Tell us about the studio: Who are the founders, how many employees, where are you based, what’s your speciality, any details you’d like to share.

Ark is based in Tel Aviv, a studio whose expertise is establishing brands, creating their visuals and narrative, shaping their tone of voice and storytelling, and identifying their core through research, strategy, and workshops. The studio’s founder and Creative Directress is Hagar Erez, leading a team of seven people, including four designers, a project manager, a studio manager, and a research & workshops leader—working locally and globally in Tel Aviv, Barcelona, and Munich.

What is the story behind the name of the studio?

The name "Ark" holds three key meanings: like Noah's Ark, it represents a vessel that protects and carries something valuable. It symbolizes a space where ideas and a client’s vision become tangible. It also reflects my deep love for architecture—phonetically resonant and visually grounded. Each letter in 'A-R-K' stands firmly, with two legs on the ground, evoking stability and strength.

Which topics or industries are you most passionate about and focused on?

My love for architecture naturally led me to explore disciplines that shape physical space. Architecture touches every field—and that’s the beauty of it. I’m fortunate to collaborate with leading visionary people across industries: culinary, retail, hospitality, technology, beauty, fashion, and architecture. Our clients are both local and global, with current projects in Tel Aviv, London, Toronto, Miami, and Utah.

How does the team wind down or spend quality time together?
 

In our time together, we often visit the places we’ve designed once a project wraps up—it’s rewarding to experience it from the other side and celebrate months of hard work. Outside of that, we enjoy museums, yoga, and hopefully more movies soon. We recently went to Shila, a restaurant by Chef Sharon Cohen that we just completed. Despite my busy routine with a newborn and running a business, I make an effort to have lunch together on sunny days, stay present, and nurture a meaningful connection with my team—after all, the day-to-day is where we spend most of our time together.

What’s the hardest thing about running a studio?

For me, the hardest part is finding the balance between my personal life and the studio. I tend to go all in—completely immersed in the work. Being a creative means the ideas never really stop; they’re always there in the background, so it’s hard to just switch off at the end of the day. But if I don’t make space to take care of myself, I feel it—I lose joy. Beyond the creative side, running a studio is a huge responsibility. It never really stops—caring for your team, supporting your clients, meeting deadlines, handling payments, navigating personal challenges. It’s a lot.

What’s the best thing about running a studio?

The best part of running a studio is the people you meet and the challenges you face together—they shape you and build resilience. I’m competitive and love to win, but lately I’ve learned to value the moments in between. I celebrate every win—landing a dream project, seeing a vision come to life, solving problems, and pushing through the hard days. Running a business means constant challenges, but time teaches me that I can handle more than I think. What matters most is staying grounded in your values—being honest, keeping your word, and staying true to yourself.

Who would you love to collaborate with, or have as a client?

We recently developed the brand identity and strategy for Future Stores, a new immersive retail space on Oxford Street, London. The concept blends interactive brand activations with data-driven experiences on a rotating basis. In just three months, Future Stores has hosted major names like Renault, Tesla, Pepsi, Intel, Snapchat, Adidas, Turkish Airlines and Loci.

Looking ahead, I hope to grow with existing clients while also collaborating with these global names on visual content creation that resonates worldwide. I’m especially eager to work with creatives I admire—photographers, architects, illustrators, type designers, motion artists, and creative coders—including Malika Favre, Atelier Bulk, Suzanne Saroff, David Ferrua, Pete Sunna, Eike König, and Karan Singh—with many more on the list.

What's the best advice you can give about working with clients?

I believe in growing with the clients you truly stand behind. The real work begins after launch—building a brand is about staying in it for the long run, creating and evolving together. There’s something powerful about long-term partnerships where trust, vision, and creativity deepen over time.

Where would you like to see the studio in 5 years?

Creating meaningful brand experiences across disciplines and at larger scales—experiences that move, inspire, and connect with people in both physical and digital spaces. Sharing our studio’s work through global lectures, and watching more and more of the ideas my team and I envision come to life—that’s the real reward.

Thank you Ark Studio!