Research Team


Background and expectations:

PERSONAL BACKGROUND:

I'm Chinese, but I was born in the Philippines and moved to Canada when I was 17, fresh out of high school. I was alone on the other side of the world.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND:

SFU's School of Interactive Arts and Technology: 3rd year Interaction Design Major.

WHY DID YOU APPLY FOR ITALIADESIGN?

I had heard so many good things about this field school that I had to see it for myself. I knew it would be a lot of hard work but that didn't matter as much to me since I would be doing it in Italy. What could be more inspiring than that? I also knew Russell was going to be careful with selection, so working with the best also appealed to me.

Experiences In-field:

WHAT DID YOU LEARN:

  • Generally?

    I learned that it's perfectly alright to get lost. It's a great way to practice your Italian while asking for directions. You only make that mistake once and, eventually, you wont need a map.

  • About design?

    Design isn't about making something look pretty. Design should communicate and inspire. Good design caters to people from all walks of life.

  • About innovation?

    The word "innovation" gets tossed around a lot nowadays usually associated with something NEW. I don't think that innovation has to necessarily be brand spanking new all the time, but it has to be BETTER. Innovation could stem from traditional ideas, reworked with what knowledge and technology we have now, into something people can use today. It's a tough challenge.

  • About living away from home?

    Being away from my family is an old issue to me. I absolutely loved living with the group. I liked the daily mini-adventures - like trying to get to the morning meeting point on time while weaving through crowds of tourists.

  • About group dynamics?

    Working together was natural since we had been through so much preparing for the trip. Living together was an amusing challenge with ups and downs. but mostly ups. The ItaliaDesign field school is a big deal, and it's nice having others to share the experience with.

WHAT NEW PERSPECTIVE DID YOU COME HOME WITH?

I gained a new appreciation for travelling. Usually, I would travel with my family and go on tours. I've been to a lot of different countries but I haven't truly explored on my on until now. It's a fulfilling experience.

FAVOURITE MOMENTS OR INTERACTIONS:

  • In daily life?

    • Cooking! I loved going to the market and buying fresh food for everyone back home. Usually it would be myself, Morgan and Ryan slaving away in the kitchen.

    • Early mornings out by myself where I took the time to have a cappuccino and watch people go by.

    • Realizing I don't need the map.

  • During course work?

    • Meeting an elderly gentleman in Pitigliano and being invited into his home to have some ice cold aranciata.

    • Breakthrough moments when all our ideas and research finally click together.

  • In an interview?

    • Touring the Bialetti factory and receiving free mini espresso makers.

    • Visiting Stefano Giovannoni and getting a tour of his ultra-posh apartment above his studio.

  • With the group?

    • Gelato! Fassi Gelato in Rome especially. Heaven on earth.

    • Frisbee at Circo Massimo.

    • Bike day along the Appian Way where we had our little picnic.

    • Swimming in the pool at Dolciano.

FAVOURITE PLACE OR SPACE:

  • Day at the beach at Ostia.

  • Campo dei Fiori in the morning, afternoon and evening.

  • All four apartments that we called home.

  • St. Peter's Basilica at the crack of dawn before the tourists take over.

MY TRANSCENDENT MOMENTopen link

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STUDYING ABROAD AND STUDYING AT HOME:

At home, I feel as if I can shut my brain off and not think about school or design when I'm watching mindless TV or zoning out on the Skytrain. But in Italy, my mind was in tune the whole time. I was constantly on the lookout for bits and pieces that I could recognize from the research we did beforehand or new things to take note of. It hard not to be passionate and excited when you're experiencing what you're learning about first hand.

AN UNEXPECTED CHALLENGE THAT YOU OVERCAME DURING THE FIELD SCHOOL:

Sunburn. No matter how bad you want to fix your farmer's tan at the beach, remember to put on sunscreen. That was a miserable for a week in Rome stuck in the apartment.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE VALUE OF THE FULL SEMESTER OF CONTEXTUAL, CULTURAL, AND HISTORICAL STUDIES PRIOR TO IN-FIELD WORK?

  • About language?

    Knowing how to speak a bit of Italian can make things easier, and show that you truly care. Getting around, asking directions and even ordering food are one side of the story, but our research would have been impossible without the input from interviewing locals in their own language.

  • About Italian history?

    Studying the places before we left made seeing the actual thing so much more rewarding. I knew where I was going, I knew why it was there, and I knew why it was important. This knowledge also served as a good foundation for the research we conducted.

  • About design history?

    Learning about how Italian design came to be was crucial when it came to interviewing designers and studios. You're talking to really smart people and knowing your stuff makes it less intimidating.

CAN YOU COMMENT ON THE LEGACY PROJECT OF THE ITALIADESIGN FIELD SCHOOL?

Every year, the in-field projects are slightly different. This year, our challenge was to interact with Italians for our ethnographic research, which I think is a big step forward. We're also using video so people can see us in action! It gets better each year and I can't wait to see what the next group comes up with.

Reflecting:

DID YOU MEET YOUR PRE-TRIP GOALS?

At first I came home not realizing how much I'd grown. I'm more optimistic and confident now with the type of work I'm doing for school. Somewhere out there is a job for me that I will love.

WHAT IMPACT HAS THE FIELD SCHOOL HAD ON YOU?

Being part of the field school alone meant a lot to me because I felt like all my hard work was acknowledged. During the trip, I learned so much about design, about researching, about working with people and most of all about myself. I can't imagine a better way to learn.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR UPCOMING ITALIADESIGN STUDENTS?

Everyone was serious when they told me to pack light. Less clothes, more undies. I brought a $2 fan that came in handy during hot days - which was pretty much every day. Take pictures of signs. It's easier to remember where you went and also in managing all the photos for the slideshow later on. If you haven't been physically active, start running. Russell walks fast.