--- title: Design Academy · RT Design Studio url: https://rt.md/en/academia/ description: Case studies on real brands: we learn in public, with the process in plain view. Free, since 2020. alternate: RO: https://rt.md/academia/ source: RT Design Studio, https://rt.md (contact: mail@rt.md) --- Design Academy · RT Design Studio · since 2020 # Design Academy. When we see room for better. Real brands, from here and from anywhere. Free, for brands and for readers. We don’t criticise. We look for another way. The process, doubts and all. Case studies on real brands: we learn in public, with the process in plain view. The studies ↓ ![Design Academy](https://rt.md/assets/rt/academia-bw.svg) 01 · What it is ## A free programme, in our spare time - 01 #### Real brands We work on real brands and products, not on convenient imaginary companies. Mostly from here, sometimes from anywhere: the method is the same. - 02 #### Free for everyone Brands get the suggestions at no cost, and readers get the whole process. Everyone has something to learn. - 03 #### Not criticism, another way We measure before we propose, and we publish the paths that didn’t work, too. **2020** the year of the first study **0 lei** for brands and for readers **1** rule: real brands, not imaginary ones **7** letters invisibly redrawn, for Purcari 02 · The Academy and Lending a Hand ## Two initiatives, one way of working [We learn in public**Design Academy** We publish the process so anyone can learn: the analysis, the options, the doubts. On real brands, from here and from anywhere.You are here](https://rt.md/en/academia/) [We give**Lending a Hand** We send the proposal to whoever can use it: mockup, code, recommendations. For organisations building a digital Moldova.rt.md/umarul ↗](https://rt.md/en/umarul/) Sometimes one piece of work is both: a proposal sent through Lending a Hand becomes a study in the Academy. 03 · Studies ## The 2026 series - [ Sep 2026 Interface ### Polestar 2 The driver display, rethought We rebuild the driver’s screen 1:1, diagnose it in measurable terms and work through seven versions to a proposal for Calm mode. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/polestar-2/) - [ Aug 2026 Typography ### Purcari The invisible repair The seven most printed serif letters in Moldova, refined one by one, without anyone noticing. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/purcari/) - [ Aug 2026 Process ### Gura Căinarului How we search for a logo Not the result, but the process: the rebrand analysed, the history of the bottles, six directions and the debate, doubts and all. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/gura-cainarului/) - [ Aug 2026 Logo ### Pelican Negru From a single line For Moldova’s only biodynamic wine, the pelican becomes a signature. Bonus: a label system made of feathers. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/pelican-negru/) - [ May 2026 Lending a Hand ### nic.md Key pages on a design system A redesign for the .md domain registry, built on the Government’s Unified Design Model: registration flow, user dashboard, public pages. 17 pages, with code. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/nicmd/) The proposals sent through [Lending a Hand](https://rt.md/en/umarul/) (Sony Center, [nic.md](https://rt.md/en/academia/nicmd/)) have their stories written up, too. Archive ## 2020 - [ Mar 2020 Identity ### FlyOne An imaginary rebrand A symbol drawn from the experience of flight, a new typeface, a pattern. And why all that still doesn’t make a brand. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/flyone/) - [ Feb 2020 Logo ### Tattoo studio Same elements, better execution Typeface, line weights, proximity, white space: a technical re-execution of the Kliuchnikoff logo. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/kliuchnikoff/) - [ Jan 2020 Process ### Logo The design process Every stage, start to finish: discovery, sketches, directions, presentation, iterations, delivery. With a complete example. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/proces/) - [ Jan 2020 Identity ### MICB Long names, complicated symbols An imaginary MoldIndConBank rebrand: geometry on a grid, fewer shapes, more consistency. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/micb/) - [ Jan 2020 Logo ### Construction company Part two: differentiation Three directions: explain everything, negative space, or type alone. Which one truly identifies? ](https://rt.md/en/academia/basconslux-2/) - [ Jan 2020 Logo ### Construction company Part one: execution Sketches, symbol, typeface, composition. And why good execution is not enough. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/basconslux-1/) - [ Jan 2020 Typography ### Pâinița Haiduc The lettering in a logo A letter-by-letter analysis, then the execution: consistency through repetition, angles and weights. Evolution, not revolution. ](https://rt.md/en/academia/haiduc/) 04 · What you learn here ## Concepts, not just articles - [**Optical balance** Polestar 2](https://rt.md/en/academia/polestar-2/) - [**Grouping by proximity** Polestar 2](https://rt.md/en/academia/polestar-2/) - [**The quick glance** Polestar 2](https://rt.md/en/academia/polestar-2/) - [**Kerning and micro-typography** Purcari](https://rt.md/en/academia/purcari/) - [**How to choose between directions** Gura Căinarului](https://rt.md/en/academia/gura-cainarului/) - [**One line, one weight** Pelican Negru](https://rt.md/en/academia/pelican-negru/) - [**Negative space** Construction company](https://rt.md/en/academia/basconslux-2/) - [**Simplifying on a grid** MICB](https://rt.md/en/academia/micb/) - [**The typeface** Pâinița Haiduc](https://rt.md/en/academia/haiduc/) - [**Proximity and white space** Tattoo studio](https://rt.md/en/academia/kliuchnikoff/) - [**A brand is more than a logo** FlyOne](https://rt.md/en/academia/flyone/) - [**The process behind a logo** Logo, the process](https://rt.md/en/academia/proces/) 05 · Out of passion ## A labour of love The Academy is a labour of love: our own initiative, no funding, worked on in our spare time. And there is never enough spare time - we are caught up in other projects just as fascinating. We are sure many people know better how things should have been done - and that it could have been done much better. We agree, honestly: we invite you to do it. There is room for every hand. We don’t have much time for meetings and calls, but we answer emails at the first chance we get - whether it is a thank-you, a question or a collaboration. [Write to us: mail@rt.md](mailto:mail@rt.md)