CONNECTED PRODUCTS & SPACES
Currently I lead Accenture Song's Connected Products & Spaces team, providing creative direction to multidisciplinary teams on a variety of user experience projects. From C-Suite workshop facilitation, design research and usability testing to crafting end-to-end physical and immersive spatial experiences and consumer products, overseeing all stages of the design process.
We help turn abstract ideas into tangible solutions to envision new spatial environments, digital experiences and consumer products that redefine how people engage with the physical, digital and virtual worlds. I specialize in connecting the dots between strategic thinking and tactical build.
As part of Accenture, I've had the pleasure to work with clients such as: Nike, The Home Depot, Disney, Virgin Voyages, Meta, Marriott and Office Depot, among others.
FORWARD MEDICAL CLINICS
Named one of Time Magazine's best 25 inventions of 2017, Forward is a Healthcare startup in San Francisco, headed by entrepreneur and ex-Google Exec Adrian Aoun. Forward is a new kind of doctor’s office, bringing together world-class doctors with advanced technology to manage your health and your goals proactively. Forward stands for better quality, better access, and a better experience. Forward members have continuous access to our medical team via an app.
Building the entire system and environment from scratch allowed the team to completely re-envision how healthcare can be delivered by bypass some of the issues other health institutions struggle with due to dated tech, grandfathered-in systems and an ongoing dependency on insurance companies.
I joined the team at a very early stage so I had the opportunity to shape the physical embodiment of the original idea from scratch. During my two years at Forward, I lead both the Space and Industrial Design efforts creating the building blocks and design principles for the entire physical and spatial experience.
The projects I led included: a fully-functional prototype clinic and showroom, mobile showroom, brick and mortar systems design, 0-1 location development and deployment, custom body scanner, in-room large format touch screens and dermatoscope among others.
FORWARD MOBILE SHOWROOM
Having opened our first site on January 2017 and with our second one coming later that Fall, we began developing a mobile showroom to enable us to bring a little bit of the Forward experience to people around San Francisco and shortly after LA and any other future locations.
The main goal was to provide a glimpse into the Forward concierge healthcare service to potential members and to build brand awareness. This was the best vehicle (pun intended) for us to show the value of our membership to people throughout each city and cause hype around our upcoming new openings.
The showroom houses one custom Body Scanner, interactive touchscreen and retail display. Once deployed, 2 brand ambassadors can guide people through the experience, gather contact information for our marketing campaigns and sign people up for our service on the spot.
The main goal was to provide a glimpse into the Forward concierge healthcare service to potential members and to build brand awareness. This was the best vehicle (pun intended) for us to show the value of our membership to people throughout each city and cause hype around our upcoming new openings.
The showroom houses one custom Body Scanner, interactive touchscreen and retail display. Once deployed, 2 brand ambassadors can guide people through the experience, gather contact information for our marketing campaigns and sign people up for our service on the spot.
TORI TORI RESTAURANT
The Tori Tori restaurant is considered one of the best Japanese restaurants in Mexico and back in 2012 it was looking for a newer and bigger home.
So it moved to a bigger location in the same area of Polanco, Mexico City, where Rojkind Arquitectos and Esrawe Studio joined forces to create an architectural statement. As part of the Esrawe team, I was involved in the interior and custom furniture design of the space. The design was inspired by traditional, minimal Japanese design while keeping true to the Studio's modern style.
Different pieces were developed to create a special setting for each space. My role involved the design of a custom-made collection of chairs, sofas, counters, storage units and tables, for both exterior and interior use as well as interior space planning and design.
Tori Tori Restaurant was recognized by Architectural Digest as one of the best restaurant designs for 2012.
AZUL OAXACA
Boutique hotel located in central Oaxaca, just 300 meters from Santo Domingo Church. The Francisco Toledo-designed fountain in the cactus-walled rear patio, and individually -designed suites are the result of a very fruitful collaboration with a group of renowned, local Oaxacan artists, artisans and sculptors.
A badly kept historical villa was completely refurbished to give way to a high-end, 20-room, intimate stay. Mexico City based design studio Esrawe, transformed a crumbling building into a contemporary space that still preserves the warmth of Oaxaca by providing an atmosphere created in careful detail by local artisans.
The project was completed in 2011 and my role involved the spatial planning and design of interior spaces and new furniture pieces for common areas as well as guest rooms.
"EXPLORACIONES" EXHIBIT
All new designs were created for an exhibition at the Mexican Gallery of Design in 2009. I was in charge of developing seven brand new furniture pieces for the event. After a successful exhibition and great coverage from multiple media outlets, the pieces were incorporated to both Pirwi and Esrawe’s showroom catalogs and are currently still being manufactured and sold.
They each had their own goals and challenges. For the wooden pieces we wanted to create sculptural designs that conveyed movement and that could elevate and portray Pirwi Studio's eco-conscious fabrication capabilities in the best way possible. They play of rhythm, visual weight, repetition and the optimal use of every wooden panel were key. CNC is used for the effortless cutting of each individual part. Traditional millwork and natural glues are then utilized for the assembly and finally each piece is finished with natural oil.
For the Vari chaise we used a traditional, Mexican weaving style done with PVC string woven onto a steel structure. This results in a slightly flexible and very comfortable seat.
The Centipede bench was acquired by the High Museum in Atlanta as part of their permanent collection.
