Research Team


Background and expectations:

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

I was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba and moved to Vancouver when I was ten years old.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

I obtained a certificate for a one-year 3D Animation and Special Effects program in 2002, and am currently finishing off a degree in Interaction Design at SFU's School of Interactive Arts and Technology.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

Not only did students from previous field studies always return with stories of life-changing experiences, but I had also heard about Russell's work with Italian designers and the unique culture the Italian people share. I had been to Italy once before with my family on vacation, and even back then, I knew that the version of Italy I received was only touching the surface. There was such a rich culture there that I was not about to receive by a tour guide. Part of my reason to apply for ItaliaDesign was to see the real face of the country, and immerse myself in a culture completely unknown to me before this study. The other part was to stretch myself as an individual. Even though I have lived away from home for extended periods of time before, I have never had to adjust to a new culture on my own and it was my goal to push my limits, and see how strong I could be.

Experiences In-field:

WHAT DID YOU LEARN:

  • About design?

    Very often, there is a simple answer to complex questions.

  • About innovation?

    When interviewing Stefano Giovannoni, one of the designers for Alessi, he gave an example of designing a chair. "Every chair has already been designed. Designing a new one doesn't always mean creating a new shape. It can be in the form of a new concept or technology. You enter the history of the chair, and you find the right way to increase the development of it." To me, that statement means that innovating is not limited to external appearance - in this case, it was an advancement in injection-molding technology. A good designer would look at something at many different angles and perhaps find a new way to push a concept further than its previous reiterations.

  • About design process?

    Paolo Rizzatto compared the elements of the design process to a symphony orchestra. "You don't speak only about the shape, function, cost, technology, or commercial issues. You make a composition of all these things until they harmonize with each other, similar to the relationship between an orchestra and conductor." The design process is continuously fine-tuning all these parts during development until the product or concept has reached completion.

  • About cities?

    Observing the lifestyles of the Italian people, one could say that the entire city is like one enormous household. The houses are the bedrooms, the streets are the corridors, and the piazzas are the living rooms where everyone gathers. We received a taste of this concept as we ate late dinners, strolled around the streets and observed the locals. The strong sense of family in an Italian city is undeniable, and the city's layout allows for this dynamic to happen.

  • About group dynamics?

    We learned to share a lot of things together. One of the biggest things we discovered about Italian culture was the network they established among themselves. They made themselves resourceful to others, and shared information where needed. From the beginning of the field study, I saw that we were practicing something similar. If one person found a book that would be helpful to another team in their assignment, they would inform them about it. If there was an interesting event going on, we would email the whole group to see who would be interested in going. If someone went to the grocery store, sometimes they would bring something back for the whole group working back at home. We all had the understanding that we were striving for the same general goal: to help each other succeed and learn the most we could from this program.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

  • In daily life?

    It was always enjoyable to go out for a nice dinner at a new restaurant with people from the Italia group, go buy some gelato, sit in a nearby piazza, and take a nice stroll home. It was my favourite thing to do at night.

  • During course work?

    The first time I approached someone to conduct an interview, I nervously recited the Italian I studied in my head, and was delighted to find that he understood what I was trying to ask and we were able to carry several conversations before I said goodbye to him at the end of our stay in Rome. Another favourite I had was an interview with a man in Pienza who initially looked scary to me, but once I started asking questions about the city, his face lit up with a warm smile and we had a nice conversation completely in Italian about what he loved about Pienza.

  • In an interview?

    We had a chance to visit what used to be Achille Castiglioni's workshop in Milan, and his daughter gave us a tour of what is now an archive of his work. She showed us many things he collected over the course of his life, things that were original and creative, as well as shared with us stories behind many products he designed. His motto about being curious emanated from everything in his workshop. Seeing all the various personal items and hearing the stories through the eyes of his daughter made the experience extremely inspiring.

  • With the group?

    On one of our days off in Rome, we rented bikes and traveled down Via Appia Antica, where we sat by a field and had a picnic. It was probably one of the first true moments we had together as a group upon arriving in Italy.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

  • The Loggia dei Lanzi in Piazza Signoria

  • The exhibits in the Medici Palace

  • St. Peter's Basilica

  • Piazza del Popolo

  • Pitigliano

  • Pienza

  • Interior and rooftop of the Duomo in Milan

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENTopen link

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

When studying subject matter at home, it's very easy to turn yourself off to it whenever you feel bombarded. Studying abroad is extremely different in that aspect; it's going to be there when you wake up in the morning, and when you go to bed at night: there's no turning Italy off. Nothing will change the fact that you're there and you need to learn how to live there. This will inherently make you see firsthand the lifestyles of the locals, things you can appreciate about the culture, constantly taking yourself out of your comfort zone in order to see the amazing things you couldn't see sitting behind your desk at home.

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

  • About language?

    Learning Italian was key to our study. Some of the most important work we conducted were through interviews and conversations in their native language. This was especially important when we investigated areas that are not found on a tourist map. Knowing the language allows you to get a glimpse of the various colours that make up all of Italy. Even being able to communicate with our local grocer was a meaningful experience, and you feel much less of an outsider, especially when you start seeing similar faces from day to day.

  • About Italian history?

    Studying the history was most certainly valuable in understanding what we were looking at when we arrived. My issue when I went to Italy previously with my family was that I didn't have any context on a lot of places we visited. Having a sense of the deep history of Italy made all the sights more meaningful and real to me.

  • About design history?

    Before our trip, we studied many designers and their contributions to the design industry. As a result, we were able to see a wide scope of innovative products that enriched the design world. Nothing can quite describe seeing them in person and interacting with them in the unique ways for which they were designed. Also, knowing the background of the designers made for a deeper understanding of what they talked about when we interviewed them.

Reflecting:

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

After I finish my degree, I would like to pursue a career that encourages creativity and innovation - preferably something in media, but I am still searching for the most proper place for me to contribute my skills

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

  • Professionally?

    I don't think I will ever have another chance to see all the different artistic and structural pieces that I did during the field school. Experiencing all the churches we visited and taking in the different atmospheres of each left a lasting impression for me. The proportions and architectural elements of each building would offer hours of deep contemplation. Observing the many techniques of the artists in Florence also gave me insight on how I could further improve my own artistic ability. As a whole, the trip gave me a more profound appreciation for the achievements the great minds in history accomplished, and in turn have become foundation stones for contemporary work. Conducting interviews with the designers in Milan was also extremely inspiring for me. Conversations with great minds encourage me to learn more about the world, as well as other people's worldviews.

  • Personally?

    I discovered I was more capable than I gave myself credit for. On certain days when we walked all over the city and I felt like I had reached my limit, I found myself wanting to head out and explore again after a rest. It was also my first time navigating a brand-new city, and I tasted the thrill of becoming acquainted with it at my own pace. I allowed myself to be curious about something without other people's influences when I ventured out on my own. I also developed an interest in people during my time in Italy. Observing the lifestyles and interactions around me opened my eyes to the extremely diverse cultures that exist in the world.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

If something doesn't turn out exactly the way you planned, don't worry about it; see where it takes you. Perhaps this turn of events will actually lead you to a transcendent moment that you weren't expecting. The important thing is to live in the moment and look for the value in the experience.