The Collected Works subverts medical branding with a warm, tech-driven visual identity for Prolaio

The Collected Works have designed an identity for Prolaio that reflects the medical company’s innovative approach to caring for people with heart conditions. Based in Chicago, Prolaio focuses on continuous collaboration and learning, utilising wearables to connect care teams with real-time patient data. This technology-driven approach allows individuals to manage their symptoms on their own schedule, rather than being bound by traditional appointment systems. The Collected Works’ warm, abstract visual identity mirrors Prolaio’s patient-centred ethos, emphasising the company’s commitment to modernising cardiac care through accessible, user-friendly solutions. To distinguish Prolaio from the sea of “dull medical brands,” the US-based independent design studio opts for a more abstract depiction of the heart in its iconography. “From the beginning of this project, we had this idea of visually representing your heart health without feeling too textbooky or cartoony – living more in the abstract, evocative realm,” Co-founder & Creative Director Jose Fresneda tells us. This is achieved with a custom tool in Blender which, with the adjustment of a few parameters, is able to generate key art and patterns. Initially conceived as an “internal sketch,” the ‘heart system’ evolved into a versatile asset generator. “We love when we’re able to develop a custom tool for a project,” says Fresneda. “It’s a great way to codify the visual systems we’re thinking about into a more defined ruleset.” The tool allows Prolaio to generate assets independently, with 30 curated options and high-resolution exports for diverse applications. “It’s a really flexible system and also easy to use, whether it’s us or their in-house team creating new material.”