weekly-posts_2025 – Design in Context: Milan

Don’t Forget to Look Up: A Milanese May In Review

There were so many moments from this past month I wanted to highlight so I made a video about what a few of the places we visited taught me. The overall theme of “Don’t forget to look up” is inspired by Professor Kate’s message to us when we went to museums, studios, and other creative spaces because there would always be a beautiful detail above us that we could’ve missed if we didn’t look up. That phrase and concept stuck with me throughout the month and reminded me to really soak up everything we were seeing and experiencing.

This is Don’t Forget to Look Up

(Watch in 4K :))

Carla Garcia Leija – Milan in Review

I’ve said this time and time again, but I mean it when I say that this trip has been and will likely be one of the key moments to shape my design practice. Being exposed to and interacting with new design, architecture, and art ideas (especially in the company of non-designers) has enriched what I know, and has given me new threads with which to reference in my work. Below are some of the key moments of the trip which were sort of turning points for me.

The value of materiality
Though I wasn’t aware of it at the moment, visiting the Kartell museum planted a seed in my brain which did not sprout until later on, when we had our guest lecture with Naomi Fitzpatrick: the materials you use to make a thing speak to your intent and its impact as much as form would. It’s also something that was further perpetuated when we visited the Versace showroom. The use of plastics in Italian design and production made things playful, unserious, inviting, kitsch at times (?), whereas, if you consider the materials in Versace, for example, they all play in to tell a story about luxury, etc. I think, in design, I often think about what the thing looks like, rather than what it will be made out of. It’s time I start considering materiality as part of the user experience.

Nurturing one’s inner child
As we saw in Achille Castiglioni’s studio museum tour, in surrounding oneself with play, designing with and through play, and inviting playfulness and experimentation with one’s product, we open ourselves to innovating and adding a new layer of depth to a product – not only is it functional at this point, it is joyful (at times, this will manifest itself in silent, private micro-delights, or in more public oohs and ahhs as we did).

Historical user experience
Italian design is incredibly entangled with its history. I specifically remember feeling this the strongest when visiting Casa del Fascio in Lake Como, designed by Giuseppe Terragni. The fact that no corners are the same, as well as the design which draws you towards the light – the center – and the sensation of being watched were all observations that made me realize that these decisions, of course they are intentional, but also held real historical significance in the early to mid 20th century. These architectural features afforded the people who interacted inside them real can’s and can’t’s, which could have been life or death.

The idea of family legacy
We saw this mentioned in the Castiglioni Studio, Alessi, etc: there is a real and strong interest of continuing family careers or passions here. And, rather than erasing it, people honor those roots (except maybe the Futurists) and build upon those missions and goals.

The importance of a multidisciplinary approach to design
At Alessi, it was mentioned that one of their designers grew up in the mountains. Because he was accustomed to the style of buildings there (bottom-heavy fort structural integrity purposes), his works featured this similar pattern/motif.

My favorite quote is one by Donna Haraway in her book Staying with the Trouble: “It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories.” The above example, to me, is a perfect example of this.

Exhibition design as a catalyst for change
I will likely process numbers on a chart, but it may not be compelling until it is put into a format that is relevant personally. To me (and to all), that is a lived experience. Thinking about not only what your work is, but in what spaces people will encounter it or learn about it is also a worthwhile conversation. People will probably forget verbatim words on a page, but they will never forget how something made them feel. This was on full display at the Biennale.

To think that I almost withdrew from this program. I was genuinely terrified. The night before my flight to Milan, I cried myself to sleep for many reasons: fear of being alone in a new country, fear of not adjusting well to the customs, fear of being in poor company. I was seriously worried, scared, and wanting to withdraw (too late, of course). I am glad to share that none of my fears happened. I love Milan and everything in it, and leave with so many friends. I could not have asked for a better team to embark on this journey with. It’s changed my life for the better.

Carla Garcia Leija – Week 4 | Ciao Milano!

Our last week in Milano was incredibly special, and felt like me finally beginning to get into the rhythm of things. Analyzing, making connections, finding patterns… the most fun a girl could have in my opinion.

Triennale
I was beyond excited for Triennale, especially after seeing Biennale! The exhibits and info were all put together so well. I especially loved the data visualizations. Data is beautiful – it can and should exist in forms other than dots and lines and bars! Don’t get me wrong, I loved it, but I think I liked Biennale more! I think it just had more info that was more closely tied to my work in microclimate, designing livable worlds, placemaking, and damage mitigation efforts.

MUDEC
Having just spoken to Christiano Bottino, our visit to MUDEC was put into a lot more context, and it was incredibly impressive to see how much thought went into everything. I loved looking at all the iconography and branding, it was like a scavenger hunt to find everything.

