Studio Mast: A legacy of simplicity and storytelling in design

From transforming Boulder’s beloved Pizzeria Alberico to partnering with global brands like Stripe, Mast balances simplicity, collaboration, and storytelling in its approach. Inspired by design legends and modern art, this small but dynamic team brings a timeless quality to every project.

Based in Denver, Colorado, Studio Mast is a small but mighty outfit that finds inspiration in everything and everyone, from Paul Rand and the Vignellis to “passionate clients”, art, literature, and nature.

Its design ethos is described as “simplicity with personality”: Studio Mast strives, it says, to create “unique results that our clients feel ownership of and that successfully meet their needs”. As a small studio of only four people (principal Travis Ladue, lead designer Jacob Trahan, designer Amanda Regh, and project manager Cait Smith), it had a specific focus, working exclusively on projects that involved building or redefining identities to ensure consistency.

But its clients are wide-ranging: recent projects include the brand and art direction for architecture and design studio Cadence; designs for Santa Fe Vintage, A world-renowned vintage collection in New Mexico; branding for Denver’s La Vista Motel; and an ongoing partnership with global payment technology company Stripe.

It’s not unusual for the studio to have such long-standing partnerships with clients, a key one being the Frasca Group, a restaurant group in Colorado with which it has worked on several recent projects. A standout project from that stable was Studio Mast’s first collaboration with the group on the Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant Pizzeria Alberico, for which it transformed the identity, including changing its name and visual brand design. “Formerly known as Pizzeria Locale, a beloved Boulder staple on Pearl Street, the restaurant holds a deep connection to its roots and the community,” says Ladue.

To reflect this, the studio worked closely with the restaurant team to develop an identity centred around the history of the eatery’s namesake, the Alberico family, who immigrated from Italy. “Pizzeria Alberico pays homage to the family of owner Bobby Stuckey’s father-in-law, Dick Alberico. This familial connection and the rich tradition of pizza-making were central to the story we wanted to tell through the design,” Ladue continues.

“The restaurant’s transformation represented a significant moment in its journey. It was not just about a new name but about honouring its heritage while evolving to reflect its future. Our role was to reimagine its identity in a way that felt authentic and aligned with its values. Combining Italy’s timeless design traditions with contemporary elements created an identity that feels fresh yet rooted in history..”

Studio Mast went on to work on Pizzeria Alberico’s sister restaurant, Osteria Alberico, aiming to create a distinct brand identity while maintaining a connection to its counterpart. Again, the visual language honoured the Alberico family’s rich Italian heritage while also reflecting “the traditional osteria’s blend of approachability and elegance,” says the studio, adding that in Italy, “the osteria has long been a cornerstone of culinary culture.” The result is an identity that feels cohesive with Pizzeria Alberico, yet uniquely its own – “a brand that speaks to tradition and innovation, welcoming guests into a familiar yet fresh experience,” according to Ladue.

While the studio’s work is built on foundations of people-centric collaboration and emotion, there’s also an air of pragmatism to the way it goes about things. Aside from its motto about simplicity, the studio works to the maxim “Nothing is sacred until it’s paid for” – a phrase adopted by Ladue “to lighten the mood when an idea is discarded by the client or internally, to bring some levity to the process,” he says. “We believe every project should be truly collaborative, both internally and externally.

“No direction or idea stems solely from one person; we all work within each other’s files to achieve the best possible outcome for the client…When we partner with others, we uphold this principle, ensuring we deliver the best results without stepping on our partners’ proverbial toes.

If collaboration and simplicity are two of Mast’s cornerstones, storytelling is the third – but each of these sides to its proverbial triangle constantly intersects and informs one another. Throughout its output, Ladue says that Studio Mast looks to pair “beautiful, thoughtful visuals with honest, relevant messages”. What he means by a “relevant message” again returns to simplicity and truth, “never relying on persuasion or over-complication,” he adds. “We see ideas—whether big or small—as inherently beautiful, and we work to bring those ideas to life.”

That sentiment of finding the beauty in an idea that’s pared back to its most fundamental essence is undoubtedly inspired by the designers Studio Mast looks to as its biggest inspirations. “Trendy designs often carry a timestamp, but we’re more concerned with building something that could have been made 50 years ago or 50 years from now,” says Ladue. We’re inspired by pioneers like Massimo and Lella Vignelli, Paul Rand, Wolfgang Weingart, Muriel Cooper, and CGH—figures whose modernist approach and simplicity align with our ethos… At the same time, we find inspiration in maximalists like Sister Corita and Robert Indiana when we’re looking to infuse a bit more personality into our work.”

As for any nuggets of wisdom he has for newer designers looking to establish their own creative studio, Ladue reckons that nothing comes close to good old-fashioned experience. “Work at various studios and roles to find what truly resonates with you and fuels your love for the work,” he advises. “If you don’t love what you’re doing, everything else becomes more challenging. Self-promotion, writing contracts, dealing with lawyers, and paying rent all feel worthwhile when you believe in your work and are excited to go to the studio every day.”