SHAPES: Product Design Symposium

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TALK: DESIGN (R)EVOLUTION: FROM THE BEAUTIFUL TO THE NECESSARY

Interior Designer from Jefferson University and the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil, and Master in Art Studies from the University of Cuenca. 

With more than twenty years of professional experience, she has led corporate, residential, commercial, and cultural projects, specializing in strategic design, ergonomics, sustainability, and smart environments. She currently teaches at the University of Guayaquil, where she serves as Knowledge Manager and Head of the Integrated Design and Production Innovation Laboratory, and at the University of Specialties Espíritu Santo, where she directs the Retail Area. 

She has participated as a speaker at international conferences and published research on aesthetic theory and visual culture. Her professional and academic career demonstrates her interest in the articulation of design, innovation, and management on multiple scales, consolidating her as a leader in the development of spaces that enhance productivity, well-being, and social value.

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TALK: FROM CLAY TO OBJECTS: THE PROCESS OF A DESIGNER, CERAMIST, AND POTTER

Product designer, ceramist, and potter; for as long as he can remember, he has always had a keen sense of observation and manual dexterity, enabling him to “think with his hands.” He became a technologist in industrial design in the early 1990s and graduated with a degree in Product Design and Teaching from the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador in 2011. 

He has been a teacher/administrator at the Faculty of Architecture, Design, and Visual Arts at P.U.C.E. Quito for 28 years. He currently has his own ceramics studio/workshop. It is a space where experimentation with materials and techniques is constant, with creative design and production processes that always seek to integrate culture and territory, maintaining a strong glocal focus. 

He has developed different ceramic projects with museums, galleries, food brands, food design, interior design studios, etc. Learn more about Ulbio Cevallos on Instagram @ulbiocevallos.

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TALK: SUCCESS STORIES IN THE PLASTICS INDUSTRY

Executive Director of ASEPLAS (Ecuadorian Plastics Association). She has led the institution since 2021. Adriana is an executive with experience in leading institutions in the agro-industrial and plastics sector in Ecuador.

As Executive Director, she represents the plastics sector before government entities and multilateral organizations, and is responsible for the technical and political coordination of the association.

Under her leadership, ASEPLAS has promoted the development of the plastics industry in Ecuador, promoting initiatives such as the IPLAS Fair and coordinating efforts to improve the recycling chain in the country.

In June 2025, she highlighted the progress made in the recycling rate of PET bottles in Ecuador, strengthening strategic partnerships with various entities, including the Ministry of Production, ESPOL, and companies in the sector, to develop training programs and environmental guidelines.

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TALK: FROM DESIGN TO PRODUCT

Designer and creative writer with more than 20 years of experience in design and communication, he has dedicated his professional life to exploring graphic design and popular expressions of Ecuadorian culture.

A promoter of creative and cultural responsibility, he focuses his ideas on original creations. His work is exhibited in museums and his designs are sold worldwide via e-commerce.

He has received awards such as the Lux Awards for innovation for the public good for the Luces en la Vía campaign. Latin American Design Awards has recognized NUNO®Studio as the best design studio in Ecuador.

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TALK: REPOWERING BRANDS THROUGH DESIGN

Director and founder of Br magazine. With 21 years in the market, it is the leading multi-platform media outlet for communication and connection in the real estate sector, covering all areas, including architecture, design, construction, brokerage, real estate development, and related products and services, from an inspiring, professional, and accessible perspective.

Co-founder of the Br Awards and Co-founder of Expo Cata Inmobiliaria, the industry's largest events.

Learn more about Andres Achi on his social media @brmagazineec and @andresachi.br.

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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 career, 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.