Before coming to New Zealand, Alvaro was living in the small coastal town of La Paloma, Uruguay, while working remotely for a US-based studio focused on robotics, synthetic data generation, virtual reality and real-time experiences. His work spanned technical art, concept art, graphic design, animation and video editing, but he wanted to move beyond purely technical execution.
“I didn’t want to get stuck in only the technical aspect,” says Alvaro. “I always saw design as a tool way deeper than just aesthetics. It’s a great tool to tackle problems, and a great tool for storytelling and narratives.”
Alvaro considered several countries for postgraduate study, including Canada, Australia and Ireland, but New Zealand stood out. Having first visited in 2016, he had already fallen in love with the country’s landscapes, culture and creative industries.
New Zealand is a small country, but it’s very well known because of the quality of its visual productions, movie productions, games and design,” he says. “There were so many reasons for me to choose New Zealand.”
For Alvaro, the transition to studying and living in New Zealand was a positive one. He describes the country as friendly, open and multicultural, with people who are patient and supportive, particularly for international students adjusting to a new language and environment.
“I can’t think of anything that was difficult,” he says. “It was pretty easy. New Zealanders are very friendly, very open, and because it is a very multicultural place, people are very patient and helpful.”
At MDS, Alvaro found the Postgraduate Design experience both academically challenging and personally rewarding. He valued being immersed in a learning environment with people from different professional and cultural backgrounds, each bringing different approaches to problem-solving.
“The possibility of being immersed in an environment with professionals from all over the world, with different cultural backgrounds and different approaches, is very eye-opening,” he says.
He credits the programme with helping him develop a more critical, human-centred approach to design, as well as stronger foundations in research and strategic thinking. Rather than simply providing answers, his lecturers encouraged him to investigate, question and find his own creative direction.
They're not giving you the answers directly,” he says. “They're leading you to find your own answers. That’s gold. It’s very helpful to develop your own creative and design voice.”
One area that had a particularly strong impact was speculative design, which Alvaro explored through the Creative Futures subject and later applied to his Master’s project. Shortly after completing his studies, he was already involved in a new project using the same methodology.
Looking back, Alvaro says the value of the experience went beyond the qualification itself. The cohort, the lecturers, the research-led learning and the friendships he built all contributed to his growth as a designer and as a person.
“It’s great value,” he says. “You can get so much academically, professionally and personally. It is one of those experiences you shouldn’t miss if you have the opportunity."
See more of Alvaro's work: LinkedIn
