Research Team


WHY DID YOU APPLY TO THE ITALIADESIGN FIELD SCHOOL PROGRAM?

The school is well known and talked about in the SIAT community and is somewhat of a rite of passage for an Interaction Design student. It's also the peak of learning about what design and innovation is about - straight from the historical source and the designers themselves. It's taken 2 years for me to actually go now. At least for me there had to be a lot of preparation: time-wise, and money-wise.

WHAT I LEARNED

When people ask me what this field school is about, I usually answer with: We're there to observe and learn about how the Italian history, lifestyle, and culture is a part of the innovation and quality that exists in the country. And that's exactly what I learned. But also looking at ways that we can take those qualities and apply it to our lives - as designers, as students, as individuals.

Siesta - During the trip I fully experienced the concept of "slowness" that was mentioned in the 2006 research papers. And a great example of that is siesta. Italians would take a break to rest during the afternoon before going back to work. I personally find that refreshing and effective, avoiding the post-lunch food comas. I guess in another way, I could say that they effectively pace everything very well - so that they're driven and assuring long-lasting quality in the work they do.

Synthetic Thinking - Alberto Meda talked about synthetic thinking when designing. Where we don't just start from a shape, but from an idea. And an idea means you have to solve something, whereas shapes are just there for you to get materials to fill up and make into a product. As designers we're asked to look for things around us that influence us and can inform that idea. We make a choice from the possibilities available and start cycling in a design process: thinking, doing, doing, thinking. It's a constant messy loop of a process, not a linear line.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME

It asks for your full attention and commitment to the study/research. During the field school we're IN FIELD for at least 10-12 hours each day. It also puts you in a different environment, and some of your study habits will have to adjust because you have to make sure you don’t forget about living and eating.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS

  • Having my own alone time. There were always spots everywhere we were: My porch in our Rome apartment (close to the kitchen for food and is nice and cool), beside the room window in Tuscany (had a great view of the hills and I was able to grab free internet), my bed in Florence (because our rooms had A/C), and my room in Milan (we had our own rooms).

  • Figuring out and mastering the bus/metro systems for Rome and Milan

  • Tuscany - ALL OF TUSCANY: watching the fireflies, marveling at the scenery, cooking dinner for each other at night, exploring the tuscan hilltowns, killing all those mosquitos, and Paul taking a couple of us up to an awesome viewpoint in Cortona.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENT

"I soaked in the experience of being up at San Miniato, visited the inside, and sat by the ledge to have an evening watching the sun start to set over the city."

Download this and the rest of my Florence moments here

MOST MEMORABLE INTERVIEW MOMENT/QUOTE

"Everything is design. The end question is not about goods, it's about ideas." - Alberto Meda

FAVORITE PLACE/SPACE

  • San Marco in Firenze - the Museum has a very symbolic and special way of displaying the religious paintings of Christ.

  • Tempietto - Small peaceful space in which our entire group was speechless and in awe of Bramante's work.

  • The Pantheon in Rome (early early in the morning) - When all the tourists are still sleeping a few of us went to the Pantheon. The sunlight was shining through the occulus casting a light inside. The floor was brightly lit and barely anyone was there as we enjoyed our morning. Then we had espresso at Tazzo Doro.

MY FAVORITE ITALIAN

Though I did not meet him, it would be Enzo Mari. He sees design as a neverending process and presents it in the most inspiring, beautiful manner.

MY FAVORITE MEAL(S)

Vongole in Rome - So good that I've been making it for people back home ever since! Now when they see Vongole at a potluck they know who it's from.

MY CAPTURED MOMENTS

ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIA DESIGN STUDENTS

It's important to get along and learn how to deal with living situations. You will be with the same people traveling for 6 weeks. You will see them everyday, and will witness almost every aspect of their character. So instead of being immature about it, learn to balance your group time with your alone time. Usually your alone times are the moments you really absorb and take in your experiences of the day. It's the time you reflect and realize you're in a different country. And most importantly, you may actually think about your purpose, goals, and define/refine who you are as an interaction designer. And yes, there are written tests...given by Russell.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND

5th Year Interaction Design Major with a Communications Minor applying for Bachelors of Arts. Started in 2003 when TechBC had just changed into SFU Surrey.

CAREER GOALS AND INTERESTS

I'm interested in pursuing Communication Design opportunities in either profit or non-profit organizations. From my point of view, interaction design can be integrated into a variety of practices. And communications has to deal a lot with what's happening in the world, the culture around us, and interpreting those ideals to the people around us. I'm also interested in creating packaging for gifts and presents, but obviously that isn't a job that I can pursue (or continue) for the rest of my life.

PERSONAL BACKGROUND

(copied from Facebook)
I'm a photographer. I drink hot water. I am insanely organized. I have horrible audible memory. I carry a wrestling belt to my exams or everywhere else. I whine and complain like a teenager. I like to take jumping pictures. Sometimes I'm random. I listen well when without distractions. I like to talk about feelings. I have strong morals and opinions. I'm into the art of persuasion. I like to observe people and the way they behave/interact. I learn from my mistakes and imperfections. I buy and collect action figures and I wake up early to go to church at 8:30.

OH I'm a superhero geek.