(me in a portrait made by desirèe sacchiero)

Hi!
My name is Angela Ponzini.

I’m interior and product designer. In 2005 I got a degree in Interior Design, with tutor professor Andrea Branzi.

Actually, I’m also PhD candidate at the Politecnico di Milano (Milan, Italy) in the field of Interior Design. I’m leading a research on temporary accomodation for “(con)temporary citizens” and this is my in-progress-blog.
Below, you find a short abstract of my research:

The italian title of my doctoral research is “Questa casa non è un albergo” (literally “This house is not a hotel“).  The aim is to put forward some guide lines for the design of a (con)temporary living space for (con)temporary city-users (with the term (con)temporary I intend something that is at the same time contemporary and temporary).

The idea addresses the domestic environment intended for those passing temporarily in a urban context (my reference urban context is Milan, but potentially it could be any): businessmen, temporary citizens, tourists, students… They can make use of it by membership or by the connection to a sort of social network. The goal is to define a design model, which takes its main inspiration from The Hub (co-working network, based on a high-performance business model) but also from hostel and hotel scenes. This design model (exactly like The Hub) will be potentially repeatable in any world capital in order to create a housing network for (con)temporary accommodation.

The research gives emphasis to the relationship between the city and “temporary citizens” and the relationship between the concept of “living” and “inhabiting”. Project criterias are mainly sharing (the “sharism”), temporariness and collaborative design (co-creation, designing with final users) with particular reference to the reversibility and the functionality of interior/living spaces in relationship with the exterior/urban ones.
The idea is to define a housing model, its interiors and its organizational structure, capable of making the stay in a new/foreign urban context more pleasant, even if in a limited time.

Some important case studies and references: The Hub, PixelHotel, Hi-Life (Hi-Matic Hotel, Dar Hi, Hi Hotel, Hi Beach, Casa Hi), Das Park Hotel, Lloyd Hotel, Droog design Member’s only Hotel,  Lago Appartamento, the Esterni Public Design Festival, and airbnb.
On this blog I add daily cases studies, information about the progress of my research, conferences or simply design inspirations.

In july 2011 I won a grant from the Chamber of Commerce and the Provincial Administration of Milan in order to participate to a project called “Professione Creatività”. It aims to collect and benchmark policies and measures in support of creative economy at international level in order to define a comprehensive set of policies at local level.
So, at the end of september I moved to London where I’m working with Studio Tilt and The Hub King’s Cross.

Generally, I live in Milan, this is my hometown, I love my city.
I’m assistant of professors Alessandro Biamonti (who is my PhD tutor, as well) and I’m part of the Lab.I.R.Int. Team of INDACO Design Department. I spend most of my day’s work here, in Bovisa.
I am actively part of an association of young people living in Milan, called 11 Metri (that means “11 Meters”, which is, in soccer, the distance from which you try to take a penalty kick): the association aims to organize open events and public moments to bring young citizens closer to the political, cultural and social life of their City and Country.

Please, feel free to leave me comments and suggestions!
www.angelaponzini.com
info@angelaponzini.com