There is a natural pressure for designers to develop a recognizable style. It makes work easier to identify, creates consistency across a portfolio, and gives clients a clear idea of what they might receive. But I’ve always been more interested in consistency of thinking than consistency of appearance.

Different projects should be allowed to look different. A cultural institution and a technology company don’t necessarily need the same typography, visual language, or behaviour simply because they were designed by the same person.

Instead, I try to begin with the character of the project. Who is it speaking to? What already exists around it? What should it feel like? What should people remember? These questions usually lead somewhere more specific than starting from a preferred aesthetic.

That doesn’t mean personal taste disappears. Certain interests inevitably return: typography, strong imagery, simple systems, unexpected details. But I prefer those things to exist quietly in the background rather than becoming a formula applied to every project.

Maybe that is a style in itself. Just not one that can be reduced to a particular typeface, grid, colour, or visual effect.