Armani Silos
I’m not super into fashion, but the Armani Silos were stunning. I think the entire exhibition embodies luxury with its use of sound and scent and sight, but through this, it also kind of crafted this experience that makes it feel like you’re in on a well kept secret. They have a rich legacy which is incredibly important and you are important for being here watching it. you are part of it all.

Alessi + Omegna
ALESSI MY BELOVED-EST!!!! It was so fun to hear about their design process, evaluation framework, and “failed” projects! I got so many good quotes from Gloria:

A good designer must be able to go to the imaginary world, even though it doesn’t exist yet, see the potential and possibilities, and bring them down with an idea.

The advantage of flopping is you know where the borderline is.

Who is a good designer? A good poet. They should have this delicate attitude, this lightness in envisioning the future. Bringing in art and poetry in his work without forgetting the functionality.

Omegna was so so beautiful. It made me cry. The world is beautiful, and because we are part of it, we are too <3

Campari
These folks do more than branding, they curated a lifestyle, a culture, a social phenomenon. They cared beyond what their audience drank, they cared about the media they consumed, the images they associated with, the identities they chose to align themselves with and share with the greater community. That was insanity in the best way possible.

Week Three Blog: Alessi’s Thought-Provoking Approach to Design

Our last week in the program felt very sentimental yet surreal. Visiting Alessi in Omegna was one of my favorite things we did the whole trip (I have a lot of favorites) because it felt like the best last place to go. It culminated all of what we’ve learned from the program including history of the design greats/masters, objects and people we’ve heard and seen throughout, and a beautiful landscape backdrop that provoked reflection. After our lunch overlooking the water, I sat for a bit by the lake and was just absolutely amazed and filled with gratitude that I got to experience the past three weeks.

I also had fun reimagining an Alessi product and I learned so much from the presentation/conversation we had about their products, their brand, and Italian design culture. It was so cool to hear the two women talk about how Alessi has been involved in cultural moments like movies, but also the intricacies that go into each project from concept to creation on both the technical side and the marketing side. I also didn’t know that they worked with so many designers from Italy and globally. Understanding that they prioritize making usable art many people can afford was so cool to me. Both women that shared with us were very passionate about what they do and brought so much excitement when talking about their work and that was inspiring. I am so grateful they took time out of their day to share so much knowledge with us.

Seeing that Alessi had specific values that made up their definition of successful design made me want to think about what my formula for good design would be as a growing designer. For now, I’ll keep pondering on that.

Water that used to power operations at Alessi Factory

Philippe Starck proving that anyone can create anything

Display design inspiration from Alessi Factory Store

Week Two Blog: The Beauty Collaboration Creates

As we’ve been going to different studio’s, foundations, buildings, and museums, a throughline I keep seeing noticing is the beauty of collaboration. It seems like every designer in Italy knows each other and has worked together. I’m fascinated by how these relationships are built and if this is just a past thing or if it is still something that is present today. My generation feels very individualistic a lot of times and collaboration seems a bit foreign, especially in the creative industry. Everyone seems like they are in their own silos when they are creating or maybe that is just my perspective. Yet, Italian design teaches us that to create something meaningful we have to create together. Whether it’s Olivetti and Carlo Scarpa or Alfa Romeo and Ferrari, I’ve learned that collaboration is vital to creation.

Images are from Fondazione di Vico Magristretti during our visit

In Review: Ximena Ochoa

I know I’m not the only one who will say this, but these past few weeks here in Milan truly have been nothing short of transformational. I didn’t have too much of an idea about what to expect but now having experienced it for myself, I can truly attest to the fact that Milan (and Italy in general) is a design capital, where even the smallest details are taken into account; it was the one of the very first things I noticed that was different from back home: the high regard for aesthetics and art and design as a whole, where it truly is considered an essential part of society and day-to-day to life. I feel that this was a concept that was summed up rather well by Francesca, curator at the Alessi Museum and our guide during our visit–how important it is to give people the ability to engage with a piece of art even in their everyday life. I feel that here design and the work that designers do as a whole is taken into so much of a higher regard and the importance of the work we do is understood on such a deeper level than back home, it was a really refreshing perspective on my identity as a designer that I feel I needed to hear as I prepare to enter my capstone year and enter the industry and it felt really reassuring to realize once again of the power and influence that design has, even when I lose sight of that.

