Month: June 2016

Within the early days in Milan I had already pinpointed the strong use of geometry within not only their architectural design, but in many details of their urban landscapes. One of the most notable uses of geometry that could be found within almost any setting in the city was the various pavements/ ground coverages. Even on day one when we ventured our the the Duomo and Galleria, the mosaics and pavement patterns caught my attention. Although both the Duomo and the adjacent Galleria present more ‘natural’ forms in their architectural and sculptural design, the pavements that create the large gathering space for both of these prominent structures are most definitely more reliant on geometrical forms.

As many of my weekly blog posts have mentioned, there is a strong use of geometry in almost every ground covering or pavement that is noteworthy. Even the handful or more organic forms utilized geometrical shapes and principals more heavily than ‘natural’ inspiration. The most organic forms were found on the islands of Lago Maggoire, unsurprisingly. However, looking back through my sketchbook, I find it interesting that Milano presented more of a hybrid between geometrical forms and natural/ organic forms in their various ground coverings. This is mainly in comparison with Roma and Firenze, where there seemed to be an even more strictly geometrical inspiration of forms in the floors that I had noted.

While the history of each place most definitely defines the styles utilized, I find it noteworthy that the places that were more inclined towards geometry over organic forms were further away from coasts/ large bodies of water and larger geographic icons (ie. mountains) than in comparison with the islands and even Milano. Perhaps the geography of each landscape influenced design aesthetic more than realized at the time and therefore the overlap of geography in Milan presents more variety in forms.

 

The smaller details of everyday objects in life often get overlooked. As sad as this statement is, it is unfortunately the brutal truth. While the average person may pick up a book, newspaper, or poster and admire the quality or ‘it’ factor that they cannot quite describe, but know that they like; there are far less people who look at these everyday objects/prints and question its origins and processes of creation. Being a primarily design focused group of students, I am sure that the majority of us had previously thought about these objects past their surface appearances. However, for those who have not given this subject matter much thought, or are just interested in further information, the Tipoteca Italiana foundation is an incredible resource.

Being able to readdress the amount of work and meticulous processes that are necessary to print even just one simple page makes one have a deeper appreciation for these prints that unfortunately have the tendency of being overlooked. The foundation explained the original processes of ‘copying’ and ‘printing’ documents and then went further into the benefits of the machine age and technology for these techniques. Little do most people realize, many of these traditional processes are still very much so apart of modern printing. With everything nowadays revolving around technology and digital printing I feel as if the classic principles get lost and the techniques that were once used lose their appreciation.

Visiting the foundation and being reminded of the processes involved in printing and copying, as well as the creation of fonts, was extremely eye opening to designs/prints that are often taken for granted. The process of designing our own poster as a collective group also reiterated all of the work that is involved in printing. The design and production are a huge part of the process rather than just the context itself being the main focus. Choosing the correct fonts and placements and then beginning the process of trial and error in printing with the press is more of a procedure than most may think.  In the end, the wealth of knowledge at the Tipoteca Italiana foundation is remarkable and the appreciation that one gains for design prints after visiting is imperative, in my personal opinion.

For the last several weeks this particular building has been calling my name. I hear the wind blowing through its window cavities. It whispered at me saying, “just pause, take a moment, and just watch.” But in the hustle and bustle of things, I’ve ignored it. I paused for a second on Friday, but didn’t listen … I continued on. Finally, on Monday, I took a moment to look deeper into the structure. Low and behold, it was Gio Ponti’s church of San Francesco D’Assisi. It was beautiful, majestic and grand in its simplicity. It only asked you to listen and pause for a moment. The beauty of its simplicity came across that particular moment. That cloud, that car rushing by, and the woman going into confession would only be there at this time and place … with me composing and adding texture of that particular moment. This would never happen again as it just had.

Additionally, adding to the abstract moment of that time and place there were other physical elements that added to the experience. There was a quiet yet powerful organ … Sitting there … with its ceremonious stance, just waiting to be touched. To be played as it was meant to be played. Yet, at that particular moment, it was there, reserve,  just for me to enjoy. Peaceness.

