishing a portion of a finite stock. Once it's all used - it's gone. There is no more.
    • 14. Non-renewable Example 1: Petroleum
      Petroleum is a prime example of non-renewable natural capital. Unlike trees, fish, ozone, and soil systems, this inventory is finite. In human time Petroleum is in essence a product without a factory.
    • 15. Non-renewable Example 1: Coal
      Coal like petroleum also exists in a finite stock. It is non-renewable. It needs to be ordered millions of years in advance.
    • 16. Life Support
      so, from mankind's perspective Business Earth is really in the business of supporting human life. It will continue to produce it's assets and services far into the future. However, both it's existence and ours hinges more on its renewable and replenishable capital than on its non-renewable.
    • 17. Not Just Resources
      Hopefully at this point we're not just looking at Earths' natural capital as merely an inventory of industrial resources and services. Without the natural capital of Business Earth there are no economies, no businesses, and subsequently no human resources needed because, put simply, there are no humans.
    • 18. No Customers Needed
      While Business Earth provides us everything we need to live for free - we're the ones dependent upon it. It's existence is not dependent upon us. Business Earth is a very unique business in that it will continue to operate without it's primary consuming demographic, mankind.
    • 19. Natures Dollar Value
      A 1997 study led by Robert Costanza and other leading scientists and ecological economists estimated the value of Earth's free natural capital and services to mankind at 33 trillion dollars per year. At the same time the value of all of the economies of the world combined (total world GNP) only amounted to 18 trillion dollars - Half the value of one year of Earth's free services.
    • 20. Want to Find out more about the thinking behind Business Earth and the idea of Natural Capital?
      If you're interested in learning more about ecological economics and the ideas shared in the previous 19 points, pick up the book Natural Capitalism by Amory Lovins, Hunter Lovins, and Paul Hawken, or the book Our Ecological Footprint by Mathis Wackernagel and William E. Rees. And, be sure to look into the work of the ecological economists, Herman Daly and Robert Costanza.

  • C13

    20 Interconnected and Semi-dependent Factors Contributing to the Creation and Promotion of Sustainable Culture | August 24, 2009


