Casandra Gonzalez-Pistolesi

Communication Design

I’m Casandra, a communication designer living in Melbourne. Originally from Argentina, I’ve spent the past decade finding my way in Australia, where I earned my Bachelor in Design, majoring in communication design. My journey as an immigrant has taught me a lot about resilience, and to reinvent myself to turn life’s challenges into opportunities for growth.

I focus on branding, user experience (UX), and user interface (UI) design, and I’m passionate about creating designs that don’t just look great but actually work. My diverse experiences across different industries have given me the skill to transform ideas into simple and effective solutions. I approach every project with curiosity, creativity, and an eye for detail.

Outside of work you can find me hunting for treasures in op-shops, enjoying good food, or travelling. As an introvert, I draw inspiration from quiet moments and everyday life. I also have a soft spot for photography and visual arts, which have influenced how I see composition and detail in my work.

I’m excited to continue my journey in the design world, and I look forward to bringing diverse ideas and creativity to whatever comes my way.

Dan’s Empanadas

This packaging was part of a rebranding project for an Argentinian food manufacturer. The design reflects the brand’s authentic Argentinian roots while appealing to a broader Melbourne audience. It balances tradition and modernity, using colours reminiscent of the Argentinian flag and bold typography to evoke warmth and a sense of community.
Key design elements help users to identify the different empanada flavours inside the box. This project allowed me to combine my passion for branding with cultural storytelling, creating visually striking and meaningful packaging.

Let it flow

Brand identity for an Australian company producing period underwear. The brand focuses on destigmatising menstruation with a bold, empowering message. I developed a sleek, minimal design using a gender-neutral colour palette to reflect inclusivity while the logo conveys strength and fluidity. The branding balances practicality with a positive, forward-thinking approach to menstrual health. This project highlights my passion for creating design, blending functionality with impactful storytelling.

Dan’s Empanadas

ÖKO Dental Care

Branding concept for an eco-friendly dental care company. The brand emphasises sustainability and minimal waste through innovative product design and reusable packaging. I created a refined, contemporary brandmark that blends bold lines and natural elements, representing strength and eco-consciousness. The colour palette reflects trust and cleanliness, while a simple sans serif font enhances readability and reinforces the brand’s clean, modern identity. This project showcases my ability to combine aesthetics with strong, mission-driven messaging.

Let it flow

Acknowledgement of Country

The School of Design and Architecture respectfully acknowledges the Wurundjeri peoples of the Kulin Nation as the Traditional Owners and knowledge-keepers of the lands, waters and sky that surround us, where we work, learn, create, communicate and make place. We recognise that sovereignty has never been ceded and this always was and will always be Wurundjeri Country. We pay our respects to Elders past, present and to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who continue to make a better world through design.

We extend our acknowledgement to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff, students, alumni, real-life clients, and knowledge keepers, who have contributed to our own education diversity and growth. We will continue to ensure that staff and students respectfully honour ancestral connection to Country and Place in everything that they do.

We are dedicated to the notion of design to make a better world and we acknowledge that making tools, shaping place, sharing stories, making meaning, wayfinding and collaborating have long been and continue to be both central and integral to First Peoples' cultures. We recognize that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ cultural contributions have continued relevance to design practice and commit to: reconciling ancestries of design and contemporary practice as well as pursuing culturally and professionally appropriate ways to engage with a diverse population of colleagues, industries and clients. In a time of treaty-making and voice we understand that there are overlaps between caring for Country and the sustainable production of goods, services, experiences, products and buildings.

Guided by the principles of respect, reconciliation, and reciprocity we undertake to indigenising and decolonising design practice by dismantling colonial structures and challenging biases that have marginalised Indigenous voices and design.

As students of SoDA you will be given opportunities to both engage with and educate yourself in Indigenous creative practices and cultural protocols through a lens of inclusivity, diversity, respect, mutual understanding, inter-cultural dialogue in all aspects of design practice. Indigenous people have been telling stories, making tools, and connecting to Country through visual media, placemaking and place marking for more than 60,000 years and these practices are part of an ongoing, evolving and live tradition.