On Friday, we visited Fondazione Vico Magistretti. I wasn’t sure what to expect because I had heard his name in discussions but I hadn’t put his work to the name yet. That’s one reason why I loved going to the Foundations! It helps make those connections so I can be like, “ah! I saw this at Artemide too!” In my head I was making all these connections from my past sketches to our trip to the Fondazione.

Vico’s grandaughter, Margherita, gave us a tour of his studio and talked about his work with anecdotes about his process sprinkled throughout. He was an architect and a designer, but called himself an architect foremost. While we were visiting we peeked at the exhibition of his architecture and building sketches. His granddaughter told us about how he never used a computer, only drew by hand. The only technology they had was a fax machine, and I think that was probably a fight his assistant had to put up!

I really enjoyed seeing all of his chairs in the studio. It gave me tons of content for my sketchbook!! My favorite chair was the saddle chair. I liked the quote that Margherita used to describe his inspiration: “using the usual in an  unusual way.” Vico took the shape and form of a saddle, turned it sideways and used it as a back and arm rest for an office chair! It was surprisingly very comfortable.

*picture coming soon!

His granddaughter said he was quite the snob (haha) but a really nice man. He left behind a great legacy!

The highlight of last week were the Floating Piers by Christo in Iseo. It was also incidentally the most taxing day thus far. Our day began early, and right off the bat we were thrown into absurdly long lines…more like amorphous blobs consisting of people shoving and crowding to get to the front. Lines don’t exist here apparently, especially if the event is free and for a limited time period. Not too different from life in India. There were innumerable times where I wanted to turn back: the second I saw the line after getting off the first train, while waiting for the second train, while waiting in line to get to the pier. I think this is the one day I complained the most about nearly everything.
Needless to say that day was a dream trapped in a nightmare. The lines were a horror but the experience of walking on water, on these golden bridges reflecting light from the sun while the cool breeze blew past, was an ethereal experience. Hot, sweaty, exhausting, but definitely transposing.
The lines made it seem like the piers would be packed to the brim. There were moments where I wondered if it would start to sink due to the weight. But I really can’t question Christo’s judgement since he’s had multiple large scale installations that were just as popular.

When beginning our journey from the Federazione del Fasci Milanesi to Triennale di Milano, a feeling of suppression to being more open was felt along our way. To better describe our journey, an exhibit was created as our presentation. This idea was inspired by one of the exhibitions at the Triennale. Our journey was divided into seven key stops as described in my last blog about this project. These key stops were described by a single word during our exhibit presentation. Our presentation focused on the emotional feeling that our journey took us from past to present time. Even though the headquarters was build after the Triennale, the environment we were in at the beginning felt so heavy. With a history of Mussolini giving address to his people at this central location of Milan, an individual is likely to exhibit a feeling of suppression with its fascist theme building. Continuing our journey from a feeling of suppression, deplete, stimulate, rouse, mobilize, uplift, and feeling of expand in the end are used to describe the key stops. Though during our first walk, we did not know how to present the feelings we felt during the journey, an exhibition from Triennale inspired us that there is no better way to progress through time then to have an exhibition.

Over the period of this study abroad, my favourite trips were the ones where we visited designers’ workshops like Castiglioni, Magistretti, Studio MF, and a couple more. It’s a more intimate and in depth than a factory tour (although Alessi was just the very best), and it’s quite fascinating to see how the studio is maintained. In cases like Magistretti and Castiglioni who have passed, the maintenance of the studio is a little different. Castiglioni’s studio, by the looks of it, hasn’t changed much since the last time he used it. The organized clutter, reams of used paper, photographs, books, all looked mostly intact, except for those left out for visitors to look through. Magistretti’s studio on the other hand, was also made into a studio. Our guide, who also pleasantly turned out to be his granddaughter, mentioned that she and a few other helpers sorted through all of Vico Magistretti’s sketches and writings and catalogued them so that they could be put on display in the studio turned mini museum. The change in purpose of the space didn’t really ruin the vibe though. I think the energy and genuine love that our guide had in talking about Vico Magistretti allowed for the mini museum to have a more warm atmosphere than a more formal museum would. Also Magistretti’s little office in the back was pretty much left the same.

