About Saxer Design

Background

An Auckland studio, bringing websites, photography and branding together as one process.

My creative journey began at the University of Fine Arts in Berlin, where I studied design before launching one of the city's early web-based design agencies. More than 25 years ago, I relocated to New Zealand and built a practice grounded in both worlds, the precision and rigour of European design thinking, combined with the warmth and directness of Kiwi business culture.

Over the years I have worked with businesses, organisations and professional chambers across New Zealand and internationally, helping them communicate with clarity, credibility and authenticity across different markets and audiences.

Since 2013, I have worked extensively with schools, a sector I am genuinely passionate about. I understand the unique challenges schools face: communicating their culture to prospective families, presenting themselves professionally to international audiences, and keeping their communities informed and proud.

How I work

Most organisations do not lack information. They lack clarity in how they are understood.

What is communicated internally is often not what is perceived externally. My work focuses on closing that gap.

Design is not decoration. It is translation, taking what already exists in an organisation and making it visible, structured and understandable, without reducing its meaning or complexity.

I don't separate website design, photography, branding and print. They are part of one process. Each project begins with understanding how an organisation operates, how it communicates, and how it is experienced by others. Only then does structure take shape.

Cross-cultural context

A significant part of my work sits between German and New Zealand communication contexts.

These environments differ in how clarity, tone and structure are interpreted. Understanding this ensures that communication is not only accurate, but correctly understood by different audiences.

This is especially important for organisations working across both markets, whether a New Zealand school attracting international families, or a business operating between Germany and New Zealand.

Three people at an event: a woman on the left holding a trophy, and a man and a woman in the middle and right, all smiling and dressed formally. The woman on the left is identified as Nicole Menzenbach, Germany's Ambassador to New Zealand. The woman in the middle is Britta Saxer, Founder of Saxer Design. The man on the right is Jim Bibby, President of German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce.
Gold and navy blue award badge for the German-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce. It states '2023/24 GNZCC Business Awards PREMIER CATEGORY WINNER'.

Photography

Alongside integrated design work, I also undertake independent photography commissions.

This includes long-term documentation projects such as Auckland Council's regional parks, where I photograph seasonal change across multiple locations over time, and the Pōhutukawa Coast, the stretch of coastline from Beachlands and Maraetai through to Whitford and Duder that I've been photographing for over a decade.

The annual Pōhutukawa Coast Calendar features original photography of this coastline and raises funds for local community charities. Now in its tenth year, it sells out every year.

This work focuses on observation, environment, and continuity. It informs my design practice by grounding it in real-world conditions rather than abstraction.

Visit www.pohutukawacoast.nz →

A calm river reflecting the blue sky with scattered white clouds, surrounded by green hills and rocky shoreline.
A beach at Tapakakanga Regional Park, viewed through tree branches with pink and green foliage, a grassy hillside, and the ocean in the background.
A countryside scene with a grassy pathway at Duder Regional Park, a red barn, trees, sheep grazing, a fence, and a large body of water under a blue sky with clouds.
A peaceful waterfront scene along Maraetai Coast road, with calm water, a large tree on the right, and a sky with some clouds and blue sky.
A group of sheep grazing on green grass at Duder Regioanl Park, near a body of water with foothills and mountains in the background under a cloudy sky.
Hunua Ranges Regional Park - Sunrise over rolling hills with mist in the valley, framed by lush green trees.
Hunua Ranges Regional Park - lush green forest with tall trees, ferns, and bushes surrounding a winding river under a partly cloudy sky.
Hunua Ranges Regional Park - a scenic view of a dam surrounded by trees with lush green foliage and a partly cloudy sky.
A serene forest stream in the middle of the Hunua Ranges Regional Park, surrounded by lush green trees and rocks.
A person walking on a wooden bridge between Te Puru and Omama Regional Park, surrounded by green trees and bushes, with a partly cloudy sky overhead.
Two people are standing in shallow water at the beach of Omana Regional Park, fishing with fishing rods under a partly cloudy sky.
A peaceful outdoor scene with mornig fog at Omana Regional Park, large trees, and sunlight streaming through the branches, with a picnic table in the distance.
Green hillside with cows grazing at Duder Regional Park, fenced around, overlooking a body of water with hills in the background.
A large tree with red flowers at Tapakakanga Regional Park, in front of the original homestead with red trim. The house has a porch and a white picket fence. The sky is partly cloudy.
A serene estary with green trees at Tapakakanga Regional Park, under a clear blue sky, and smooth rocks lining the water's edge.
A coastal scene with a sandy beach at Tawhitokino, a large Pohutukawa tree with its typical red flowers and greenery, and calm ocean waters in the background under a clear blue sky.
People fishing off a pier at Waitawa Regional Park, by a large body of water on a partly cloudy day.
A scenic view of a sandy beach at Waitawa Regional Park, with green grass in the foreground, calm water reflecting the partly cloudy blue sky, and a lush green hillside in the background with a few trees.
Sunset over a rural landscape at Waitawa Regional Park, with a wooden fence, a colorful pole, and rolling hills with trees in the background.
A sunlit forest path at Waitawa Regional Park, with green grass and various trees, some with long branches and others standing tall, creating a serene, natural scene.