Everything you do—the way you think, the way you remember, the way you connect with people, the way you understand the world—is a story. A growing body of research shows that our species thinks and learns in stories. They are the simplest building block in our understanding of reality and the connection between two points. The poet Muriel Rukeyzer once wrote that “the universe is made of stories, not atoms,” and for the past decade, we’ve been building our design practice to explore and amplify this philosophy because we believe in the expansive potential of storytelling to help people get somewhere new.
The amount of information we are flooded with daily is incomprehensible. In 2010, we produced two trillion gigabytes of data. By 2025, we will be producing over 181 trillion. Combined with the nuanced and complex social systems we live in and the enormous global changes affecting our planet, a clear path forward is almost impossible to imagine. To gain sustained momentum with excitement and clarity, we must harness that universal human tradition: storytelling.
We don’t believe in branding, at least not in the traditional sense. Branding is for cows, not people, and in today’s pluralistic communications landscape, the need to marry performance with purpose is instrumental. Stories help do just that. They create transformation through insight, provide coherence where there’s complexity, and lead with emotion to be memorable. The best are more than words. They’re images, logos, films, books, websites, spaces, and workshops. We design all of these things using a simple approach that helps industry leaders transform their businesses, inspire thousands of people to get excited about their work, and create delightful experiences that have empowered people across continents.
Select Clients
Select Clients
Our People
Our People
Paddy Harrington
Founder & Principal
Paddy is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, trained in literature and architecture. After serving as SVP Digital Innovation and Digital Creative Director at Indigo Books, and Executive Creative Director of Bruce Mau Design, Paddy founded Frontier, an independent design office that channels the expansive potential of storytelling to help people get somewhere new.
For twenty years, Paddy has worked across design, advertising, research, and architecture, developing powerful stories for some of the world’s most impactful brands and institutions, including Coca-Cola, the Sacramento Kings, the Holy City of Mecca, Unilever, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Paddy’s work has been awarded and published internationally, and he has spoken at design conferences and institutions like Brown University, Harvard University, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
Paddy Harrington
Founder & Principal
Paddy is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, trained in literature and architecture. After serving as SVP Digital Innovation and Digital Creative Director at Indigo Books, and Executive Creative Director of Bruce Mau Design, Paddy founded Frontier, an independent design office that channels the expansive potential of storytelling to help people get somewhere new.
For twenty years, Paddy has worked across design, advertising, research, and architecture, developing powerful stories for some of the world’s most impactful brands and institutions, including Coca-Cola, the Sacramento Kings, the Holy City of Mecca, Unilever, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Paddy’s work has been awarded and published internationally, and he has spoken at design conferences and institutions like Brown University, Harvard University, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
Paddy Harrington
Founder & Principal
Paddy is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, trained in literature and architecture. After serving as SVP Digital Innovation and Digital Creative Director at Indigo Books, and Executive Creative Director of Bruce Mau Design, Paddy founded Frontier, an independent design office that channels the expansive potential of storytelling to help people get somewhere new.
For twenty years, Paddy has worked across design, advertising, research, and architecture, developing powerful stories for some of the world’s most impactful brands and institutions, including Coca-Cola, the Sacramento Kings, the Holy City of Mecca, Unilever, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Paddy’s work has been awarded and published internationally, and he has spoken at design conferences and institutions like Brown University, Harvard University, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
Paddy Harrington
Founder & Principal
Paddy is an award-winning writer and filmmaker, trained in literature and architecture. After serving as SVP Digital Innovation and Digital Creative Director at Indigo Books, and Executive Creative Director of Bruce Mau Design, Paddy founded Frontier, an independent design office that channels the expansive potential of storytelling to help people get somewhere new.
For twenty years, Paddy has worked across design, advertising, research, and architecture, developing powerful stories for some of the world’s most impactful brands and institutions, including Coca-Cola, the Sacramento Kings, the Holy City of Mecca, Unilever, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Paddy’s work has been awarded and published internationally, and he has spoken at design conferences and institutions like Brown University, Harvard University, and the Central Academy of Fine Arts in Beijing.
Tom Keogh
CEO
With over twenty years of studio experience, Tom leads the business and operations at Frontier. Previously, Tom was a Partner and VP Growth at Bruce Mau Design, where he co-led the studio’s global business development, and oversaw client relationships and major project initiatives.
Throughout his career, Tom has led design and account teams to deliver complex initiatives for international clients across corporate, cultural, education, and not-for-profit sectors, including for Samsung, GE, Unilever, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Waterloo Greenway.
