Audrey Kirwin
Professor Kate Catteral
Design in Context
28 May 2025
Final Reflection
Traveling to Milan with my class was an experience that deeply changed how I see design and how I understand myself as a creative person. Each place we visited told its own story and added a new layer to the way I think about space, beauty, and meaning. Even though we were traveling as a group, I found moments in every visit to slow down, observe, and connect with the city in my own way.
The Duomo was the first moment that really struck me. I had seen photos before, but standing in front of it made me feel something entirely different. The scale was massive, but what caught me more were the small details. Walking through the cathedral and eventually climbing to the roof gave me this quiet sense of awe. I realized that great design is not just about how something looks. It is about how it makes you feel when you stand in its presence.
Spazio Rossana Orlandi flipped that idea on its head. It was strange and chaotic in the best way. Everywhere I looked, something unusual caught my eye. It was full of bold ideas that did not follow any rules. That space made me rethink what design can be. It does not always need to be beautiful in a traditional sense. Sometimes it is about the unexpected. Being there reminded me that creativity comes from taking risks and not being afraid of getting it wrong.
Villa Necchi Campiglio was completely different. Everything about it was calm and intentional. The rooms were designed with elegance and care, and nothing felt out of place. I was drawn to how quiet the beauty was. It did not demand attention, but it held it anyway. The experience helped me see how powerful subtlety can be in design. It taught me that restraint can sometimes create a stronger emotional response than extravagance.
The Brion Cemetery by Carlo Scarpa was one of the most moving places we visited. It was not just a space. It was a story told through stone, water, and light. Every part of it felt thoughtful. It made me think about how architecture can be a form of poetry. Even though I was there with classmates, the design created this feeling of personal reflection. It was a space that invited you to slow down and just exist within it.
Ex Macello was raw and filled with potential. It had an industrial edge and felt unfinished, but that was what made it exciting. It showed how a place can be repurposed and brought back to life without erasing its past. That idea stayed with me. It reminded me that design does not always start from scratch. Sometimes the most powerful work comes from transformation.
Every one of these places helped shape how I think about design now. They taught me to look closer, ask better questions, and notice what often goes unseen. Traveling through Milan gave me the chance to grow as a designer and also as a person. I left feeling more confident in my own perspective and more open to the possibilities that design can offer.
