(b.1985)
website: www.carlapiazza.com
email: info[at]carlapiazza[dot]com
mobile: +39 329 04 88 698
EDUCATION
▪ Currently: graduate degree in Visual and Multimedia Communication, specializing in Interaction Design, IUAV University of Venice.
▪ Undergraduate degree cum laude in Industrial Design at Faculty of Architecture, University of Palermo [2008].
▪ Erasmus Exchange Program at EUDI, Universidade da Coruña [6 months - 2007].
▪ Arts high school, F. Juvara Institute of Arts , San Cataldo (Caltanissetta) [2004]
▪ Exchange Program at Institut National des Beaux-Arts of Tétouan, Morocco [March 2003].
I will be available for full-time position/internship from May 2012.
PROFILE
Strengths:
Starting as product designer meant making experience on concept generation, materials, handcrafted prototypes, exhibition layout planning, semiotics, corporate image; but discovering interaction design I extended my horizons working on idea generation, user research, interviews, developing scenarios, physical computing, prototyping, programming, data visualization, problem solving and graphics.
▪ What I think I’m particularly strong in is problem analysis, organizing contents, scenario development, video editing, prototyping.
▪ I’m good in project management. I like to work in team because I find it an opportunity to exchange ideas and to richly go forward the common aim and I like it because I generally have fun. But I’ve also no problem to work alone: I experiment a lot when I’m on my own.
▪ I like wires and circuits even if I have only a knowledge of basic electronics. I’m interested in programming and I have had experience with Processing, iProcessing and Arduino Code during the IxD Labs.
▪I also like making physical prototypes, hand-crafted using different materials, in order to have a direct response to what the user’s experience would be.
▪ I’m curious about interaction aspects of everyday life and how interaction design can combine new technologies and new approaches to needs and desires.
Skills:
▪ Good in Adobe Creative Suite: Photoshop, InDesign, Premiere Pro, Soundbooth.
▪ Strong in Final Cut, Illustrator.
▪ Strong in Autocad, Rhinoceros; good in V-Ray, Poser.
▪ Good in Arduino, Processing, X-code (iProcessing).
▪ Basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, ActionScript 3.0.
EXPERIENCE
Work:
My work experience has been mostly in the area of graphic and product design because I discovered interaction design when starting studying Visual and Multimedia Communication at IUAV in Venice.
▪ Interaction Designer | 3months internship, ICON Worldwide, (Switzerland). [2011]
As intern I worked on several projects that explored visual and interactive solutions for different media: I designed the annual brochure for the University of St. Gallen and, working in a team, I redesign the ICON’s website, for example.
▪ Graphic Designer | Ass. P.G.S. Don Bosco, Dance School, San Cataldo (CL). [ongoing]
I’m in charge of the visual identity of the Dance school: I design every year the dance recital invitation and the advertising section (posters, brouchures, etc) for potential dancers membership.
▪ Video editor | 3months internship, StudioForward, Palermo. [2008]
As intern at Studio Forward, that works on the audiovisual production field, I was in charge of the video section of the Palermo Design week catalogue.
▪Product and Graphic Designer | 6months internship, Centro Resine, San Cataldo. [2008]
As graphic designer, I worked on the corporate identity of the company for the new headquarters opening, while as product designer I studied the manufacturing system of the factory (rotomoulding); I interviewed different figures within the company and finally I designed a swimming pool for kids that I developed as thesis project.
Workshops:
▪ Physical Computing | Yaniv Stainer | IUAV [one intensive week 2011]
The topic of the workshop was Energy Consumption Awareness: we focused on how to make a user aware of his consumption and we also built a prototype with Arduino to transform a signal (a SOS) into a visual output.
▪ Prototyping | Bianca Cheng Costanzo and Steffen Klaue | IUAV [two intensive weeks 2010]
The workshop aimed at help students in prototyping their mobile device applications. We worked with Processing and iProcessing, trying out with the screen dragging and the accelerometer.
▪ Data Visualization | Till Nagel | IUAV [two intensive week 2010]
We combined Processing with Twitter using the Processing XML Library in order to get data about meals around the world and to visualize them in a graphic solution that my team designed.
