Responses by Alina Lisenkova, designer; Andrei Nikiforov, director; Oleg Laptev, designer; and Kaia Noah, creative director, ARK Studio.

Background: “The purpose of the project was to craft a brand identity for the software development agency BYLD and translate that identity into a website,” says Andrei Nikiforov. “We wanted the visual language to authentically reflect the agency’s values and culture, rooting it in trust, precision and a pinch of nostalgia. We began with an extensive brand workshop to uncover the underlying why: the driving forces, motivations and character that define BYLD at its core.”

“We defined our target audience not by demographics—not by age, gender, or profession—but by shared values, a common way of seeing and feeling the world,” says Alina Lisenkova. “These are people who resonate with BYLD’s vision, recognize depth and authenticity, and appreciate meaning—not just form.”

Design core: “The core of the site lies in its clarity and emotional tone. It doesn’t just present information; it sets a mood,” says Lisenkova. “Every element has a purpose: graphic materials that echo technical documentation, neon colors that recall vintage signage and the honesty of the words themselves. I think we're most proud of how it feels—that quiet confidence when design stops trying to impress and simply is.”

“We set out to capture a feeling—the kind of nostalgic belonging you sense when watching Akira or Blade Runner: a world that feels both futuristic and familiar,” says Kaia Noah. “Our goal was to translate that emotional resonance into a living digital identity. BYLD became an experimental, bold and deeply collaborative journey. Every team member contributed from the earliest branding workshops to the final visual decisions, shaping a coherent aesthetic that feels cinematic, human and alive.”

Challenges: “The most challenging aspect was getting the feeling right,” says Oleg Laptev. “The website feels nostalgic but very modern and futuristic at the same time. We spent a lot of time iterating before we landed on this version.”

Time constraints: “The project timeline reminded us that it’s better not to hold on to a version you endlessly refine in private,” says Lisenkova. “Setting a clear time frame forces focus and clarity; you release what you’ve achieved within that window, learn from it and move forward instead of getting stuck chasing perfection.”

Navigation structure: “Simplicity was the key,” says Laptev. “We purposefully tried to not overcomplicate the website structure and keep everything pretty simple. That gave us room to focus on other important aspects.”

Technology: “This is a purely front-end project,” says Nikiforov. “We used BEAST, a JavaScript framework based on BEM methodology that was originally developed by our friend Danil Kovchiy at Yandex and adapted by us for our needs.”