Miguel Espejo

It all began in 1992, when I was only eleven. My older brother was studying graphic design at a time when there were no computers and everything was done by hand. Watching him develop ideas had a profound impact on me. I started to sit with him, and while he worked, I made my own drawings. Without realizing it, that experience marked the start of a vocation that would transform me forever. My first encounter with the structure of design came in school through technical drawing. I truly enjoyed understanding solids, breaking down their forms, and using set squares, a compass, and pencils with precision. Each sheet was a demanding game where order, cleanliness, and rigor were essential. Later, I studied at La Universidad Los Libertadores (Colombia) and graduated as a Graphic Designer with an honors thesis on visual identity design. Those years were genuinely expansive; I was able to explore artistic drawing, illustration, semiology, descriptive geometry, perspective, photography, typography, editorial design, animation, programming, and web development, among others. I acquired technical tools, but I also discovered that design was far more than a profession: it was a language of expression. My time at university was marked by a key event on this path. In my sixth semester I won the PAD Academic Design Award 2004 from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) with an industrial design product called D2. Being recognized in an area of design that was not directly related to my studies filled me with confidence, and I decided to follow the call of my own ideas. For more than a decade I worked as a freelance graphic designer, developing projects for companies seeking visual clarity and coherence. I strengthened my skills in advertising design, product photography, and print production, with a particular focus on the floriculture sector, where aesthetic sensitivity is essential. In 2017 I faced a professional crisis that led me to reinvent myself. I opened a private tattoo studio called inktegral, where design, drawing, and photography took on a new dimension in the midst of skin and emotions. It was a very human and transformative period that gave me the emotional reward companies could not provide. At the same time, I was quietly developing the sculptural furniture project that brought me here. Fractal 9 was recognized with the A’ Design Award 2025, marking a milestone in my career and the beginning of a new chapter. Today I feel I chose to be a designer because designing is the deepest way to understand and honor life as the result of a greater design.

Today, I don't have a formally established company, but I do have a studio that grows from within. It is an intimate creative space where creativity, intuition, and the search for meaning come together. It’s not a physical place, but an inner space where the language of design becomes a message.

Design is the origin of everything. I do not see it merely as a human discipline, but as a force that structures life itself. It is enough to observe natural order to discover patterns, structures, rhythms, and proportions that are not accidental. Every form and every function respond coherently to a purpose. I believe we were designed, and therefore designing is also an act of recognition, a way of remembering who we are. It does not matter whether it is a logo, a piece of furniture, or a book: every design is an opportunity to manifest our own creative nature.

I enjoy designing logos. They strike me as deeply powerful visual structures: small in size, yet enormous in meaning. They are like graphic seeds that can hold the entire identity of an idea, a business, or a cause. It amazes me to see how stories can be told through the simplicity of forms. Even so, what attracts me most is stepping into new territories where there are no certainties or preset formulas. I want to design more projects that challenge me to learn, integrate knowledge, and find answers.

Without a doubt, Fractal 9. It is the design that changed my life and my way of seeing the world. It was born as a response to a personal need to make use of a space in the living room of the apartment where I lived. Yet over time it evolved into a piece that goes beyond form and function to acquire deep meaning. It became a vehicle of artistic expression that conveys a message of order, balance, and unity. I discovered that within it lived a mathematical pattern present in nature. I understood that it was not just a piece of furniture, but a doorway to the understanding of a greater order. The consistency and beauty of this pattern led me to follow its trace and turned into a thrilling exploration that became the source of inspiration for writing and designing the book The Number of God? where I begin to present evidence found within the warren of this knowledge. I had never designed a piece of furniture before, nor had I written a book. But this experience taught me that when an idea chooses you, the only thing left is to say yes.

It was in 2006, while I was still at university. I worked on a rose catalogue for a company called Milonga Flowers, and I was responsible for product photography, design, and printing. The first version was not good, the lack of experience was obvious. Yet that situation allowed me to learn: the client gave me the chance to redo everything, and he was very pleased with the second delivery. This left me with a great lesson: there is always room to improve when you have the capacity to reflect and the will to act.

Pencil and paper will always be my favorite materials. They let me capture, in the moment, whatever is happening inside. Later on, platforms like Illustrator and Photoshop are essential to shape those ideas and turn them into finished pieces. I am now beginning to explore artificial intelligence, integrating it consciously into the creative process to broaden perspective, deepen analysis, and enrich thinking.