    • 1. Compulsion for Creation:
      We have an innate compulsion to create. This compulsion perpetuates our very existence. It also potentially hinders our longevity. Our propensity to create has taken us right to the brink of sustainability. Now, as like never before, we need not only to create, but to create responsibly.
    • 2. Trust Your Vision:
      The desire to create is deeply connected to our capacity to visualize the future. The ability to trust our vision is tantamount to creation. The greater our ability to visualize our ideas, the greater the likelihood we'll bring them to fruition.
    • 3. Belief is Power:
      The clearer our vision the deeper our belief. Belief empowers us and provides a platform from which action can be taken. It contributes to our feelings of confidence. The confidence arising from belief provides power and leads to action.
    • 4. Willingness to Risk:
      With both vision and belief willingness to risk is increased. The clearer the vision, the greater the belief. The greater our belief, the more confidence we experience. Confidence leads to increased risk taking, and essentially, a heightened sense of power. The more willing we are to take risks the more powerful we become.
    • 5. Failure is Necessary:
      Failure is typically associated with a negative outcome, or the idea of underachieving ones aim. It becomes a much more valuable idea when flipped and applied to the more positive concept of suboptimal, but necessary experimentation. Regardless, of how we perceive and define failure, we must entertain the concept as our willingness to risk increases. It is from failure that ideas are honed, visions clarified, and the power of belief deepened.
    • 6. Determination Drives Progress:
      The more determined we are to improve, or offer alternatives, the more likely we are to progress. The closer our failure, or suboptimal, but necessary experimentation comes to producing desirable results, the more determined we become. Determination propagates creation and results in progress.
    • 7. Equality Promotes Growth:
      Progress in the context of sustainable cultural creation is anything that improves the human experience and has the potential to impact all within the realm of influence equally. As resource allocation and opportunity are brought into balance equality becomes a reality and growth begins.
    • 8. Strength in Community:
      As determination increases and progress is experienced, equality arises and community can be formed. Community like progress rests upon the premise of equality. As community grows, a new, reinforced platform for both ideation and creation is established.
    • 9. Value in Collaboration:
      Community rests upon and contributes to reinforced bonds between its members. The connectivity brought about by community leads to collaboration. Communal bonds are in turn renewed, and strengthened through collaboration. Collaboration increases vision, deepens belief, builds power, hedges risk, mitigates failure, heightens determination, perpetuates equality, and adds real value to work, its' byproduct.
    • 10. Work Speaks Volumes:
      Culture comes from work. The more sustainable the production of work, the more sustainable the culture. The stronger the community, the greater its collaborative potential to do work. Work done right, be it individually, collectively, or communally - speaks volumes.
    • 11. Responsibility is Required:
      As the scope of our work grows and its impacts are felt on a larger scale, a greater degree of responsibility is required. We need not only take responsibility for the final outcome of our work, but for the entire creation process to create responsible, sustainable, culturally significant work.
    • 12. Forget About Money:
      Concern for money, while valid, has a tendency to hinder the creation and attempted execution of some of our best ideas, ideas that lead to the production of exceptional work. We occasionally need to forget about money, albeit responsibly, and follow our hearts if we're to prompt sustainable creation.
    • 13. Honesty Breeds Integrity:
      The first step to being honest with others is being honest with ourselves. Forgetting about money in the context of creation is often a very important and necessary step to being true, or honest with ourselves. Honesty is conveyed through our actions and it's through our actions that we convey our integrity.
    • 14. Magic is Real:
      When we're honest, unencumbered by money, assuming responsibility, working collaboratively within our communities, promoting equality, determined to progress, ready to risk, full of belief, and looking ahead, magic happens.
    • 15. Communication is King:
      Whether or not you're ready to believe in magic, we can all agree on the importance of communication. Communication is the interchange of thoughts, opinions, and information. To promote and create anything sustainable an ongoing exchange of information is necessary, both publicly and privately. The ability to communicate clearly and concisely is central to creating and maintaining sustainable relationships. Sustainable cultural creation can not happen in a vacuum.
    • 16. Commitment Conveys Legitimacy:
      The more committed we are to our ideas, our community, and to sharing and communicating to the best of our ability, the more open we become. Openness leads to honesty, and honesty breeds integrity. Honesty, integrity, and visible commitment collectively contribute to establishing legitimacy.
    • 17. Transparency Shows Authenticity:
      Once an individual, group of individuals, or community achieves validity, it's the provision of transparency that shows real authenticity. The greater the access we're provided, the more likely we are to connect, believe, promote, and be inspired.
    • 18. Trust Breeds Influence:
      Individual belief and vision are necessary to achieve communal belief and vision. The idea of individual equality is vital to communal equality. The work of the individual is as important as the work of the community. We can not have communal responsibility without first possessing individual responsibility. The community can not honestly put the concept of money aside for the greater communal good without first conveying the commitment, legitimacy and authenticity required to evoke the trust of its' members. Be it on an individual level or a larger communal level, trust must be earned. With trust comes the potential to influence.
    • 19. Education Cultivates Sustainability:
      Possessing Influence enables an individual, group of individuals, or community the power to educate. The exchange of new information is the cornerstone of sustainability. The more informed we are, the better our decision making and the better our decision making the more likely we are to make choices that promote sustainable outcomes.
    • 20. Love is Everything:
      To properly consider the idea of sustainability and sustainable cultural creation we must address the concept of love. To love another we must first love ourselves. To love our fellow man we must possess a greater communal love for our surroundings and all of the entities within. After all, it's our innate ability and longing to love that initiated and continues to the sustain the creation of all those who create.

  • C13

    Managing Electronic Waste | August 5, 2009


    We are producing and consuming more than our resource rich spaceship can sustain. We have turned a corner and committed to technology to help us solve this problem. And, our technology-based faith has provided us with a yet another resource, electronic waste (e-waste). To manage this resource sustainably we must reuse it, recycle it, and sometimes dispose of it. Regardless, we must first collect it.

    While working through our recent submission to the Design The 4th Bin contest with our friend Mike Moore of tres birds workshop, we stopped to assess and discuss the Flow of e-waste. We broke it down accordingly into a 10 Step cyclical process.

