susanna baer and alex sonderegger were born in switzerland. they started their design studio «so+ba», in tokyo in 2001. with their experiences in graphic design and advertising in switzerland and japan, as well as a good understanding of the two very different cultures, cross-cultural communication is one of the strength and the focus of so+ba.

our philosophy
we approach each of our projects with a fresh, open mind and develop communication concepts with a distinctive design language. we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. each project is unique and needs to be treated as such.

we use design to tell stories. whether it’s a visual identity, a magazine or a space, we try to get to the heart of the content in our work, based on discussions with our clients, in order to engage the target audience. through design we open up a discourse and this way of working often leads to lasting relationships.

our motivation
we want to inspire, motivate and activate people.

our areas of expertise
—— brand identity design development
—— graphic concepts for exhibitions
—— editorial design (books and magazines)
—— packaging concept and design
—— signage design
—— web design
—— teaching
—— consulting/project management and production support

so+ba // tokyo/zurich
5-29-20 kyodo, setagaya-ku, tokyo 156-0052, japan
spinnereistrasse 6 /5210 windisch, switzerland
info@so-ba.cc

office map

teaching
2004 – 2013 teaching «typography» at tama art university, tokyo
2020 teaching «art and design» at temple university, tokyo
2021 – teaching «international communication» at musashino art university, tokyo

so+ba works and interviews featured in books and magazines
+ creation // magazine // japan 1999
+ i-magazine // magazine // japan 1999
+ swiss graphic design // book // die gestalten verlag // germany 2000
+ creative impulse no 6 // happy books edition // italy 2001
+ benzin, young swiss graphic design // book // lars mueller publishers // switzerland 2001
+ pathfinder // book // idn-pro, hong kong // 2001
+ idn (international design magazine), hong kong 2001
+ victionary one: flavour // book // victionary hong kong 2002
+ iconography // book // idn-pro, hong kong // 2002
+ form, the making of design // magazine, germany // january 2003
+ it’s a matter of identity // book // victionary hong kong 2004
+ it’s a matter of promotion // book // victionary hong kong 2004
+ it’s a matter of editorial design // book // victionary hong kong 2004
+ it’s a matter of illustration // book // victionary hong kong 2005
+ ball im kopf – kult ums kicken // exhibition catalog // gestalten verlag 2005
+ fase // book // argentina
+ page // magazine, germany
+ poster collection, handmade // museum für gestaltung zürich // lars mueller publishers
+ nice to meet you // book // victionary hong kong 2006
+ axis // magazine // japan 2006
+ hochparterre // magazine // switzerland 2006
+ pen magazine // magazine // japan 2007
+ form, the making of design // magazine, germany // may, june 2007
+ high fashion // magazine // japan 2008
+ idpure no 14 // the swiss magazine of graphic design and visual creation 2008
+ the sourcebook of contemporary graphic design // maomao publications spain 2009
+ every thing design // museum für gestaltung zürich // book // hatje cantz, germany 2009
+ a way beyond the creative industries // book // folio verlag, austria 2010
+ graphic design for fashion // book // laurence king publishing ltd. uk 2010
+ slanted // magazine // germany 2010
+ asia-pacific design no.6 // book // sandu cultural media, china
+ aera // asahi shinbun weekly, april 2011
+ back cover // france 2012
+ CITYx60 City Guides Tokyo 60 local creatives bring you the best of the city //
victionary hk 2014
+ magazin soirée graphique, komet bern 2015
+ IDEA magazine No.371 // japan 2015
+ 3600 concept and design magazin // sandu publishing hk 2016
+ 27th international biennial of graphic design brno 2016 // catalog, czech republic 2016
+ IDEA magazine No.376 // japan 2016
+ 360 concept and design magazin // sandu publishing hk 2016
+ 27th international biennial of graphic design brno 2016 // catalog, czech republic 2016
+ nominée designpreis schweiz // catalog 2017
+ the 12th international poster triennal in toyama, 2018 // catalog // japan 2018
+ made in japan // book, victionary, hong kong 2018
+ asia-pacific design no.15 // book // sandu cultural media, china 2019
+ no.4 NEON form the PALETTE mini series, published by victionary, hong kong 2020
+ asia-pacific design no. 18 // book // sandu cultural media, china 2022

recent clients include
actelion // eat creative, tokyo
coppé
dentsu pr // eat creative, tokyo
doctors without borders // japan
edwina hörl
freitag japan
goethe institut tokyo // eat creative, tokyo
kurzfilmtage winterthur // switzerland
lixil // eat creative, tokyo
mudac, lausanne // switzerland
plantation, issey miyake inc
swiss embassy in tokyo
spiral, wacoal art center
ted-x tokyo
zou-no-hana terrace, museum cafe