Research Team


Background and expectations:

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

I was born in the Philippines, and raised in Surrey, BC, Canada. I came to the SIAT program straight out of high school, and have taken just about every course available in the program. I love design, films, and great ideas.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

New Media/Interaction Design major working towards a Bachelor of Science. I started off in the New Media stream, creating different forms of interactive media, but found that it lacked practical application and meaning, so I jumped over to Interaction Design and realized the true potential and power of design. Now I can develop things, objects, media, conceptual ideas, anything, with meaning and purpose.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

I looked at the work the previous ItaliaDesign students had produced, the designers and firms that they interviewed, and the amount of bonding and growth and fun that they had, and it made me realize that those were the things that I had been missing in my years of university that I wanted to be a part of.

Being able to create and share ideas with other open-minded students and designers from different backgrounds, absorbing the culture of an area and people completely different from my own, being able to really engross myself in my field of interest without the distractions of everyday life – these were the things I wanted to experience before I settled down and got out in the real world.

Experiences In-field:

WHAT DID YOU LEARN:

  • Generally?

    In order to truly experience what the field school (and life, for that matter) has to offer, you have to be able and willing to open yourself up, take chances, and let things happen.

  • About design, design process, and innovation?

    Having a process that you can apply across different situations and environments can result in some pretty incredible ideas, and prevents you from being too inwardly-focused. Thinking within the larger context is one of the most important facets of a good design process, and, combined with a good network of open-minded individuals and a positive working/social environment, can lead to innovative ideas.

  • About cities?

    The way cities are built and develop over time is the ongoing progression of how the people interact with the elements in that space (such as buildings, shops, green space, social nodes, and so on). Some cities don't take this into account, creating a space that is unlivable; others, like many of those in Italy, take into account the needs of the people, creating more enjoyable and suitable living spaces.

  • About living away from home?

    Being away from home is hard at first, especially if you grew up having other people do things for you. But once you're out there on your own, or living with new people, you realize how much you are capable of.

  • About group dynamics?

    A successful group dynamic requires maturity, the ability to communicate (both speak and listen), and fun. The first two points allow for productive work to be done; the third relieves the tension, which opens the door for more energy and creativity.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

  • In daily life?

    • Exploring the Santo Spirito area in Florence, and meeting the local artists there.

    • Riding my bike around Florence, no matter what the time or occasion.

    • The piazzas in Rome at night!

  • During course work?

    • Meeting and interviewing Elisabetta, the Pitigliano librarian.

    • Meeting young artists in Pitigliano, and having them show us their works!

  • In an interview?

    At the Castiglioni museum, Giovanna mentioned that one of the greatest qualities that her father had was his curiosity. This characteristic allowed him to view all objects as having multiple uses and qualities. "Being curious is the best thing a designer can be. If you are curious, you are very good."

  • With the group?

    • Riding bikes and having a picnic along the Appian Way in Rome.

    • Running laps around the Circo Massimo with Brad and Simon.

    • Hanging out at the Campidoglio at night (in the pouring rain!) with Brad, Simon, Yoshi, Karen, Kiks, Rob, Azmina, and Ryan.

    • Attending Sunday Mass at St. Peter's Basilica with Azmina, April, Jenny, and Rei, and seeing the Pope give his Sunday morning speech (in 7 different languages!) from his balcony.

    • Hustling my way into the Pitti Immagine fashion event with Azmina.

    • Racing bikes from our apartment to the Campanile in Florence with Brad and Morgan, getting there just in time for the sunset, and running into Kiks, Ryan, and Rob at the top.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

The Santo Spirito area in Florence will always be a special place for me. During my first visit of the area, I engaged in a number of interactions that resulted in me becoming acquainted with the local art community. After that, I returned almost every day during our stay in Florence, greeting the new friends I had made, eating gelato at the steps of a small church near the Pitti Palace, and just watching life go by. Santo Spirito felt like my own little secret world.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENTopen link

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

Studying abroad means working without all the usual distractions, in an environment that allows you to interact with people who are completely different from you. This creates situations in which you are encouraged to break bad habits (dependency, shyness) in order to succeed and grow as a person.

AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE THAT YOU OVERCAME DURING THE FIELD SCHOOL:

This sounds totally stupid, but learning how to take care of myself, from cooking my own meals to doing the laundry, was something that I never expected to pick up during the field school. I've lived a pretty sheltered life back home, and I've always accepted that as part of my daily life. But once I was placed in an environment where I was out of my comfort zone, I learned how to do all these small, seemingly insignificant things by myself, which greatly increased my self confidence and my sense of independence.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE VALUE OF THE FULL SEMESTER OF CONTEXTUAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL STUDIES PRIOR TO IN-FIELD WORK?

  • About language?

    Learning the basics of the Italian language was invaluable – it not only helped during interviews, but also during daily life. For instance, being able to walk down the street and order an espresso seems like a small thing, but when you do it two or three times a day (or more), it really helps to know the language. Also, the local people seem to open up more once you show that you're at least trying to speak in their language. On many occasions, I found that people would rarely give me a second look... until I pulled out a "sono studente" (I'm a student) and other key phrases, and then they'd suddenly treat me like an old friend.

  • About Italian history?

    Having in-depth knowledge about the history of Italy was helpful in many ways. It helped me: 1) gain insight as to why developments in Rome (and the other cities, to some extent) take so long and suffer so many setbacks; 2) gain credibility when having conversations with our interviewees; and 3) understand and truly appreciate the buildings, artworks, and the lives of the people.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE LEGACY PROJECT OF THE ITALIADESIGN FIELD SCHOOL?

It's pretty cool knowing that we've contributed to a project that has run for five years, and will continue on years later. We're not only continuing the work of the people before us, but adding to it and building up on it. Azmina and I, for example, were able to look into the fashion industry and its role in Italian design – a topic that had not been fully explored in past years. Without the contributions of the previous Italia Design groups, we would not have had the opportunity to explore that subject. We also would not have had the access to the places and people and companies that we visited had it not been for the efforts of the past groups. Hopefully the efforts that Gruppo Cinque have made this summer will be as helpful to the next group as the past years had been to us.

Reflecting:

CAREER GOALS, ASPIRATIONS, AND INTERESTS POST-FIELD SCHOOL?

After taking part in the Field School, I know what I don't want to do: keep making meaningless "stuff." The Italia Design program (and the Interaction Design program) have shown me the importance of good design – that is, design that takes into account peoples lives, their behaviours, their needs, and their environments. It's shown me the career paths that are available for someone who has the knowledge of designing for people (as opposed to designing to/at people). My goal, post-Field School, is to continue along these lines: designing with purpose.

DID YOU MEET YOUR PRE-TRIP GOALS?

My main pre-trip goals were to: 1) work in a completely foreign environment, thereby challenging myself to be productive and to grow; 2) learn about the people and places of Italy and how they tie in to good design; and 3) to have positive experiences. Did I accomplish them? I believe so. The rest of my answers in this interview explain it all in detail. But I also accomplished things I'd never even thought of, such as learning how to cook and clean for myself, or getting over my fear of heights by going to the top of Michelangelo's Dome, or just grabbing a map and getting out on my own.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

Academically, the Italia Field School has given me the ability to critically analyze a city and its people and figure out how they all work together, and how I can use this knowledge to better my own work. Professionally, it has increased my knowledge of design process, which I can then take to any career and utilize. Personally, it's given me the confidence to do whatever I want with my life and go after anything that interests me.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

  • No matter how much you like or love the people you are with, remember to take some time for yourself! Get away– grab a map, rent a bike, and just go. Explore the city, talk to people, make new friends, find new spots to have food or hang out or to have a quiet moment for reflection. Taking some time for yourself will do you a world of good.

  • Wear light clothing. Italy is hot (especially Florence). Be prepared to sweat.

  • Take advantage of the bikes; they're life-savers.