We, as the Designer Interviews ("DI") had the distinct pleasure and opportunity to interview award-winning, most creative and innovative Bianca Tresoldi ("BT").
First I am a woman, a human being who has a duty to help others and the area in which I live, as best I can, then I became a lighting designer. The combination of my education, training and profession have helped me to create two initiatives of which I am very proud. The first project is called Re-think, Re-cycle, Re-lighting and it is a social project that I created for the APIL association of which I belong. The other project is for the territory and precisely to safeguard the small villages overlooking Lake Maggiore and is the Light Festival Lago Maggiore.
Bianca Tresoldi Designs
We are pleased to share with you original and innovative design work by Bianca Tresoldi.
Bianca Tresoldi Design - 2D Lantern Urban Fixture
Designer Interview of Bianca Tresoldi:
DI: Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?
BT : At the age of 14 I chose an artistic education, the passion for sign, shape, architecture, design, art has grown along my life, and I cannot live without it. The composition of shapes and colors, created by human beings and in nature, are something magical that I observe with obsessive insistence. The details a very important for reorganizing the set of signs in harmony. In our Italian cities we are invaded by mixture of forms that are not in harmony with the surrounding environment, an evident visual disorder that is constantly under our eyes. Walking through villages I am annoyed by the presence of many vertical poles supporting lamps, traffic lights, road signs, waste bins... randomly placed. At night the image of the villages is messy due to too much light scattered everywhere on the houses, hotels, factories, church… facades without an organic design. Even seeing a badly set table annoys me. Mine is a small form of madness composition consolidated over the years.
DI: Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?
BT : My office deals with light projects for public and private spaces. To be a lighting designer, it’s a very interesting activity because artificial light is everywhere. Working in architectural and environmental contexts in a different aesthetics style. My task is to listen the soul of the work and translate it into a lighting project integrated with the architect’s philosophy. Sometimes I design new products to fulfill specific needs
DI: What is "design" for you?
BT : Design is a technical, scientific, humanistic, and sociological discipline, a link between invention, style, technique, research, production, market. Design tries to solve problems in all areas where it is applied. Making design means having a careful look at the world that revolves around the idea, from production to distribution by interfacing with industry, economy, marketing, and psychology. The definition of “design” is difficult to define, there are too many, but it is strength and the ability to act that design represents a fundamental field for the transformation of society.
DI: What kinds of works do you like designing most?
BT : I really like designing furnishing, mainly for my homes. I always start from a design requirement and market analysis, to start designing what is needed at that moment. Jack is a corten wardrobe for the guest room. It is the silhouette of Jack who keeps company in the bedroom, containing clothes without having the heaviness of a pieces of furniture. Or “Riflesso” is an alternative to be applied to windows instead of curtains, a sculpture in glass, with primary form, suspended where it is needed on the window. It allows you to hide part of the room, allowing light to enter and at the same time dilate the space.
DI: What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?
BT : I don’t have a favorite design, I’m a versatile person, instinctive and not inclined to follow trends.
DI: What was the first thing you designed for a company?
BT : During my career I have designed many lighting fixtures for my projects. I remember a project for a church, a large chandelier, 3,5 mt diameter with 35 luminaries inside. The collaboration with the manufacture of the chandelier was very interesting a grate experience
DI: What is your favorite material / platform / technology?
BT : Metals, iron, corten, steel, copper, brass,.. I am very seduce by their surface changes over time, if treated in a natural way. Light is my favorite material. It is a material without texture with a strong character, it fills places even if it has no specific weight. Light is a magical material.
DI: When do you feel the most creative?
BT : Whenever there is an issue to be solve, my creativity is more motivated to find new solutions
DI: Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?
BT : Planning requires a lot of concentration, if you neglect a planning phase, the castle collapses on the subsequent steps. The initial part of the project, the concept, is certainly the most beautiful and creative, thoughts fly, and the restrictions are fewer. The realization of the project or the prototyping of the product, requires an important commitment. Possible unforeseen events may arise, and you must solve them immediately for the success of the project.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?
BT : Happiness at professional assignment, during the planning stage it is a continues up and down of moods that vanish during the realization phase to transform into a joy when the work is finished.
DI: What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?
BT : Grate satisfaction. Project are the result of a lot of personal commitment, they are part of a journey in your life, they occupy your thoughts. It is like having a storm in your head that accompanies you in all your activities until the project is solved. When you see your ideas realized is a great joy.
DI: What makes a design successful?
BT : Cooperating with other professionals working on the project is an essential part of success. Collaborate with the workers, a good project does not stop on paper. Another important role for a successful project is the client, he must always interface with the designer, explain his needs and objectives. The designer must have a very clear framework within which to move, in order to preserve his original contribution of creativity by responding to the client’s expectations
DI: When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?
BT : It is difficult to judge a project if you don’t know the inputs, the objectives, and the complications. A bad design is when, it does not perform any function.
DI: From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?
BT : Designers have many responsibilities. We are the forerunners for future generations and for the future world. The object are functional but aesthetically impose themselves in the space, they dialogue with human beings, they send messages to consumers. They are symbols that communicate through their use, they can often change the culture of entire generations.
DI: What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?
BT : Lighting Lighting fixture Sofas and armchairs Jars-containers
DI: Can you describe a day in your life?
BT : Being curious, discovering new technologies, studying, exchanging information not only through social networks. When we meet in person the emotions we feel are essential for working and living
DI: What is your "golden rule" in design?
BT : “Less is More”
DI: Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?
BT : The first tool is to connect the brain and the pencil; I’m an old school designer, I always use paper and pencil to fix my first ideas. The technicians take the sketches and put them into the computer, transforming it into a three-dimensional model. In this way you understand the critical issues of the object designed on paper.
DI: Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?
BT : I manage time very badly. I normally spend a lot of time designing even if I can’t get always what I want. Often having little time helps me find good solutions, thanks to the adrenaline.
DI: How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?
BT : Every project is different, for example the 2D lantern has been design in 2013.The first prototype as been design in 2019 and in 2023 is ready in the market.