As an architect, I have dedicated the last twenty years mainly to research, always around the creative architectural process, to discover methods and tools to improve it and make it more dynamic.
In addition, teaching in a design studio for many years gave me, among other things, a broad vision of the strengths and weaknesses of current study plans.
My passion for working with systems, a notion closely connected to that of games, led me to present my application for the Master’s in Design for Play (Designskolen Kolding, Denmark). However, my interest was not focused on design for play but play for design. Yes, I aimed to discover how play could become an ally in improving and energising architects/architecture students’ creative processes and non-designers creativity.
Being a natural visual thinker and combining my background as an architect, a teacher and a researcher with my Master’s in Design for Play, I became a design thinker and cross-pollinator eager to explore creativity through play.
Now, I want to help YOU harness the power of play to create! Shall we have a conversation?
Maria Candela Suarez
PhD Architect and Play Designer
Would you like to improve your creative process, dynamise and enrich your teamwork, or improve your students' learning? I can design tools and methods to guide you during the divergent and convergent phases of the process.
Would you like to enrich your human-centred approach or benefit from Design Thinking principles? I can design and facilitate workshops for students and professionals.
Do you need to develop co-creation activities? I can design and facilitate them, introducing tailored tools that help you and non-designers participants stimulate the creativity and find a common language.
Are you looking for relevant insights to develop user-friendly design-, architectural- and urban projects? I can conduct human-centred design research, applying design thinking tools and methods.
Are you interested in developing meaningful, open-ended products, spaces or objects for the users? I can help you from A to Z (design research, prototyping, testing, production).