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How do you turn movement into a visual identity without literally showing movement?
That was one of the questions behind the branding for Riva Circle, a Pilates studio based in St. Gallen, Switzerland.
Riva Circle came to us as a completely new brand. The task was to build the brand from the ground up and create a visual language that could define how Riva Circle would be perceived from the very beginning.
The goal was to create something modern and dynamic, but without being loud or overly expressive. We wanted the brand to feel refined and contemporary, while still capturing something essential to Pilates: movement, control, balance, and the connection with the body.
That became the starting point for the wordmark. We explored how we could translate the expression of the body and the movement of Pilates into typography. Rather than illustrating movement directly, we looked for a way to make it part of the letterforms themselves.
This led us to a custom typographic treatment where a simple continuous line becomes part of the letters. Most importantly, that line appears within the letter A, creating a subtle but distinctive gesture. From that detail, we developed the visual language of the brand. The result is intentionally simple, clean typography, a restrained visual system, and a recognizable symbol built from the same idea of movement.
For me, that balance was really important. The brand needed to have enough character to be recognizable, but not so much visual noise that it would compete with the experience Riva Circle is offering.
And I think the brand has proven that direction quite well. Just one year after launching, Riva Circle has grown, established a recognizable presence, and, most importantly, built a strong community around the studio.
So, this project was ultimately about taking something as expressive as movement and finding a very simple visual expression for it. One that can stay relevant as the brand continues to grow.
The contrast between the airy photography and the near-black Riva wordmark is striking—the motion-led identity feels present without needing a literal movement graphic.
Thanks Ahmed!
Thank you 🙌
Creative work :)
Thank you, Umar 🙌
Clean and simple, love it.
Lovely visuals
simplicity alongside the complexities that come with something as natural as movement feels just right, lovely work.
Thank you, Nicolette 🙌
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