Even for someone like me who has grown up with and regularly engages with two cultures (being Mexican-American), and worked designing for a cultural institution aligning with my cultural identity as my first internship and professional experience in the design industry, I thought I already had a good understanding of how design and culture intersect to create unique items and experiences. But as we learned more about how Italian and Milanese culture worked their way from everything into products like furniture and home and kitchen items, architecture, and graphics and branding, I realized I only had a piece of the picture. Culture influences everything we do, forever serving as a source of inspiration and point of reference to us no matter where we go, and here in Italy I feel that I observed firsthand how influential it is in that I found pieces of it in even the most unexpected places. Hearing about the inspirations behind the work of designers like Achille Castiglioni from his daughter Giovanna during our visit to his studio, the work of Vico Magistretti during our visit to his studio as well, the beginnings of Kartell and their role in the world of Italian product design, the history behind Alfa Romeo’s car designs at the Alfa Romeo Museum, the curatorial eye of Rossana Orlandi’s gallery, and especially through seeing the journey that designs and products go through from ideation to production during our visit to the Alessi Museum, I began to notice those ways, big and small, that Italian culture presented itself in the work and processes of the designers and firms here, and further continued to disperse its influence, even far outside of Italy. But most importantly, I realized that an essential part of me gaining this view of Italian design was the fact that I had the view of an outsider: every part of it was new to me, so these observations stood out to me more. This is something I now even remember our professor Kate emphasizing we learn to do as early as my Objects and Spaces class with her that I took in Spring 2024: that by having the view of an outsider and seeing an object or thing as if we are viewing it for the very first time (or like a tourist, even) we are able to see what stands out the most and gain an entirely new perspective on it. Now having been away from home the longest I’ve ever been in my life, I feel that I’ll have that flipped experience of an outsider in Austin just like how I have here in Milan, and that will help me gain a new perspective on everything around me and that I’ve been so used to and even grown up with. It’s a skill that I know I’ll continue to further develop but that I will definitely use during my capstone project as well, and that I know I wouldn’t have been able to gain without Kate’s help and guidance throughout this time as well!

To sum up (and to anyone who is considering participating in this program in the future as well!), this experience truly was transformative to my development as a designer, I truly feel that I will be leaving Milan with the skillset I need to be an attentive, well-informed designer ready to take on any project and with the ability to design for any culture and context now too. Even to those who aren’t designers and are going into other fields, I’ve noticed they’ve gained a newfound appreciation for art and design and have also learned along with us to notice and pick out details in what we’ve studied and observed around us, and gained that ability to see objects through the perspective of outsiders as well. I’ve grown so much not only as a designer but also as an individual, and for that I will forever be indebted to our professor Kate for creating this program and being such an incredible guide to us all every step of the way!

Detail of one of the windows of the Duomo di Milano

Glass objects on display at Rossana Orlandi’s gallery

Staircase at the Novocomum in Como, designed by Giuseppe Terragni

A sign outside the entrance to Achille Castiglioni’s studio

Lamps designed to look like bubbles with an iridescent layer/treatment on the glass, on display at Artemide’s showroom and gallery we visited

Various samples and posters of Kartell’s lab equipment line

Windows through which sunlight comes through thin stone slabs at Memoriale Brion, designed by architect Carlo Scarpa

Week 4: Milano, Omegna, and A Bittersweet Goodbye!

Ciao for the last time! This week was our final full week here in Milan, during which we did a lot of showroom and museum visits to end off our explorations in Italian design here, and ended off the week with our farewell dinner on Friday evening in which we said our final goodbyes to our lovely professor Kate and our wonderful chaperones and staff at IES – Emma, Rami and Alessia, who we will all miss very dearly! It’s been very bittersweet knowing that our time here in Milano is coming to a close, but I’m so incredibly grateful to have this experience, especially ahead of my capstone year, I feel far better prepared for it now and a lot less scared to face it and am so excited to apply the lessons and knowledge I’ve gained here in Milan to my capstone project!

Despite how scared I was coming into the program to be away from home for so long, I didn’t think I’d be sad to leave and I’d actually be looking forward to it, but now as I write this about 2 full days away from my return back home, I obviously am, but I feel like that’s a testament to my growth while here as well, both as an individual and as a designer. I was very nervous the first few days here and worried I’d never get acquainted with my surroundings and to being in a new country, but obviously I was very wrong; it made me realize how strong I am and that if I can successfully make it through this, then surely I can do so much more~

Onto this week’s visits! This week we visited the Triennale, which had some incredible and eye-opening exhibits focusing on art and design, including some data visualizations that I know my design friend back home and a professor of mine would approve of~ I even found an exhibit on traditional Peruvian street art and lettering, it made my Latina heart happy to find the same type of colorful, vibrant work I’d see back home on display in Milan and to read the artist’s synopsis and process in Spanish in a book attached to the display!

