“In 2024, the hallmark of interior design will be differentiation, tailor-made projects with personality”
Her passion for art, architecture and aesthetics, along with her adventurous and entrepreneurial spirit, led her to create puntofilipino, a studio that designs spaces that make an emotional connection. a new practice of interior design, learning from and respecting different styles. we invite you to learn more about gema gutiérrez and her most important projects, recognised in the most prestigious international awards in the sector.
It was only 5 years ago that you founded puntofilipino in madrid and you have already earned amazing accolades in the world of interior design both nationally and internationally. gema gutiérrez, did you ever imagine you would achieve this? what do you think has been the key to the studio’s brilliant success?
I would never have imagined what we have achieved in just one year. as a studio puntofilipino has existed for 5 years and considering the pandemic was a break in the normal operations of every company everything has been a huge surprise. 2007 marked the beginning of an economic crisis that lasted 10 years and many studios had to rethink the way we work and reinvent ourselves. i firmly believe that the key to success was to stop and step away from the styles and trends laid out by magazine publishers; to practice a new form of interior design, based on solid criteria, learning and respecting different styles seen over the years and making them more our own, more contemporary and more faithful to our way of experiencing design.
The gold in from the German design award, the dna Paris design award or the nomination of best interior designer of the year by ad magazine; what award surprised you the most?
Without a doubt the gold in the german design award. the germans don’t give anything away. the excellence of the jury is unquestionable, including professionals from all over the world; and they have no idea of the studio behind each project. it’s a guarantee of impartiality and equality. we’re very pleased by everything that came after that award.
Your childhood in the town of balanegra, with a family background in construction, your training in ephemeral architecture or your studies in design in madrid, berin or milán. what stage of your life has most influenced your philosophy and way of working in puntofilipino? do you have any particular reference in art and design?
i like to think everything has been part of the journey leading to now. sometimes people mistakenly think the studio is italian. inevitably, my passion for art, especially painting, architecture and the italian aesthetic, has led to a style that approaches italian design. caravaggio is my favourite painter and i believe it shows in the colours and the shadows that i try to incorporate into difference aspects of my projects. in terms of design, i could give you endless references but, at the moment, i’m lucky to be collaborating with todomuta studio, a team of designers i’m learning and drawing inspiration from.
As an observer of the latest trends, interior design in 2024 will be characterised by…?
I hope by differentiation. i believe it is essential to recover personality, the genuine. i’m dedicated to ‘tailor-made’ projects; each one should have its own unique story that reflects the identity of a person and a brand.
Projects to create highly original spaces with an emotional impact. you combine unique pieces with experimental concepts. how important is it to use locally produced, handcrafted materials?
Absolutely. in our latest project, contra anhedonia, presented at marbella design & art, we celebrated the great artisans we have in spain. we designed and created each of the pieces presented in the space. we want to recover the traditional, specialised crafts and trades and give them the place they deserve. and of course, puntofilipino brings to each project the philosophy of dedicating the time necessary, and paying close attention to the details and our materials.
Creativity is one of the hallmarks of your work. how important is it to work with materials that allow you to give free reign to your ideas with multiple options for personalisation?
working with materials that allows for personalisation is essential for me. the projects we do at puntofilipino are completely different one from another. brands like hisbalit, which offer the possibility of creating different scenarios, enable us to be creative without any limitations.
You know our mosaic tiles and you used them in your atelier project, a space dedicated to the sale of select products. what are your thoughts on hisbalit mosaic tiles?
we had the opportunity to use various collections in altelier. currently, we’re resurfacing façades in two other projects. with hisbalit you can work with interiors and exteriors in exactly the same way. the huge chromatic range means there are never any problems in terms of design. it’s a product that clients always love and is so versatile in applications that it allows you to think in volumes.
Just a few months ago you visited our factory to see, step by step, the production process for our eco-friendly mosaic tiles and personalised designs. what most surprised you?
After seeing the production process and the possibilities in terms of design, as a professional, i thought that the quality of the product is unbeatable and we should really highlight this, showing these products in all their different uses.
Which of our collections can be most identified with Gema Gutiérrez?
Art factory. it allows you to combine all collections into a single design. the personalisation of our designs is the hallmark of our studio.