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Design Beyond Aesthetics
A design journal exploring design, architecture, visual culture, and contemporary creativity through critical observation and cultural analysis.
The blog examines how visual systems shape identity, power, and perception in contemporary society — connecting form, meaning, and creative intelligence. Published on otaviosantiago.com, it reflects an independent designer’s perspective on how design operates beyond aesthetics, as a cultural and political force.


A Metallic Paper Piggy Bank That Teaches Children to Save and Give
PLANBUREAU Studio has created a metallic paper piggy bank for the Hungarian branch of Red Noses International , an organization supporting hospital clown doctors. The brief was simple but challenging: design an object for the charity shop that teaches children how to save—and how to donate—while keeping the retail price under 10 EUR and production costs low. The result is a playful, build-it-yourself piggy bank made entirely of paper, turning a familiar object into a small
17 hours ago


Creative Branding Solutions for Unique Identities
In a world flooded with countless brands and businesses, standing out is no longer a luxury - it’s a necessity. How do you carve a space that feels truly yours? How do you ensure your identity resonates deeply and memorably? The answer lies in embracing unique branding solutions that reflect your essence and captivate your audience. Today, I want to take you on a journey through the art and science of crafting identities that don’t just speak but sing. Why Unique Branding So
3 days ago


Design and 3D: From Visual Experimentation to Cultural Language
Design and 3D are no longer separate territories. What began as technical experimentation has evolved into a new visual language — one that reshapes how we experience identity, space, and digital culture. 3D is not just a tool. It is a shift in perception. How Design and 3D Started to Converge The relationship between design and 3D began quietly, inside software labs and motion studios. Early 3D tools were complex, slow, and reserved for specialists in animation or industria
Feb 15


Design and Art: Where Visual Culture, Function, and Expression Intersect
The relationship between design and art has shaped visual culture for centuries. While often treated as separate disciplines, design and art continuously influence, challenge, and redefine one another. Together, they form a shared language of expression, structure, meaning, and cultural reflection . Design is commonly associated with function, clarity, and communication. Art is associated with expression, interpretation, and autonomy. Yet in practice, the boundary between
Feb 11


Design and Culture: How Visual Language Shapes Contemporary Meaning
Design and culture are inseparable. Every visual system carries cultural codes, historical references, and social values that shape how meaning is produced and perceived. From exhibitions and institutions to music, architecture , and digital platforms, design operates as a cultural language — one that translates ideas into visual structures capable of engaging emotion, memory, and knowledge. Design and Culture as a Visual Language Design functions beyond aesthetics. It is a
Feb 3


Design in Conflict: Lebanese Students Reimagine Design for Life Under War
Design in Conflict is an exhibition that brings together architecture and design students from Lebanon to confront the realities of living under continuous instability. Hosted inside Beirut’s abandoned Burj El Murr skyscraper, the show presents speculative yet deeply practical projects addressing life shaped by war, interruption, and resilience. Organised by Archifeed alongside product designer Youssef Bassil and design engineer Tark Mahmoud, the exhibition positions design
Jan 28


LEO Flight Unveils the Electric Solo JetBike — A Propeller-Free Personal Air Vehicle for Unlicensed Pilots
An Electric Solo JetBike With Enclosed Jet Propulsion Instead of Propellers LEO Flight has introduced the electric Solo JetBike , a compact one-person aircraft concept that hovers using electric jets instead of propellers . This innovative design serves as a low-altitude personal air vehicle that requires no pilot’s license . The electric Solo JetBike proposes a radically different approach to ultralight aviation. Following the still-concept LEO Coupe , the JetBike utilizes
Jan 22


Understanding the Allure of Minimalist Techno Aesthetics
Minimalist techno aesthetics have carved out a unique space in the world of electronic music and design. Their subtle power lies in the art of less - a deliberate choice to strip away excess and focus on the essence. But what exactly draws us to this refined style? Why does it resonate so deeply with creative minds and brands alike? As someone who has explored the intersection of sound and visual storytelling, I find the allure of minimalist techno both fascinating and instr
Jan 18


Les Caryatides Guyancourt: When Irony Becomes Architectural Infrastructure
Les Caryatides Guyancourt and French Postmodernism Les Caryatides Guyancourt stands as one of the most provocative expressions of French postmodern architecture from the early 1990s. Designed by Manuel Núñez Yanowsky, the housing complex emerges at a moment when architects in France were actively rejecting late-modern functionalism and reintroducing history, symbolism, and theatrical form into the built environment. Alongside figures like Ricardo Bofill and Christian de Port
Jan 16


The Value of Professional Design Services: Elevating Your Brand’s Visual Story
In today’s fast-paced digital world, first impressions are everything. When a potential customer lands on your website or sees your marketing materials, what do they see? Is it a polished, cohesive visual story that draws them in, or a disjointed, forgettable experience? This is where professional design services come into play. They are not just about making things look pretty; they are about crafting meaningful connections through visual communication. But what exactly make
Jan 14