Born in Ireland, Tom has a background in engineering and architecture, with degrees from University College Dublin and the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Tom Keogh
CEO
With over twenty years of studio experience, Tom leads the business and operations at Frontier. Previously, Tom was a Partner and VP Growth at Bruce Mau Design, where he co-led the studio’s global business development, and oversaw client relationships and major project initiatives.
Throughout his career, Tom has led design and account teams to deliver complex initiatives for international clients across corporate, cultural, education, and not-for-profit sectors, including for Samsung, GE, Unilever, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Waterloo Greenway.
Born in Ireland, Tom has a background in engineering and architecture, with degrees from University College Dublin and the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Tom Keogh
CEO
With over twenty years of studio experience, Tom leads the business and operations at Frontier. Previously, Tom was a Partner and VP Growth at Bruce Mau Design, where he co-led the studio’s global business development, and oversaw client relationships and major project initiatives.
Throughout his career, Tom has led design and account teams to deliver complex initiatives for international clients across corporate, cultural, education, and not-for-profit sectors, including for Samsung, GE, Unilever, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Waterloo Greenway.
Born in Ireland, Tom has a background in engineering and architecture, with degrees from University College Dublin and the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Tom Keogh
CEO
With over twenty years of studio experience, Tom leads the business and operations at Frontier. Previously, Tom was a Partner and VP Growth at Bruce Mau Design, where he co-led the studio’s global business development, and oversaw client relationships and major project initiatives.
Throughout his career, Tom has led design and account teams to deliver complex initiatives for international clients across corporate, cultural, education, and not-for-profit sectors, including for Samsung, GE, Unilever, the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Waterloo Greenway.
Born in Ireland, Tom has a background in engineering and architecture, with degrees from University College Dublin and the Queen’s University of Belfast.
Tristan Maranots
Creative Director
Tristan is an award-winning designer, strategist, and former concert production manager. He serves as creative lead for the studio's client work, supports the development of Frontier Magazine, and is project lead for Live Magazine, the studio’s traveling editorial venture. He’s worked for clients such as Youtube, The University of Toronto, Fogo Island Inn, the Sacramento Kings, and United Way.
Tristan teaches for the Faculty of Design at OCAD University and, prior to Frontier, was a designer at Bruce Mau Design.
Tristan Maranots
Creative Director
Tristan is an award-winning designer, strategist, and former concert production manager. He serves as creative lead for the studio's client work, supports the development of Frontier Magazine, and is project lead for Live Magazine, the studio’s traveling editorial venture. He’s worked for clients such as Youtube, The University of Toronto, Fogo Island Inn, the Sacramento Kings, and United Way.
Tristan teaches for the Faculty of Design at OCAD University and, prior to Frontier, was a designer at Bruce Mau Design.
Tristan Maranots
Creative Director
Tristan is an award-winning designer, strategist, and former concert production manager. He serves as creative lead for the studio's client work, supports the development of Frontier Magazine, and is project lead for Live Magazine, the studio’s traveling editorial venture. He’s worked for clients such as Youtube, The University of Toronto, Fogo Island Inn, the Sacramento Kings, and United Way.
Tristan teaches for the Faculty of Design at OCAD University and, prior to Frontier, was a designer at Bruce Mau Design.
Tristan Maranots
Creative Director
Tristan is an award-winning designer, strategist, and former concert production manager. He serves as creative lead for the studio's client work, supports the development of Frontier Magazine, and is project lead for Live Magazine, the studio’s traveling editorial venture. He’s worked for clients such as Youtube, The University of Toronto, Fogo Island Inn, the Sacramento Kings, and United Way.
Tristan teaches for the Faculty of Design at OCAD University and, prior to Frontier, was a designer at Bruce Mau Design.
Lillian Harder
Studio Director
As the studio’s traffic controller, Lillian plays a vital role managing day-to-day operations and supporting teams across a diverse range of project types and sectors. Expertly balancing project health, studio resourcing, and client management, she continually lays the foundation for great work to happen at Frontier.
Lillian honed her business acumen while at Moncur Design Associates, where she contributed to an array of successful and award-winning interior design projects for boutique hotels and restaurants across the country.
Lillian Harder
Studio Director
As the studio’s traffic controller, Lillian plays a vital role managing day-to-day operations and supporting teams across a diverse range of project types and sectors. Expertly balancing project health, studio resourcing, and client management, she continually lays the foundation for great work to happen at Frontier.
Lillian honed her business acumen while at Moncur Design Associates, where she contributed to an array of successful and award-winning interior design projects for boutique hotels and restaurants across the country.
