Alba Izaguirre’s product designs embody the duality of poetics and utility

The act of ‘creation’ is essentially an act of transformation. It marks a shift in the existing that offers something ‘new’. But what defines this newness? Is it the object itself, the nature of the shift (be it functional, structural or aesthetic), the medium, or something else entirely? For the Caracas-based multidisciplinary designer Alba Izaguirre, the act of creation is a medium to explore what lies at the intersection of different scales and disciplines, including design, art and architecture. Her practice extends into allied fields such as industrial design, in which she examines utility, sculptural expression, materiality and spatial design. The intrigue, however, lies in the negotiation between functional minimalism and the poetic dimension of design, as both retain a critical position in her work.

After graduating in architecture in 2014 from the Central University of Venezuela, Izaguirre delved into multiple disciplines, including industrial design, product design, urban interventions and education. For the designer, this interweaving of disciplines is integral to her approach. “I believe creation is the point of convergence. It often requires stepping outside the boundaries of one’s own field to observe from different perspectives and discover new possibilities through new questions,” Izaguirre tells STIR. “I enjoy navigating different areas of knowledge and weaving unexpected relationships, because it is precisely at these intersections that the most meaningful ideas emerge.”  

As an industrial designer, Izaguirre attempts to apply architecture-inspired structural systems to create functional and collectable objects. The conceptual underpinnings of her works are evident throughout her oeuvre, including in her earlier works, such as the Indirect Objects lighting collection. The series of lamps uses a skeletal frame of aluminium wires, assembled to suggest the form of a shade. The structure interprets line, a single-dimensional entity, as capable of generating spatial definitions simply through different arrangements in three-dimensional space. The wires are bonded together through knots, dispelling any need for welding, bolting or adhesives.

Izaguirre approaches ‘design’ as a progression in understanding the nature of materials: a process that sometimes involves handing over the steering wheel, and other times strives to explore new limits for them. “I am interested in making objects that are honest and express how they are made, and how they stand,” she says. “Dispensing with attachments, welds or fastening elements allows for a certain material and structural purity. Each component can be clearly understood, revealing its function and structural behaviour without artifices or elements that conceal its nature.”

The Venezuelan designer also employs the idea of making through assembly and disassembly for how it impacts material lifecycles. In a recent piece of work titled Motonoma, Izaguirre explores different ways of carrying out the act of ‘sitting’ through a composition made of two found objects: a bicycle seat and a motorcycle luggage rack. The two distinct components are integrated into a seating using a lightweight metal structure. “This approach simplifies the production process, facilitates disassembly and encourages the reuse or recycling of materials at the end of their lifecycles,” the multipotentialite designer tells STIR. “When an object can be easily taken apart and transformed, the material remains in circulation for longer. In this sense, it is a way of establishing a more conscious and responsible relationship with resources.” Beyond its essential inquiry, the design also draws on the contrast between the sense of movement associated with the original function of the components and the inherent stillness of their new function.

A similar contrast can be observed in Ossa, a pendant light made by interlocking pieces of flat metal. The folded shapes are composed in bone morphology, held together like ‘ribs’ in animal anatomy. The geometry of components and their assembly allows reflection in multiple directions, creating dynamic patterns of light and shadow. While Ossa dwells on the dichotomy of light and shade, Specular lingers between reflection and perception. In what appears to be a vanity item, Izaguirre combines a small rearview mirror with a headlight. On a motorcycle, the components facilitate different functions—looking back and forward respectively—but here, Specular nudges the act of looking at self as an experience of observation and personal reflection.

Despite an otherwise utilitarian purview, Izaguirre manages to invoke emotional depth in her designs, an aspect she considers of equal significance throughout her oeuvre. “These expressions may not solve an immediate practical need, yet they nourish something essential within us,” she tells STIR. “For this reason, I strive to imbue the objects I design with a poetic dimension, enabling them to evoke emotions, inspire questions or create a meaningful sensory experience.”

Given the growing dominance of modernist and minimalist ideas in contemporary design—tendencies that are also visible in the design educator’s own practice—the idea may appear paradoxical, but for Izaguirre, emotional resonance is an integral function in any creation. “I am interested in ensuring that utility is not the sole reason for their existence. If an object functions well and also moves us emotionally, then it functions twice. Creating an emotional connection while fulfilling a practical role is where I find its true value,” she concludes.