David Vale
About
Report

Hello. I’m David Vale, a San Francisco–based designer focused on crafting human experiences and design systems across digital and spatial environments.

Hello. I'm David Vale, a San Francisco–based designer focused on human experiences and design systems.

I'm a designer with over 20 years of experience shaping digital products, immersive brand experiences, and scalable design systems for companies such as Apple, Airbnb, and Meta.

Recent highlights include driving 1.2B+ impressions for Airbnb’s 2024 Summer Release, leading the redesign of Oculus.com and its icon systems, and contributing to Apple initiatives such as Why iPhone, Environment, Diversity, and Privacy.

The selected projects showcase my work as a design lead, art director, and creative partner across digital and spatial products, global launches, brand experiences, and design research.

In 2025, I released a Design Report documenting a year-long sabbatical, with projects in visionOS, AI, and modular systems. The report reflects my design thinking, methodology, and craft. Photo: Acervo Instituto Moreira Salles.

I’m a designer with over 20 years of experience shaping digital products, immersive brand experiences, and scalable design systems for companies like Apple, Airbnb, and Meta.

Highlights include driving 1.2B+ impressions for Airbnb’s 2024 Summer Release, leading the redesign of Oculus.com and its icon systems, and contributing to Apple initiatives such as Why iPhone, Environment, Diversity, and Privacy.

In 2025, I published a Design Report documenting a year-long creative sabbatical, where I built modular systems, developed visionOS apps, and prototyped AI-assisted workflows. The report reflects my design thinking, methodology, and craft. Photo credit: Acervo Instituto Moreira Salles.

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Biography

Biography

I began my career in the highlands of Brazil, where I studied graphic design and worked as an interactive designer. I moved across three countries and had the chance to collaborate with talented professionals from different disciplines. Over time, I developed a passion for grid-based design systems and modular thinking—tools that help my work scale with intention.

More than a practice, design is how I think and observe. I’m drawn to the rhythm of the process: the questions, the setbacks, the iterations, and the discipline required to create something meaningful. I find deep inspiration in art, architecture, industrial design, engineering, photography, and music—fields I often study to expand my visual and conceptual vocabulary.

In 2024, I took a self-directed sabbatical to deepen my knowledge across multiple disciplines and practices. During this time, I explored timeless design principles through emerging technologies, developing two spatial computing apps for visionOS: Mix Modern Museum and MP-1. Both are available for download on the App Store.

I remain curious and passionate about collaborating with others to create thoughtful, human-centered experiences. Whether working in two or three dimensions, I’m especially interested in how we can leverage new technologies like LLMs to organize, structure, and scale the design process. Above all, I believe design should shape solutions that enhance how we live.

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⮡ Full Resume
⮡ Email Contact

I began my career in the highlands of Brazil, studying graphic design and working as an interactive designer. Since then, I’ve lived across three countries, collaborating with professionals from different disciplines. Over time, I developed a passion for grid-based design systems and modular thinking—tools that help my work scale with intention.

Design is more than a practice; it’s how I think and observe. I’m drawn to the rhythm of the process—the questions, setbacks, refinement, and discipline it takes to create something meaningful. I find inspiration in art, architecture, industrial design, engineering, photography, and music, fields I often study to expand my visual and conceptual vocabulary.

In 2024, I took a self-directed sabbatical to explore timeless design principles through emerging technologies. I developed two spatial computing apps for visionOS, Mix Modern Museum and MP-1, both now available on the App Store. Today, I remain curious about collaborating on thoughtful, human-centered experiences, and especially interested in how we can use new technologies like LLMs to organize, structure, and scale the design process.

⮡ Full Resume
⮡ Email Contact

Recognition

Cannes Lions / Media: Large Scale Media – Bronze / Airbnb Icons

Cannes Lions / Media: Use of Digital Platforms – Bronze / Airbnb Icons

Cannes Lions / PR: Sponsorship & Partnership – Bronze / Airbnb Icons

Cannes Lions / Brand Experience & Activation: Sponsorship & Part. – Bronze / Airbnb Icons

Clio Awards / Creative Effectiveness: Multi-Country – Silver / Airbnb Icons

The One Show / Creative Effectiveness (Travel) – Silver Pencil / Airbnb Icons

The One Show / Integrated – Silver Pencil / Airbnb Icons

Webby Awards / Winner – Social Travel (Series & Campaigns) / Only On Airbnb

Webby Awards / Honoree – Best Viral PR Campaign / Only On Airbnb

Webby Awards / Honoree – Best Art Direction / Apple “Why There’s Nothing Quite Like iPhone”

Cannes Lions / Innovation – Bronze / Apple Meet Liam Campaign

Webby Awards / Nominee – Consumer Electronics & Services / iPhone

Webby Awards / Honoree – Technical Achievement / Sound City Project

Cannes Lions / Mobile – Bronze / Rolex Daytona Experience

One Show Interactive / Silver Pencil – UX Craft / Rolex Daytona Experience

SXSW / Best Website for Educational Resources – PSCU Make Your Money Matter  Campaign

Clio Image Award / Winner – Digital/Mobile / Rolex Daytona

LIA / Silver – Digital Animation / Rolex Daytona Experience Application

Cannes Lions (6x)
Apple, Airbnb, Rolex

The One Show (2x)
Airbnb, Rolex

LIA (1x)
Rolex Daytona Experience

FWA (8x)
Rolex, Metro AR-T, PSCU

Clio Awards (2x)
Airbnb, Rolex

SXSW (2x)
PSCU

Webby Awards (6x)
Airbnb, Apple, Sound City Project

Awwwards (4x)
Sound City Project, PSCU, Sony

Publications

Sounds Of A City, Discovered Online: Sound City Project (Forbes, 2014) ↗

Capturing The Sounds Of The City With A Four-Eared Mutant (Fast Co, 2014) ↗

Explore the 3D Sounds of Your Favorite Cities (Good Magazine, 2014) ↗

‘Sound City Project’ Is A Google Street View For The Ears (Vice, 2014) ↗

Sound City Project pioneered interactive panoramic audio (Commarts, 2014) ↗

4 rules for creating interactive content for a multi-device world (Fast Co, 2012) ↗

Sounds Of A City, Discovered Online: Sound City Project (Forbes, 2014) ↗

Capturing The Sounds Of The City With A 3-D Printed, Four-Eared Mutant (Fast C. Labs, 2014) ↗

Sound City Project pioneered interactive panoramic audio (Communication Arts, 2014) ↗

Explore the 3D Sounds of Your Favorite Cities (Good Magazine, 2014) ↗

‘Sound City Project’ Is A Google Street View For The Ears (The Creators Project, 2014) ↗

4 rules for creating interactive content for a multi-platform, multi-device world (Co.Create, 2012) ↗

Contact



Collaborations & Inquiries 

lab@davidvale.com


© 2025 David Vale



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without written permission.