Brief.
In Other Words is a multilingual design project that turns untranslatable words into typographic artworks. Each piece is based on a word shared through an open online form, where people submit words from their own languages along with a short story or meaning. The project collects these submissions and visualises them through design, showing how language can hold emotion, rhythm, and culture in ways that translation alone cannot.
Design Approach.
Each artwork begins with a community-submitted word. I research its pronunciation, tone, and origin, then interpret those qualities visually using typography, structure, and rhythm.
The series is presented publicly on Instagram (@iow.archive), where people can explore past pieces and continue to submit new words. The visual system keeps a consistent tone across all works while allowing flexibility for different scripts and cultures.
Through this participatory process, In Other Words works as both a design series and a growing archive. It encourages cultural exchange and highlights the beauty of linguistic diversity, showing how design can make language visible, personal, and shared.
Through this participatory process, In Other Words works as both a design series and a growing archive. It encourages cultural exchange and highlights the beauty of linguistic diversity, showing how design can make language visible, personal, and shared.
