Research Team


Background and expectations:

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

I am currently in the last year of my degree in Interaction Design.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

I expected that the pre-Italy courses, the Italy trip, and the post-Italy course would allow me to unveil a world of knowledge to broaden my design foundations, and that the opportunity to interview a variety of designers at the heart of design would allow me to learn how they work and what propels their innovations.

WHAT NEW PERSPECTIVE DID YOU COME HOME WITH?

One of my areas of interest is to study how globalization has affected Italian design. Through the interviews in-field, I learned that even though globalization implies the flattening of technology, society, and economy, it will never be realized as such. Some amount of a region's existing culture will remain regardless of the amount of contact with other cultures.

Prior to the field school, I categorized styles and trends based on which country and people created them. Alternatively, I have now learned to see them based on the idea a design represents, rather than immediately forcing everything into categories. I began to see designs based completely on their statements. The world is not black-and-white; it's a fusion world of designs, beliefs, and opinions.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

Despite the amount of laughter and bonding time shared among the group, I feel that my favorite moments are when I'm alone. I am not saying, however, that these moments are not supported by the group; in fact, I feel that ultimately this trip would not have been what it is without the group. It's during the solitary moments such as biking along the hills of Florence without a destination, sitting alone in a cathedral early in the morning enjoying the silence, or even wandering around town, alone yet not feeling nervous in a foreign land, that I can think for myself what I am becoming and my position in life.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

  • Walking through the northern gates of Rome and entering into Piazza Del Popolo and feeling the majesty of the ancient super-power.

  • My next favorite space, which led to an enlightened way of seeing and learning, was Brunelleschi's Santo Spirito in Florence. This was my first time experiencing God's presence through another person's opinion or world view. The perfect proportions, physics and logic behind it all made God appear more rational and scientific rather than by blind faith.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENTopen link

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

As my father used to say, "it's better to walk a thousand roads than to read a thousand books." You never read about the small but meaningful things, and I got to see that for myself during this trip.

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

In-field, I constantly valued the Italian 100 class. Without the class, I would have had much less confidence in traveling alone, such as going to purchase something or conducting interviews in Rome and Tuscany.

In addition, without the previous years of study in design, I would not have appreciated the Milan section of the field school as much as I did. To understand the statements behind different design projects before feeling the fabrics or using the object allows us to put the last piece of the puzzle together.

Lastly, the pre-Italy course allowed us to prepare ourselves fully with time given to digest the information prior to visiting Italy. Once we arrived in Italy we were able to put our studies into practice immediately, not wasting any precious time in-field.

Reflecting:

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

It's the last year of my academic life, but lessons are everywhere. Watching and participating is a more practical learning opportunity, especially as a designer. I feel that this field school is a great way to transition myself from the student life to the working world. Not only have I studied and read about the various disciplines within interaction design, I have confidence to receive my degree and say I have embodied the design way of thinking through my university years.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

It's scary to experience true freedom; just forgive and allow yourself to do.