CCRZ is a multidisciplinary communication studio blending art direction, graphic and architectural design, and brand strategy into one cohesive vision. Founded in 2007 by Eugenio Castiglioni, Paolo Cavalli, and Marco Zürcher—three creative minds with distinct backgrounds united by a shared ethos—CCRZ adopts a functional, context-driven approach. Rather than following trends or stylistic conventions, the studio prioritizes content, relevance, and authenticity in every project.
Located in a restored 19th-century mill in the Parco delle Gole del Breggia, near the Swiss-Italian border, CCRZ operates from a building with a layered and fascinating past. Originally a brick kiln, the structure was later converted into a farm, a military depot, a cement factory, and then, in the 1980s, the headquarters of Rolla Propellers. The restoration of the building—initiated by Rolla—was careful and visionary, preserving its architectural identity while embracing the surrounding natural landscape. In 2007, co-founder Paolo Cavalli acquired the property and transformed it into a creative hub that merges industrial charm with contemporary function. Inside, the mill’s history is still tangible—in materials, signs, and memories that infuse the space with character.
Today, CCRZ comprises a team of about ten professionals and serves a diverse client base including companies, public institutions, foundations, and cultural organizations. Projects span from commercial branding to cultural communication, from exhibition design to architecture and product design. At the heart of each project is a commitment to coherent language, conceptual depth, and environmental sustainability. Beyond commissioned work, CCRZ also pursues independent creative ventures. Notable among these is Quaderni CCRZ, aseries of small editorial booklets exploring themes in graphics, photography, and vernacular design. One issue focused on “erased graphics”—faded or partially removed lettering and images that preserve traces of time. Another project involved the reissue of a belt modeled after a now-rare Swiss army officer’s belt—an emblem of CCRZ’s design philosophy: personal, research-based, and rich in cultural memory.
The studio’s space reflects its mission: walls lined with posters, sketches, photos, publications, and objects of design create an environment that is lively, layered, and deeply collaborative, makingCCRZ a creative ecosystem where thinking, making, and dialogue are in constant motion, always rooted in the cultural and environmental context that surrounds it.