Design Sessions #8: Books & Motion with Liza Enebeis

by Dan

Where Books Dance & Motion Never Sleeps

When typography refuses to sit still and books break free from their spines, you know you’re in Liza Enebeis territory. On February 20th at 18:00, Glitch Library hosts one of design’s most interesting, innovative and dynamic voices: partner and creative director at Studio Dumbar/DEPT®, where Dutch design history collides with digital innovation.

The Library of Moving Identities

As creative director at Studio Dumbar, Liza has revolutionized how we experience visual identity. Her work for the Dutch Police, NGO Alzheimer Nederland, and the iconic Amsterdam Sinfonietta demonstrates how motion design can transform traditional branding into living, breathing experiences. Under her leadership, Studio Dumbar’s portfolio has expanded to include groundbreaking projects for cultural institutions including D&AD Creativity Festival and the Van Gogh Museum, each pushing the boundaries of how design moves and adapts across platforms.

Books as Design Obsession

Liza’s relationship with design books goes beyond collecting – it’s a curated journey through design history. Through her Instagram (@booksloveliza), she shares carefully selected volumes that span decades of design evolution, from rare typography specimens to pioneering motion design publications. And lots of very fun titles in between. This digital archive has become a vital resource for designers worldwide, offering glimpses into both established classics and obscure gems that shape contemporary design thinking. (And it has certainly been a guiding light for our title picking when stocking the glitch art & design library.)

From London to Global Design Innovation

Before becoming Studio Dumbar’s creative force, Liza’s journey reads like a masterclass in design evolution. Armed with an MA from the Royal College of Art, Liza started at Pentagram London, under David Hillman’s mentorship, where she wasn’t just learning design – she was mastering the art of thoughtful rebellion. Her early years at one of design’s most legendary studios shaped a mindset that would later turn typography into motion and books into unexpected sources of digital inspiration. The result? A creative approach that would later earn her a spot in the Alliance Graphique Internationale (AGI) – think of it as design’s equivalent of a secret society, minus the secret handshakes. (Though we can’t confirm there aren’t any.)

But here’s where it gets interesting: in 2019, Liza co-founded DEMO (Design in Motion Festival), transforming Amsterdam’s urban screens into an unexpected canvas for experimental motion design. Imagine walking through Amsterdam Central Station, and suddenly every screen – from tiny timetable displays to massive billboards – starts dancing with typography. For 24 hours, DEMO turned the city into the world’s largest motion design gallery, featuring work from over 400 designers and studios worldwide. The festival did something remarkable: it proved that motion design isn’t just for screens in our phones – it’s for every screen in our lives. (And yes, even the departure boards got their moment in the spotlight.)

Typeradio: Typography with a Voice?

As co-founder of Typeradio.org in 2004, Liza transformed typography from a visual medium into an oral tradition. Starting as an internet radio stream, it evolved into design’s most unexpected archive – a collection of over 500 conversations capturing the voices, philosophies, and sometimes quirky perspectives of the industry’s most influential figures.

These aren’t just formal interviews about kerning and curves. They’re intimate conversations that reveal the human side of design, turning what could have been dry technical discussions into engaging narratives about the evolution of visual communication. From established legends to emerging voices, Typeradio has built a living archive that democratizes design knowledge.

Join Us for Yet Another Design Session

So this happened: one of Europe’s most influential designers is bringing her love for books and motion to our corner of Bucharest. (Yes, we’re still pinching ourselves.)

Whether you’re here to geek out about dynamic typography, discover how design books can shape creative DNA, or simply curious about how Dutch design culture keeps reinventing itself – this is your chance to peek behind the curtain of Studio Dumbar’s creative machinery.

Event Details:

When: February 20th, 18:00
Where: Rezidenta9, I.L. Caragiale 32, Bucharest
Follow: @booksloveliza for book woooow’s and aaaaaa’s
Register here

This Design Session is part of Glitch Library’s ongoing commitment to bringing world-class design thinking to Bucharest. As a passion-driven extension of Glitch Studio, we believe in the power of design to challenge perspectives, inspire creativity, and spark conversations that matter.

Check out Dutch designer Richard Niessen’s designer talk at the Glitch Library hosted in October last year here and an interview with yet another Dutch designer Esther de Vries here.