Next highlight of this week was our visit to Museo Alessi, which we traveled to the town of Omegna for. Not only is Omegna a beautiful town, but our visit to Alessi was just as wonderful as well, where we got to see their entire archive and collection of product prototypes, sketches, etc. for items they currently have available for purchase but also for items that are no longer sold by them and or even ones that were ready for production but never made it there in the end. We got a very informative presentation from Francesca, their curator, and the opportunity to look through the shelves of their collection to pick out an item we’d redesign for our Alessi (Reconsidered) assignment. It was really fun getting to sketch out the item my partner and I had chosen in real time and to study the different elements of it, as well getting to go through their collection and seeing the variety of materials, colors, textures, and styles of all the products they’d ever produced. It really stuck with me how playful yet functional their designs were, and just how much thought and attention was put into everything they produce as well. After our visit, I had to hold myself back from spending so much at their shop, and we had a lovely lunch followed by a walk alongside the lake with the most beautiful view~

And now for a bit of a sentimental part: As my new friends and I were aboard a bus to Switzerland this Saturday and I looked at our view of the Alps out the window, it hit me that I’d be returning home soon and made me realize how grateful and lucky I was to have had this experience to begin with. As I started college, I never would have thought that I’d ever have the opportunity to study abroad, much less in a program specific to the Design department given our size. Even a few months ago, I worried that I was no longer going to be able to participate in the program, and I never would’ve guessed that in just a few months time I’d not only overcome the challenges I was facing at the time but also be experiencing Europe for the very first time, get to see such beautiful and inspirational works of design and art, all while making new friends for all sorts of fields of study (and enjoying some really amazing food too :) I will be forever grateful for this experience and hold the memories I’ve made here in Milano and these past few weeks very closely to my heart, but also know that this experience wouldn’t have been made possible without so many other people: my roommate and design bestie Grace who pushed me to apply knowing more than I did at the time how good of an experience this would be, our wonderful professor Kate, who trusted and believed in me enough to accept me to participate in this program and who has been incredible source of support and guidance in every class I’ve taken with her during my time here in the design program at UT, as well as my former design professors who have believed in me more than I have in myself at times and made me realize how capable I am, especially in particular Cat, who wrote my recommendation letter for me to participate in this program, I would not be here if it weren’t for you and I will forever be grateful to have had you as a professor! (and also a very special shoutout to the scholarship I received, I cried when I got the email that I had received one :’)

I know this isn’t a total goodbye and that one day I will come back to Milan, I’m so happy to have been able to call it home this past month and been able to explore and get to know such a beautiful city and know it will also always hold a special place in my heart too!

Arrivederci for now Milano, and a presto! Hasta la próxima~

One of 3 mirrors of a collection on display at Cassina’s showroom, before leaving for Milan I had finished a project screenprinting text on mirrors for a class so it was really cool to see a concept similar to mine being sold and displayed here!

Lettering by Peruvian lettering artist Elliot Tupac, who was representing Peru’s first participation in the International Exhibition of Triennale Milano

A cat in the bottom corner of a painting I saw on display at the Triennale, which was too cute to not take a picture :)

Omegna and the view of Lago d’Orta from where we walked back to to take our bus after lunch – it was breathtakingly beautiful, the water was super clear, and although we just had a short time there I know I’ll definitely be returning one day!

Week 3: Seeing Design (and Culture) in Action!

Ciao everyone~ this week was a very busy (and somewhat tiring) week, but every moment was worth it with how much I learned and how many cool new things we got to experience! We started off the week strong with our visit to La Scala, which was my first ever opera, it was really nice to get to dress up and see everyone else dressed up for the occasion, and a very rare thing to see my professor and classmates in this type of environment that I haven’t really experienced in any of my other classes in college so far. We got to make a lot of studio and showroom visits this week as well, and got to see the behind-the-scenes and fabrication processes at Artemide and Kartell which got me really excited about industrial and product design despite being 100% set on pursuing graphic design after I graduate from the design program here! Despite considering myself to be a graphic designer through and through, I’ve come to learn that there’s still so much I can learn from other disciplines (such as industrial design and architecture, as we’ve focused on in this program so far) and it’s one of the things I’m grateful for that this program offers–the opportunity to gain a multidisciplinary skillset and become a truly well-rounded designer. There’s a lot of visits this week that I loved, but these would be my main highlights:

Achille Castiglioni’s studio was a great way to start off the week and get to explore how he used his curiosity of the world and childlike wonder to create some very beautiful and captivating designs centered around functionality, with our tour being led by his daughter Giovanna; she was extremely welcoming and entertaining of a guide, it got me so excited about the possibilities of design and gave me a fresh new perspective and approach to it that I hope to carry into my preparations for my senior capstone project!