A Moss-Covered Earthen Roof Shapes the Sekiyuan Teahouse Waiting Area in Japan
A Moss-Covered Earthen Roof Blends Architecture and Landscape The Sekiyuan Waiting Area in Ichihara City, Chiba, is a small architectural gesture with unusually rich cultural depth. Designed and built by Kurosawa Kawara-ten together with an architect and an artist—none of them professional builders in the traditional sense—the structure is a quiet but significant exploration of how informal building practices can contribute to contemporary architecture. The project was car
Jan 13


Nike Wearable Design: Project Amplify and the Rise of Motor-Assisted Movement
Nike’s Project Amplify signals a new chapter in Nike wearable design , where footwear evolves into a hybrid system that extends the body itself. Rather than focusing on elite performance gains, the motor-assisted anklet reframes athletic design around accessibility, endurance, and everyday movement. Developed in collaboration with robotics company Dephy, Project Amplify is conceived as a wearable “second set of calf muscles.” The device adheres to the lower leg, integrating a
Jan 11


3D Printed Carbon Fiber Instruments: Forte3D’s Lightweight Cello and Violin
Why 3D Printed Carbon Fiber Instruments Matter for Modern Musicians Forte3D is rethinking the future of string performance with 3D printed carbon fiber instruments built to survive real-world conditions that often damage traditional wood. Where wooden cellos and violins can crack, warp, or slowly deform with changes in humidity and temperature, carbon fiber stays stable—helping musicians travel, rehearse, and perform with less anxiety about the environment. The idea began w
Jan 10


Pilar Zeta Unveils The Observer Effect: Iridescent Postmodern Portals on Miami Beach
On the shoreline of Miami Beach, directly in front of The Shelborne By Proper , artist and designer Pilar Zeta debuts The Observer Effect — a sculptural installation that transforms the sand into a luminous corridor of portals. Opening during Miami Art Week 2025 , the work merges postmodern geometry with iridescent materiality, inviting visitors to explore how perception shifts with movement, angle, and light. Unfolding as a sequence of eight metallic arches, The Observer
Jan 9


Plastic-Free Soy Sauce Fish Dropper Designed to Decompose in Weeks, Not Years
Rethinking Single-Use Objects with a Plastic-Free Soy Sauce Fish Dropper Single-use food packaging is often designed for moments but persists for decades. The plastic-free soy sauce fish dropper created by Heliograf and Vert Design challenges this imbalance by aligning material lifespan with actual use. Named Holy Carp! , the small container replaces the iconic plastic soy sauce fish with a biodegradable alternative that decomposes in soil within weeks instead of years. Des
Jan 5


Meet Ori: the world’s first frameless umbrella inspired by origami
A new hardware startup founded by MIT engineers and leading origami innovators is rethinking one of the most overlooked pieces of everyday design : the umbrella. Ori , the world’s first frameless origami umbrella , replaces metal ribs and fabric with a single engineered canopy that folds with architectural precision. At full size, Ori offers a standard 1-meter canopy. When closed, it collapses into a 3.5 × 23 cm cylinder , turning the canopy itself into the supporting structu
Dec 28, 2025


DeTour 2025 Transforms Hong Kong’s PMQ With Installations That Reveal the Hidden Meaning of Everyday Objects
deTour 2025 Hong Kong , titled The Shape of Yearning , arrives from 28 November to 7 December 2025 , turning PMQ into a ten-day creative laboratory of exhibitions, installations, workshops, tours, and performances. Curated by designer Adonian Chan and organized by PMQ , with sponsorship from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) , this edition invites visitors to reflect on desire, interpretation, and the emotional charge embedded in everyday object
Dec 26, 2025


OnCue Keyboard Wins 2025 James Dyson Award for Parkinson’s Therapy
The OnCue Keyboard , a gaming-inspired therapeutic device designed for people with Parkinson’s disease, has won the 2025 James Dyson Award in the medical category. Created by product designer Alessandra Galli, the keyboard combines inclusive design, haptic feedback, and artificial intelligence to help users type more easily, accurately, and independently. OnCue Keyboard and the 2025 James Dyson Award Out of more than 2,100 submissions from 28 countries, the OnCue Keyboard w
Dec 25, 2025


Christmas, Design, and the End-of-Year Marketing Strategy
Christmas marks more than a seasonal celebration — it signals a strategic threshold for brands. As the year closes, design becomes a powerful tool for reflection, positioning, and narrative alignment. A thoughtful Christmas design strategy isn’t about decoration; it’s about meaning, timing, and cultural relevance. At the end of the year, audiences slow down. Attention shifts from urgency to reflection. This creates a unique window where visual identity, tone of voice, and sto
Dec 24, 2025


A 3D Printed Synthesizer for Toddlers: Where Early Learning Meets Creative Technology
A 3D Printed Synthesizer for Toddlers: Designing Early Creativity Through Play What if a toddler’s first toy wasn’t just for pushing buttons — but for composing electronic music ? Software engineer Alastair Roberts brings that idea to life with Alma , a fully functional 3D printed synthesizer for toddlers . Designed as a playful introduction to sound, rhythm, and creative discovery, Alma bridges the worlds of product design, music technology, and childhood learning . With an
Dec 23, 2025
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