Research Team

Background and expectations:

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

Imaginative, artistic interaction designer often with too many ideas in his head. Works well in teams but also enjoys moments of being alone. Loves brainstorming sessions because people accept the wackiest ideas possible. Enjoys sitting and simply observing interactions and body language. Believes that best photos are taken when no one sees the camera. Loves design, empty spaces and daydreaming all too much.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

I'm a senior student studying Interaction Design at SFU's School of Interactive Arts and Technology.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

When I applied to ItaliaDesign, I saw it as an honor amongst students who study Interaction Design. I wanted to experience the history and development of design in Italy - where I believed was the origin of design. From reading about and speaking to former ItaliaDesign students, I learned that the field school helped them broaden their perspective of design and enhance their understanding of innovative design concepts that are unheard of in this continent.

Finally, I joined ItaliaDesign because I wanted to be part of a larger team of design students. I was attracted to the challenge of working with a group of individuals who were all willing to sacrifice such a large amount of their time and effort learning and sustaining the unique properties of ItaliaDesign. As a student on a path towards becoming an interaction designer, ItaliaDesign was like a rite of passage: surviving it would change my understanding of the world and prepare me for the future.

Experiences In-field:

WHAT DID YOU LEARN:

• Generally?

  Italy has a unique culture which may at first be difficult for Canadians to understand. The Italian mindset is quite different and may seem inefficient in comparison to that of North Americans. However, with an open mind, I began to understand the lifestyle of Italians and appreciate the interaction they have with their surroundings. I experienced an aura unique to Italy; something that can only be understood through one's patience and willingness to learn.

• About design?

  That there is never one solution to all problems; that design can be found everywhere and anywhere; and that there isn't anything that hasn't been previously designed in some way, shape, or form. Most importantly, that a design is developed for a specific purpose or problem and then its goal is to successfully address that problem alone. All good design comes from understanding the design context: constraints, restrictions, needs, flow of space, product placement; everything seems to play a role. When all this is taken into consideration as one problem it becomes the question that we as designers try to answer. People might spend lifetimes understanding this, but once you do, you can move mountains.

• About design process?

  A design process is never a linear process; it changes based on the needs of users and the constraints of the project. A design process can form differently for each and every individual. There's no right or wrong way to do it, only guidelines and suggestions. As time goes on, it might become an iterative circular process that boggles the mind, but such a design process is still never the same twice.

• About cities?

  Each city has its own unique character and understanding. Each city has something to say, and something it wants to teach us. Part of being in ItaliaDesign is being able to understand what these cities are trying to tell us: to be able to listen, and process the history that has become something that we can see now.

  In my time in Italy, I saw mountains of amazing architecture and sculpture. At first I was in complete awe of the detail and talent required for such things to be built, but as I saw more and more, my head became filled with information. I learned it was necessary to pace myself in seeing architecture. I found it better to see less in quantity, and instead understand the details of how a building or a style developed.

• About group dynamics?

  It has been a new and profound experience living and traveling with such a large unique team of individuals. Each of us were chosen for a specific reason and specific skills to be placed together in this team, collaborating together to create something amazing. Living together was enjoyable, but also very stressful. Even the greatest of friends may find themselves bumping heads in disarray sometimes. I learned that I needed to know where my limits lay. It was important for me to balance my time with the team and the amount of time I saved to spend alone.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

• In daily life?

  During my alone time in Pitigliano, I came across two elderly women and their little dog. At a moments glance, I smiled to them and they gestured back. With my broken Italian, I hesitantly explained my status as a student studying design and that we were gathering valuable information from Rome, Tuscany, Florence and Milan. They then replied with fluent Italian that I could not understand. After a failed attempt to communicate, I continued by explaining to them that I had only learned very little Italian, and had a lot of trouble understanding what they were saying. The two then smiled and greeted me with nothing less than open arms and embrace. It didn't matter that I was foreign and did not understand the questions they asked. They still showed me an unexpected form of love and care.

• In an interview?