Sometimes creativity emerges in silence, when everything seems still. Over the years, though, I have learned that its true drive is born from movement: it appears when I start doing. It is not an epiphany that falls from the sky, but a response that rises from the dialogue among intuition, reason, and action. Each stroke, each attempt, each mistake opens a new door to what might be. Creativity behaves like an underground river: you do not always see it, yet when you dig with patience and faith you eventually find it.

I focus on structural aspects; it is like building a house. If the foundations are strong, everything else can rise safely. That invisible structure gives coherence to the whole and allows details to flow with freedom and beauty.

When I design, it stirs up a lot. I usually feel excited, because there’s something to solve. But I also feel nervous. Ideas start coming, not too clear, kind of messy at first. Sometimes it’s frustrating when things don’t look like what I had in mind. Still, that part is what keeps me going. What I enjoy most is the moment when the design begins to reveal itself and the pieces start to fit. Feeling that what I am creating has meaning, purpose, and beauty is deeply satisfying. The creative process lets me stay present, focused, and connected with myself.

When a design turns out and really says what I was hoping for, I feel something real. It’s not just about how it looks, it’s also everything that led to it. There’s this kind of joy that comes from the whole process. It reminds me why I care about this work, and why it matters to give everything to each idea.

A design is successful when, through harmony, it clearly accomplishes its intent and, at the same time, connects with something deeper in the person who receives it, because it has soul. It achieves this through harmony, as the result of a balance between reason and emotion.

I cannot escape aesthetics! The first thing I assess is how it looks, whether it captures my attention and sparks an emotion. Then I ask why it looks that way, what logic guided its formal decisions. Finally, I try to understand its purpose and whether it achieved it. For me, a good design must speak clearly through its form, stand on its intention, and rest on a solid concept.

Desing It is not only about solving visual or functional problems, but about understanding the impact our decisions have on the environment and on people. We run into things all the time that don’t make much sense. Stuff we throw out, systems that waste resources, things that make life harder for someone. Most of the time, it’s not about lacking talent. It’s about not asking the right questions. Design shouldn’t be about going faster, selling more, or making things look nice. It should be about life. I honestly believe we can redesign everything. Not just the objects, but the systems, the habits, and the ways we live. That’s the part that matters to me. Using design to build something better.

Design is ceasing to be an isolated discipline and becoming a transversal practice. It is no longer enough for something to look good or work; what now matters is how it relates to its surroundings, what impact it generates, what system it belongs to, and what message it conveys. I believe design is called to be a tool for cultural, ethical, and ecological transformation. More and more, it is integrating with science, technology, art, education, and spirituality. In that integration lies a fertile field for imagining new possible futures. Designing will increasingly be a form of thought, a language that shapes not only objects but also relationships, meanings, and the invisible structures that define our experience as humanity.

It was in 2004, as the winner of the PAD Academic Design Award from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Colombia. I took part in a traveling exhibition with the other winners that toured several of the country’s leading universities. I want my next exhibition to take place in 2026. It will be an immersive installation to present Fractal 9, where design, art, mathematics, and consciousness converge. The aim is to create an environment in which each visitor can feel, discover, understand, and remember the fractal order of life not as theory, but as lived experience.

Nothing inspires me more than the shapes, materials, textures, colors, and structures of nature. I see in it a display of creativity that surpasses everything. My creativity is nourished through dialogue with my surroundings and exchanges with others. I enjoy reflecting on life and questioning what we take for granted. I am motivated by the beauty of simplicity, the depth of symbolism, and the signs that appear when you stay attentive to the present.

I have not yet defined a clear line, because my path has been marked by constant experimentation. For that reason, it is hard for me to speak of a specific or recognizable style. If I had to point to one constant, it would be the search for balance between form and concept. I can say that my focus is on communicating with harmony, no matter the vehicle: a logo, a photograph, a tattoo, a piece of furniture, or a book.

