Research Team


Background and expectations:

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

I was born in 1984 and grew up in the 'burbs of Vancouver. I don't always take photos of beautiful things I see on frequent wanders around the city - sometimes I rather selfishly enjoy the moment, but sometimes I find words which say more than any picture ever could. I'm a computer geek, and I'm a classically-trained pianist. I'm an uncle, and a brother to three sisters. When I enter a room, the first thing I do is head to the nearest window to get a good look at the clouds. I love good typography, good architecture, and the colour blue.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

In 2002, I applied to TechBC, and was accepted into SFU as the university transitioned. A month into my third year, I was not totally convinced that a lifetime of sitting in front of a computer was for me, so I left to get a feel for the industry. I spent the next year at Electronic Arts, working in front of a computer every day, before deciding it was time to return to SFU. I used this opportunity to pursue different options in a more traditional university setting, including archaeology, geography, philosophy, and business. Satisfied with a slightly more well-rounded education, I returned to the School of Interactive Arts and Technology to finish the degree I started. I am now completing my 5th year of the program, soon to be rewarded with a BSc in Interaction Design.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

Since the first year of the field study, I saw many of my friends and teammates return from Italy much different people than when they left. I have been interested in the history, the language, and the culture of the country for as long as I can remember, and I was ready to take a risk and immerse myself in that foreign environment. I decided that a lack of funds would no longer restrict the incredible knowledge and experience I knew I would gain by living and studying in Italy. It was time for me to take that next step towards finding the context and inspiration to help me define my future.

Experiences In-field:

WHAT DID YOU LEARN:

I learned that there are cities in the world where pedestrians know how to walk, and boy do they do it well. I learned that design is literally everywhere, and where it's not, it should be. Innovation is not just about creating something new. It's not about making the next interesting chair, or big glossy skyscraper. Innovation is about working with a problem that seems unsolvable, and developing a solution through an iterative design process, taking every factor into account. And every time, the solution is different.

The cities we visited each had remarkably unique cultures. I was able to see how they developed over time, from Renaissance roots in Tuscany's Montepulciano, to Roma, the eternal city itself. It was interesting to see how daily life in Italy took place in the midst of historical remains. For instance, our morning commute in Rome often involved a walk past the Colosseum before descending into the metro station. I learned that there are public transportation systems that work for large areas... take note, Metro Vancouver.

I came home understanding that I don't need to label myself as a graphic designer, or an interaction designer, or an architect, or anything else. I can leave my options open and be whatever I want to be. And I learned that good design takes time: sometimes months, sometimes years, sometimes more. To rush it is to lose the joy of designing, and create something that may not live up to it's potential.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

  • Playing frisbee in the Circus Maximus.

  • Sitting alone atop the forum at 3am on our last night in Rome. The history in the air was palpable, as shadows filled the ancient centre and columns rose up in my mind, showing me the forum as it once was. It was there that I understood the power and might and legacy of Rome.

  • Descending into the Tomb of the Leopards in Tarquinia.

  • Biking up to San Miniato with Derek and Morgan to get a good first look at the city lights of Firenze under the midnight sky.

  • Driving home from Omegna, after the Bialetti tour and Alessi visit.

  • Watching the sky rip apart with flashes of lightning and flood the streets of Milano with marble-sized hail on the final night of the study.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

  • The streets and sidewalks and piazzas and "crosswalks" of Roma.

  • Santo Spirito in Firenze

  • The walkway atop the graveyard behind San Miniato al Monte in Firenze

  • The Naviglio in Milano in the evening.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENTopen link

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

Without the support system of home, studying abroad can be a very tiring experience. Besides all the projects and coursework, I still had to go about the daily business of finding food, doing laundry, figuring out transportation, and so on, in an unfamiliar city. It is also much harder to find alone time, like in Roma, where we had 2 keys for the 8 men staying in the same apartment. That said, it can be a much more rewarding experience, and being able to talk to designers and visit places we studied made it such a real, hands-on education.

AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE THAT YOU OVERCAME DURING THE FIELD SCHOOL:

I accidentally used my beard trimmer without attaching the voltage converter in Roma. Where's the challenge in that? Without being comfortable shaving clean with a razor, I had to redefine what I thought about my face. I grew a curly moustache, sideburns, a handlebar, and a full on beard. I had fun with it, and enjoyed the suppressed laughter from the occasional passerby. It helped me be a little less serious about my image, thereby opening myself up more to those around me.

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

Without an ability to speak or understand the Italian language, I would have felt like just another tourist. But I wasn't. I was able to carry on basic conversations with people, on top of knowing how to buy my groceries or ask where the nearest metro station was. There is no way I could have interviewed citizens of Montepulciano without first learning their language, and these interactions made a significant impact on my visit - allowing me to feel like a real Italian, if only for a moment.

The knowledge of Italian history and design history we gained before going abroad also proved invaluable. I was able to see a building and understand why it was shaped like that, and figure out when it may have been built. From there, I could find other details to help me see how people might have responded to it, or what cultural value it may have held. I was excited to find buildings or places or statues or products that I had studied, and instantly recall who made it, and why it was significant. For me, the pre-trip work made Italia feel personal.

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

Thanks to the efforts of groups from previous years, we were able to work with, and build upon on a huge amount of information before even setting foot in Italia. Once we arrived, we had some idea of what to expect, and we noticed certain things that we hadn't expected. But more importantly, we had a strong, mutual understanding of the topics around design and innovation that we wanted to investigate, and we were therefore able to go into interviews feeling informed, confident, and ready to learn more. This helped each of us to see how useful the efforts of past groups has been, not only through their work, but also through their guidance and leadership on campus.

Reflecting:

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

I do not want to be tied down. I want to try, and I want to learn. I want to teach. I want to change the way people think about themselves, and the world around them. To me, Interaction Design is not a website, or a chair, or a fancy computer-controlled multi-sensor aerodynamic thingamajig. It is an idea, and a process, a way to solve problems, and a way of living. I want to make this known, and in doing so, I want to make Vancouver the envy of the world. Urban planner? Landscape architect? Transportation advisor? Author, artist, teacher, mentor? These are my goals and aspirations.

DID YOU MEET YOUR PRE-TRIP GOALS?

I went to Italia expecting great things, and I returned with much more than I had hoped. I wanted to prove to myself that I could be confident and independent in unfamiliar territory, and I did that. I wanted to see first-hand the impact good design can have on a country, or a culture, and I saw that. I wanted to be exposed to fresh ideas and concepts that I had never thought of before, and I certainly experienced that.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

I may never truly know the impact this field school had on me. What I do know is that I will never take this experience for granted. My mind has been opened up to a limitless world of opportunity, where no dream is too big. Potential for failure is no longer a reason to avoid trying something new, but rather it is incentive to step outside of your comfort zone and take on a new challenge.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

Do your research. Learn about the country, and the culture, and the cities, and the places you'll be seeing. Find as much information as you can about how people act, and how they go about their lives, before going. Then, once you're there, enjoy blending in! Spend as much time as you can in the midst of everything, even if you're tired. You may never get to go back, so regret nothing, take chances, meet people, make friends, experience, learn, and take the time to write it all down.