Topos

Designing an intuitive sound-shaping experience.

Employer
Forever 89
Role
Product designer
Deliverables
UX design, Design system, Interface design, Prototype
Platform
macOS, Windows
Year
2024

Topos is a VST/AU plug-in that lets you explore the personality of classic studio gear, seamlessly blend between iconic tonal colors, and design your speaker sound down to the finest detail. I joined the Forever 89 team in fall 2024 to help shape their second product in its earliest stages. Collaborating closely with the two founders, I explored how the product could function and feel, ultimately delivering a complete product design.

A MacBook showcasing Topos, an audio plug-in from Forever 89.

Since its release in March 2025, Topos has gained attention from several news outlets:

“
It managed to bring something interesting to the table in all circumstances.
BRP
“
Forever 89 has designed another imaginative product that boldly explores uncharted sonic terrain - in more ways than one.
MusicRadar
“
I don’t know of any plugin that goes so deep but still remains so accessible.
Synth Anatomy
“
The Only Saturation and Amp Simulation Tool You’ll Ever Need?
Gearnews

The Amp and Speaker Maps

The Amp and Speaker Maps let users dynamically explore emulations, seamlessly blend tones, and discover textures beyond the reach of traditional hardware, creating a playful yet focused production workflow.

Light and Dark theme of Topos, showing Amplifier details and Speaker details respectively.

We implemented an advanced color variable system in the design system, making theming, like dark mode, far easier to manage and scale.

Fun fact: I composed the music for the announcement trailer too! Watch it below.