On another note, one thing I realized with all these studio visits is that chairs are honestly the pinnacle of new design. It seems like every designer in his or her early days managed to find a new way of letting people sit, and each designer had a real, genuine idea on how to make the simple chair a better sitting experience. Magistrate added an s-curve to the legs so that they were sturdy but not bulky, Kartell created chairs that were easy to play with and durable in harsh weather, Castiglioni created an uncomfortable bicycle seat chair that kept phone conversations short, so on so forth.

Last week was crammed packed with a day trip to visit the ‘Floating Piers’ exhibit on Lake Iseo. All week we had mentally prepared for this adventure and the long 4.5km walk along the piers. However, when the day finally came not one of us were ready for what was to come. It ‘only’ took not fitting into a packed train,running to a new train with no A/C, standing for two hours in a mob of sweaty travelers, and about eight hours of travel to finally arrive at Lake Iseo.

Along the way, the heat and exhaustion mixed with the aching and swollen feet convinced many of us that the journey just was not worth it. I cannot lie, I definitely considered bailing out of the madness on several occasions. Let me tell you- I am so glad that I did not! Once we arrived at Lake Iseo it was not quite a remarkable experience, but shortly after it truly was.

Maybe it is just me, but being barefoot is one of the absolute best things in the world. Once we got through the madhouse of lines and arrived at the pier entrance people began to remove their shoes and walk along the golden pathways- HEAVEN. At first, the sight of this act did not make much sense, but who was I to complain? However, once we got on the pier and removed our shoes there was a sudden relaxation, relief, and overall tranquility that overcame me.

Although that may sound lame or cheesy, it was absolutely true. Perhaps it had just been the breathing point at the end of a journey filled with agony, but the piers somehow made it all worth it. The views were remarkable, unquestionably, but the experience through motion and sensation were what made this ‘exhibit’ the most incredible in my opinion. At the end of the day I was left questioning the exhibit though. Had it been the intention for it to be a relieving experience at the end of chaos? Or if it hadn’t, would the experience have been the same – or as rewarding – had I not just spent eight hours on my aching feet to get there? Maybe the agony is what made the piers so worth it. Maybe, if I had not endured the draining journey then I would not have appreciated the total experience. But it was a once in a lifetime experience so I suppose I may never know.

*PICTURES NOT UPLOADING*

During this week’s visits, we got a chance to visit Kartell museum. When first entering the museum, I remember seeing a model of a small car that looked like just a real car except painted. When the tour began, we were told that Kartell has produced more than 8000 items since 1949. The company was created to make everyday items using plastics. People began to get rid of traditional items created using metal or wood and started using plastics, as it was long lasting, easy to clean, light and sturdy. Starting off our tour, we were first shown plastic buckets that women used to wash kitchen utensils, first plastic lamp that was created in 1958, plastic lab equipment that was also produced in 1958, the very first plastic chair in the world that was really important for the company. The first plastic chair was made for children in 1964 and then for adults, plastic chairs came in 1967. This first chair to be made entirely out of plastic marked Kartell’s furniture manufacturing. Furthermore, in 1967 Anna Castelli designed modular furniture that was very important for history of plastic due to its mechanical characteristics. Kartell began to produce everyday items that met home and personal needs. Modular trolleys, drawers, vases, ashtray, table lamps marked a historic time when plastic became the material of future. One of the modular items that I greatly admired was a bookshelf made without any screws in the 1970s. Kartell also produces a bookshelf that is not square or rectangle shaped, rather in circular shape during the 1990s. Additionally, along with producing furniture, Kartell takes a big step in making plastic fashion objects. Items such as plastic shoes and purses mark a big step for Kartell to enter the fashion industry. It is hard to indulge a fact that one company can produce this many items in plastic. What started as a single dream for Kartell turned into easy accessible everyday item for consumers to utilize. A company that started more than 60 years ago still continues to beautify objects using a material that was not imaginable to be utilized in so many ways. Kartell continues to experiment with expansion in technology and it is hard to imagine what this company will continue to do in the next 60 years. Seeing so many objects made out of plastic in one building made me realize the importance a single material can have in the industrial society and in consumer goods.