Engineer by degree, designer by trade.
I’m João Zakaluka, a brand strategist and designer from Brazil. I build brands from the name to the website.
I grew up watching my dad work as a letterpress printer: paper, ink and metal type set by hand. That’s where my interest in design started.
I graduated in civil engineering first, then in graphic design. I never worked as an engineer, but the training stayed with me. I like structure, clear reasoning and work that holds up over time.
Since 2017 I’ve worked on brands across many industries, covering naming, visual identity, content and websites. Today I run my own studio, Truworks, focused on construction, architecture and engineering.
How I work
01
Strategy before form
I start with positioning, so every visual decision has a reason behind it.
02
Structure first
I treat a brand like a structure: clear foundations, parts that fit, nothing there without a job.
03
Systems, not one-offs
I build identities as systems that teams can keep using, with rules that hold up across every touchpoint.
04
Decisions explained
I walk clients and teams through the reasoning, so everyone understands the choices and can own them.
Experience
Founder, brand strategist and designer
Brand designer
Art director
Freelance designer
Education
Graphic design, technologist degree
Civil engineering, bachelor’s degree
What I do
Brand strategy
Naming
Visual identity
Web design
Content
Motion