I live in Colombia. Although my work does not literally reflect my country’s visual traditions, I know my sensitivity is shaped by its beauty, diversity, and complexity. My search is oriented toward the aesthetic, the symbolic, and the universal, but that viewpoint is born here. I carry my country in the way I observe the world, even when I try to transcend it. Designing from Colombia has advantages: I feel I have what I need within reach and the freedom to explore without many restrictions. But it also has challenges. There is no well-developed design culture here, which often means the value of one’s work is not recognized. That can be discouraging, yet it can also reinforce the commitment to doing things well, out of conviction and not only for recognition.

I’ve always worked as an external collaborator, taking on freelance projects of all kinds. I can adapt easily to different industries and ways of communicating. I tend to get fully involved in every step of the process, from the first concept to the final delivery. I really value having creative freedom, but I also think clear goals and open communication with the client are just as important. That mix has helped me keep things consistent and build long-term working relationships.

I believe the first step is to look at the portfolio, because there you can see the designer’s approach, taste, and technical level. Beyond that, it is essential to observe personality and the willingness to listen and translate ideas into clear proposals. The relationship between company and designer works best when there is mutual respect, clear objectives, and honest communication from the outset. When these factors align, results usually exceed expectations.

It starts with a moment of reflection. I need to really understand what we’re aiming for, see the context clearly, and define the goal. From there, I begin collecting visual and conceptual references connected to the theme. That early immersion helps ideas begin to surface. I then move to creative exploration, where I develop drafts or sketches that establish a base for decision-making. These first strokes help me visualize possible paths and determine which one has more strength or coherence to reach the objective. The process is flexible, yet always guided by a clear purpose.

More than sophisticated objects, my favorite pieces are those that balance functionality, aesthetics, and personal meaning: 1.My bed, because it represents a place of rest, reflection, and renewal. Design in service of well-being. 2.My terrariums, small contained fractals that remind me of the beauty of detail and the power of the microcosm. 3.Fractal 9, because it is not just furniture; it is the physical manifestation of a profound idea that marked a turning point in my life. 4.Several paintings that, beyond the visual, act as emotional windows to the past, to symbolism, or to inspiration. 5.Books, of course, because editorial design mixes rhythm, order, silence, and message. Each one is a designed experience.

My day starts between 6 and 7 a.m. with a walk or workout session in the park. It is a vital moment to breathe, clear the mind, connect with the body, and prepare for what lies ahead. I then handle some basic household tasks and settle in to work for the rest of the day. During the last year and a half, I have been entirely focused on this new professional stage. Although I have rested little, I feel each day has been a deep investment in the purpose that guides me. There are no major distractions or luxuries of time. My routine is not perfect, but it is fertile. Each day is a commitment to build something that transcends the immediate.

First, learning to think long term is essential, because good design requires time and maturity. Second, fall in love with the idea, it so you will not abandon it when doubts and setbacks arise. Remember that the stones on the path are the path itself. Lastly, cultivate intuition, confidence, and discipline. Design processes are also opportunities for personal growth.

I think, the positive side lies in the power to make the invisible visible, to materialize ideas, and to create solutions for the common good with meaning, harmony, and purpose. But there is also a harder side: when design becomes a means to manipulate, to generate empty consumption and destruction. When meaning is lost and only aesthetics, commerce, or power are prioritized. That is why I believe design needs ethics. It is not enough to know how to do it; we must ask why and for whom. Designing is not only a skill, it is a responsibility.

“Form responds to concept.” A good design is not imposed, it is revealed. Form must be a natural consequence of the concept. When an idea is truly understood, every stroke, every aesthetic choice, every detail becomes a faithful expression of its essence. Design must speak clearly… even in absolute silence.

To grasp the concept. Not just skim it, but dive to its core and bring it back as form, message, and experience. Everything else, like tools, styles, and languages, are just vehicles serving that deep understanding that lets design breathe with meaning. A design without a concept is only decoration.

My toolbox starts with the simplest things: pencil and paper. They are the starting point for thinking freely, without technical constraints or imposed structures. That is where the first ideas appear, the raw strokes that later take shape. Some design books accompany me as creative beacons, and of course, the internet is an endless source of visual and conceptual references. In the digital realm, Illustrator and Photoshop are essential; they allow me to translate those initial ideas into precise, versatile final pieces. But beyond the technical, I believe the most important tool is attention.

