About UB
We bring different views from the mountains.
For a decade, we, Marcela Xirinachs and Jeroen Spoelstra, blended our Costa Rican and Dutch roots to turn our clients' dreams into reality. We founded Unbeaten Studio when we moved to the Spanish Pyrenees in 2018.
Inspired by nature and the communal spirit of rural Spain, we work for international organisations that are conscious of their business practices.
Over the years, Unbeaten Studio has built a global network of highly talented design professionals with whom we collaborate to deliver the best outcomes for our clients.
Jeroen Spoelstra
Co-Founder/
Designer
Jeroen is a leading figure in the design world on Life Centred Design. With over 20 years of experience, he will guide you in each co-design project with his curiosity, empathy & love for solving riddles- empowered with a fresh point of view from the mountains
What comes naturally
Exploring, empathising, gathering and building
My natural spirit
Roaming the lands and following the flows of the river. Comfortable in the not knowing. I admire the beaver as an ecosystem engineer, changing water flows and creating space for biodiversity to thrive.
Marcela Xirinachs
Co-Founder/
Designer
Marce is passionate about graphic design, especially helping conscious brands tell their stories. Living in the Spanish Pyrenees has changed how she designs. She uses her strong imagination and inspiration from nature to create simple, playful and engaging brand identities
What comes naturally
Imagination, positive energy, open mind
My natural spirit
The Arbol de Guanacaste (Costa Rican native like me). I see myself as the home for my children, just as the tree is the home for several species. Our roots connect us to our home. Mine are in different parts of the world.
Examples of how we use our principles
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By involving everyone that matters from the start, you get an agreed definition of success.
For example, organising co-design sessions with family caregivers in different communities to understand their challenges and successes while caring for a parent with dementia. Building a team of local researchers in 13 countries in the Global South, investigating the local impact of the last mile of the (fast)fashion waste chain. Giving the soil a voice in an organisation that certifies all the ecological food in the UK.
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We use prototyping to accelerate learning so you discover what works earlier.
For example, creating a life-size prototype of an entrepreneurial space for students and professors taught us how best to use the space. Making prototypes of a digital product early on to learn how users navigate it. Testing new educational formats with students and professors in by creating safe environments for experimenting and reflecting.
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We nurture a sense of shared ownership to create a reality that’s ready to thrive.
For example, co-creating a brand identity for an employment platform together with the communication advisors of 13 different stakeholders in the Dutch technology sector. Facilitating the development of new concepts in which nature, community, and economy can thrive together with the villagers of a Spanish mountain community. Give stakeholders and users the feeling that they have been part of the design process by designing a personalised roadmap to find a sustainable job.
when our principles resonate with you