Spanish design awardee discusses sustainability in art

RENOWNED product designer and Spanish National Design Awardee Álvaro Catalán de Ocón will hold a free public lecture on creating work that emphasizes social and environmental responsibility on Oct. 15, 2024, at the 8th Floor Library Commons of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB) Design + Arts Campus, 950 Pablo Ocampo Street, Malate, Manila.

Entitled «SOSTENIBILIDAD: Conversations on Sustainability in Design,» the talk is part of the annual seminar series, which provides an educational and interactive platform where the experts share their knowledge and expertise with young student artists and aspiring innovators. It is organized by the Embassy of Spain in the Philippines, Instituto Cervantes de Manila, and Benilde Industrial Design.

Catalán de Ocón is famed for his dedication and focus on protest-related projects and aesthetic expressiveness. His lecture is designed to encourage participants to rethink the way products are conceived. He will delve into the significant role of designers in creating outputs that are not only aesthetically pleasing and functional but also environmentally conscious.

Equipped with decades of experience, philosophy and case studies, he will illustrate the entire product lifecycle, from sourcing raw materials to end-of-life disposal.

Catalán de Ocón completed his Business Management studies at Complutense University in Madrid, trained in product design at the Istituto Europeo di Design in Milan, and graduated with honors from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design in London.

Between 2011 and 2012, he conceived and developed the PET Lamp Project, which melded design, craftsmanship, and environmental consciousness by turning discarded PET plastic bottles into exquisite illuminations. The project has grown significantly since its debut at Galleria Rossana Orlandi in 2013 and has expanded to countries such as Australia, Chile, Colombia, Ethiopia, Japan, Thailand, and most recently, Ghana.

The PET Lamp has likewise received numerous accolades, including a nomination for the London Design Museum's Best Product of the Year and a finalist position at the Ecoembes R Awards for Best Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project.