Wael Morcos receives the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Design for his approach to typographic and graphic design that incorporates cultural and political histories to create socially relevant visual identities and campaigns.

Born in Beirut, he earned his Bachelor’s degree in Graphic Design at Notre Dame University-Louiaze in Lebanon, before moving to the United States to pursue his MFA at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD). Now based in Brooklyn, NY, his work spans various facets of design, including typography design, branding, and identity.

Morcos is dedicated to developing modern Arabic typography and making it accessible to others. His groundbreaking approach to Arabic letterforms has led to the creation of over 10 font families alongside Khajag Apelian, making centuries of calligraphic conventions accessible in the digital age. “My aim is not only to ensure that the written form of the language is adequately represented in various digital contexts but also alive and amenable to future iterations.”

As a co-founder of Morcos Key with Jon Key, Morcos has developed successful global campaigns for major corporations including Nike, Bloomberg, and IBM. He brought his signature empathy, insight, and conscientiousness to work on important book projects for Morcos Key, including Kimberly Drew and Jenna Wortham’s Black Futures, and Jetta Grace Martin and Joshua Bloom’s Freedom! The Story of the Black Panther Party.

In addition to his work with Morcos Key and his personal work, Morcos is a co-founder of 1on1 Projects, a Brooklyn-based collective dedicated to showcasing the voices of Muslim Americans and Arab Americans.  He is also an ongoing collaborator with Mizna, a Minneapolis-based organization focused on celebrating contemporary Arab American culture and stories through prose, poetry, and art. In addition to crafting the organization’s vibrant visual identity, he designed and launched Mizna’s newsprint publication We Want Sky, which focuses on LGBTQ+ Arabs.

Awards and Accomplishments

TDC (Type Directors Club) awards (x5) for communication design, + Best in Discipline award (2023)
Lyon Arabic: Communication Arts Typography Annual (2023)
Morcos Key studio: Black Design Visionaries Impact Grant, Brooklyn Museum (2021)
Brando Arabic: Communication Arts Typography Annual (2019)
Graphik Arabic: Communication Arts Typography Annual (2018)
TDC (Type Directors Club) Ascenders (honors type-based portfolios of designers aged 35 and under) (2018)
TDC awards for communication design (2016)
Graphis Design Annual: Merit (2016)
Print Magazine, 15 Under 30: The New Visual Artists (2015)
Core77 Design Awards, Winner: Professional Category (2015)
D&AD, Wood Pencil, Graphic Design, Digital and Mobile (2015)
Creative Review Annual (2015)
TDC awards for communication design (2015)
Communication Arts Interactive Annual (2015)
Graphis Poster Annual 2015: Merit (2015)
Graphis Design Annual 2015: Silver (2015)
ADC (Art Directors Club) Young Guns XI (2014)
Print Regional Design Awards (2014)
How Magazine (x2) (2014)
Graphis New Talent 2014 Annual: Merit (2014)
TDC award for Typeface Design (2014)
TDC awards for Communication Design (x2) (2014)
Creative Quarterly (2014)
Core77 Design Awards, Winner: Student Category—USA (2013)
Output Award—Germany (2013)
Adobe Achievement awards—USA (2012)
Lebanon Web Awards 2008—Lebanon (2008)
Dutch Design Award—The Netherlands (2008)
ISTD—UK (2007)