Entering the offices of Lava Graphic Design in Amsterdam is a bit like walking into a beehive. There is an incredible amount of activity that can seem a bit frantic to the uninitiated outsider. The constant in the chaos is a daily communal lunch, an event that brings all other activity to a halt. Meats, cheeses, fruit, and fresh bread are unceremoniously arranged on recently cleared tables. Mealtime is a gathering place, and it would be impossible for one to discern hierarchy by the seating arrangement or the casual way food is shared. Visiting clients sit beside Lava interns and designers, and anyone who happens to stop by the studio at the appointed time is welcomed with the offer of a chair and a plate. More than neatly articulated clichés on the importance of company employees or good relationships with clients, the lunches at Lava are proof that the company lives its philosophy.

A conversation with creative director Paul Hughes and Lava founder Hans Wolbers makes it clear that impassioned discussions preceded their business relationship and that such dialogues are still an important part of the dynamic at Lava. Hughes begins, “At its root Lava is all about storytelling and we have a compelling story to tell.” To describe Lava’s interest in pushing designers from the arena of visual stylist to that of content creator, Wolbers simply states, “Lava is content-driven design.”

Armed with his PowerBook, process diagrams, and a healthy dose of design theory, Hughes has become the public face of Lava. An accomplished orator, Hughes’ enthusiasm is infectious. He has refined Lava’s philosophy to a set of succinct talking points and is able to sum up complicated ideas quickly while seamlessly weaving examples of Lava projects into his narrative. “Lava is about design, design is about communication, design and communication together equal branding. Creating a brand is about creating a story.”

This comparison between storytelling and design is fully integrated into Hughes’ breakdown of the design process. “The most important thing about storytelling is knowing what the moral of the story is. This is a concept. The second most important thing about storytelling is how you tell the story. This is a craft. Lava combines collaboration, content, consistency, change, and craft to create a successful concept.” Lava designers produce slick, visually attractive deliverables, but it is the company’s confidence in its process that is seductive, and one can easily imagine why Hughes often leaves his pitches having snagged clients away from Lava’s equally talented competition.