Everyone say, “Thank you Carlo Scarpa, I love you Carlo Scarpa!!”
This week was busy! We walked a lot, saw a lot, learned a lot; my designer heart is full.
La Scala was gorgeous – the space was beautiful, as was the performance, but I also loved dressing up and going out with everyone. There’s something really amusing and entertaining about seeing people in a way you’re not accustomed to seeing them, like we unlocked new outfits for everyone’s characters.
If our trip to Treviso and Venezia had not happened, this post would’ve been a love letter to Achille Castiglioni. Achille and Giovanna have such a youthful spirit to them, and their love for the Castiglioni craft is so evident in everything we saw at the studio museum. To hear that Achille designed things specifically for his children and his wife is so compelling; he loved to the point of invention. The studio museum is a reminder to nurture the brain of your inner child and to let them be present in the work you create, something I’ve forgotten to do lately.
As a former theatre lighting nerd, the Artemide visit was so exciting to me. I love their attitude towards light – to them it is a tangible thing that flows and can be molded. They’ve tamed light. I have infinite respect for the amount of thought and work that happens before a lighting fixture even reaches shelves.
Tipoteca was beyond entertaining for me. I am not the best or the most active type designer, but by proxy to Carley Law, it was so fun to see it all. I loved making a poster with everyone – this is co-design! I think the moment where we all clapped for each other as we printed will be one that reminds me how special our cohort is, and how much I’ll miss everyone once this is over.
Of course, the thing that made this week so special was Carlo Scarpa’s work. Seeing him at Brion, Negozio Olivetti, and Biennale was such a treat. You can just tell when he’s the brain behind a building! His references to Japanese architecture, as well as his details in corners, edges, and movement in stillness make his creations so unique.
I recently learned that his peers referred to him as “Professor,” rather than “Architect:” because of his refusal to take the Italian pro forma professional exam post-WWII, he was not allowed to call himself an architect. I think the title suits him well – we’ve learned a lot from him.
In this blog post, I would also like to apologize to anyone who was in my vicinity while we were at Biennale. I’m sorry if I freaked out too much. It was like Disneyland to me. There was so much dialogue about placemaking (USA), biospheres (Belgium), the role of design in today’s climate (Hungary), and other fascinating topics. Cathryn Ploehn would’ve loved Biennale, and trust, I will be writing to her about this. The exhibitions here were immersive and inviting, perfect timing as I begin to think about capstone.
While not part of our scheduled programming, some friends and I went to Lugano, Switzerland this weekend! I had a wonderful time slowing down.
This week was exactly the kind of thing that makes me feel awe and respect for the designers that came before me, and excitement for what my peers and I will create moving forward. There’s nothing else I’d rather do than design.
Some beautiful images and of course I appreciate commentary!