I admit this is one of my weaknesses. I do not usually track time strictly because, for me, designing is not a task; it is an immersion where the clock fades into the background. Although this sometimes means working more hours than ideal, it also lets me reach meaningful results. My time management is not mathematical, it is emotional: I follow the project’s pulse, not the stopwatch.

It is hard to answer because each design has its own rhythm. Creativity does not follow a schedule; it follows an inner pulse that sometimes moves smoothly and sometimes resists. Some pieces resolve in hours, others may take years to reveal themselves fully. An object takes the time it needs to become something true. For me, time is not a constraint but part of the creative process. Design ripens; it should not be rushed.

One of the most frequent and least pleasant questions is: “Could you give me a discount?” Many people do not realize that when I design, I hold nothing back. I devote myself fully and usually try to deliver more than expected. Design is not a service to be bargained like a product on sale. It is a professional, emotional, and symbolic offering that deserves fair value. Behind every line there are hours of experience, study, intuition, and commitment.

Fractal 9 has been the most important work of my life, not only for the recognition of the A’ Design Award but for the process I went through to develop it. It was a project that required me to integrate what I knew with what I did not. A path driven by love for the idea that spanned exploration, conceptual design, and research, as well as execution, documentation, and an international submission. I did it with no team, no external funding, and no institutional backing. A test of commitment, vision, and resilience. It confirmed that design, when it is born from the heart, can become a total work with the power to transform both the creator and those who experience it.

I have worked with varied clients. As a graphic designer, I have collaborated mainly with flower growers who want their product to be presented beautifully and at the level it deserves. In that context, visual sensitivity is key to showcasing natural beauty with elegance and professionalism. As a tattoo artist, I have worked with very formal people who wish to leave a meaningful, intimate, and carefully crafted mark on their bodies. Each project has been a unique experience of human connection and personalized design, which I have documented through valuable photographic portraits that highlight not only the tattoos but also the people. They are living canvases with an identity and a unique story to tell.

What I enjoy most is developing personal projects because they let me create without external constraints and connect with my most authentic vision. In those intimate spaces, design stops being a commission and becomes a discovery. There I can explore freely, experiment without fear, and satisfy not only a functional need but also an inner inquiry.

My next step is to take Fractal 9 into its industrial phase. It was recognized with the A’ Design Award while still a conceptual design, and now it must move to its next natural stage to inhabit real spaces, carry its message, and be shared with people. I also plan to write and design a second digital book titled 9... The Forbidden Fruit, as a continuation of the already published The Number of God? In this new installment I will go deeper into the findings of the exploration of the digital root formula, the pattern of the number 9, and its connection to the structure of natural order. My purpose is clear: to keep creating from intuition and awareness, translating the invisible into something that can be felt, understood, and shared.

Most of my projects have been developed on my own. Not by absolute choice, but to preserve the integrity of the process. I have learned that not everyone shares the same level of commitment, sensitivity, and respect that ideas deserve. Even so, I believe in genuine collaborative work. When there is ethical and emotional affinity, design becomes a powerful conversation. That is why I deeply value the people with whom I have been able to work from respect and love for this profession, like my friends at Fluxus Visual. What would humanity be without teamwork?

The exploration of the digital root formula and the pattern of the number 9 that gave rise to the concept of Fractal 9 continues to expand, consistently revealing itself in new structures. The aim of this project is to help awaken our collective consciousness through evidence of the mathematical order of nature, of which we are a part. “Creation is a poem written with numbers.”

You can contact me through the form on my personal website: www.miguelespejo.com, or by writing directly to the email address contact@miguelespejo.com. I will be delighted to receive your messages. Every good dialogue begins with a question.

I would like to share a little more about the project that brought me here. Fractal 9 goes beyond form and function to become a vehicle of artistic and symbolic expression that conveys a message of order, balance, and unity. It reminds us that we are part of a fractal nature in which every element has a purpose within a larger system. It is an invitation to look within and ask yourself: What is your purpose?