    • Step 1. Humans (we) we deem it important to responsibly dispose of and safely reuse / recycle the elemental components of e-waste to make our future products and infrastructure
    • Step 2. e-waste is disposed of at e-waste repositories in both public and private spaces
    • Step 3. e-waste is collected by municipalities or other independent collection entities
    • Step 4. e-waste is securely delivered to transit centers
    • Step 5. e-waste is safely separated, sorted, and bundled into its basic elemental components for redistribution

    • Step 6. e-waste is delivered to or collected/obtained to responsible entities capable of reclaiming/reusing or otherwise reselling separated materials (ideally to new alternative material industries)
    • Step 7. New materials are created resulting in new eco-e-waste-driven product industries
      Note: The potential to create new plastics or Post Consumer Electronics Recycled Plastics (PCERPs) for a variety of uses is immense at this Step
    • Step 8. Materials are distributed and both new and existing products are created from this new and semi-sustainable resource
    • Step 9. Products are consumed and used and in most cases either resold or gifted or rendered useless
    • Step 10. Products are again disposed of responsibly and the e-waste life cycle begins again

    Parts of this practice are currently in play. Plastics and metals are being recovered and reused domestically. However, we are currently exporting the most toxic and hard to handle elements to China and India. In the Far East, under loose to no regulation, these elements are poisoning soil and water systems and radically reducing the quality and longevity of human lives. We must take responsibility for our waste domestically and implement more appropriate means of collection, disposal when necessary, and e-recycling.


  • C13

    High Performance Workspaces | July 19, 2009


    We spend a great deal of time in our studio. If you are reading this, odds are quite good you do the same. Some recent opportunities have prompted us to consider the design, layout, flow, and thinking behind our studio on a whole new level.

    Determining what makes a workspace inspirational and productive is most certainly a science. Regardless, we've always considered spatial relations, the ensuing human integration, and the resultant output of a physical space on a much more intuitive level. At some point during our recent studio assessment we stumbled upon the idea of "high performance workspaces."

    While both the idea and the phrase, "high performance workspaces" are probably not new, we are going to focus on what we feel is a high performance workspace, since we believe we have one. While optimizing performance was certainly a consideration in the design of our space, we were intuitively naive to some of the performance enhancing components we subconsciously incorporated. At least, we've come to that conclusion upon closer inspection.

    It seems to us that the creation of an effective workspace hinges on understanding what keeps an individual or team motivated, productive, and performing collaboratively. A high degree of communication and subsequent knowledge of both individual and team psychology is required to maximize the design and build of a workspace. Listening to individual needs and desires, considering them thoroughly, and then possessing the capacity to manifest those needs into a physical space seems to be a prerequisite to designing what could arguably be called a "high performance workspace."

    Our meaning of high performance is probably different than most, at least today, where a "high performance workspace" more likely implies a comfortable, clean, healthy, family-friendly environment where one pleasantly spends their weekly forty hours. Our meaning of high performance is a little different and more closely incorporated with the notion of heightening and improving both individual and team output. In essence when we say, "high performance workspace," we're talking about a workspace that contributes not only to the total output, but more importantly to the quality of the output from within its walls.

    Without attempting to determine all of the subtle nuances inherent to a "high performance workspace," it seems these sort of inspirational spaces utilize space in a manner which maximizes potential energy. These work spaces seem to possess a degree of motivational tension. It's from this tension that the potential energy of a space morphs and becomes a more arguably kinetic creative energy. It is from this transition and exchange that creative impulses are heightened and great ideas are born. Without necessarily intending to do so we have realized that we designed and manifested a type of energy generating reservoir into our studio. It seems to most closely resemble a damn. It possesses all of the components of power generation, but requires to be fed. It needs fuel. We feed it. It fuels us. We feed it back. And, so goes the cycle of design in a high performance workspace.


I COMMAND YOU TO OPEN!

ETCETERA

  • Biennial of the Americas - curation

    McNichols, Civic Center Park, Denver, Colorado - July 1 - 31, 2010

    Development of Biennial curatorial strategy, artist acquisition, and eventual curation of works.

  • Denver Art Museum - Design After Dark, Skin - exhibiton

    Redline Gallery, Denver, Colorado - January 22, 2010

    Creation and donation of Magical Khufu : 823 for fundraising auction on behalf of the DAM's Department of Architecture, Design & Graphics.