Lillian Harder
Studio Director
As the studio’s traffic controller, Lillian plays a vital role managing day-to-day operations and supporting teams across a diverse range of project types and sectors. Expertly balancing project health, studio resourcing, and client management, she continually lays the foundation for great work to happen at Frontier.
Lillian honed her business acumen while at Moncur Design Associates, where she contributed to an array of successful and award-winning interior design projects for boutique hotels and restaurants across the country.
Lillian Harder
Studio Director
As the studio’s traffic controller, Lillian plays a vital role managing day-to-day operations and supporting teams across a diverse range of project types and sectors. Expertly balancing project health, studio resourcing, and client management, she continually lays the foundation for great work to happen at Frontier.
Lillian honed her business acumen while at Moncur Design Associates, where she contributed to an array of successful and award-winning interior design projects for boutique hotels and restaurants across the country.
Brian Sholis
Editorial DIrector
Brian is a writer, editor, and co-founder of Valise, an artwork inventory software company. He serves as strategist, editor, and copywriter for Frontier's client work, and, for five years, served as writer and host of Frontier Magazine and the Frontier Magazine Podcast. He brings to this work twenty years’ experience in the fields of contemporary art, photography, and publishing.
Prior to Frontier, Brian was executive director of Gallery TPW in Toronto and, before that, curator of photography at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Earlier in his career he worked as an editor at Aperture Foundation and at Artforum. Grants he has written have won funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, among others.
Brian Sholis
Editorial DIrector
Brian is a writer, editor, and co-founder of Valise, an artwork inventory software company. He serves as strategist, editor, and copywriter for Frontier's client work, and, for five years, served as writer and host of Frontier Magazine and the Frontier Magazine Podcast. He brings to this work twenty years’ experience in the fields of contemporary art, photography, and publishing.
Prior to Frontier, Brian was executive director of Gallery TPW in Toronto and, before that, curator of photography at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Earlier in his career he worked as an editor at Aperture Foundation and at Artforum. Grants he has written have won funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, among others.
Brian Sholis
Editorial DIrector
Brian is a writer, editor, and co-founder of Valise, an artwork inventory software company. He serves as strategist, editor, and copywriter for Frontier's client work, and, for five years, served as writer and host of Frontier Magazine and the Frontier Magazine Podcast. He brings to this work twenty years’ experience in the fields of contemporary art, photography, and publishing.
Prior to Frontier, Brian was executive director of Gallery TPW in Toronto and, before that, curator of photography at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Earlier in his career he worked as an editor at Aperture Foundation and at Artforum. Grants he has written have won funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, among others.
Brian Sholis
Editorial DIrector
Brian is a writer, editor, and co-founder of Valise, an artwork inventory software company. He serves as strategist, editor, and copywriter for Frontier's client work, and, for five years, served as writer and host of Frontier Magazine and the Frontier Magazine Podcast. He brings to this work twenty years’ experience in the fields of contemporary art, photography, and publishing.
Prior to Frontier, Brian was executive director of Gallery TPW in Toronto and, before that, curator of photography at the Cincinnati Art Museum. Earlier in his career he worked as an editor at Aperture Foundation and at Artforum. Grants he has written have won funding from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, among others.
Lisa Qin
Senior Designer
Lisa has spent the past several years developing exceptional strategies and identities, conducting research workshops, and building novel installations for clients big and small. Raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, her role at Frontier spans every project type, including Projectory, for which she leads the design development of its many tactile and participatory experiences. Through a blend of visual art and strategic thinking she has worked for clients including the Toronto Botanical Gardens, the Honnold Foundation, Greyhawk Wealth, The Bentway, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Away from the studio, Lisa is an avid traveller, and has exhibited her work at the MaRS Discovery District and the Design Exchange.
Lisa Qin
Senior Designer
Lisa has spent the past several years developing exceptional strategies and identities, conducting research workshops, and building novel installations for clients big and small. Raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, her role at Frontier spans every project type, including Projectory, for which she leads the design development of its many tactile and participatory experiences. Through a blend of visual art and strategic thinking she has worked for clients including the Toronto Botanical Gardens, the Honnold Foundation, Greyhawk Wealth, The Bentway, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Away from the studio, Lisa is an avid traveller, and has exhibited her work at the MaRS Discovery District and the Design Exchange.