I am a multidisciplinary designer with more than a decade of experience. I studied at La Universidad Los Libertadores (Colombia) and graduated as a Graphic Designer with an honors thesis on visual identity design. During my studies I won the PAD Academic Design Award from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) with an industrial design project called D2. I worked as a freelance designer for floriculture companies such as Sagaro Flowers, always with a highly personalized and professional approach. I have also developed projects in corporate identity, editorial design, product photography, packaging design, web development, and print production. This diversity has let me explore multiple visual languages and functional approaches. In recent years I entered a stage of reinvention. I opened a private tattoo studio called inktegral, where design, drawing, and photography took on a new dimension on skin and emotion, marking a deeply human and transformative period in my career. At the same time I quietly developed the sculptural furniture project Fractal 9, which was recognized with the A’ Design Award 2025. The concept behind this project also sparked my interest in writing and designing a first digital book titled The Number of God?, where I begin to present the mathematical pattern that sustains it and its link to natural order. Today I can say my path as a designer has been defined by experimentation and transformation, allowing me to learn, discover, and continually open myself to new possibilities.

It all began in 1992, when I was eleven. My older brother was studying graphic design at a time when there were no computers and everything was done by hand. Watching him develop ideas affected me deeply. I started to sit beside him, and while he worked, I made my own drawings. Without knowing it, that experience marked the start of a vocation that would transform me forever. My first encounter with design structure came at school through technical drawing. I loved understanding solids, breaking down their forms, and using set squares, a compass, and pencils with precision. Each sheet was a demanding exercise where order, cleanliness, and rigor were essential. Later I studied Graphic Design at university, where I had the chance to learn artistic drawing, materials, descriptive geometry, perspective, semiology, photography, typography, animation, programming, web development, and editorial design, among other subjects. It was a truly expansive period that gave me technical tools but also showed me that design was more than a profession: it was a language of expression. Freelance work let me take part in a wide range of projects that strengthened different skills and shaped my multidisciplinary profile. I believe creativity is encoded in humanity’s DNA, because we too are the result of the creative design of a greater order.

When I design, my priorities are threefold: understand the concept in depth, structure the project clearly, and achieve an execution that reflects beauty and coherence. I always aim for the idea to be beautifully mirrored, not merely understood. My process begins with an inward phase: I need to grasp what is to be achieved, understand the context, and clarify the intent. From there, I gather visual and conceptual references related to the subject. This immersion fuels the emergence of ideas. Depending on the project, I create drafts or schemes, physical models, or digital visualizations that let me build a base for decision-making. I care deeply about the balance between structure and symbolism; I want form to respond to concept.

Designing is a complete emotional experience. At first, the challenge ahead excites me. There is a mix of enthusiasm and anxiety while ideas settle and take shape. It can be frustrating when the result has not yet reached what I imagine, yet that same challenge pushes me forward. When the design reveals itself and manages to express what I sought, I feel genuine joy that comes not only from the outcome but from a process that keeps me present, focused, and connected with myself. It is a sense of fulfillment that reminds me why I do what I do and why it is worth giving myself entirely to each idea.

Beyond technical knowledge, several abilities have been essential on my path as a designer: curiosity, the capacity to listen attentively, to observe deeply, and to understand the background of each project. My taste for order, logic, and analysis has also been crucial. These skills let me structure ideas and make clear decisions that lead to designs both aesthetic and meaningful. Moreover, experiences such as tattooing taught me to connect with people, while working with flowers, portraits, and numbers has enriched my sensitivity and vision as a designer.

I have grown by following intuition and letting each stage transform me. My next step is to take Fractal 9 into its industrial phase. It was recognized with the A’ Design Award while still a conceptual design, and now it must move to its next natural stage to inhabit real spaces, carry its message, and be shared with people. I also plan to write and design a second digital book titled 9... The Forbidden Fruit, as a continuation of the already published The Number of God? In this new installment I will delve deeper into the findings of my exploration of the digital root formula, the pattern of the number 9, and its connection to the structure of natural order. My dream is to create an immersive installation around the concept of Fractal 9, where design, mathematics, art, and consciousness converge. An experience in which every visitor can feel, discover, and remember the fractal order of life not as theory but as lived reality. My purpose is clear: to keep creating from intuition, to design with awareness, and to translate the invisible so it can be felt, understood, and shared.

Learning to think long term is essential, because good design requires time and maturity. Fall in love with the idea so you will not abandon it when doubts and setbacks appear. Remember that the stones on the path are the path itself. Cultivate intuition, confidence, and discipline, because the design process is also a chance for personal growth. One of the best tips I ever received was, “It is better to take an imperfect step than none at all.” That helped me stop waiting for ideal conditions and trust the process more. So move forward, and do the best you can with what you have today.

