Paula Chamorro: naturally disruptive
“We need to change the way we design,” says Paula Chamorro (M.A., design for sustainability, 2018; M.F.A., design management, 2018). “We need to help people live happier lives, and that means taking care of our planet and reconnecting with nature.”
The daughter of a social worker and a progressive politician, Paula grew up in Bogota, Colombia. “Watching my parents, I knew I could influence people’s lives. I decided to do that through my ability to design better systems.” Today, Paula is a design researcher at Start Something Bold, where she combines her talents as a systems thinker with her passion for developing a better world.
Paula Chamorro:
As a young designer, you’re designing for yourself. You don’t understand that your taste isn’t universal. While I was studying towards my undergraduate degree in industrial design at la Universidad de Bogotá Jorge Tadeo Lozano, I realized I needed to challenge myself in order to break my own biases and grow as a creator. Before graduating, I accepted an internship in Jaipur, Rajasthan in India.
In Jaipur, I was hired to design jewelry. The only issues were, one, I had never designed jewelry before. Two, I didn’t know anything about India. And three, I had to speak English all the time and I wasn’t as proficient as I am today.
I fully jumped into the culture and researched the people, their customs, and the meanings behind their celebrations. I loved that experience, and when I came back home to Bogotá I was determined to advance my skills as a designer. I came to SCAD to earn my M.F.A. in the unparalleled design management program.
At first, I was not planning on earning two masters degrees. That changed when I began working with professor Scott Boylston. Professor Boylston is so passionate about preparing and elevating the next generation of sustainable designers that I made the decision to pursue a masters in design for sustainability as well.
I traveled back to my home country as part of my coursework to understand and learn sustainability best practices from the Misak people of Cauca, Colombia. When I got on the plane, I thought I knew everything there is to know about sustainable design. I even thought I would teach them a few things, but I quickly figured out I was wrong.
Indigenous people are masters of what we call zero waste efficiency and eco-friendly lifestyles. I was fascinated by their understanding of the world around them. I was able to understand their practice or stewarding resources and designing sustainable systems, and how I could translate that into the developed world.
In my current role as a design researcher and innovation strategist, I work with medical device manufacturers and health care experts to create more sustainable business practices. By implementing key learnings from my time outside of modern society, I help our partners develop strategies that will impact the patient-provider life-cycle. By taking a holistic approach to the design process, I help clients make incremental steps that will create lasting impacts for the health of their business and the planet.
As designers, we intend to create critical value. Good designs need to benefit the user and the business. Today, we know more, and we have to include a benefit to the earth. This is our only home. We must design a better future for it.
Visit Paula Chamorro.
Written by Robert Almand.
