Nicolás Arízaga
Product Designer / Architect
Designing Spaces Experiences Products
Hi! I create thoughtful designs that blend architecture and digital spaces with user-friendly experiences.
I specialize in user-centered, creative, and practical solutions with a broad background in both architecture and digital design.
As a professional architect with experience and passion, I design spaces that are functional, creative, and user-focused.
I’m passionate about collaborating with others to solve design challenges, combining creativity and logic to improve the user experience.
Design intuitive interfaces that bridge user experience and interface, driven by research and real-world problem-solving.
Architectural Design
Sept. 2024
Hidden Valley Villa: Vacation House
This villa is designed with a deep respect for its natural surroundings, strategically framing the valley view to create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. Every architectural element—from the placement of windows to the open terraces—aims to enhance the landscape’s beauty while offering a tranquil retreat for its residents. The villa’s design harmonizes with the environment, celebrating the valley’s breathtaking vistas and ensuring that nature remains the central focus of the living experience.
Product Designer
Nov, 2024
Tuned for You: A Redesigned Spotify AI
This redesign focuses on Spotify’s AI recommendation feature, enhancing its accuracy to better reflect users’ diverse listening habits and current moods. Targeting users who enjoy AI-curated music selections, the project introduces mood-based customization, adjustable recommendation settings, song history, and feedback options. With a design-first approach, the aim is to simplify a complex feature and increase engagement, making AI-driven music discovery more intuitive and personalized for Spotify’s global audience.
Product Design
Mar. 2024
Carve: Surfing weather app
Carve is a responsive web app designed to simplify the process of getting accurate surf and beach weather information. It caters to surfers and beachgoers by offering real-time updates and forecasts, helping users make quick decisions without the hassle of digging through multiple sources. This case study focuses on the challenges surfers face in accessing reliable weather data and how we can streamline this experience through a digital solution.
Product Designer
Feb, 2024
AutoCAD AI
This project introduces an AI-powered chatbot to AutoCAD, designed to guide users through its extensive command library with ease. Aimed at professionals in the built environment sector, the chatbot offers real-time assistance, helping users quickly find relevant commands based on specific project needs. By learning from user habits and providing context-sensitive suggestions, the chatbot simplifies AutoCAD’s steep learning curve, enhancing productivity and user retention. With a focus on user-centered design, this solution streamlines AutoCAD’s complex interface, making it more accessible and intuitive for users worldwide.
Architectural Design
May. 2023
Two Points: Residential complex
Located in Cuenca, Ecuador, the Two Point Complex is a residential development featuring 13 houses nestled between two buildings positioned at each end. These towers at the entrance and exit provide privacy for the entire complex, while the space between them is kept open due to the low density of houses, creating a spacious and airy environment.
Researcher
Sept. 2023
Struggling with globalization challenges
Cuenca, a World Heritage City, faces urban expansion as residents move to the outskirts, leaving the historic center abandoned and deteriorating. The challenge now is to relocate these spaces into sustainable and cohesive nodes. This research aims to identify cultural facility oversupply in the city center and understand the required usage for heritage buildings to promote a habitable, sustainable and cohesive historic center.
Testimonials
"Nicolas seamlessly connected his architectural expertise to product design, enhancing user experience and functionality with critical and creative thinking."

"Nicolas combines exceptional creativity and attention to detail to design user experiences that delight users while delivering innovative and market-ready solutions that stand out."

Testimonials
"Nicolas seamlessly connected his architectural expertise to product design, enhancing user experience and functionality with critical and creative thinking."

"Nicolas combines exceptional creativity and attention to detail to design user experiences that delight users while delivering innovative and market-ready solutions that stand out."