I believe success in design is not only about talent, but about the ability to stand by an idea and develop it with time. That’s why I suggest staying away from the pressure of quick recognition. The goal is not to be faster, but to go deeper. Remain curious. Explore other disciplines, question what seems obvious, and listen closely to your intuition. It tends to point the way.

I admit it is not ideal, because there is no real balance among rest, personal life, and work. For the last year and a half, I have been fully focused on advancing this new professional stage. My day starts between six and seven in the morning with a walk or workout in the park. It is a vital moment to breathe, clear my mind, connect with my body, and prepare for what lies ahead. I then handle some basic household tasks and settle in to work for the rest of the day. There are no major distractions or luxuries of time. My routine is not perfect, but it is fertile. Each day is a commitment to build something that transcends the immediate.

I do not usually follow trends directly, yet I recognize they can reflect valuable social concerns. Sometimes they enrich design, especially when they arise from real needs such as sustainability or collective well-being. I believe in design with soul, able to converse with its time yet not depend on it.

I cannot escape aesthetics. The first thing I assess is how it looks, because form is the first impression. I then observe whether the form responds to the concept, to verify the logic behind its choices. Finally, I ask what its purpose was and whether it is fulfilling it. For me, good design is born from a solid concept: it feels coherent, clear, and present. When you see a well-designed project, something inside recognizes it effortlessly. The most common mistake is designing only to please, without depth. A good design should not only look good; it must have soul.

It is a feeling, a sense that everything is in balance. When that happens, I usually share the result with a few people whose judgment I trust; their opinions help confirm or question my initial perception. Often an outside view lets me notice details I had overlooked, and that improves the final outcome. I then step back for a while, so I can return later with fresh eyes to confirm or adjust key decisions. This dynamic helps ideas evolve and reach their best version. Although there are moments of balance that allow me to consider a design finished, I believe there is always room to keep improving.

Without a doubt, my most important design work is Fractal 9. It began as a response to a personal need to use a space in the living room of the apartment where I lived, and today it is internationally recognized thanks to the prestigious A' Design Award. Inspired by the simplicity and complexity of nature’s fractal structures, the piece establishes a dialogue between the geometric and the organic, the rational and the spontaneous. Its sculptural presence sparks the imagination and encourages a more conscious, creative, and emotional connection with the surroundings. It features a modular assembly system that lets it function as an Integral Unit or split into two Essential Units to organize books, display objects, or serve as a versatile surface adaptable to various settings. Beyond form and function, this work is a vehicle of artistic and symbolic expression that conveys a message of order, balance, and unity. It reminds us that we are part of a fractal nature in which every element has a purpose within a larger system. It is an invitation to look within and ask yourself, What is your purpose? For this reason, I believe the greatest aspect of the project is its concept and its ability to raise our awareness of natural order. Fractal 9 changed my life, taught me that designing is also discovering, and opened the door to a new understanding of what has always been there.

My favorite designer is called nature, which I recognize as the great master of design. There is no greater expression of creativity than the forms, materials, textures, colors, patterns, and structures she presents with absolute efficiency and beauty. Airplanes were inspired by birds, radar by bats, propellers by maple seeds, and solar panels by leaves. Nature not only solves problems with elegance; it holds within it the principles of life itself. “If mathematics is the language of nature, the answer is there.”

Right now my lifestyle is called working all day, so my routine revolves around thinking, designing, writing, and building a message I believe is important to share. Beyond the profession, I love the beach, connecting with the sea and surfing, not only for the experience of riding waves but because being there makes me feel part of something larger. I am from Colombia, the country of beauty. My culture is rich in colors, contrasts, and complexities, a beautiful and fertile land where life is expressed with passion and diversity. We are known worldwide for being friendly, joyful, and hardworking. We have also faced very difficult times that have made us a strong and resilient people who refuse to fall. I carry my country in the way I look at the world, even when I seek something that transcends it.

My work culture is grounded in honesty, commitment, and a genuine drive for excellence. I approach each project with care, convinced that every idea deserves to be understood and carried out properly. In terms of business, I favor flexible models that allow for clear goals and creative freedom. I'm drawn to projects with purpose, depth, and the potential to make an impact. I value working relationships built on trust, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to quality.

