ItaliaDesign
Field Study 2008
ItaliaDesign is an intensive study of world-leading design and innovation in Italy. I was selected to be one of 14 students to be a part of the year-long study, which would add to an existing 4 years of research. In total, 4 months was spent learning the language, researching the history, culture, and landscape of the country, and planning the in-field interviews/research, followed by 2 months of work in-field, and 4 months back home to synthesize and publish all of our findings. It was a doozy of a year, and it's one I'll never forget.
Yves Béhar
precedent study 2008
Bridging brands, cultures, and identities, Yves Béhar is quickly becoming a big name for the future of design. His forward thinking and consideration for sustainable, meaningful, story-based design, rooted in his own design experience and education, has strong links to the "Italian Brand." A designer of multiple Italian-manufactured products, Béhar is helping to push Italian design innovation into the future, while retaining the strong links to quality, timelessness, and familial relationships that have made Italian design what it is today.
Liz Sanders
precedent study 2007
For the 4th week of the precedent studies in a 4th year design course, a partner and I looked at interaction designer, Liz Sanders. Sanders is one of the pioneers in recognizing the need to understand people's past, current, and potential future experiences in order to create truly meaningful designs. She has established a number of methods and tools for designers to use in order to engage users in participatory, "co-design."
Martí Guixé
precedent study 2007
Week 3 of precedent research covered industrial design, and my partner and I had Martí Guixé. With an unique design process and style, Guixé creates "brilliantly simple ideas of a curious seriousness." His approach is to look at life from another perspective, and to be inquisitive with the things that are observed, so the desire to learn from the simple ideas can be taken seriously.
Alvar Aalto
precedent study 2007
The second week of precedent research for a 4th year design course looked at historical architects. A partner and I selected Finnish designer and architect, Alvar Aalto. An innovator and leader of human-centered, modernist designs. Aalto was the naturaliser and the humaniser, creating award-winning buildings, and timeless pieces of furniture and interiors. This includes the Paimio Tuberculosis Sanatorium, the Villa Mairea, Saynatsalo Town Hall, Finlandia Hall, and the well-known Paimio Chair and Savoy Vase.
