Place branding, design, maps, wayfinding, naming, town guidelines with social involvement for regions, towns and villages since 2014. We are Igor and Natalia Makovsky and we love working with places, finding true reasons and ideas that help local people to grow business, tourism, unite, develop local economics and live happy. We create projects together with local entrepreneurs, communities, administration, ethnographers, tourist experts and that's why 80% of our projects in Russia & CIS live and prosper. That's pretty resultative, if you ask.
Nenets Autonomous Okrug, Russia
Things that matter: reindeer, tundra and the nenets people
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2018 … 2023
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2019 … 2023
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2018 … 2023
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2019
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2019
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2021
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2018 … 2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2023
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2023
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2020
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2019
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2018
NENETS AUTONOMOUS OKRUG
2019
NAO
Minimalism philosophy, unofficial branding and tundra
NAO map
The most minimalistic map of the most minimalistic region
Naryan map
Town map with local names, humour and legends
Naryan wayfinding
3d map and wayfinding design for city center
Tundrafest
The food festival with the taste of tundra
Cartoondra: the mascots
From sketch to people's true love: three little heroes of NAO
Tundra merch
Wear tundra, spread tundra across the world
NAO Museum association
Single brand to rule them all
Lore museum
Lore museum rebranding
Pustozersk museum
Town that lies beyond the horizon line
Pechora storytelling conference
Inspired by Maremiana and Oksino residents
Frigate in Pustozersk hotel & restaurant brand
How partnership with museum helps HoReCa
Lighthouse restaurant
Aesthetical illustrated branding
Nelmin-Nos
Living to the tundra rythms: branding of the outlying village
Nel'min Nos map
Find your way through the rythms of tundra: wayfinding system of the outlying village
Naryan-Mar 3D
Naryan town simulator goes full 3D
Narey
Award-winning fashion designer Olga Sukhovarova brand
Indiga
From village branding into festival branding
My Arctic
My ____ tourist operator in NAO branding
Bolshukha
Bolshukha theme park in Naryan-Mar branding
NAO × British High School
Collaboration between BHSAD students and NAO tundra
Murmansk Oblast, Russia
From the White Sea to Kola Super Deep Industry in Nikel
Belomorie: Kandalaksha
Kandalaksha & Tersky Coast embraced by the White Sea
Belomorie: Tersky Coast
Tersky Coast & Kandalaksha embraced by the White Sea
Belomorie: Maps
Tersky Coast & Kandalaksha embraced by the wayfinding system
Niiiiikel brand
On the way to Scandinavia, fallen in the Kola super deep circumstances
Niiiiiiiiiiiikel map & wayfinding
Kola Super Deep map and wayfinding project
Made in Arctic 2015
Hand-crafted tourism forum branding
Murmansk oblast gastromap
Gastronomical map design in 2015
Monchegorsk, Murmansk Oblast, Russia
Lakes around the metallurgist town
Soon to be added
Taimyr, Krasnoyarsk Krai, Russia
Game changers of the Arctic
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2019 … 2023
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2021
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2021
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2021
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2021 … 2023
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2020
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2022
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2023
TAIMYR PENINSULA
2024
Taimyr brand
Branding and related projects with business
Cape Cheyuskin expedition 2021
Expedition branding event
The Arctic Parfumer brand
How Taimyr changed the mine worker into the parfumer
Ol'Gul Resort
All-season resort redesign
Taimyr MITT stand 2021
Design and architecture of an expo stand with floating icebergs
Enisei expo in Krasnoyarsk 2021
Design and architecture
Taimyr MITT stand 2022
Sharp and chillingly frozen expo stand design
In the Middle of Taimyr Expo 2023
Domestic taimyr tourism expo in Norilsk
Arctic Tourism Forum in Norilsk 2023
Business forum with arctic foxes, polar bears and white wolves
Taimyr MITT stand 2024
Design and architecture of the third stand induces you to admire
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Family of archibrands with a pinch of salt and cranberries
Arkhangelsk Oblast
Arch branding of the Arch region
Northern trio rivers
Six municiples: one for all and all for one
Krasnoborsk
Six municiples: one for all and all for one
Lomonosovo
Today and tomorrow of the Lomonosovo Island
Pinezhie brand
Firmly tied together with love
Pinezhie map
Firmly tied tourist maps for Pinezhie brand
Pinezhie houses
Firmly tied together illustrations of wooden houses
Solvychegodsk brand
Six municiples: one for all and all for one
And many other projects across Russia and CIS
VLADIMIR OBLAST
2015 … 2017
VOLOGODSKAYA OBLAST
2014 … 2018
MOSCOW OBLAST
2019
VLADIMIR OBLAST
2015
KALUGA OBLAST
2016 … 2018
REPUBLIC OF BELARUS
2016 … 2021
Urban School 2023
New heroes: online urban school for corporation employees in just 42 days
Kurchatov town brand
Rockstar in nuclear town branding
Desnogorsk 100%
100% best winner nuclear town branding
Maraphon map
Dark times of communication map creating
Suzdal brand
Key project in our town branding experience
Ogurets restaurant in Suzdal
From concept till the design of the last pickle
Sarapul map
Randevouz with the town of the ginger girl
New Jerusalem Pilgrim's Path
In help of a finding way to the pilgrims
Snova cafe Snova cafe Snova
Cafe in New Jerusalem museum Cafe in New Jerusalem museum
Tarussa brand
Inspires on town branding
Kuskovo moscow park brand
Branding of the park that you've been living next to
Constellation of Small Towns in Russia
Association of small tourist towns product
Small towns: best practices
30 best practices for you to inspire
Multifunctional social center in Bolshoe Kuzemkino
Partnership and friendship with Druzhba Bureau
Yarki hotel brand
The brightest spot in whole Belarus: 3 episodes
Syasstroy brand
Concept of a paper town upon the Ladoga lake
Wayfinding for monotowns
Handbook of methodical recommendations and practical examples
Wayfinding for Sergiev Posad
Blessed regulations and requirements for the wayfinding system
Samovar museum in Cherepovets
Samovar catalogue full of love
Gavrilov Posad
The Palatial horse plant brand
Russian Gusto Fest 2014
First international food festival in Russia
Benzar gas station
Unique gas station with Zaraysk vibe
5 Perm municiples
5 municiples in 5 days to visit and inspire
Molyobka brand...
Paranormal ufological placebranding...
Khokhlovka on the move
Architectural museum branding with a twist
Forest cuisine brand
Personal jam brand with the pine wood vibes
Orange Guide: Moscow region
Guide to be a place branding expert
About us
We're Igor and Natalia Makovsky and Asmysl is our family team business. We love to see world meaningfully changing. Sometimes we happen to be a part of these changes, because we're working on place branding and find or create those new meanings.

