Category: Weekly posts_2016

This visit, hands down, was the highlight of my week. In all honestly, I had no idea who Achille Castiglioni was until a few weeks ago. Now I am obsessed with him: the way he brought a certain wit into every one of his projects, his seemingly controlled hoarding of funky objects, his fearlessness to dive into any and all challenges, and his beautiful and chaotic studio space.

One thing I kept hearing and witnessing during our visit was Castiglioni’s practice of “shape follows function.” I find it so easy to run head into a project with a focus on how the end product will look. I know that this is wrong, and seeing it worked out in so many of his designs really helped me digest why function should be a designer’s first thought. I want to begin studying the world as he seemed to. Looking at everything and every situation as a potential place to step in and make things a little better, make things run a little smoother. One way in which Castiglioni seemed to do this is by making things minimal. If you don’t need to complicate things, don’t!

Not only did I love ogling at all Castiglioni created and collected, but I learned so much in the hour we spent in his studio. Not only about him, his process, and his design philosophies (all wonderful by the way) but about myself as a designer. I tend to want to put myself in a box. I’ve spent the last two years trying to figure out how to label myself. I want to be able to say, “I am a graphic designer,” or “I do brand design,” or “my focus is in user interface design.” Not that these things are bad, but something I’ve begun to notice on this trip is that I do not need to set up camp in a certain genre of design. Massimo Vignelli, the man who designed the New York subway signage, said that “if you can design one thing, you can design everything.” I want to live my life as a designer with that saying as my mantra. Castiglioni came running wherever a need popped up: whether it was a massive arching lamp, a mayonnaise jar knife or a bike seat chair. I think he believed that he could design anything and everything. So if it’s good enough for Castiglioni, it’s good enough for me.

It seems as though after the conclusion of every one of our design outings, the latest is always dubbed “my new favorite”. This could not be truer for our visit to the Alessi factory. As we approached Alessi by bus, we wound through the mountains and small scenic towns. Near the entrance, we crossed a bridge with water running under it which we later learned powered the entire factory when it was founded in the early 20th century. We were swiftly greeted by our enthusiastic tour guide who led us through the Alessi “archives”, which were huge, moveable vaults that contained everything that Alessi has ever produced. The mere organization of it all was something to be marveled. I can’t describe how moving it was to be able to see and handle the prototypes and objects designed by the fathers of Italian design such as Ettore Sottsass, Richard Sapper, Achille Castiglioni, Alessandro Mendini, Aldo Rossi, and Philippe Starck. I got a ton of sketchbook content from this tour because it was all so fascinating. Next we headed to the Alessi store right across the bridge where we were tempted by all of the beautifully designed products. I’m excited about my purchase that is Mario Trimarchi’s ‘Fiato Sul Collo’ necklace, which is part of his highly successful line of products that feature many rectangular pieces converging together. I can’t wait to see what will be my next favorite trip!

       

 

It is hard to believe that we have already been in Milan for a week. I’m surprised at how quickly and easily we all have adapted to the European city life and survived our jam-packed days. Before I discuss my sketchbook, I want to make note of a few impressions I have had during these past 7 days.

It is hard to ignore the high level of sophistication in Milan. As a fashion admirer, I have so enjoyed observing the style of the women and men here. It seems that even the most “casual” outfits are carefully planned and always polished. The street styles often exhibit neutral colors, elegant lines, towering heels, and sleek hair. I spotted my favorite outfit so far on a women ordering a cappuccino while wearing striped palazzo pants, a white tank, and a pair of dainty black lace-up stilettos. One can tell that this is a design-oriented city in every sense.

Another observation I have made is that Italians are patient and kind. I’m trying hard to learn the language both with Duolingo and through the teachings of our linguist, Ilaria, but some phrases are not sticking. I am so grateful that the people I have encountered make a sincere effort to speak English or are kindly receptive to my broken Italian. Hopefully one day I will master this beautiful language so that I can come back to visit or live.

Even coming from New York, the U.S mecca of public transportation, I have been absolutely blown away by how clean, reliable, and navigable the public transportation in Milan is. The options are endless! The metro, train, bus, and tram systems have given me immense confidence in terms of getting out and exploring the city. I’m beginning to think it would be nearly impossible to get lost in the subway because it is so user-friendly.

The convergence of all of these impressions have made for some curious sketchbook content. I am still deciding what topic I will ultimately focus the whole book upon but I have taken some time to explore a few options. Originally, I was thinking that I would focus on the design of chairs throughout the city because I figured I would have lots of content and be able to explore some design history aspects. Our visit to the Musei Italiani provided some great forms to experiment with. However, since I am not truly interested in furniture design, I figured branding, typography, signage, or wayfinding would be a better path for me since I have experience with researching and creating within these facets of design. My week one sketchbook reflects those explorations. We shall see what next week brings!

 

This week has been kind of a whirlwind, but it is a crazy, beautiful, exciting whirlwind that I’m so happy to be a part of! Milan is wonderful. The metro is ridiculously clean, our new Italian friend Anna is so helpful, gelato is on every corner, and there are flowers on almost every balcony in the city. We have only been here a week and we have already seen so much. My feet are a little tired but it is all more than worth it. Going to museums to see exhibits is comparable to walking down the streets here. You can see so much history and gain insight into the workings of the city just by observing your surroundings. 