▪ Prototyping | Lucky Byte | IUAV [two intensive weeks 2010]
Using Arduino and Processing, the workshop was a guide in the prototyping phase of the physical computing IxDLab.
▪ Spying on Vegetables | Yaniv Stainer | IUAV [one intensive week 2010]
We “spied on vegetables”, checking their temperature, moisture and light reception. We built a Garduino (with Arduino) using different sensors in order to map the data received and visualize them.
▪ Prototyping | Nicholas Zambetti | IUAV [two intensive weeks 2009]
We prototyped our mobile device application using MobileProcessing and Processing.
▪ Creative Coding | Till Nagel | IUAV [two intensive weeks 2009]
A workshop about Processing and data visualization.
▪ more E less | Design Department, University of Palermo. [2008]
A workshop about consumption and the future: new styles of life and consumption. We designed a new packaging for a doggy bag. In collaboration with I.L.A.P. plastic films&technologies, Scia Imballaggi, Si.Sac. s.p.a. Industria Lavorazione Polimeri.
▪ Food-design in Sicily | Design department, University of Palermo. [2007]
Directed by Giulio Iacchetti, the aim of the workshop was the enhancement of Ragusan (Sicilian Province) agricultural food products. My team worked on a wine glass and a kitchen tool: one for the Cerasuolo di Vittoria wine, the the for the Ragusan cheese.
▪ Post Industrial Plastic Design | Faculty of Architecture, University of Palermo. [2007]
A workshop about the value of plastic in the post-industrial era: we asked ourselves how we can re-invent plastic. It was directed by the Israeli designers Yaron Elyasi and Ely Rozemberg.
Awards:
▪ Semifinalist in the Interaction Mobile category of the Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2011, for Pint of Words project [2011].
▪ Semifinalist in the Interaction Mobile category of the Adobe Design Achievement Awards 2010, for Kyo project [2010].
Publications:
▪ La ricchezza che non si rifiuta. Pp38-39, Ottagono 220 [May 2009]
The design magazine Ottagono published an article about giving a new life to materials that end their lifecycle: my team project, BPE’ a eco-friendly bag, was part of it.
▪ Waste-free take away for a new lifestyle. Pp88-93, Ottagono 207 [February 2008]
Wilson, a packaging project developed in team during the less E more workshop, new styles of life and consumption (Palermo, 2008) has been published as good example of waste-free take away for a new lifestyle.
Works included in the following exhibitions :
▪ Fabbrica del Vapore, “Spazio BEST Up”. Salone del Mobile, Milano. [16-21 April 2008]
▪ WeekRoma Design-più, “Created in Italy Consumed in China”. Spazio Etoile di Piazza San Lorenzo, Roma. [5-13 October 2007]
▪ Fiera del Mediterraneo, “Abitaly”. Palermo [16-25 Novembre 2007]
▪ Cantieri Culturali alla Zisa, “Design follows material”. Palermo [16-21 May 2006]
LANGUAGES
Mother tongue: Italian. Good English and Spanish.
PORTFOLIO
Here are some of my projects. For more projects visit my website.
Doodle
Doodle is a magic book, a virtual bridge between people. Using the conductive properties of graphite, it allows to share an interactive musical experience which translates drawing into sound.
[team: Gianni Cardone, Carla Piazza, Nicola Vittori]
Pint of Words
Pint of Words is an app for mobile devices that creates a closed network of book lovers, letting them enjoy the charm of a public reading in an unusual place, a pub!
[team: Valerio Calimici, Gianni Cardone, Carla Piazza]
Auditum
Auditum is a site-specific interactive installation that allows people to perceive the meaning of a unique place through a mystical and introspective experience.
[team: Carla Piazza, Fosca Salvi, Nicola Vittori]
Kyo
Kyo is a service for mobile devices that lets users live a strong, intense and strange experience. It suggests a potential action, generated randomly by Kyo itself, which allows one to discover and enjoy the value of time.
[team: Alessandro Arena, Elisa Manente, Carla Piazza]