We had the distinct pleasure to interview award winning designer Miguel Espejo about their original and creative Sculptural Shelf design work. Miguel Espejo is an award-winning industrial designer, that makes our world a better place with their original sculptural shelf works.
Miguel Espejo ("ME") answered Design Interview ("DI") questions about their award-winning work Fractal 9 Sculptural Shelf. Interview questions prepared by Frank Scott.
ME : Fractal 9 was born from a humble, unexpected influence. It appeared while I was leafing through a children’s colouring book of mandalas. I found a radial figure made of squares at different scales whose order and balanced dynamism stood out. I liked it, studied it, and, by deconstructing its structure, produced the volume that became the first prototype of a piece of furniture created to make use of an space in my living room. At first it was a functional piece with harmonious geometric aesthetics. Over time I learned that when the digital-root formula is applied to the total sum of the interior angles of regular polygons, a hidden pattern emerges. This discovery led me to analyse the model with the same formula and I found the very pattern inside it. That turning point filled the piece with meaning and let me view it from another angle, revealing a deep link among the square, the basic grid, the Fibonacci spiral, and the number 9. I began again, redefining the design by setting clear conceptual principles that guided a new assembly system, improved functionality, and a refined aesthetic. The project evolved into a work of contemporary design that mirrors the simplicity and complexity of nature’s fractal structures, creating a dialogue between the geometric and the organic, the rational and the spontaneous. Its sculptural presence sparks imagination, fostering a more conscious, creative, and emotional bond with the surroundings. It features a modular system that allows it to function as an Integral Unit or split into two Essential Units to hold books, display objects, or serve as a versatile exhibition surface adaptable to many settings. Fractal 9 moves beyond form and function to become a vehicle of artistic and symbolic expression that conveys a message of order, balance, and unity. It reminds us that we belong to a fractal nature in which every element has a purpose within a larger system. It is an invitation to look inward and ask. What is your purpose?
ME : My focus was to use design as a medium, an excuse to reveal and reflect a mathematical pattern present both in nature and in the object itself. I wanted this piece to become an experience of observation and reflection, allowing people to grasp, from another angle, the logic and beauty of natural order through its geometric and mathematical language.
ME : The next step is to bring it into industrial production. My goal is to develop a manufacturing line with high quality standards, while respecting its concept, structure, and the environmental values that give it meaning. I also plan to create an immersive installation around its concept, where design, art, mathematics, and consciousness converge. I want each visitor to feel, discover, understand, and remember life’s fractal order not as theory, but as a transformative experience.
ME : Nine years passed between the first prototype, built in 2016, and its current form. In 2019 I discovered the mathematical pattern within its structure and continued developing it quietly until it reached the conceptual, technical, and symbolic maturity recognized by the A’ Design Award 2025.
ME : This concept was born from curiosity. I realized its structure followed the same mathematical pattern found in nature, one that shapes animals and plants through cell duplication. That insight inspired me to go deeper, give it form, and share it so others could understand it too.
ME : It is not yet in production. I chose to handle the first run independently to safeguard its essence and ensure every detail faithfully reflects its origin.
ME : The desire to convey a message using design as a language of expression. This work was a way to give form to an inner certainty rather than simply meeting aesthetic or functional goals. It was an act of personal coherence.
ME : Yes. It all began with a radial figure of squares at different scales that I found in a children’s mandala-colouring book. I was also inspired by fractal structures in nature, such as flower petals and tree branches. Over time I learned that design does not always arise from a grand idea, but from attentive observation of the everyday and the simple.
ME : This piece speaks to people who see design as more than just function. It’s made for collectors, architects, interior designers, artists, and creative professionals who appreciate meaning, visual harmony, and a strong connection with the spaces they live in.
ME : What sets it apart is the idea behind it. More than supporting its formal structure, it reveals a direct link to the way nature is built. It doesn’t try to follow styles or trends. It aims to bring back an essential order that has always been there, just waiting to be seen.
ME : The name Fractal 9 comes from two core elements of the project. “Fractal” points to its structure, where the modules follow the self-similar logic of patterns found in nature at different scales. The number “9” appears as the hidden pattern revealed when the digital-root formula is applied to the structure, the node that establishes order, balance, and unity. Fractal 9 does not merely label the piece, it defines it.
ME : The process began with pencil and paper, where the first sketches and structural observations emerged. I then used Illustrator to build the base grid, set sizes and proportions, and construct the modular system precisely in 2D. Swift 3D allowed me to visualise its volumetric, structural, and expressive behaviour in space. Each tool added a distinct level of understanding and was crucial to the design’s clear evolution.
ME : Its most singular aspect is the message of order, balance, and unity conveyed by the mathematical pattern embedded in its structure. That pattern acts as a doorway to grasp natural order from another perspective. Its uniqueness lies not only in what it shows, but in what it allows us to see.
ME : I handled the conceptual development, creative process, and structural decisions on my own. For the prototypes, however, I collaborated with three different workshops, learning directly about materials, cutting, assembly, and finishes. Each stage let me translate the idea into viable solutions, balancing intuition with the technical knowledge I gained along the way.
ME : Technology is vital because it combines digital precision with traditional craftsmanship. CNC milling and laser cutting allow complex parts to be produced exactly as designed, while manual finishing adds warmth and character. This mix achieves harmony among structure, function, and aesthetics, using technology as a tool that amplifies possibilities and streamlines production.
ME : Yes. The piece is grounded in analytical exploration based on applying the digital-root formula to geometric figures, grid systems, radial symmetries, and harmonic proportions. This analysis revealed a hidden mathematical pattern in its structure, which shaped the design’s conceptual principles and exposed a link among key elements of geometric order: the square, the basic grid, the Fibonacci spiral, and the number 9. The design arose from close observation to deduce, test, and build from evidence. It was not a traditional academic study, but it was experimental and rigorous.
ME : One of the main challenges was to develop a modular assembly system strong enough to ensure the integrity and stability of the whole, yet subtle enough to create an optical illusion that makes the cubes seem to float in space. This effect gives the piece a light, open, and dynamic aesthetic, favouring visual continuity and harmonious integration with its surroundings.
ME : I fell deeply in love with the idea and felt its message needed to be shared. Entering an international competition was a way to test the project, validate it in a professional context, and expand its chances for recognition and development.
ME : This process changed me deeply. I didn’t just improve as a designer, I began to see nature differently. I started to question it, to understand its hidden patterns. I learned to trust my intuition as a starting point, and to use analysis to confirm what I felt. More than a finished piece, this project became a way to grow in awareness. It showed me that design isn’t only about solving problems. It’s also about discovering.
ME : I would add that the coherence, consistency, and beauty of this mathematical pattern sparked a passionate exploration that continues to grow. This journey inspired a first digital book titled The Number of God?, where I begin to present the evidence and lay the groundwork for a second book, 9... The Forbidden Fruit, which will reveal what I found at the bottom of this rabbit hole of knowledge. “Chaos is only an illusion implanted to conceal the order of creation.”