 And if I haven’t said it enough, everything in this city is beautiful: the people, the architecture, the cafes, the language, and honestly, one of the most important, the food.

Coming here, I knew the food would be one of my favorite parts. Don’t get me wrong, I know this might not seem as important as some of the wonderful architectural history or monumental things such as that, but it’s a necessity so it is pretty important in my opinion. Being so struck from the beginning by the food and the coffee and the gelato, I became interested in Italians’ relationships with food and really meals in general. While I am here in Milan, I am planning on studying the Italian dining experience. As of now, I am keeping my topic broad so it can lend itself to the exploration of the different facets within this category. I have begun to notice and sketch different gadgets in the kitchen, customs in cafes, and “timelines” in restaurants. I want to observe and experience as much as I can involving Italian dining and eating habits while I am here. I want to know how things work and why they operate that way.

As this next week goes on, I hope to narrow down my focus and get more in depth in my research.

I received a piece of inspiration this week from the Alessi factory- great designers can come from all walks of life. The wide variety of creative backgrounds of the designers showcased in the Alessi archives was a testament to this fact. Architects, artists, designers- all have a different perspective to lend to creating something great.

Viewing the various designs was quite inspiring. Seeing so many familiar shapes and forms- I had no idea that Alessi was the birthplace of these designs. I suppose a great design is eternal. It cannot be broken- as evident by the iterations on the famous Alessi coffee maker. It is probably every designer’s dream to create something that lasts so long.

(Side note: This may be cliché or lame… But the idea that a great designer can come from any school of thought reminded me of the Disney movie Ratatouille. The quote- “Not everyone can become a great artist; but a great artist can come from anywhere.” This gave me hope that I can still create great things even from a different perspective than a designer.)

The focus for my sketchbook is transportation- a topic that allows me to capture bits and pieces of Italian life and the way that people move around the city. Coming from America, where owning a car is practically essential in most cities, adjusting to public transportation has been quite a task.

Trams, buses, subways, trains- all of these are pretty foreign to me, especially since I’ve lived in cities with no real public transport to speak of. (Do the buses really count in Austin?) Understanding the trams and subways has taken some time, but that doesn’t stop me from looking on at the cars and scooters with envy.

It’s easy to see why the tiny cars and Vespas became a symbol of independence. With the lack of space in the city and fast pace on the streets, having a small, nimble vehicle is the best option for those commuting or with little time to fuss with public transport. However, I would like to imagine that car and scooter owners still ride the subway, but that their vehicles allow them the choice in the matter of their transportation.

Alternatively, cars can also be a symbol of status and glamour. We visited the Museo della Scienza e della Tecnologia “Leonardo da Vinci” where some of the most famous Italian cars in history were on exhibit. I sketched the 1955 Bisiluro Dalmonar (an aerodynamic racer that proved to be too aerodynamic) and an Alfa Romero circa 1932. Yes, an automobile can be a symbol and tool for independence- but also for style.

 

 

It’s been two weeks now and I finally feel like I’ve taken Milan by the horns; Longhorn horns, specifically. I’ve traveled throughout Milan and felt what it’s like to wander home on the bus without someone there that speaks Italian. It’s been a scary and flustering ride, but also a fun one. I’ve been able to see so many sites in such a short time and really dive into the culture and feel of the city as seen by a native Italian as well as my own eyes of being a native born Texan.

One interesting part of the culture I seem to have picked on fast is how to ask for gelato. I know that I want a coppa and that I want a size piccolo. I also know the main flavors I will be asking for are cioccolato and vaniglia. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m constantly asking for gelato of if it’s because ordering gelato seems to happen in the same way as opposed to a restaurant, which may be different.

I’m also glad for the two classes of Italian we did manage to take. I’ve been able to pick up words and phrases that many Italians say and not feel out of place. One that always seems to stand out is the allora. Every Italian does seem to say this and it’s very apparent that the teacher that taught Italian would always say it as well. This phrase confuses and interests me. Everyone says that it’s meant as a filler of speech, but to be honest, it makes very little sense. Does it mean okay? Does it mean the same as how in English we say, “umm” or “well”? I’m not quite sure and each time I hear it, I feel the need to listen closely to those speaking and figure out where the context is. Context is a very important aspect of understanding a language a person doesn’t know and getting around a country that speaks the language said person doesn’t know.

As I was riding the tren, train in Italian, I managed to overhear the loud speaker through my headphones and listen to them explain that there would be a delay and that we wouldn’t begin departure again until 13:15. I then waited and went back to listening to my headphones when again, minutes later, I heard over the loud speaker “tredieci treinta” and realized that they had extended our delay for another fifteen minutes. After hearing this fact, the Italians around me all made a very loud and exhausted sigh. It was great being a part of the joke and knowing that our tren wouldn’t be leaving soon, and I was even happy that we all shared in this exhaustion together.

Overall, it’s been an interesting stay so far and I’m excited to learn more Italian and really embrace the culture in a way I’ve never experienced before.