Bisazza: Renovation of cultural traditions

Bisazza Showroom, Venice - Tuesday, June 14th 2011

Marco Bettiol describes Italian design as one that is leveraged on manufacturing excellence with a focus on aesthetics. By concentrating their efforts on fabricating luxury products with high craft and precision, Bisazza continues to be the world-leading manufacturer of glass mosaic products.

Venice International University: Lecture of Prof. Bettiol (video)

Venice International University, Venice - Monday, June 13th













- Alan, Michelle, Lindsay

PRADA AS A BRAND

Monday, June 13th, 2011


Just a quick blog and jump back in time to when I was living in New York. While in New York City I went to check out the Prada store. The image above was part of their display. Then, when we were in Florence, I caught a glimpse of the Prada store there (see below).

ADVICE FROM ITALIANS

Through-out our time in Italy we’ve been getting a lot of advice from from really wonderful people and very successful designers. I thought I’d write a quick blog to consolidate all of their words of wisdom.

“If I listen, I forget. If I see, I memorize. If I make, I understand” – Bruno Munari

Big Bambú Tower

During our free time in Venice, one evening we ended up near the Peggy Guggenheim Collection next to the Grand Canal. Located here was a site specific project by Starn Studio: Big Bambu.

Doug and Mike Starn are American twins who constructed a 50-foot-tall structure made of 2,000 bamboo shoots arranged in a spiralling walkway. An arrangement of ropes held the bamboo shoots together, fabricating an internal path that leads to a nest at the top.

What Mark has to say about the project: "It is a sculpture, but not a static sculpture. it's something that exists through the presence of the people inside it. It's an organism that we, and the crew of rock climbers, are just a part of--helping to move it along. We are constructing an ongoing tower, growth and change remain invariable, and they are a constant."

THE GLOBALIZATION OF DESIGN

Venice International University, Venice - Monday, June 13th, 2011
Lecture by Marco Bettiol



On June 13th we attended a fantastic lecture by economist Marco Bettiol at the Venice International University. He talked about the present, past and future organization of Italian Design.

Visit to Mendini's Design Studio

Office of Alessandro Mendini, Milan- Friday June 13, 2011

On our last day in Milan, we visited the office of Alessandro Mendini!