Communication theory: 4pula studio
Communication theory in the field of design
In contemporary design, communication is understood not as a linear transmission of information, but as a complex process of meaning-making. Design no longer functions as a static visual outcome; instead, it operates as an active mediator between the creator and the audience. Within the framework of the course Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice, design is approached as a communicative environment in which meaning is continuously formed rather than fixed.
Communication as a Process
Design communicates through intentional visual and material decisions. Form, gesture, spatial organization and materiality function as tools of encoding, through which meaning is constructed. However, meaning does not reside solely in the designed object. It emerges through decoding — the audience’s emotional response, cultural background and personal experience. Context and communicative noise further influence how a message is perceived and interpreted.
The communicative process in design can be described through several interrelated components that structure how meaning is produced and interpreted:
Encoding — the deliberate construction of a visual and symbolic configuration in which form functions as a carrier of intention. In design practice, encoding occurs through choices of gesture, composition, materiality, and visual rhythm.
Channel — the material and medial conditions through which the message appears. This includes visual identity systems, printed objects, exhibition formats, and digital environments, each shaping how meaning is accessed and perceived.
Decoding — the interpretative and affective work performed by the audience. Meaning emerges through emotional response, cultural knowledge, and personal experience rather than through direct transmission.
Context and Noise — the social, cultural, and psychological conditions surrounding the object that influence its readability. Noise may distort, complicate, or reframe the intended message.
The Two-Way Model in Design
In contemporary practice, design communication increasingly follows a two-way model. The audience is no longer a passive receiver; its interpretations and responses feed back into the system, shaping the ongoing development of a brand’s visual language. Design thus remains open, adaptive and responsive.
Within this framework, 4pula studio approaches design as a way to reflect on the human condition in a world perceived as fragmented and absurd. The studio working instead through symbolic articulation and restrained emotional gesture. Its visual identity is built around a tension between emptiness and presence, decay and sincerity.
Message Design Logics in 4pula’s Communication
The communicative structure of 4pula is guided by Message Design Logics, which define how meaning is shaped and articulated:
Expressive Logic — through which the studio communicates its philosophical understanding of absurdity, emptiness, and human sensitivity using symbolic and affective visual language.
Conventional Logic — ensuring clarity, coherence, and recognizability within the norms of contemporary design practice, allowing the message to remain accessible.
Rhetorical Logic — adapting the visual system to resonate with a young audience attentive to sincerity, emotional depth, and the possibility of personal transformation.
Presentation for a general audience
4pula is a creative studio for young people who continue to believe in the world, because there is still room in it for human sensitivity, sincerity, and real transformation.
We believe that even where only absurdity and silence remain, a person can still create meaning through their own gestures, feelings, and actions.
Our logo is a gesture: fingers filling an empty space. It symbolizes a simple but essential idea — even if the world feels empty, you can still reach out and fill it with what you carry inside. Genuine human movements always have power.
4pula creates games and interactive works that respond to the thought:
«When you stare into the void, the void stares back at you.»
We offer an answer:
fill it, and then the meanings you have created yourself will look back at you.
Transform emptiness. Search for meaning in what you make.
One of our works is the game «konehno.»
Its hero, Mitrich, looks into the neck of a bottle and falls to the bottom, yet even there he continues searching for meaning. Society has cast him out, but he still fills his inner emptiness — through kitsch, through absurdity, through personal gestures. For example, he hand-paints his own bottle, Mitrich No. 7, turning it into something personal.
Another work is the animated film «riba», where Semyon, by returning to childlike sincerity, finds himself and becomes free.
We believe that the most important thing is to remain sincere, no matter what.
Our slogan: «Transformation may come — for the sake of people.»
Presentation for a professional audience
Brand Identity & Positioning Strategy
4pula studio is positioned as a meaning-oriented creative studio rather than a content-driven production house. The brand occupies a space between independent game development, visual authorship, and applied design research.
• Differentiation: While much of the indie market emphasizes narrative volume or mechanical novelty, 4pula Studio focuses on symbolic density, emotional precision, and communicative clarity.
• Value Proposition: We offer culturally grounded, conceptually rigorous projects that translate abstract emotional and philosophical concerns into playable systems.
• Competitive Context: The studio aligns with cultural institutions, festivals, and publishers interested in games as expressive media, not solely commercial products.
This positioning allows the brand to remain distinct, credible, and adaptable across artistic, academic, and commercial contexts.
Integrated Communication Framework
The studio’s communication strategy is structured as a layered system in which meaning is distributed across visual identity, interaction design, and audience engagement.
Conceptual Layer Core themes—such as vulnerability, absence, and sincerity—are embedded into the logic of interaction and spatial design rather than communicated through explicit messaging.
Design Layer Visual systems are intentionally reduced and consistent, ensuring recognizability while leaving interpretive space for the player. This creates a stable identity without over-determining meaning.
Audience Layer Communication is calibrated for younger, culturally literate audiences who respond to authenticity and emotional depth, while remaining legible to professional stakeholders through clear structure and design discipline.
This architecture ensures that the studio’s message remains coherent across platforms, projects, and collaborations.
Effectiveness of the Design Communication System
Conceptual Consistency The studio maintains alignment between its values, design methods, and final output, reinforcing trust and credibility among partners and audiences.
Emotional Specificity By avoiding generic emotional cues, the brand produces experiences that feel sincere and distinctive, increasing memorability and long-term engagement.
Cultural Relevance The studio addresses contemporary feelings of fragmentation and uncertainty in ways that resonate with current cultural discourse, particularly among younger players.
Scalability Without Dilution A clear communicative framework allows the brand to expand across formats and collaborations without losing identity.
Strategic Growth Channels
The studio’s growth is supported through selective, high-alignment channels:
• Independent publishing partnerships aligned with cultural and emotional values
• Academic and design-oriented networks
• Curated online platforms and slow-media distribution models
This selective approach ensures brand coherence while allowing gradual scaling.
Over time, 4pula studio aims to expand its ecosystem through:
• Cross-project thematic continuity
• Multi-format experimentation (games, installations, visual essays)
• Ongoing research integration into design practice
Growth is measured not only in audience size, but in engagement quality, cultural impact, and durability of meaning.
Communication theory as basis for the presentations
Communication theory provides the framework for aligning intent, message, and audience interpretation.
Meaning is constructed through deliberate encoding: information hierarchy, pacing, and visual restraint are used to reduce noise and support clear interpretation. Presentations are audience-aware, adapting emphasis and framing to professional contexts such as publishing, curation, or research without altering the core message.
Rhetorical structure guides attention and persuasion through coherence and method rather than exaggeration. Visual design functions as a carrier of meaning, where layout, rhythm, and typography reinforce credibility and conceptual clarity.
Grounded in communication theory, presentations become consistent, adaptable systems that clearly articulate identity, support professional dialogue, and extend the studio’s design philosophy.
The material from the online-course «Comunication Theory».
Communication Theory: Bridging Academia and Practice // Smart LMS URL: https://edu.hse.ru/course/view.php?id=133853 (дата обращения: 12.12.2025).
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