Although I am not at all a car person, our visit to the Alfa Romeo Museum was far from boring; it was incredibly captivating getting to learn the history behind each car design we viewed and the reasonings behind how their designs came to be, and while some of my classmates were completely in awe by the shape and forms of the cars we viewed, I loved getting to view the different types and logos for each car model and their variations (and took some photos to save for me to replicate later in my sketchbook~) it was also very lovely getting to celebrate our dear professor Kate’s birthday during our lunch there as well! (happy late birthday Kate :) we all love you so much!)

And finally: Tipoteca Italiana!!! I had been looking forward to this visit from the very moment this was mentioned during an info session back in September I believe (!) as typography is one of my biggest passions and what got me into design in the first place. I had such a great time seeing all of the mono- and linotype equipment they had, cast type samples, and most importantly getting to do a letterpress demo with everyone and having a chance to show off my letterpress knowledge after having taken Print Studio in the Design Lab this past spring semester where I got to work with the RRK! I held myself back at the gift shop but I know that I could’ve easily spent 100 euros there if I had the ability to fit that many books and magazines on type in my suitcase back to Austin.

Overall it was a really great week, our busiest week in the program so far for sure, and now after taking this weekend to have a good long rest, I’m ready to see what this last week will bring us here in Milano! Arrivederci for now, and see you all for our final blogs next week!

Me and our professoressa di design, Kate, at La Scala night!

One of the lamps we saw and interacted with at the Artemide showroom during our visit to their factory- this one was interactive and had panels that reacted to touch and would either illuminate or turn black in response, our guide explained to us that the technology used here was similar to that of a phone touchscreen

Our lovely chaperone with IES, Emma, holds our very first test print from our letterpress demo at Tipoteca! She loved the experience so much, we think we may have convinced her to go into design too~

A display of cut books to display an array of letter styles at Tipoteca, one of our guides explained to me that one of their printers created these and that it was a very long and painstaking process to get some of the thinner and more delicate details in, but obviously you can tell his efforts paid off beautifully!

Week 2: Exploring and Growing in the “Living” City

Ciao ciao! It feels as if this second week here in Milan we’ve all finally started to become better acquainted with the city and our surroundings, despite how busy this week was~ we visited Lake Como and so many different architectural landmarks with Futurist and Art Deco styles, and I ended up embarking on a weekend trip with some friends to Monaco and Nice in France! And despite having been a bit sick this past week and having woken up with a (very) swollen eyelid on Monday, I truly feel that I’ve made the most out of this week. I’ve begun to notice patterns of how the city works, also thanks to my group and I having gone on our Mapping the City walk between Torre Velasca and Torre Branca. We noticed how the cityscape combines the old and the new and fully embraces all of it even if its history is bleak; even in those cases, the city seems to find a way to reinvent them and breathe new life into them, giving way to something new while still remembering its history and past. I feel like this week I finally understood what it meant when Professor Catterall told us Milan is a “living” city: not only is the city optimized for living, but the city seems to have a life and heartbeat of its own, changing and evolving with the times and people who come and go about it.

I also really loved getting to see in-progress works and sketches during some of the visits we had this week, like the Matisse and Picasso sketches we got to see during our visit to Villa Necchi; this was something that even followed me to France when my friends and I decided to visit the Matisse museum in Nice, where his paintings and finished works were displayed alongside thumbnail paintings and sketches he made in preparation of the final product! It felt really good to see these as I’m a bit of a perfectionist and tend to hold my work to a really high (and unrealistic) standard which can make me too scared to even begin sometimes, and since I’ve been especially nervous to make my sketchbook for this class really good as well…but seeing that even some of the most celebrated and renowned artists started with just a simple sketch and that just the fact that they were done by them and their hands is what makes them special gave me some encouragement that as long as I put in the effort and try my best, I know I’ll end up with work that I’m proud of~

I’m excited to see what the rest of our time here in Milan will bring, but for now, arrivederci!

Sketches by Picasso on display at Villa Necchi

A sketch of Matisse’s on display at the Matisse Museum in Nice, France

From our visit to Rossana Orlandi’s showroom – every aspect of it was so incredibly beautiful and inspiring, this was one of my favorite visits we did so far!

Oh Lake Como, how beautiful you are~ (I hope to go back at least once before our time here in Italy ends!)

Carla Garcia Leija – Week 3 | A Love Letter to Carlo Scarpa

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.