  • Site of the Day (cypher13.com) - recognition

    The CSS Awards, Best Creative Website Portfolios of 2010 - January 18, 2010

    1 of 25 of the best creative website porfolios of 2009 - full of illustrations, inspirating layout and dynamic effects. see the list

  • AAF Utah Addy Awards - judging

    Salt Lake City, Utah - January 7 & 8, 2010

    One of five judges reviewing and scoring print, broadcast and interactive media for the 2010 Regional Addy Awards.

  • SBD001 Release - typeface

    HypeForType - January 5, 2010

    SBD001 is a technical display typeface based on a simple premise, "Live by the grid, die by the grid." SBD. buy now

  • C13 LCD Release - typeface

    HypeForType - January 5, 2010

    This super technical display typeface is now available through HypeForType LCD. buy now

  • Interview du Studio cypher13 - interview

    CYPRIEN.BE, Couvin, Belgium - December 14, 2009

    14 year old, up and coming Belgian design star, Cyprien Delire, interviews cypher13. in french / in english

  • C13 Six Pixels of Death Release - typeface

    YouWorkForThem - December 14, 2009

    Boasting a six pixel cap height and a five pixel x-height, this minimalist typeface was designed to execute only the most covert web opps. buy now

  • Square Footage 2 - exhibiton

    Plastic Chapel, Denver, Colorado - December 12, 2009

    Inclusion of "Grids" 16 - 12" x 12" grid-based paintings on wood. All of the grids utilized were designed by Carsten Nicolai for his seminal work Grid Index.

  • Bordo Bello 2 - exhibiton

    Andenken Gallery, Denver, Colorado - December 11, 2009

    "Skateboards Make For Smiles" installation at skateboard art fundraiser for Youth Design Denver and Access Gallery's local initiative, promoting the power of people with disabilities.

  • Start Your Own Studio - interview

    Advanced Photoshop, Dorset, England - November 16, 2009

    Inside information from cypher13 in issue #63 regarding how to start and manage your own design studio. read the interview

  • C13 LCD Release - typeface

    YouWorkForThem - November 18, 2009

    A super technical display typeface born of a desire to improve upon the mundane typography rendered via traditional liquid crystal displays. buy now

  • Information Technology & Communication by cypher13 - lecture

    University of Colorado, Boulder | TAM program - November 12, 2009

    A lecture on the evolution, work, workflow, and communicative progress of cypher13.

  • Brown Bag Lecture series | cypher13 - lecture

    Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver - November 4, 2009

    A lecture on the evolution, workflow, and progress of cypher13.

  • Understanding Identity by cypher13 - lecture

    University of Colorado, Boulder | ATLAS - October 21, 2009

    A lecture on the nature of cypher13's thinking particularly as it pertains to their identity creation process.

  • Site of the Day (cypher13.com) - award

    The CSS Awards, Best Websites in the World - October 19, 2009

    The CSS Awards are given to the best CSS websites in the world.
    see the award

  • AIGA (Re)designAwards 2009 - awards design/creation

    MCA Denver, Denver, Colorado - September 23, 2009

    Design/build collaboration with Kristian Kluver. Creation of 26 handmade laser-engraved flatpack stools from reclaimed materials.

  • Business Earth - presentation

    Ignite Boulder 6, Boulder, Colorado - September 16, 2009

    A brief introduction to ecological economics aimed at highlighting the value of Mother Nature's free goods and services.

  • Creative Studio, cypher13 - interview

    SiteInspire, London, England - September 9, 2009

    Questions on origin of firm, Boulder, Co, ideal client, etc. read the interview

  • Design The 4th Bin - competition

    Valiant Technology, New York, New York - August 2, 2009

    Entry in an international competition to design a logo and a collection bin for electronic waste (e-waste) collection and recycling.

  • PechaKucha Night Denver Vol. 6 - presentation

    Buntport Theatre, Denver Colorado - July 21, 2009

    Bruce Mau opened and we closed with our presentation on "Creating Sustainable Culture."

  • Where We Work - publication

    Collins Design a division of Harper Collins - July 17, 2009

    Inclusion of cypher13 workspace in book of inspirational work environments and interiors from the world's leading creative agencies.