Lisa Qin
Senior Designer
Lisa has spent the past several years developing exceptional strategies and identities, conducting research workshops, and building novel installations for clients big and small. Raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, her role at Frontier spans every project type, including Projectory, for which she leads the design development of its many tactile and participatory experiences. Through a blend of visual art and strategic thinking she has worked for clients including the Toronto Botanical Gardens, the Honnold Foundation, Greyhawk Wealth, The Bentway, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Away from the studio, Lisa is an avid traveller, and has exhibited her work at the MaRS Discovery District and the Design Exchange.
Lisa Qin
Senior Designer
Lisa has spent the past several years developing exceptional strategies and identities, conducting research workshops, and building novel installations for clients big and small. Raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba, her role at Frontier spans every project type, including Projectory, for which she leads the design development of its many tactile and participatory experiences. Through a blend of visual art and strategic thinking she has worked for clients including the Toronto Botanical Gardens, the Honnold Foundation, Greyhawk Wealth, The Bentway, and the Fogo Island Inn.
Away from the studio, Lisa is an avid traveller, and has exhibited her work at the MaRS Discovery District and the Design Exchange.
Rhiann Moore
Project Coordinator
Prior to joining Frontier, Rhiann worked as a costume buyer for film and television. While she can still tell you the best places in Toronto to find every type of fabric, she now helps to manage the studio’s many projects, working across teams to ensure all of the moving pieces nicely fit together. In addition to her organizational prowess within the studio, she plays a vital role in Projectory, one of Frontier’s sister companies, supporting event management and honing the delicate art of cross-continental transport logistics.
Outside of her studio work, Rhiann is a paper maché artist, and can often be found at her local newsstand collecting old papers for her next piece.
Rhiann Moore
Project Coordinator
Prior to joining Frontier, Rhiann worked as a costume buyer for film and television. While she can still tell you the best places in Toronto to find every type of fabric, she now helps to manage the studio’s many projects, working across teams to ensure all of the moving pieces nicely fit together. In addition to her organizational prowess within the studio, she plays a vital role in Projectory, one of Frontier’s sister companies, supporting event management and honing the delicate art of cross-continental transport logistics.
Outside of her studio work, Rhiann is a paper maché artist, and can often be found at her local newsstand collecting old papers for her next piece.
Rhiann Moore
Project Coordinator
Prior to joining Frontier, Rhiann worked as a costume buyer for film and television. While she can still tell you the best places in Toronto to find every type of fabric, she now helps to manage the studio’s many projects, working across teams to ensure all of the moving pieces nicely fit together. In addition to her organizational prowess within the studio, she plays a vital role in Projectory, one of Frontier’s sister companies, supporting event management and honing the delicate art of cross-continental transport logistics.
Outside of her studio work, Rhiann is a paper maché artist, and can often be found at her local newsstand collecting old papers for her next piece.
Rhiann Moore
Project Coordinator
Prior to joining Frontier, Rhiann worked as a costume buyer for film and television. While she can still tell you the best places in Toronto to find every type of fabric, she now helps to manage the studio’s many projects, working across teams to ensure all of the moving pieces nicely fit together. In addition to her organizational prowess within the studio, she plays a vital role in Projectory, one of Frontier’s sister companies, supporting event management and honing the delicate art of cross-continental transport logistics.
Outside of her studio work, Rhiann is a paper maché artist, and can often be found at her local newsstand collecting old papers for her next piece.
Antoine Balouka-Chadwick
Designer
Antoine is a designer, cinephile, and lover of bad jokes. Born in Paris, France, where he studied industrial design, Antoine moved to Toronto to pursue graphic design, and cut his teeth at agencies across town. He’s contributed to an array of identities and campaigns, having worked for clients such as Google, Scotiabank, and Scene+. At Frontier, he works across sectors and services, and will often stretch his spatial design muscles, contributing to the studios many wayfinding projects.
Antoine Balouka-Chadwick
Designer
Antoine is a designer, cinephile, and lover of bad jokes. Born in Paris, France, where he studied industrial design, Antoine moved to Toronto to pursue graphic design, and cut his teeth at agencies across town. He’s contributed to an array of identities and campaigns, having worked for clients such as Google, Scotiabank, and Scene+. At Frontier, he works across sectors and services, and will often stretch his spatial design muscles, contributing to the studios many wayfinding projects.
Antoine Balouka-Chadwick
Designer
Antoine is a designer, cinephile, and lover of bad jokes. Born in Paris, France, where he studied industrial design, Antoine moved to Toronto to pursue graphic design, and cut his teeth at agencies across town. He’s contributed to an array of identities and campaigns, having worked for clients such as Google, Scotiabank, and Scene+. At Frontier, he works across sectors and services, and will often stretch his spatial design muscles, contributing to the studios many wayfinding projects.
