Carlos Alberto Montana Hoyos (carlosmontana)

“My main professional objective is to accomplish innovative projects with a global projection through multidisciplinary integration between concept, product, graphics and space. I believe design should be focused towards a positive impact on all forms of life. As such, a good balance between social, economic and environmental impact of design is crucial nowadays. Through the synergy between professional practice and academic research, I aim to develop research projects and share knowledge in diverse design fields, with emphasis in the creative, aesthetic, cultural, historical and environmental aspects of design. Last but not least, I hope to constantly learn and enjoy the process, because design is also about having fun while experimenting and sharing a creative journey. Since the early 1990's I have been passionate about the relationship between design and nature, and when I found Biomimicry 3 years ago,I decided to further explore its application in Industrial Design for Sustainability ”

I was born in 1972 in  Bogotá, Colombia, South America. I graduated as an Industrial Designer in 1997 from Javeriana University, and in 2003 was awarded a scholarship from the Japanese Government. I obtained an MAID from Kobe Design University in 2006 and I finished my PhD in Design Theory in 2009.

As a designer I have worked in several industries in the areas of packages, electric appliances, furniture, lamps, ceramics and handcrafts in Colombia, Italy, Japan and Singapore. Several of my projects have received diverse design awards. Currently I develop my own projects, works as a design consultant and write freelance for diverse design related media.

I am also passionate about teaching.  From 1999 to 2002 I was an adjunct assistant professor in the Product Design Engineering course of EAFIT University in Colombia. Since 2006 I have been lecturing in the Industrial Design Program, Department of Architecture, National University of Singapore. My current research is focused on the application of Biomimicry for Design for Sustainability, and this project is the main topic of my PhD dissertation.