  • Logo Lounge 5 - publication

    Quayside Publishing - June 19, 2009

    Inclusion of logo work in book containing 2000 international identities by leading designers.

  • Vans: Off the Wall - publication

    Abrams Publishing, New York, New York - June 11, 2009

    Stories of sole from Vans originals - Inclusion of two pairs of cypher13 handpainted Vans Sk8 Hi originals.

  • ArtCrank - exhibition

    The Shoppe x The Fabric Lab x Neopolitan x The Plastic Chapel, Denver, Colorado - April 11, 2009

    Series of six screen printed Bicycle themed posters.

  • Bordo Bello - exhibition

    Access Gallery, Denver, Colorado - December 6, 2008

    Featured skateboard designers for mentorship-based student design initiative charity auction sponsored by AIGA.

  • Square Footage - exhibition

    Plastic Chapel, Denver, Colorado - November 8, 2008

    Creation of 12, 12" x 12" paintings for inclusion in "sq ft" themed group show.

  • Artism - Art for Autism - publication

    Birmingham, United Kingdom - October 3, 2008

    Illustration to help raise awareness on the topic of autism on behalf of The National Autistic Society.

  • White Space - live painting exhibition

    Design Within Reach, Boulder, Colorado - October 24, 2008

    One of five artists invited to produce a live painting as a charity fundraiser for the Boulder, Museum of Contemporary Art.

  • Talks on Design | Volume 1 - panel discussion

    MCA Denver, Denver, Colorado - September 19, 2008

    A creative conversation featuring Chris Beatty (Cultivator), Todd Berger (cypher13), Ian Coyle (Superheroes), and Norm Shearer (Cactus).

  • DIY Custom Toy Show - exhibition

    The Super Block (3100 E. Colfax) Denver, Colorado - March 8, 2008

    Inclusion of Intergalactic Space Traveler v2.0, custom munny guards and our very own "Goodbye Kitty."

  • Soft&Furry™ - exhibition

    Plastic Chapel, Denver, Colorado - September 13, 2008

    Creation and customization of 100 custom toys by acclaimed international artists/designers on the S&F platform.

  • Manifest Hope - exhibition

    Andenken Gallery, Denver, Colorado - September 12, 2008

    Sculptural addition to International group show to raise awareness and funding for the historic Barack Obama campaign.

  • cypher13 Presents Soft&Furry™ - interview

    ToyCyte, Jeremy Brautman, San Fracisco, CA - September 12, 2008

    Jeremy inquires about Soft&Furry™
    read the interview

  • Nocturnal Mockery 6 - exhibition

    Edifice Gallery, Colorado Springs, Colorado - July 5, 2008

    Three paintings exhibited in group show of Colorado street and graffiti artists.

  • Fantasy - publication

    New Web Pick Issue #15, Hong Kong, China - April 25, 2008

    Inclusion of illustration portfolio and feature studio interview.

  • Night Owls - exhibition

    D-Note, Arvada, Colorado - April 10, 2008

    Addition of three paintings based on blank character design for show guest curated by Markham Maes.

  • cypher13 Friendly Collaboration - interview

    The 99% - The Behance Network's think tank - September, 1, 2008

    Questions pertaining to our collaboration and workflow.
    read the interview

  • Design the Modern Board - exhibition

    Design Within Reach, Denver, Colorado - March 27, 2008

    Four snowboard designs for K2 and Design Within Reach snowboard design contest.

  • Shred Ready - exhibition

    Traveling Exhibition, USA - March, 13, 2008 - June 20, 2008

    Three customized kayak helmets based on shred ready blank helmet template.

  • The Greater Good - exhibition

    Texture Media, Boulder, Colorado - November 7, 2007

    Painting donated to charity fundraiser.

  • Shoe Shine - exhibition

    Block Building, Denver, Colorado - November 3, 2007

    Fours pairs of hand-painted sneakers and three sneaker themed paintings for non-profit fundraiser.

  • This is How We Roll - exhibition

    Installation Shoe Gallery, Boulder, Colorado - July 5, 2007

    Custom grip tape, sneaker and skate accessory show to benefit injured skateboarder Jeremiah Brooks.

