Hello, my name is Christoph Rauscher.

I’m a designer, illustrator, writer and visual thinker based in Berlin, Germany.

What I’ve been working on

Village One: A design + tech cooperative

In 2022, I co-founded the design and tech company Village One. As a democratically organized, worker-owned cooperative, we build digital products and infrastructure. My role: All things design!

University of the Arts: Writing = Design!

For the past years, my co-host Sonja Knecht and I have been teaching the workshop “Writing = Design” at the Berlin Summer University of the Arts. With the students we explore writing as a design tool. UdK 2020 – 2022 (2023 upcoming!)

Warum heißt es Traum und nicht Memoryschaum

Why are things called they way they’re called? I illustrated Gabriel Yoran’s fun word twists and we published it as a small, neat book (‛Top 50 Gift Books for Singles’ on Amazon!). Frohmann Verlag 2021

form Design Magazin Kolumne – Digitale Nostalgie

form Kolumne: Digitale Nostalgie

For form design magazine, I write a quarterly column on digital nostalgia; exploring our digital culture and phenomenons of past and present. Writing; every issue since #289

Berlinale Talents 2021

The film festival Berlinale Talents commissioned me to create the key visual for their 2021 edition, running under the topic of DREAMS. Art Direction, Design, Production

WDR Zukunftsreport Design

I designed the future report on Synthetic Media for the WDR innovation hub. Art Direction, Editorial Design

Third Wave Berlin – Agency Branding

The Berlin based studio for future research and technology contacted me for a brand refresh and website design. Branding, Web Design

Zeit Magazin Wochenmarkt

The weekly column with recipies from the printed ZEITmagazin is known and loved. We built its digital companion. Design Direction

Zeit Online

For the past years, I’ve been responsible for the design of Zeit Online, Germany’s renowned news site. Design Direction, Interface Design

Digital Anxieties

For Zeit Online, I art-directed a photo series on digital anxieties. Art Direction. Photography: Ragnar Schmuck

DOK Leipzig

I developed a new content strategy and tone of voice for the film festival website’s relaunch. Content Analysis, Writing. Design: STATE

Disenchanting Invisible Machines

My master thesis explores the invisible computer from a design-theoretical perspective. Research, Writing, Design

66 Gebote

66 illustrations for Torsten Groth’s book on system theory in management (Carl Auer Verlag). Art Direction, Illustration

Why How What, Report

For a company’s internal management meetup, I teamed up with STATE to create a small book about the event. Writing

Some of my side projects

Instagram Drawings

I draw and doodle on my instagram page, which you can follow along.

Creative Meltdown

The creative meltdown – We all know it, so here’s how to deal with it.

Shit Sharon Says

A little book for our iconic friend Sharon. Collaboration with Gabby Lord

Der beste Witz …

… bin immer noch ich selbst. A collection of eight years of my creative writing.

Writing

The Last Screensaver

You know it from the first MacBook you bought, or from your school library’s computers, or from the backdrop of a film you recently watched. The Flurry screensaver, shipped with every Mac since 2002, has become an acquainted digital surface in movies, offices and homes.

Form Design Magazine Column

WordArt, flip phones, skeuomorphic design: For the renowned German design magazine form, I write a column on digital design phenomenons that popped up during the past 30 years, but by now already induce some sort of digital nostaliga within us.

Helvetica Now

You all know Helvetica, the famous typeface from the 1950s – it’s everwhere! In 2019, it was redesigned and enhanced by Hendrik Weber and Alexander Roth from Monotype, and for Zeit Online, I talked to the type designers about the process and necessity. Read it in German.

Visual Essay: Invisible Machines

The first personal computers were sold in the early 1980s. Their neutral exterior—grey, square boxes—were supposed to change our households as a flexible tool. But how was it possible that these emotion-less designed machines became the symbol for the information age? And how did they almost completely lose their shell through the decases?

Find more text on my personal blog or contact me to receive a full text portfolio.

About me

I’m Christoph, a designer, illustrator, writer and visual thinker based in Berlin, Germany. I collaborate with companies big and small to visualize their ideas and push projects into the right direction. In the past, I’ve worked as a design director at Edenspiekermann and as the art director of ZEIT Online.

My work ranges from design direction and strategic design to hands-on visual and UI design. I also do illustration, editorial and book design, and I write for magazines and corporate publications.

I believe that design is changing its role constantly, and I enjoy adapting to it. From describing pixel-perfect mockups, design has been shifted to a broader field of projection: Basically, everything can be designed — which defines the role of the designer as a mediator between needs, ideas and stakeholders. I use design as a tool to connect people, and make invisible thoughts tangible.

Selected Clients

I’ve worked with great people on great projects, such as: DIE ZEIT & ZEIT Online, Third Wave Berlin, WDR, Berlinale, STATE Design Consultancy, Edenspiekermann, Stan Hema, DOK Leipzig, frieze, Ringier, jetzt.de / Süddeutsche Zeitung, TLGG, BCG, Phineo, Carl-Auer Verlag, and more.

Here’s what I can help you with:

Strategic design and consulting: Where is your idea or project headed? Let’s find out in a joined ideation session.
Website design: From concept and architecture to interface design, making responsive websites is my jam.
Writing: Interviews, reports, corporate text, tone of voice or content strategy – I can help you find the right words.
Illustration: I draw key visuals, explanatory imagery and editorial illustrations. Check my instagram for examples.

Say Hello

If you have an interesting idea to share or collaborate on, I’d be happy to hear from you! I enjoy team work, enthusiasm, literature, watching animals, cheesy music and meaningful conversation:

I’m also on Mastodon, Instagram and LinkedIn.