Esdi Aberta

A Collaborative Movement to Preserve Brazil's First Design School

→ Role
Graphic Designer

→ Year
2017

Entrance to a park with a silver railing, glass panels, and a gate. A sign with Portuguese text saying, 'ESDI ABERTA' and a hashtag '#UERJ RESISTE' is on the right glass panel. Green trees and people walking along a paved path are visible inside the park.

About the project

Esdi - Escola Superior de Desenho Industrial, the first design school in Brazil and one of the most prominent in Latin America, faced the threat of closure in 2017. Funded by the State Government of Rio de Janeiro, the school was enduring an unprecedented crisis, struggling to maintain its regular activities.

In response, students, alumni, teachers, employees, and volunteers united to find ways to keep the school operational. Throughout 2017, under the movement called Esdi Aberta, alternatives for management, teaching, and knowledge exchange were developed to address the instability and challenges faced by the institution.

I contributed by designing and coordinating the creation of communication materials for the movement’s activities. My goal was to convey a sense of urgency and strength, achieved through a stamp-like visual language, bold typography, and strategic repetition.

Crowd of people gathered outdoors at a festival or event, with some standing, walking, and socializing under a large blue canopy, surrounded by trees and a white building in the background.
Multiple black and white cut-out text posters that say 'ESDI ABERTA #UERJ RESISTE' on a light gray background.
Three protest flyers in Portuguese with bold black text and images. The first flyer is about a protest sticker workshop, the second is about a poster-making workshop, and the third is about an open screen printing workshop, all taking place at Rua do Passo 80 on various dates in February 2017.
A collage of four images. The top left shows a person writing on a glass window with the words "DELO PENSANDO PUBLICO". The top right displays a nighttime scene with people hanging a banner that reads "ESDIABERTA #UERJRESIST" on a wall with graffiti. The bottom left features a large group of people seated in a room, listening to a speaker standing at the front. The bottom right depicts people gathered around an illuminated sign spelling "UERJ" at night, with some sitting and others standing around it.
Collection of tote bags with various designs and slogans on display at an art fair, a screen printing setup with a blue design, a live outdoor music performance with a band playing under pink and purple lights, and an outdoor classroom or discussion group with people seated on wooden pallets with red cushions, listening to a speaker next to a blackboard.
Event tickets printed on paper, featuring blue text with event details including date, time, and location, partially visible.
Close-up of a black and purple printed poster with bold letters and hashtags, and some scattered papers with colorful graphics and text on a table.
Group of people sitting on the grass in front of a graffiti-covered wall with a banner that reads 'ES DI ABERTA #HUER RESISTE'. Some people are playing with Kinetic sand and straw. Others are chatting and standing nearby.