A Thousand Folds, One Hope: “Nothing Flies Alone” by Studio Woork

Designer: Studio Woork

Scope: Publication

To commemorate Indonesia’s 81st Independence Day last August, Studio Woork presented Nothing Flies Alone, a multidisciplinary project rooted in the simple belief that hope is never carried alone.

From a single sheet of plain paper, a thousand origami doves were born through a series of meticulously crafted folds. Individually, they appear fragile; yet, together, they become a collective metaphor for hope. Each bird was hand-folded using traditional origami techniques, while also exploring the forms and possibilities of Studio Woork Sans, an original typeface created by Studio Woork.

In this project, there are a thousand paper doves, each shaped through 81 prayers for Indonesia. What began as a personal gesture gradually transformed into a collective movement: a call to reflect on the power that arises from collective hope. Through this project, we learn that some things are too small to notice when standing alone. Yet, together, they become something impossible to ignore.

Nothing Flies Alone is a response to Indonesia’s current social and emotional landscape. Amid uncertainty, division, and the hardships of navigating challenging times, this project reflects the values of solidarity, togetherness, and the belief that even the smallest acts of compassion can shape a more hopeful future.

This exploration transcends the medium of paper through a series of interconnected works, including a publication compiling 81 prayers, a photography series, an installation of a thousand origami doves, and a contemporary ballet performance. Each medium interprets the same idea through a different language, yet all are connected by a shared longing: to fly freely, to dream freely, and to envision a better tomorrow.

Rather than offering answers, this project creates a space for reflection, to question what hope looks like when certainty fades, and what remains when the future feels out of reach. Even in such circumstances, prayer endures.

Rege Indrastudianto, Editor-in-Chief of Grafis Masa Kini, notes that Studio Woork always finds a way to take a simple idea or narrative and transform it into something tactile, immersive, and deeply thought-out.

“In Nothing Flies Alone, these qualities are felt through the materiality of the paper, the custom-designed letterforms that become part of the visual language, and the accumulation of various individual elements that gradually form something that feels almost monumental. What began as a simple narrative about hope slowly evolved into an immersive experience as Io and the team explored the concept through typography, publications, installations, and even performances,” said Rege.

We also feel that this work serves as a reflection for all of us, especially for graphic designers. This project reminds us that a designer’s concerns, frustrations, or care for the world around them can be a reason to create, to respond, to question, and even to critique. And sometimes, a message conveyed through design can leave a deeper impression than a statement made directly.

“Perhaps that’s what makes this project so compelling. The work doesn’t simply ask us to look; it sparks something within each of us as designers–a drive to respond, to take action, and, in the most positive sense, to feel a touch of envy that someone has already transformed their anxiety into something tangible,” added Rege.

Hands remain open

There is still much unfinished

Amid everything we face

We refuse to abandon hope

Through Nothing Flies Alone, Studio Woork invites us all to recognize that meaningful change rarely comes from a single voice. Like a piece of paper that transforms through countless folds, it draws its strength from many hands, many prayers, and many people moving in unison.

Team Credits: Creative Direction: Io Woo • Art Direction and Production: Naomie Kartika • Creative Writer: Surya Indra Gultom & Jose Kenjiro • Design: Carla Holy, Elvira Budiman, Eugenius Krisna, Farhan Elo, Io Woo, Jasmine Audrey, Jose Kenjiro, Keiko Siahaan, Maria Diva, Naomie Kartika, Naufalrel Pandu, Ruth Devines, Selina Kim, Shafa Maula, Surya Indra, Zaydan • Typeface Design: Eugenius Krisna • Installation: Jasmine Audrey • Motion Design: Naufalrel Pandu • Photograpy: Tempting Table • Director of Photography: Maria Diva • Set Manager: Farhan Elo & Jose Kenjiro • Video: Maria Diva & Naufalrel Pandu • Choreography: Keiko Siahaan