SHAPES: Product Design Symposium

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TALK: 

What if the best design were our behaviour?

Mario Costales, together with Jennifer Orrala, are the driving force behind ArteOrrala, a cultural, artistic and social project that originated in the province of Santa Elena, on the ancestral lands of the Valdivia culture, the cradle of pottery in the Americas. Their work focuses on the urgent preservation of traditional Ecuadorian pottery, the passing on of ancestral knowledge and the training of new generations of potters.

Their products convey not only identity, but also values, behaviours and ways of relating to one another as a society. Through their collections and the ‘Experiencia en Barro’ programme, Arte Orrala has encouraged reflection on social and environmental awareness.

Find out more about their work via their social media channels.

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Talk: 

The Hidden Value: Shaping a New Perception of Ecuador

Carl Schweizer is a designer, brand strategist, and entrepreneur. Born in Austria and based in Ecuador for more than twenty years, he has built a career in which design serves as a tool for creating value, developing brands, and transforming industries.

As co-founder and Chief Brand Officer of To'ak, he has led the international positioning of one of the world’s most recognized chocolate brands, demonstrating how strategy, design, and innovation can redefine the perception of Ecuadorian cacao, create value from the source, and position Ecuador as a leader in luxury, sustainability, and excellence.

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Talk: 

Made in Ecuador: 3D printing of dense fluids using local materials

Renato Ávila Claro is an architect, researcher and specialist in digital fabrication. He is a founding partner of Automater and the Pata de Gallo Collective, director of the FabLab at the University of the Americas (UDLA) and scientific director of the Master’s in Advanced Architectural Design (MADAA).

His work combines computational design, materials science and digital fabrication processes to develop innovative solutions in architecture and construction.Through Automater, he is promoting the use of 3D printing with ceramics as a new alternative for production and experimentation in the field of design.

Find out more about his career on his social media channels.

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Talk:

Thought in Ecuador: How can design spark a new ‘Made in Ecuador’ movement?

Mateo Proaño is an Ecuadorian architect and designer specialising in advanced architecture, digital fabrication and sustainability. He currently heads the Design, Development and Innovation department at ACIMCO, where he drives the integration of digital technologies and computational methodologies to optimise architectural solutions.

He is also co-founder of Automater, an initiative focused on exploring the potential of 3D printing in ceramics and the development of new construction possibilities. His career combines professional practice, research and teaching, promoting the integration of design, technology and applied innovation.

Find out more about his career via his social media channels.

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SHAPES is an event that aims to promote the importance of product design in the local and national markets, effectively connecting key players in the sector, designers and the academic world through conferences, workshops, exhibition spaces, round-table discussions and networking sessions.

When strategically integrated, product design drives innovation, boosts competitiveness and opens up new opportunities for market development. It is not just about aesthetics or functionality, but about creating solutions that improve people’s lives whilst strengthening businesses.

Under the slogan ‘Design creates value’, this annual event aims to demonstrate that investing in design is investing in progress. Every well-designed product can become a driver of economic growth, a source of employment and a catalyst for new industries. 

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In this 7th edition of the event, we are focusing on “A sustainable and innovative approach.” During the conference, we will explore the latest trends and methodologies that integrate sustainability into product design. The goal is to build a more responsible and creative future, addressing the issue from scientific, academic, and industrial perspectives.

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On this occasion, we gathered professionals and design enthusiasts to explore the latest trends and innovative solutions in the industry and the creation of creative spaces that seek to provide solutions to physical and digital experiences.

During the event, the Product Design academic degree presented a showroom with projects and products made by students, with the aim that companies and attendees can learn how the academy considers the implementation of solutions through creative disciplines.

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In this edition, where we cover the world of packaging, we brought together raw material suppliers, manufacturers, designers, marketing specialists, entrepreneurs, and product and service providers who use customized, sustainable, and innovative packaging as part of their processes.

Through talks, interviews, podcasts, workshops, and webinars, we will take advantage of virtual technology to create curated, specialized, and strategic content and dialogues, breaking down the barriers of distance.

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In this 4th edition, SHAPES took an in-depth look at UX as the core of the user experience, addressing aspects ranging from technology, design, usability, and business.

The symposium featured conferences, workshops, showrooms, working groups, and networking sessions, emphasizing the importance of product design in the local and national market and involving key industry players, industrial designers, and academics.

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Packaging has taken on greater prominence, and the need for adequate packaging and containers is undeniable. That is why we want to turn our attention to this world.

SHAPES, 3rd Edition PACKING IN ECUADOR Product Design Symposium, is aimed at those involved in the world of packaging, and through talks, interviews, podcasts, workshops, and webinars, it will take advantage of virtuality to generate specialized content and timeliness, with content available on a platform and live events.

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The 2nd Edition of SHAPES brought together professionals, students, professors from other universities, and representatives from the private and industrial sectors. Participants engaged in roundtable discussions and enjoyed lectures, speeches, and presentations on business ideas and case studies. In his speech during the opening ceremony,

Marcelo Báez, dean of FADCOM, welcomed attendees to the symposium, highlighting the honor it was for his academic unit to host them at this event. He explained that his institution has initiated an industry-oriented design approach based on social needs, promoting design with a focus on social responsibility.

Karla Caicedo, coordinator of the Bachelor's Degree in Product Design, highlighted the need to abandon the linear view of product design, which contemplates the process of extraction, transformation, use, and disposal of materials. She also stressed the importance of reevaluating and efficiently using the resources that are currently produced.

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In 2018, SHAPES was attended by several national representatives from academia, manufacturing industries, industrial designers, entrepreneurs, and industry associations.

Among them were Cecilia Paredes, Ph.D., rector of ESPOL, Caterina Costa, president of the Chamber of Industries, and managers from leading companies such as Edesa, Indeltro, Novacero, and Mozioni Vassari. The role of product design in a company's industrial processes, Ecuador's industrial development hubs, the main challenges of design and innovation in Ecuadorian industry, and strategies for aligning the needs of industry with academia were analyzed.