  • Nocturnal Mockery 5 - exhibition

    Edifice Gallery, Colorado Springs, Colorado - June 11, 2007

    Six paintings exhibited in group show of Colorado street and graffiti artists.

  • Toofy Film Festival - live art exhibition

    JoyEngine, Boulder, Colorado - September 6, 2007

    Live wheatpasting of Toofy themed art themed art for film festival pre-party.

  • Space Travelers &Other Affiliated Shit - exhibition

    Installation Shoe Gallery, Boulder, Colorado - August 30, 2007

    Solo exhibit of personal works by 1/3 of cypher13.

  • Untitled - exhibition

    Cafe M, Boulder, Colorado - May 31, 2007

    Solo exhibit of personal works by 1/3 of cypher13.

  • Haute Fashion - exhibition

    The Fabric Lab, Denver, Colorado - March 31, 2007

    Addition of fashion-themed paintings into group show.

  • The Friends Show - exhibition

    Andenken Gallery, Denver, Colorado - November 3, 2006

    Multiple paintings exhibited in group show of underground Colorado artists.

PORTFOLIO

-- Sort by client
DROP
  • 130 & Less
  • 15th Street Coffee Haus
  • 4th Bin
  • 8030 Realty
  • Action Marketing Group (AMG)
  • adidas
  • AIGA
  • American Explosion
  • Andy's Girl
  • Artcrank
  • Ault Park Development
  • Avenue Snowboards
  • AVX
  • BAMF
  • Biennial of the Americas
  • Black Panda
  • Blast Ramp
  • Bordo Bello
  • Boulder Library Foundation
  • Carrot Clothing
  • Category One
  • Chegg
  • Comcast
  • Comm-Tech
  • Community Carbon Project (CCP)
  • Constance Peck
  • cypher13 / internal
  • David B. Smith Gallery
  • Democracy
  • Denver Art Museum
  • Design Network Associates
  • DJ ISIS
  • DJ Trees
  • Econscious Market
  • Elephant Journal
  • Enthusiast Group
  • Equipo Roca
  • Extreme Ice Survey
  • Fairground Media
  • Fate Clothing
  • Flat Out
  • Folsom Custom Skis (FCS)
  • Ford
  • Fuser
  • Generation Think Tank
  • Giantnerd®
  • GIF.LY
  • Gimpt
  • GOOD Magazine
  • Green Spirit Produce (GSP)
  • HelloTurbo
  • Hi Local
  • Icarus Frames
  • IdeaFixa
  • Ignite Boulder
  • ii kanji
  • Ink Monstr
  • inyangi
  • Jason Thielke
  • Joe's Espresso
  • John Süchsland
  • JoyEngine
  • Kicking Mule Workshop
  • Laser Tag Cartel
  • Lo+Pro
  • LUM GmbH
  • Mag Power
  • Mal Pais Media (MPM)
  • mibuds
  • Michael Robson Photography
  • Michele Filoia
  • MileHi
  • Mindfish
  • Mindful Mama
  • Mito Media
  • Miz Astrid
  • Mocapay
  • Morgan Creek Ventures
  • MTV
  • Myriad Gallery
  • nevercloud™
  • Next Level Conditioning
  • NoBo Neighborhood
  • O2 Zone
  • olade
  • OneRiot
  • Organic Food Brokers
  • Paul Russo
  • Pegshot
  • Plastic Chapel
  • Pnuma Project
  • Quick Left
  • Rainbow Maker
  • Randall Scott
  • Residences at Highland
  • RIDE2RANK
  • RockeTalk
  • Sapphire Click
  • Soft & Furry™
  • Stellar Sounds
  • Studio Joseph Shaeffer
  • Sumo Rainbow
  • Tee & Cakes
  • The Great Experiment
  • The T-BAR®
  • The Walnut Boulder
  • Thrive HFM
  • Timberland
  • Toofy International Film Festival
  • Toyota
  • Trek
  • tres birds workshop
  • TWEEEEET
  • Vanguard Project
  • Yahoo!
  • Yonder Mountain
-- Sort by category
DROP
  • art
  • exhibition
  • identity
  • illustration
  • packaging
  • print
  • strategy
  • typography
  • web
-- Sort by date
DROP
  • oldest to newest
  • newest to oldest
SUBMIT