Antoine Balouka-Chadwick
Designer
Antoine is a designer, cinephile, and lover of bad jokes. Born in Paris, France, where he studied industrial design, Antoine moved to Toronto to pursue graphic design, and cut his teeth at agencies across town. He’s contributed to an array of identities and campaigns, having worked for clients such as Google, Scotiabank, and Scene+. At Frontier, he works across sectors and services, and will often stretch his spatial design muscles, contributing to the studios many wayfinding projects.
Cecilia Salcedo
Designer
Cecilia is a designer, outdoor enthusiast, and serial piñata maker. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she started her career at Loop: Design for Social Good, before joining Frontier, where she worked on a wide range of projects, from international brand identities, to large-scale communication plans, websites, and product packages. Cecilia brings analog craft and material exploration into her often-digital work, and serves as host (and perennial winner) of the studio’s music league.
Cecilia Salcedo
Designer
Cecilia is a designer, outdoor enthusiast, and serial piñata maker. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she started her career at Loop: Design for Social Good, before joining Frontier, where she worked on a wide range of projects, from international brand identities, to large-scale communication plans, websites, and product packages. Cecilia brings analog craft and material exploration into her often-digital work, and serves as host (and perennial winner) of the studio’s music league.
Cecilia Salcedo
Designer
Cecilia is a designer, outdoor enthusiast, and serial piñata maker. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she started her career at Loop: Design for Social Good, before joining Frontier, where she worked on a wide range of projects, from international brand identities, to large-scale communication plans, websites, and product packages. Cecilia brings analog craft and material exploration into her often-digital work, and serves as host (and perennial winner) of the studio’s music league.
Cecilia Salcedo
Designer
Cecilia is a designer, outdoor enthusiast, and serial piñata maker. Born in Caracas, Venezuela, she started her career at Loop: Design for Social Good, before joining Frontier, where she worked on a wide range of projects, from international brand identities, to large-scale communication plans, websites, and product packages. Cecilia brings analog craft and material exploration into her often-digital work, and serves as host (and perennial winner) of the studio’s music league.
Yiğit Toprak
Designer
Hailing from Ankara, Turkey, Yigit is a graphic designer and creative coder. The recipient of the OCAD U Medal for Graphic Design, his student capstone project involved building interactive machines and custom software that invited people to create letterforms in unusual and participatory ways. At Frontier, Yigit is involved in a wide breadth of projects, often investigating how he can insert generative, code-based experimentation into his work and process.
Outside of the studio, Yigit is an avid rock climber, and, if left unchecked, will talk your ears off.
Yiğit Toprak
Designer
Hailing from Ankara, Turkey, Yigit is a graphic designer and creative coder. The recipient of the OCAD U Medal for Graphic Design, his student capstone project involved building interactive machines and custom software that invited people to create letterforms in unusual and participatory ways. At Frontier, Yigit is involved in a wide breadth of projects, often investigating how he can insert generative, code-based experimentation into his work and process.
Outside of the studio, Yigit is an avid rock climber, and, if left unchecked, will talk your ears off.
Yiğit Toprak
Designer
Hailing from Ankara, Turkey, Yigit is a graphic designer and creative coder. The recipient of the OCAD U Medal for Graphic Design, his student capstone project involved building interactive machines and custom software that invited people to create letterforms in unusual and participatory ways. At Frontier, Yigit is involved in a wide breadth of projects, often investigating how he can insert generative, code-based experimentation into his work and process.
Outside of the studio, Yigit is an avid rock climber, and, if left unchecked, will talk your ears off.
Yiğit Toprak
Designer
Hailing from Ankara, Turkey, Yigit is a graphic designer and creative coder. The recipient of the OCAD U Medal for Graphic Design, his student capstone project involved building interactive machines and custom software that invited people to create letterforms in unusual and participatory ways. At Frontier, Yigit is involved in a wide breadth of projects, often investigating how he can insert generative, code-based experimentation into his work and process.
Outside of the studio, Yigit is an avid rock climber, and, if left unchecked, will talk your ears off.
Working with Us:
Working with Us:
“Frontier provides the perfect creative counterpoint to what we need right now.”
“Frontier provides the perfect creative counterpoint to what we need right now.”
“Frontier provides the perfect creative counterpoint to what we need right now.”
Daniele Zanotti, President and CEO
United Way Greater Toronto
