Explanation
The Philosophy
Technology should make humans more human, not less
And there is one condition.
There is one condition.
Before we discuss any commission, clients must agree to extend the same digital sovereignty to their users that we build for them.
This isn't just an ethical stance—it's a filter. The best clients are the ones who see this requirement and think "of course." If it feels like a burden, we're probably not the right fit.
No dark patterns
Interfaces that trick users into unintended actions
No data traps
Making it hard to leave or export your information
No user manipulation
Addiction mechanics, manufactured urgency, psychological exploitation
No surveillance capitalism
Harvesting user data to sell to third parties
After 40 years of building technology, I've learned that the most important question isn't "what can we build?" but "what should we build—and for whom?"
The condition above isn't a marketing stance. It's the foundation. Everything else flows from that commitment to human dignity.
The Atelier Tradition
"Atelier" (ah-tel-YAY) is French for workshop—but not just any workshop. In fashion, an atelier is where haute couture is created: one-of-a-kind garments tailored to the individual, never mass-produced.
Chanel. Dior. Givenchy. Their ateliers are where master craftsmen translate a client's vision into something that exists nowhere else in the world. The client doesn't choose from a catalog—they commission a creation.
This is a technology atelier. Same philosophy, different medium.
Custom > Proprietary
Proprietary platforms extract value from your work. They own your data, control your features, and can change terms whenever they want. You're not a customer—you're the product.
Custom installations flip this dynamic. You own everything. The code runs on your infrastructure. When you're done with us, you keep it all. That's how technology should work.
Self-Hosted > SaaS
SaaS products are convenient until they're not. Prices increase. Features disappear. Companies get acquired. APIs change. And you have no recourse because you never owned anything.
Self-hosted means independence. Your data stays on your servers. Your installation works even when the internet doesn't. You're not at the mercy of someone else's roadmap.
Human-First Technology
Too much technology today is designed to capture attention, harvest data, and maximize engagement. It treats humans as resources to be optimized.
Human-first technology does the opposite. It amplifies human creativity instead of replacing it. It showcases the humans behind businesses instead of hiding them. It respects time, attention, and dignity.
Why This Matters
You might wonder why a craftsman would turn away paying work. The answer is simple: the technology we build outlives our involvement. Code propagates, systems scale, patterns get copied.
Every system designed to exploit users becomes a template for the next one. Every dark pattern normalized makes the next one easier to deploy. We refuse to add to that momentum.
Instead, we build systems that demonstrate a different way is possible—profitable technology that treats users with dignity. Each project is evidence that the choice isn't between ethics and success.
Why Story Matters
The last thing the world needs is another bland, boilerplate, no-personality-having website. We build digital installations that tell stories—the real ones.
The moment that changed everything. The detail nobody else would think to mention. The thing that makes someone remember you twenty-five years later.
That's what we capture. That's what we build.
Explanation
What is "AI," anyway?
Everyone's talking about it. Almost nobody agrees on what "it" actually is. Here's a 40-year perspective on why "AI" is about as specific as "fish."
Read the explainer