Following the trail of the mathematical pattern that inspired the conceptual principles of Fractal 9 also marked the start of a deep exploration that revealed its presence in natural order, influencing processes such as the cell duplication that shapes animals and plants. This awakened in me the need to start writing so I could share what I was finding, because I see in this knowledge the potential to expand our consciousness and inspire new ways of seeing and inhabiting the world.

I am preparing to live the experience with full presence and gratitude on July 17. Even so, I can already say that this recognition has been the most positive event of my professional life, because it confirmed that intuition, perseverance, and coherence have value. Beyond the result, taking part in the A’ Design Award was important as an opportunity to structure the idea, deepen its message, and translate it into a solid proposal that elevated the project’s level.

Everything began in 1992, when I was only eleven. My older brother was studying graphic design at a time when computers did not exist and everything was done by hand. Watching him develop ideas affected me deeply. I started to accompany him, and while he worked, I made my own drawings. Without knowing it, that experience marked the start of a vocation that would transform me forever. My first encounter with the structure of design came at school through technical drawing. I truly enjoyed understanding solids, breaking down their shapes, and using set squares, a compass, and pencils with precision. Each sheet was a demanding exercise where order, cleanliness, and rigor were decisive. Later I studied at La Universidad Los Libertadores (Colombia) and graduated as a Graphic Designer with an honors thesis on visual identity design. I had the chance to learn artistic drawing, materials, descriptive geometry, perspective, semiology, photography, typography, animation, programming, web development, and editorial design, among others. That was a truly expansive period that gave me technical tools and showed me that design was far more than a profession: it was a language of expression. My time at university was shaped by a key event. In my sixth semester I won the PAD Academic Design Award 2004 from Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia) with an industrial design product called D2. Being recognized in a branch of design not directly related to my studies filled me with confidence, and I decided to follow the call of my own ideas. I then spent more than a decade working as a freelance graphic designer, developing projects for companies seeking visual clarity and coherence. I strengthened my skills in advertising design, product photography, and print production, with a particular focus on the floriculture sector, where aesthetic sensitivity is essential. In 2017 I went through a professional crisis that led me to reinvent myself. I chose to step into new territory and opened a private tattoo studio called inktegral. There, design, drawing, and photography found new meaning in the intimacy of skin and emotion. It was a deeply personal and transformative chapter in my career. At the same time, I was quietly developing Fractal 9, a sculptural furniture project that would later receive the A’ Design Award in 2025. Looking back, I see a path shaped by constant experimentation and change. It has been a journey of learning, discovery, and openness to new directions.

Designing allows me to understand the world. It’s a way to explore, question, and propose. I’m motivated by the possibility of transforming an idea into something tangible, of connecting the abstract with the real. I didn’t choose design as a conventional career. It was an inner calling. From a very young age, I was fascinated by forms, systems, and the logic behind what we see. When I discovered that design could serve as a bridge between reason and emotion, I knew it was my path.

Becoming a designer was an answer to an inner call. It was a decision made in complete freedom, and I reaffirm it with every step I take. I wish to do something that makes me happy and lets me reflect the harmony I want to see in the world.

I design connections between meaning and form that can take shape in different languages. I especially value logos because they are deeply powerful visual structures: small in size yet enormous in meaning. It amazes me how stories can be told through the simplicity of shapes. Even so, what attracts me most is stepping into new territories where there are no certainties or preset formulas. I want to design more projects that challenge me to learn, integrate knowledge, and find answers.

First, learn to think long term, because good design needs time and maturity. Second, fall in love with the idea so you will not abandon it when doubts or setbacks appear. Remember that the stones along the path are the path itself. Finally, nurture your intuition, confidence, and discipline. Every design process can also be a space for personal growth. A legendary designer doesn’t follow shortcuts. Their path is built with consistency between their beliefs, their creations, and what they offer to the world.

A good designer can solve a problem, a great designer can reveal it. A good designer looks for answers, a great designer formulates new questions. A good designer does what is expected, a great designer breaks the mold. A great designer can transform how people see, feel, or understand the world. Greatness lies not in style, but in the level of awareness and depth of thought behind the work.

