Luis Cardel is a creative director who designs experiences that help people feel more connected—to themselves, to each other, and to the world around them. In his words, “An experience is a holistically designed space-time, shaped toward emotion.” His work brings together story, technology, and atmosphere to create immersive environments that are both meaningful and alive.

He leads multidisciplinary teams to craft experiences that invite presence, curiosity, and reflection. From museums and themed entertainment to temporary installations and artificial worlds, his approach is always guided by the human experience. Whether the space is physical, digital, or somewhere in between, Luis designs with a deep respect for emotion, memory, and the rhythms of the natural world.

With a background in film, photography, spatial design, and user experience, Luis works across disciplines to create experiences that are both technically refined and emotionally resonant. His approach spans the full creative process—from concept strategy to execution—always with a focus on meaning, mood, and presence. His portfolio ranges from large-scale museum master plans and interactive storytelling to phygital installations and emotionally driven multimedia.

Since 2025, Luis has been the Executive Manager Creative of QSAS, a PIF-backed company in Saudi Arabia, where he leads the development of immersive experiences across the Kingdom. His recent projects include large-scale pavilions and narrative environments for PIF, Al Hilal Soccer Team, Riyadh Municipality, and Saudi Aramco, collaborating with international teams to shape new cultural landmarks and public experiences across the country.

From 2023 to 2025, he served as Creative Director at Cocay Studio, leading more than sixteen simultaneous projects. He directed the full museography and experience design for MUNBA (Mazatlán), immersive environments for the Yancuic Museum for Kids, digital interactives for MIDE in Mexico City, and the creative direction of the Tezozomoc Museum of Science and Technology. Through his independent studio, Phygital, he also developed original concepts such as the Museum of Water (Anfibium) and City of Cubes, from initial vision to final installation.

Luis holds a Master’s degree in Media Spaces from the University of Europe for Applied Sciences in Berlin and a BA in Photography from Universidad Veracruzana. He began his career in film, with short films screened internationally at festivals including the Cannes Short Film Corner. His cinematic foundation continues to shape his design philosophy through a focus on timing, emotion, and narrative clarity.

Since 2024, Luis has been a member of the World Experience Organization (WXO), contributing to the global dialogue on how we design for transformation, memory, and awareness.

He is also an active photographer and painter—his visual art practice adds a personal, intuitive layer to his design work, bringing sensitivity to light, color, and texture.

His clients include PIF, Al Hilal Soccer Team, Riyadh Municipality, Saudi Aramco, Netflix, Pantene, the Mexico City Government, Hans Mayer Galerie, Cocay, and Karma Verde Fresh, with work featured in Saudi Arabia, Berlin, Paris, Munich, Mexico City, Tulum, and Cannes.

Luis is the founder and creative director of Phygital, a design studio focused on creating thoughtful, immersive experiences that bring people closer to nature, to story, and to each other.

More at phygital.works.