The goal of the project is to shift the narrative around immigration from survival to self-expression. Rather than focusing on documentation, bureaucracy, or assimilation, Expat Mag highlights the emotional and visual side of relocation. It treats immigration as a personal journey that is confusing, rich in detail, and full of meaning — and asks: what if this experience could be seen as something beautiful?

This idea shaped the visual language of the magazine. The identity is built around the metaphor of an unsettled life — text and graphic elements appear slightly off-grid, tilted or misaligned, as if still in motion. The photo style uses direct flash to capture intense, unfiltered impressions — just like the way new immigrants often perceive everything at once, without yet having internal filters. Through this aesthetic, Expat Mag reflects the instability, sensory overload, and hidden poetry of starting over.

It features a collection of interviews with people who have moved abroad, sharing how immigration shapes their routines, emotions, and sense of home. Their stories are accompanied by imagery, typography, and layout choices that follow the same idea — to show the beauty and tension of life in transition.

The editorial design continues the visual metaphor of something temporary and shifting. The composition avoids rigid structure: text blocks lean, image placement feels instinctive, and spacing varies across spreads. These decisions echo the experience of adjusting to a new environment — when things feel slightly off, but full of presence and sensitivity.

Working with an existing logo, the goal was to build a new visual system that would respect the original identity while expanding its expressive potential.

The concept draws inspiration from the slash (/) in the restaurant’s logo — a reference to Dizengoff Street in Tel Aviv. This diagonal line became the key graphic element across the style. It shapes the structure of illustrations, which are built with simple, stroke-based forms, and influences the layout of all materials. Even the physical formats echo the theme, with corners cut at an angle to reflect the slash and create a strong visual rhythm throughout the brand.

Since the main diploma project focused on creating a media platform and a print magazine, this study served as a foundation for understanding the visual and structural logic of independent editorial design.

The research analyzes how covers of indie magazines function not only as branding tools, but also as visual statements and curatorial surfaces. The study explores structure, hierarchy, imagery, and typography across various genres — from fashion and culture to niche and art publications. The material is presented in the form of a book; its cover is composed of fragments from existing magazine covers, visually reflecting the layered, referential nature of the subject itself.

The visual identity is built around the idea that a whisper is a word spoken with breath — and breath itself is invisible. This became the core of the design language: typography is softened and blurred, as if spoken quietly and fading into air. The visual system feels weightless and open, with diffused gradients and layered space creating a sense of presence without clear form. The design avoids sharpness and contrast, aiming to reflect the softness of attention and the immersive quality of breathing itself.