Inside the Boundary-pushing World of Studio Jana + Koos

VISI talks to celebrated local design duo Jana Hamman and Koos Groenewald, whose creative branding and design agency Studio Jana + Koos continues to challenge conventions and celebrate the dynamic, multifaceted nature of South African Creativity.

WORDS Steve Smith PHOTOS Supplied

They’re known for their bold, multidisciplinary approach that blends art and design with storytelling. Their work pushes creative boundaries, often exploring themes of identity, humour and social commentary. They seamlessly move between graphic design, installations and conceptual art, with a unique style that combines local influences with global relevance. They’re admired in both design and art circles. They’re Studio Jana + Koos…

How did your partnership begin, and what inspired you to start Studio Jana + Koos together?

“We met while studying in Pretoria, immediately became friends, did a lot of projects together… and haven’t really ever stopped.”

Describe your design philosophy and the core principles that guide your creative process.

“Start fresh every time. Trust your gut. What’s obvious to you isn’t obvious to everyone else, so honour the small and silly thoughts. Don’t overwork or over-polish for the sake of it. Recognise and go with the happy accidents – they are little gifts along the way. Imperfect is sometimes (mostly) perfect. Trends are trendy, and pass.”

Any local or international designers who have had an influence on your work?

“We’re both more influenced by culture and artistic references than purely design – perhaps because we both wanted to do something else first. But we’ve always loved that we can share weird references from film, fashion, nature TV or Reddit as inspiration for projects. [Koos: “I never feel shy or scared to show Jana a strange, hilarious meme as a legitimate base or idea for work.”]

“Some influences overlap, but mostly not – and we love that. There are also many South African creators that make us want to be better at everything we do. Among them are Lukhanyo Mdingi, Brett Murray, iJusi Magazine, Wanda Lephoto, Hoick, Johannes Kerkorrel, Manthe Ribane, Trevor Noah, Athi-Patra Ruga, Casper de Vries, Dokter and Misses, Meghan Ho-Tong, Moonchild Sanelly, Daniel Ting Chong, AKJP Studio, and Peet Pienaar.”

How does being South African, and more broadly African, shape your approach to branding and design?

“We’re learning more and more as we’re getting older and doing this for longer, how fortunate it is that we were born in South Africa, and that we got to spend time in Pretoria, and start our career and path in Joburg at the height of what felt like the creative awakening. That we moved to Cape Town, and have travelled locally and internationally. And just how special and diverse the mix of influences is that we have been exposed to and look(ed) up to.

“Even when we try to be more ‘professional’ and emulate others, we are this weird cocktail of places, people and two individual tastes and preferences that end up making something unique to us. Sometimes we don’t even recognise it; someone will point it out to us. With time, we’re both learning to recognise and hone in on this texture that makes us, and appreciate more and more the role that South Africa and Africa keep playing in that mix. We’re both a bit underdog-spirited and ‘otherwise’ at heart, and South Africa is a great place for that. Or maybe it made us this way… We think it’s a good spirit to keep alive for a studio that’s not new any more, and that wants to keep going for a while still.”

What types of work does Studio Jana + Koos specialise in, and how do you ensure that your projects stand out in a competitive industry?

“We’ve done it all through the years, and it seems like the more fun we have, the better the reception. So we try to keep things on the interesting and under-sweated side. We specialise in turning businesses, products and services into brands that are given a real direction and meaning (research and strategy) and a stand-out personality (visual identity development), which serves as the starting compass for a brand to enter the marketplace (brand book). We specialise less in a type of work than in a type of client.”

What kind of client, then, is typically drawn to your studio? And what do you think sets your client relationships apart?

“We’re lucky by virtue of the fact that we’ve been around long enough for clients to seek us out because they’re looking for something strategically or aesthetically unexpected. Their business success may have come from a similarly left-field approach. Perhaps this sounds obvious, but many clients know exactly what they want and need – and they just want it executed well by a design studio.

“We have a running joke that we act more like therapists day to day, especially when it comes to bigger clients with many shareholders who all have very different frustrations and objectives. Our job is to hear them all out, and present something strategically sound and creatively surprising that makes everyone feel heard and addressed. That, and the fact that we are incurable people-pleasers, contributes to good
client relationships.”

What are your plans and goals for 2025? And how do you see the studio evolving in the next few years?

“We have always believed in a slow-burn mentality and approach, and feel really proud of the year-on-year growth in the type, character and level of work that we do, rather than growing in size or scaling up as a studio. So, looking forward, we’ll just keep going with this ‘blinkers on’ approach – but with consistently better planning, scheduling and time management. We look forward to having more time and space to go deeper, try new avenues and experiment – and to always bring the art and artistic angle to the mix.

“We love the almost 50/50 local-to-international project ratio that we’ve had in our stable for the past few years, and we want to keep this going, but obviously build on the global tentacles, make new connections and keep working with people we can also learn from. We’re part of starting a South African graphic design directory called Full Cream that’s super-exciting in terms of talent, new connections and industry support.

“We’ve always dreamt of being able to take three months off per year to travel, rest, make art, do a residency, explore other avenues of making… This is the ultimate dream, largely because it’s so important how the ‘not-work’ part influences our work and attitude and style of creative output. We’ve been working together for 15 years, and we look forward to many more, whatever form or shape that may take.” | janaandkoos.studio

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