03 How We Work

Inside the
machine
that makes it.

Our process, our tools, our space, and the culture that holds all of it together. This is how Arca actually works.

What We Do

Eight disciplines.
One studio.

Most studios specialise in one thing and subcontract the rest. We keep everything in-house — which means no briefing lag, no quality gap, and no surprise invoices from unnamed third parties.

Brand Identity
Logo systems, visual language, colour, typography, and brand guidelines that last a decade.
Web Design
Bespoke layouts built around your brand and your user — never around a template.
Development
Clean, performant, accessible HTML/CSS/JS — or full-stack React and Next.js when the project calls for it.
Product & UX
User research, wireframes, prototypes, and interaction design for apps and SaaS products.
Motion Design
Brand animation, UI micro-interactions, explainer videos, and GSAP-powered web experiences.
Strategy
Positioning, messaging architecture, competitive research, and go-to-market planning.
Copywriting
Tone of voice, website copy, campaign writing, and the words that make people feel something.
Growth & SEO
Core Web Vitals, technical SEO, CRO, and analytics — because a great site should also perform.

Our Process

How a project
actually unfolds.

No surprises, no black boxes. Every project follows the same five-phase process — tailored to your brief, transparent at every step.

01
Discovery & Brief
Week 1
We start every project with a deep-dive discovery session. We ask hard questions about your audience, your competition, your goals, and the one thing you want people to feel when they encounter your brand. The brief we write from this session becomes the compass for everything that follows.
02
Strategy & Architecture
Week 1–2
Before a pixel moves, we map the structure. Information architecture, user flows, content strategy, and positioning. We present this as a strategic document you can sign off on — so the creative work never goes in the wrong direction.
03
Design & Direction
Week 2–4
This is where the work becomes visible. We present a single, fully considered creative direction — not three options to hedge our bets. We defend our choices. You push back. We refine. Two rounds of revisions are included in every scope.
04
Build & Develop
Week 3–6
Design moves into code. We build in parallel where possible, with weekly check-ins and a shared staging environment you can access any time. No waiting for a "big reveal" — you see the work as it happens.
05
Launch & Handover
Week 6–7
QA, performance testing, accessibility audit, and a go-live checklist we run together. After launch we stay on for a two-week support window. You get full source files, a documentation pack, and a 30-minute handover call with whoever's maintaining the project.

Our Stack

Tools we trust
with client work.

We don't chase trends. Every tool on this list is here because it's the best option for the work, not because it was announced at a conference last week.

Design
FigmaPrimary
Adobe IllustratorVectors
After EffectsMotion
FramerPrototyping
Spline3D
Development
HTML / CSS / JSFoundation
React + Next.jsApps
Bootstrap 5UI Framework
GSAPAnimation
SupabaseBackend
Workflow
NotionProject Docs
LinearTask Tracking
LoomAsync Video
Vercel / NetlifyHosting
GitHubVersion Control

The Space

Where the work
actually happens.

Our studio is a converted print warehouse in Amsterdam Noord — 280 square metres of light, concrete, and very good coffee. Remote team members join us for project kick-offs and quarterly sprints.

Main Studio
Main floor — Amsterdam Noord
Meeting Room
Client presentation room
Workshop Area
Sprint & workshop space
Location
Amsterdam Noord, NL
Studio Size
280 m²
Remote Policy
Hybrid — always

Life at Arca

Culture isn't a
ping-pong table.

Friday Critiques
Every Friday at 4pm, the whole studio reviews work in progress. Honest feedback, no politics. It's the single thing that's raised our quality floor more than anything else.
Learning Budget
Every team member gets €1,500 per year to spend on courses, conferences, books, or tools. No approval required. We trust you to know what makes you better.
Deep Work Hours
No internal meetings before noon. Mornings are protected time for the work that requires actual thinking. Slack is async by default.
Side Project Support
We actively encourage team members to run side projects. Two Arca alumni have gone on to found studios of their own. We consider that a success, not a failure.
What working here actually looks like
4-day weeks in AugustBecause good work needs rest to sustain it.
Hardware budget on day oneYou pick your setup. We pay for it.
Profit shareWhen the studio does well, everyone does well. No exceptions.
Annual studio tripOne week, somewhere interesting, the whole team. Work optional, attendance encouraged.
No timesheetsWe track outcomes, not hours. If the work is great and the client is happy, the time is irrelevant.
Public portfolio creditYour name goes on the work you make. Always.

Open Roles

Join the
studio.

We hire slowly and deliberately. If none of these roles fit but you think you belong here anyway, send us work we can't ignore at hello@studioarca.co.

Senior Brand Designer
Full-time Amsterdam / Remote €55k – €70k
Apply
Frontend Developer
Full-time Remote €50k – €65k
Apply
Motion Designer
Freelance / Part-time Amsterdam €400 – €550 / day
Apply
Strategy Intern
6-month internship Amsterdam Paid
Apply

Work Together

Ready to make
something great?

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