District Eight

Editorial design and branding project proposing a multiplatform media outlet aimed at Generation Z, with a clear objective: to encourage the consumption of fact-checked journalism and combat misinformation and the rise of populism.

Students

Iván Galdeano

Profesores

Jesús Enrique Royuela

Area of knowledge and degree

Design, Master's degree in Lifelong Learning in Digital Graphic Design Online

Publication year

2026

Project description

District Eight is Iván Galdeano’s Master’s Thesis for the Master’s Degree in Digital Graphic Design at Universidad Europea, and an example of the kind of social impact projects that a graphic design master’s degree can foster. The project addresses one of the most pressing challenges of our time: misinformation, the rise of far-right populist movements and political disengagement among Generation Z, through the creation of a multiplatform media outlet where graphic design places truth at the centre.

The proposal is structured as a complete transmedia ecosystem. The monthly print magazine uses sustainable materials, including FSC-certified paper, water-based adhesives and eco-friendly inks. The website adopts a freemium model with two versions —a low-consumption sustainable version and a visual version— organised around three pillars: Read, Listen and Support. The podcast, The Borough, offers narrated versions of articles alongside exclusive content, while a social media presence across X, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube completes the distribution strategy. Accessibility is embedded throughout: all articles feature voice narration, and audiovisual content includes subtitles.

Project challenge

The challenge is to combat misinformation, the rise of far-right populist movements and political disengagement among Generation Z —only 29% of young people report being interested in politics— through graphic and editorial design. The project had to engage young people who are less active in seeking information, offer a visual and condensed alternative to traditional journalism, and put visual communication at the service of information, connecting with current consumption habits without compromising journalistic rigour.

Student inspiration

The inspiration comes from the analysis of leading international publications: Vox (minimalism and storytelling), Vice (urban and informal aesthetics), Panenka (feature and cultural journalism), Lux Magazine (visual identity and fashion aesthetics), Jacobin (bold design, colour and illustration), The Critic (use of illustration), Monocle (elegance), Colta.ru (abstract design) and Meduza (bold aesthetics and use of red). The naming is inspired by District 8 in Budapest, a historic stronghold of rebellion, while the weimarpolitics platform served as a reference for connecting with the target audience.

“Thank you to everyone who has accompanied me throughout this process: to my parents for allowing me to spread my wings, to my friends for being my rock, to Quique for guiding me and helping me through everything, and to Marcos for always being there.”

Creative process

The project follows the Design Thinking methodology (empathise, define, ideate, prototype, test). The research combined media benchmarking, quantitative (Google Forms) and qualitative surveys, empathy maps, a SWOT analysis and a user journey. During the ideation phase, the naming was defined, with options such as “Pause” and “Hashtag” discarded in favour of District Eight, along with the creative concept “That’s another story”. The prototyping phase included website wireframes and the full layout of the print magazine, resulting in a coherent transmedia ecosystem.

Tools

Design Thinking methodology
Using benchmarking, surveys (Google Forms), empathy maps, a SWOT analysis and a user journey.
Editorial design and print magazine layout
Following sustainable production criteria (FSC-certified paper, water-based adhesives and eco-friendly inks).
Wireframes
Web design with two versions (sustainable and visual).

Visual identity

District Eight’s identity is built around the creative concept “That’s another story”. The logo, Nyolc (Hungarian for eight), is a stylised figure made up of two overlapping rounded shapes, conceived as a fluid and flexible identity. The typographic system combines Buda (a condensed sans serif) and Pest (a highly distinctive grotesque typeface) with narrowed italic Times New Roman and Helvetica. The colour palette is organised into three gradients: Tuz/fire (#e6af83, #e27f61, #ae173a), Erdo/forest (#cad69c, #768e6a, #2f4440) and Viz/sky (#bbbbeb, #3f5670, #2e3a4f).