  My most favorable moment in an interview is without a doubt our visit to the studio of the late Achille Castiglioni, whose studio is now in the process of being archived. We had a tour from the maestro's daughter, Giovanna. Most of Castiglioni's pieces in the studio still lay in its original locations, the exact way he left them. As I entered the space, it almost felt like I could sense his presence in the space, as if he had simply stepped out for a moment.

  Castiglioni was an amazing teacher, well-known as the father of Italian design. In his time, he collected a large set of unique items each providing something that inspired him. In his meeting room, Castiglioni had a large rectangular wooden table. Around the table stood a multitude of chairs, each different from the next. Each chair was developed by a different designer for different purposes. As our team began to sit down on the different chairs, feeling the unique properties of each one, Giovanna came up to me and asked if I knew about the Stella rocking chair standing next to me. It just so happened that I had been in charge as the content expert for Castiglioni's work. I carefully explained in front of the group regarding Castiglioni's chair, its essence of being a temporary chair, to be used to sit on for only a few moments, and to allow movement and joy in its interaction. At that moment, I imagined how it Castiglioni would have stood in the exact spot I stood, in front of a group of chairs, each represented by the designer that made them, explaining the same thing. Giovanna looked at me and smiled. She then turned to Russell, saying "you taught your students well."

• With the group?

  • Playing Frisbee with the crew in the Circus Maximus in Rome

  • Making and eating dinner in Rome as a group. Learning to cope with each other, loving each other and looking out for each other as a team.

  • Spending a good portion of the a night in the Campidoglio. The sky was pouring down on us and we decided to head to the Campidoglio in relief against the rain. There in silence we sat, felt the impact of the city, and embraced the space.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

• Sitting on a swing at night in one of the few quite parks in Rome.

• Wallowing in joy inside the studio of the late great Achille Castiglioni.

• Sitting in the crypts of San Miniato in Florence.

• Standing alone in a field behind our Tuscan home, being surrounded by nothing but the darkness and the peaceful flares of dancing fireflies.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENT

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

Studying abroad differs from studying home through the ideas of limitations. Being away from home, I learned that the boundaries I had before were now not applicable to me. I had much more freedom to learn as I please. However, this also meant that I needed to become more responsible and open to understanding my surroundings. Immersed in the Italian environment, I became more and more aware of all the experiences that I engaged. Experiencing the city became my form of research. I no longer needed the internet for research; instead I researched by standing in the space, and interpreting what I saw and felt.

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

Learning the language prior to being in-field was an essential to the success of the team. Being prepared with the language helped me quickly become more comfortable with people and location. Learning the language was also very helpful when connecting with locals - knowing even the smallest bits of the language went a long way.

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

The legacy of the project is one of the reasons why I originally applied for ItaliaDesign. I am proud to be part of the legacy of this project by building a database of information. It becomes a crucial source for networking between potential employers as well as an update of interviews with famous designers throughout Italy. It is a collaboration of effort and requires a well organized team to manage it every year.

Reflecting:

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

Inspired by the work being developed in Italy, I've become interested in pursuing opportunities involving user-centered design, idea generation, and product design. After graduation, I will be looking for opportunities involving team-based projects, hopefully leading towards innovative, sustainable and green companies.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

This field-study was an eye-opening experience like no other. It is quite amazing to be able to see and speak to famous design companies that have long stood and understood the theories behind what makes design in Italy truly Italian. This trip has broadened my knowledge of the possibilities that are available for people who have graduated from the school of interactive arts and technology. Moreover it has provided me with access to a network of possibilities through companies over seas.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

People usually give the advice to simply 'roll with it', but I find such advice is much too simplified and frankly easier said than done. Advice I received during my field study that helped me get through it is this: there are times where everything is just going wrong, and you're down in the dumps. You need to be able to see it, but not let it get to you. Understand it, but save the anger and depression for later; don't let it destroy the rest of your day. Be prepared with open arms, ready and willing for anything and everything coming your way.

This is so important because you never know what amazing opportunities you could miss if you're still in grudge of something that has happened five minutes ago. So I guess my advice for upcoming ItaliaDesign students would be this: It's okay to be nervous, angry, or afraid of something, but don't let such emotions hinder you from experiencing Italy to its fullest.