In this context, learning about the careers of designers likePilar Pirez allows us to reflect on the challenges, motivations, and transformations that industrial design is currently undergoing.
Her career as an industrial designer
From a young age, Pilar showed a strong inclination toward hands-on and experimental activities. She would play by taking apart toys, speakers, and any object she could get her hands on. Sometimes she managed to put them back together; other times she didn't.
But beyond the result, what drove her was a deep curiosity about how objects work.
During his teenage years, design began to emerge as a possibility, although he didn't yet know that he could pursue a career specifically in product design. A conversation with a student who had studied both architecture and industrial design proved to be the deciding factor in his choice of the Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design as his major.
In 2024, Pilar, armed with her degree in Industrial Design, founded Lark, her own startup in the field.
I needed a blank canvas. I felt that Uruguay lacked spaces where an industrial designer could create freely and explore. Lark was born out of that spirit.
Meanwhile, Pilar designs, researches materials, and produces functional furniture with a clean aesthetic that is designed with the user experience in mind.
The qualities of a good industrial designer
According to Pilar, a good industrial designer must be curious and empathetic. Curious enough to ask how things are made, how they work, and how they could work better. Empathetic enough to connect with the people who use those objects, identify their needs, and design accordingly.
Design should adapt to people's lives, not the other way around.
For her, good design is invisible: it requires no instructions, causes no frustration, simply works, and enhances the user experience.
Industrial design: an invisible profession that permeates everything
For Pilar, industrial design doesn't need to change the world with grand gestures; it can do so in everyday life.
“There are objects that are poorly designed, yet we continue to use them that way simply because we’ve gotten used to them. A door that needs a ‘push’ or ‘pull’ sign is a case in point. Design should prevent that kind of confusion,” the graduate explained.
Based on this approach, their products aim to address real needs and enhance small aspects of the user experience.
For Pilar, World Industrial Design Day is an opportunity to shine a light on a profession that is often overlooked, yet present in every object we use.
We design everything from a mug to a piece of furniture or a cell phone. But many people don’t realize that this is called industrial design. Celebrating it also means recognizing its impact on our daily lives.
Entrepreneurship through creative freedom
“The best thing about being an entrepreneur is the freedom, ”says Pilar.
Her first collection was designed with everyday needs in mind (side tables, shelving units, storage solutions). But her second and third product lines focus more on what she wants to explore in terms of form and materials.
He also plans to combine materials in future collections, such as melamine with 3D printing or wood with metal. His goal is always to create functional, aesthetically pleasing, and affordable objects.
Can design transform a business?
According to the industrial designer, the answer is yes:
“Having a good design that provides a great experience is already good business,” he says, and he’s committed to showing how design impacts everyday life.
“If you make a rack that hides cables, you’re not just selling a rack—you’re selling the experience of having a tidy home, of not having to deal with tangled cables, and of everything running more smoothly. That’s what makes the design profitable.”
A message for those just starting out
To those just starting their Industrial Design degree, Pilar says:
Let them try things out and make mistakes. College is the time to make mistakes, to figure out what subjects you enjoy and which paths you want to pursue. After graduation, everyone goes out into the world on their own, so it’s important to make the most of that formative experience.
Learn more about theBachelor of Industrial Design at the