Place branding includes deep interaction with lots of communities and requires a lot of attention, time and personal immersion. Every project starts with our visit to the territory, finding partners for future work. If there's no request from the people — we won't even begin.

We practice cluster branding approach in our work. It is when the general brand covers the whole region. In the meantime, all small businesses, budget organizations and projects in the region form a series of related brands that fit and inherit the general brand storyline. That helps to reveal the general idea from all sides and make it stronger.

Changes is a spaced out process. There are not many teams who are willing to take such a long adventure. It is that case, when small teams are most efficent. So does our family team of two. Our life is deeply intertwined with our projects and that's awesome. Here are some our thoughts:

  1. Academy Masters media with a nice dialogue with us
  2. Detailed interview with Natalia on Ranepa media
  3. BSAaward took an interview with Natalia on branding
  4. Article for GoArctic on our love for north
  5. Natalia interview for Brandlawyer

Igor and Natalia
Natalia Makovsky (Rybalchenko)
Founder, Brand strategist
natalia@asmysl.com
linkedin: nataliarybalchenko
telegram: @natalia_rybalchenko
Igor Makovsky
Founder, Art Direction, Designer
igor@igormakovsky.ru
igormakovsky.com
igorekmakovsky.com
linkedin: igormakovsky
telegram: @igormakovsky
Our partners
CSTM — type foundry
Contrast Foundry — type foundry
Oleg Matsuev — type designer
Ivan Vetrov — designer
Katerina Antoshkina — designer, illustrator
Katerina Semenova — designer, illustrator
Olga Baturina — marketing professional
Russia Discovery
British School of Design
HSE University
Our clients
Nornickel
En+ Group
Rosatom
Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation
Centers of Business Development
Centers of Cluster Development
KB Strelka
Ranepa
Letter to Natalia & Igor