A truly good design is felt before it is understood. It has presence, coherence, and purpose. When you see it, something inside you recognizes it effortlessly. I assess design by three factors: form, reasoning, and intent. I first observe whether it is beautiful, then whether there is logic behind its choices, and finally whether it fulfils its purpose. A good design not only works and looks good, it also reaches something deeper because it has soul.

Good design improves life. It makes things work better, be understood clearly, and be lived with greater well-being. Investing in good design is not a luxury; it is a strategic decision that separates objects that merely occupy space from those that truly add value. It is an invisible asset silently enhancing each of our experiences.

I would design a furniture line inspired by the geometric and symbolic principles I explored in Fractal 9. A set of modular pieces that give shape to the natural order through a quiet, meaningful language. I’d do it for those who see beauty as something deeper, and who want to feel connected to their space and to themselves.

I dream of creating an immersive space around the concept of Fractal 9, where design, art, math, and consciousness come together. A place where each person can feel it, explore it, and remember the fractal order of life, not as theory but as something lived.

The recipe blends attention to understand, interpretation to translate, and intent to turn the concept into a coherent, tangible experience. The secret ingredient is emotional connection, because design is not only about solving. It is about feeling in order to convey. If I had to add another ingredient, it would be emotional connection. When what I design moves me, it moves others too. It’s not just about solving, but about feeling and communicating.

Nature is my deepest inspiration, the great master of design. No expression surpasses the efficiency and beauty of the forms, materials, textures, colors, patterns, and structures she reveals. Among people, I admire designers who have had the courage to follow their vision without concessions, those who devoted themselves to an honest search and delivered a truthful message. Leonardo da Vinci for his ability to combine disciplines, Dieter Rams for functional clarity, and Buckminster Fuller for his systemic view of design as a tool for transformation.

I like designs that do not shout, those that reveal with simplicity the complexity within, that transcend the object and become unforgettable. Take the Arco lamp by Achille Castiglioni, able to transform a space with a gesture so clean and elegant, it is striking. Or the Zig-Zag chair by Gerrit Rietveld, a line that removes everything unnecessary and turns simplicity into a statement. And the first iPod from Apple, the first time I turned that wheel I felt I held a device from the future.

Without a doubt, my most important design work is Fractal 9, a piece that began as a response to a personal need to use a space in my living room and is now internationally recognized thanks to the prestigious A' Design Award. First, its aesthetics. Inspired by the simplicity and complexity of nature’s fractal structures, it establishes a dialogue between the geometric and the organic, the rational and the spontaneous. Its sculptural presence sparks imagination and encourages a more conscious, creative, and emotional connection with the surroundings. Second, its modular assembly system, which lets it function as an Integral Unit or divide into two Essential Units to organize books, display objects, or act as a versatile surface adaptable to different contexts. Beyond form and function, this work is a vehicle of artistic expression that conveys a message of order, balance, and unity. It reminds us that we are part of a fractal nature in which every element has a purpose within a larger system, an invitation to look within and ask yourself: What is your purpose? Most important, though, is its power to affect people through its concept, a mathematical pattern that transcends the object because it is also present in natural order, influencing processes such as the cell-duplication sequence that shapes animals and plants. Fractal 9 changed my life, taught me that design is also discovery, and opened the door to a new understanding of what has always been there.

Technique improves with practice, but sensitivity grows through attention and awareness. I listen more, observe more, and above all question more: the client, the context, the material, the mistake, because each always has something to say. Perhaps most important is to stop rushing, because good design is like a marvelous fruit that needs time to ripen.

I would have been a farmer, an animal protector, and a surfer, something that connected me with nature, the essential rhythms of life, and the body. I have always felt a deep need to be near the sea, natural cycles, and beings that live without hurry or pretense.

Design is a way to honor life itself as the result of a greater, conscious, intelligent design. It is the power to translate the abstract into tangible experience through structured thinking with sensitivity. It is not only about creating things but about establishing relationships and resolving tensions that help us live better and serve more.

My greatest support has come from my family circle: my mother, father, sister, and two brothers. They have stood by me, trusting me even when things were unclear, and their emotional backing has been the foundation on which I have felt free to build. Equally important were the teachers who let me doubt, the friends who listened, the people who believed in me, and also those who did not along the way. To all of them, I offer my sincere gratitude.