Photo by Darwin Doleyres

YAMi 

name 

1. Short for Yves Andler Michel. 

2. An introverted creative. Systems thinker. Visual communicator. 

3. Idealist. ‍ 

Artist by nature, designer by nurture with a fascination for innovation at the intersection of design, life science, and technology.

My work experience has touched many cultures of design: from consumer goods to transportation, from footwear design to architectural design in the United States and Canada. With over two decades of experience, I have worked primarily as a conceptual designer; the ideation phase is my creative playground. I thrive in the early, abstract stages of a project—where ambiguity is high, possibilities are open, and bold ideas take form. My strength lies in framing design challenges, crafting compelling narratives, and developing future-forward solutions that bridge practicality and imagination. My career path has been unconventional, and that's what has made it interesting—the diversity of experience.

Now through YAMi Space, I explore art and design as both a practical and philosophical tools—transforming abstract ideas into tangible artifacts, experiences, and frameworks. My primary focus today is the convergence of design, biology, and technology with Symbiosis Project. The lab uses speculative design as a research method to develop novel concepts and explore how we might harmonize the natural and built environments in the near and distant future.