Prior to my arrival to Milan, I was unsure what to expect in terms of design. Our pre-departure reading- “Made in Italy: Rethinking a Century of Italian Design”- discusses in the introduction the idea that Italian design has become a “victim of its own celebrity”. The star power of Italian design gave me a preconception of what that really meant- flashy images of Fiats and daring furniture coming to mind without any real context.
Through this course, “Design in Context” my goal was to find that meaning.
Of the topics the book states Italy is known for- cars, coffee, and fashion- I immediately became fascinated by the first. Cars.
I chose the theme of “transportation” for my sketch book after a day of exploration across the city and a full camera reel of nothing but scooters, cars, and trains. The variety of means that the Milanese turn to for transportation is something I am excited to document.
The number of scooters and small cars parked in the streets was certainly a pleasant surprise to me. Already I am seeing the incorporation of these mass-produced, stylish products that revolutionized urban transportation by means of accessibility. As the book noted, this was driven by the “increasing desire and need for individual, private transport” post-World War II. The varied pace of the city echoes this, with the public transport system thriving alongside the more independent mode of transportation found in the Fiat and Vespa. I think that it showcases the presence of both a very controlled and more open society within Italy’s past.
I look forward to sharing some of my sketches on this topic in future blog posts. Until then!
ciao
-autumn