2012 seems to have been a relevant year for design in Sicily. From Giulio Iacchetti to Giovanni Levanti, the island has witnessed numerous designers who have been invited by different institutions for various projects, thereby bringing to it their own experience. What is actually going on? Why are designers starting to spend time in Sicily not only for their holidays but also for the purposes of design? Is there a new wave that is inverting general trends and the usual geography of design dynamics? Who promotes design on the island and why do they do it? The most active side has certainly been the education sector. Since 2000 the Design courses of the Faculty of Architecture in Palermo have promoted a lot of activities connected to the world of design and now other institutions have taken the initiative of starting to call designers to teach on the island. One of these institutions is Abadir Academy, a private institution authorized by the Education Ministry. Il 2012 sembra essere stato un anno in cui il design in Sicilia è stato presente in modo inaspettatamente costante. Da Giulio Iacchetti a Giovanni Levanti sono state numerose, infatti, le presenze di designer e progettisti che, invitati da istituzioni diverse, hanno frequentato l’isola per portarvi la propria esperienza del fare progetto. Cosa succede? Perché i designer cominciano a frequentare la Sicilia non più per trascorrere le vacanze ma per fare progetto? Esiste un’inversione di tendenza reale che capovolge e/o inverte le geografie del design? Chi sono i promotori del design nell’isola e perché lo fanno? Sicuramente il fronte più attivo di questo fenomeno è stato quello della formazione. Sin dai primi anni del 2000 il Corso di Disegno Industriale della Facoltà di Architettura di Palermo è stato motore dinamico di molte delle attività in Sicilia legate al design, e oggi altre realtà hanno intrapreso questo percorso e hanno cominciato a chiamare i designer a fare scuola nell’isola. Tra queste, l’Accademia Abadir è un’istituzione privata dedicata alla formazione legalmente riconosciuta dal Ministero dell’Università e della Ricerca.
Categoria: english
Design and new processes between culture and service
Places and services in Palermo are abuzz with new activities and processes. A territory almost devoid of industries, marked at the beginning of the 20th century by the Workshops Ducrot, seems to now have grasped the value of the word design and has begun to experiment with its various forms. The word Design (project) in the city candidate as ‘European Capital of Culture 2019’, is not only cool, fashion or for a few but has been transformed into: lab, creative industries, self-generation, service design, co-design.Luoghi e servizi a Palermo si animano con nuove attività e processi. Un territorio quasi privo d’industrie, segnato nel primo novecento dalle Officine Ducrot, sembra che oggi abbia recepito il valore della parola design e abbia iniziato a sperimentare le sue diverse forme. La parola Design (progetto) nella città candidata come “capitale europea della cultura 2019”, non è più soltanto cool, di moda o per pochi ma si è trasformata in : lab, imprese creative, autoproduzione, design dei servizi, co-design
Paolo Zaami. The flow of things
Paolo is an illustrator, graphic and product designer, born in Palermo in 1986 and currently based in Milan. Graduated in Industrial Design at University of Palermo, then he moved to Milan to follow a master’s degree in Design Innovation. In 2011 he collaborated with Marco Piva office, being part of several design projects for Vitrum, KME, Unopiù. In 2012 he worked at Total Tool studio, dealing with research and graphic design for A2A, Expo 2015, Barbanera. Currently he works at DINN! Design Innovation Studio in Milan where he brings his knowledge of graphic and product design, his vision and his aim of “doing it right”. Discreet, accurate and determined; keen about art, illustrations and plasticine. Moving around a multicultural and multidisciplinary planning dimension, he has learned that design is fusion of knowledge.Paolo Zaami è un illustratore, graphic e product designer, nato a Palermo nell’86, attualmente con sede a Milano. Laureato in Disegno Industriale all’università degli studi di Palermo, prosegue gli studi al Politecnico di Milano, dove consegue la laurea magistrale in Design per l’innovazione nel 2012. Durante il percorso professionale ha collaborato con lo studio Marco Piva, partecipando a concept design per Vitrum, KME, Unopiù e nel 2012 ha lavorato presso lo studio Total Tool, occupandosi di ricerca e graphic design per A2A, Expo 2015, Barbanera. Attualmente lavora presso lo studio DINN! a Milano, portando la sua esperienza in graphic e product design, la sua visione e la voglia di “far bene”. Riservato, meticoloso e tenace; appassionato di arte, illustrazioni e plastilina. Muovendosi in una dimensione progettuale multiculturale e multidisciplinare, ha imparato che il design è contaminazione dei saperi.
Interview with Vincent
Vincent, or Vincenzo Billeci, born in 1988 is a fashion designer native of Palermo. Despite his young age, Vincent is already showing his talent at high levels. Recently, in fact, his collection fall winter 13-14 has been mentioned on Vogue.it in the new talents section. Great sensitivity for Sicilian tradition impoverished by every overdone stereotype… Continua a leggere Interview with Vincent
Alessandro Squatrito. New reality for old locations
Born on a warm day of November, in Palermo, he grew up surrounded by the beauty of his city. He studied in Palermo, A Coruña and Venice where he concluded the master degree in product design at the Iuav University in 2012 with the project “Nuove realtà per vecchie località” (New reality for old lacations).… Continua a leggere Alessandro Squatrito. New reality for old locations
Andrea Sciarrino. rEvolution
Andrea was born on February ’86 and raised in Palermo. Awarded a Bachelor degree in Industrial Design, he decided to move to Milan with other fellow students, enrolling at the Master’s degree (Product Design for Innovation) at the Politecnico di Milano. In December 2012 he graduated with a thesis, which aims to combine two great passions: music… Continua a leggere Andrea Sciarrino. rEvolution
Carla Piazza. TuneUp
Carla gained her first degree in Industrial Design, at Palermo University in october 2008. She spent an Erasmus semester at A Coruña University, Spain, and she was a video editor intern at the Palermo audiovisual production Studio Forward. In April 2012 she graduated full marks cum laude in Visual and Multimedia Communication, specializing in Interaction… Continua a leggere Carla Piazza. TuneUp
Fabrizia Parisi. Cooltour
Fabrizia (Palermo, 1985) is a designer and freelance photographer. After the degree in Industrial Design in Palermo, she specialized in arts and design at the University IUAV of Veni ce, with a thesis on services design. His work ranges from design, illustration and photography. In 2011, participates in the architecture Biennale in Venice with a project… Continua a leggere Fabrizia Parisi. Cooltour
Dorotea Panzarella. Emmo
Dorotea Panzarella was born in Palermo in 1985 and grew up in Cefalù. In 2004 she enrolled at the University of Palermo and in 2008 completed her Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design with a visual identity project for the Mandralisca Cultural Foundation. She also partecipate in Erasmus programme, attending the FHNW – Hochshule fuer Gestaltung und Kunst… Continua a leggere Dorotea Panzarella. Emmo
Fabio Nucatolo. Cooking Naturally
Fabio Nucatolo was born in Palermo, and took his Bachelors degree in Industrial Design at Palermo University. In Palermo he did a 3-month internship at yacht designers Acom and freelanced as furniture designer for Mediterranean Engineering. In 2010 he and Simona La Torre won the ComON national design competition, following which they were invited for a… Continua a leggere Fabio Nucatolo. Cooking Naturally
