Manuel Tavora, Designer in Barcelona, Spain
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Manuel Tavora

Verified Expert  in Design

Bio

Manuel is an award-winning, versatile designer with 20+ years of comprehensive international experience developing exceptional projects and products in the US, Europe, and China. With superb project leadership abilities and personal management skills across multinational environments, Manuel is an expert in industrial and graphic design and architecture. He also has strong proven problem-solving and analytical skills, a fast-learning curve, and the ability to adapt to evolving industry trends.

Portfolio

Work Experience

Co-Founder & Head of Design

2019 - PRESENT
Tawo Design
  • Awarded winner of the China International Lighting Design Awards (2020) for the design of a LED chandelier.
  • Designed and develop a wide range of products through completion, such as lighting, bathware, consumer electronics, ceramics, furniture, and more.
  • Oversaw a team of Chinese designers, providing creative direction on all projects and ensuring they were completed on time and within budget.
  • Sourced new clients in China from various regions and industries, followed up on evolving client requirements, and actively responded to their concerns to promote client ownership.
Technologies: Rhinoceros 3D, 3D Industrial Design, Graphic Design, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, KeyShot, SOLIDWORKS

Country Manager China & Head of Design

2017 - 2019
Workplane Design
  • Awarded the winner of an iF Design Award (2019) for the design of an audio mixer.
  • Completed multiple projects in consumer electronics, lighting, bathware products, faucets, furniture, accessories, kitchenware products, and more.
  • Ran the studio's day-to-day activities by scheduling tasks, sourcing new clients, delivering quotes, and collecting honoraries. Recruited and led the industrial design team.
  • Liaised regularly with clients through all project stages—design development, CMF, DFM—and managed the supply chain.
  • Achieved a 4-fold increase in the number of Chinese projects compared to the period prior to my arrival.
  • Traveled and networked extensively in China’s Pearl River Delta Region like Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Dongguan, and Zhonghan.
Technologies: 3D Industrial Design, Furniture Design, Lighting Design, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Photoshop, Rhinoceros 3D, KeyShot, SOLIDWORKS

Lead Architectural Designer

2016 - 2019
Collaborative Architect Makers
  • Co-designed a prize-winning submission to the Rail Baltica Competition, including the master plan, railway station canopy, and heritage stainless steel repurposing, in Riga, Latvia.
  • Collaborated in designing the prize-winning submission for the Cala Figuera Mahón Port Authority competition in Menorca, Spain, including the master plan and landscaping.
  • Created the design proposal for Tramway Station at King Saud University, Saudi Arabia.
  • Coordinated and designed a wide range of competition booklets and presentation boards for international architecture competitions.
  • Authored various conceptual design, engineering, environmental, and accessibility reports for competition submissions, written in English.
Technologies: Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe InDesign, AutoCAD Design, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator

Industrial Design Lead

2013 - 2016
Manuel Távora Design
  • Completed Google offices' 2nd-floor fit-out, more than 2000 sqm at Torre Picasso, Madrid.
  • Delivered the design repurposing of the INESC-ID computer science research lab in Lisbon.
  • Created the design of an office layout proposal for Red Bull.
  • Designed a wide range of brand identities for institutions and companies such as the Oyster Brand, the science summer school, a computer coding company, a public opinion and sentiment tracking website, and a delicatessen shop.
  • Recruited new clients and delivered customer satisfaction, thus earning referrals that led to new business.
  • Wrote countless design reports in support of architectural submissions in professional English.
Technologies: Rhinoceros 3D, Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, AutoCAD Design

Senior Project Manager & Senior Architectural Designer

2010 - 2012
AZPML – Alejandro Zaera-Polo Architecture
  • Delivered the detailed façade design of John Lewis’ department store at New Street Railway Station, Birmingham, UK.
  • Designed and project-managed a media façade proposal for Marks and Spencer in Shanghai, China.
  • Oversaw the worldwide delivery of numerous expressions of interest (EOI), pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQ), requests for proposals (RFP), requests for quotations (RFQ), and design submissions in Europe, Southeast Asia, and America.
  • Liaised with multiple relevant stakeholders—structural, M&E, environmental, landscaping, and more.
  • Built and issued dozens of 100+ page booklets, presentation boards, and other deliverables for design submissions.
  • Authored various design reports in support of architectural submissions written in English.
Technologies: Autodesk Maya, Rhinoceros 3D, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop

Business Development Manager & Senior Designer

2008 - 2010
FOA – Foreign Office Architects
  • Built and issued dozens of 100+ page booklets, presentation boards, and other deliverables for design submissions.
  • Oversaw the worldwide delivery of numerous expressions of interest (EOI), pre-qualification questionnaires (PQQ), requests for proposals (RFP), requests for quotations (RFQ), and design submissions in Europe, Southeast Asia, and America.
  • Liaised with multiple relevant stakeholders—structural, M&E, environmental, landscaping, and more.
  • Designed and project-managed the Shenzhen University Mixed-Use High Rise building shortlisted proposal, a 140m tall skyscraper featuring hotel (30k m2), office (45k m2), retail (25k m2), parking and transit interface, in China;
  • Created the design and managed the layout project for Plaza María Pita, including urban design and furniture and the shortlisted Zara Flagship Store concept design, in Rome, Italy.
  • Designed and project-managed a bus shelter concept proposal for Birmingham New Street Railway Station, multiple Lighting fixtures for Reggiani, and a collection of benches, bollards, and paper bins for Ceranco, Porcelanosa.
  • Authored various design reports in support of architectural submissions written in English.
Technologies: Adobe InDesign, Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, Autodesk Maya, Rhinoceros 3D
2021 - 2021

Diploma in Automotive Engineering – Advanced Design in Catia V5

Centre de Formació Professional d'Automoció de Catalunya - Barcelona, Spain

2008 - 2008

Diploma in Computer Graphics – Diploma Maya Professional for Visual Effects

Escape Studios - London, UK

1997 - 1998

Postgraduate in Industrial Design

Glasgow School of Art - Glasgow, UK

1992 - 1997

Master's Degree in Industrial Design

University of Lisbon - School of Architecture - Lisbon, Portugal

JULY 2008 - PRESENT

Maya Professional for VFX

Autodesk

Tools

Adobe InDesign, Autodesk Maya, Adobe Illustrator, CorelDRAW, CATIA, Rhinoceros 3D, Photoshop, KeyShot, SOLIDWORKS, AutoCAD Design, Adobe Creative Suite Design, Keyboards

Industry Expertise

Architecture, Retail & Wholesale

Other

Furniture Design, 3D Industrial Design, Presentation Design, Lighting Design, English, Presentations, Graphic Design, Interior Design, Virtual Coaching, New Business Development, Design Management, Architectural Design, Public Speaking, Branding, Infographics, Visual Design, Leadership, Analysis, 3D Rendering, Contract Negotiation, Audio Streaming, Consumer Electronics, Pattern Design, Google Software, Supply Chain Management, Patterns, Design Patterns, Façade Design, Commerce, Commercial Interior Design, Spain, United Kingdom, 3D Architecture, Master Planning, Public Transportation, Railway, Latvia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Museums & Exhibits, Art, Product Design, Gaming, UI Design, UX Design, Mobile App Design, Brand Design, Logo Design, Faucet Design, Creative Design, China, Portugal, 3D Interior Design, Workplace Design, Landscaping, Design, Urban Planning, Conceptual Design, Design Leadership, Design-driven Development (D3), Product Conceptualization, Construction Management, Documentation, Recruitment, 3D Modeling, Construction, Urban Design, New Products, Visual Effects (VFX)

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