L'Italo-Americano

www.italoamericano.org 10 THURSDAY, MAY 28, 2015 L'Italo-Americano " C r e a t i v i t y i s t h e w a y t o transform dreams into reality": there is no better quote we could hope to end our conversation with Serena Zanello during the Spring Show at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. Young, Italian, woman, entre- p r e n e u r , S e r e n a m o v e d t o California a few years ago, after she completed her studies in architecture in Turin. Between San Diego and San Francisco, a f t e r w o r k i n g f o r a n I t a l i a n company first and an American firm later, she decided to take the challenge of running her o w n c o m p a n y : D o p a m i n e Design is indeed an example of how the Italian excellence can influence and shape design and architecture in the Bay Area, through knowledge, passion, a n d i n t e r e s t t o k e e p i n g t h e Italian side alive. When did you realize that b e i n g a n a r c h i t e c t w a s t h e dream of your life? C o m i n g f r o m a f a m i l y o f Italian artists, I got close to a r c h i t e c t u r e s i n c e m y e a r l y childhood. At the age of 5, I used to draw architectural sec- t i o n s w i t h i n b i g a n i m a l s . According to my imagination, those animals could turn into real houses, with rooms, stairs, furniture, and decorative items. As for design, I would say I started to express myself using coloured pens to build layouts of spaces, thinking of them as walls or structural elements. Would you consider your family a source of inspiration? Indeed, I do. My dad is an artist, so was my mom. In the '80s, my dad Roberto first creat- e d a w o r k s h o p f o r c h i l d r e n using puppets, papier-mâché, as well as branches for students to build large-scale pets for the schoolyard. Later on, he began managing different children's workshops. Like other kids, I learned how to use different materials: I loved Italian terra- cotta (clay), handmade kites and paper. Nevertheless, our family trips always aimed to visit art exhibitions around Italy and Europe. I spent most of our sum- mers both at the Biennale of Art and Architecture in Venice. After you became an archi- tect, why did you move to the US? While I was studying, I had the opportunity to do an intern- s h i p a t P i n i n f a r i n a E x t r a i n Turin, focusing on Hospitality and Industrial Design. I started to work with them on a full time basis for different projects, like the Turin Olympic Games Torch and few others for the Ferrari brand. I would say that 2006 was the turning point in my life: I was asked to contribute to the Keating hotel design project in San Diego and played a promi- nent role as design lead manag- i n g t h e p r o j e c t f r o m d e s i g n inception to completion. Once e x p e r i e n c e d t h e S o u t h e r n Californian life, I realized that, as an artist, the freedom of cre- ativity was really shaping the business world in America and t h i s w a s t r u e e s p e c i a l l y f o r architecture and design. That's why I thought this was and is the p l a c e w h i c h c o u l d h e l p m y dream come true. When did the idea of being an entrepreneur become reali- ty? I began as an independent d e s i g n c o n s u l t a n t a n d a l s o worked for the Starbucks com- pany. However, I really wanted to express myself and my pas- sion for entrepreneurship in a new way: I decided to launch my own consultancy firm with a partner, Daniel, who shared the same vision of design. As pro- fessionals, we both grew in an Italian environment, worship- ping attention to details, authen- ticity, and uniqueness in style. Y o u r c o m p a n y i s c a l l e d Dopamine Design, a very par- ticular name... W e w e r e i n s p i r e d b y t h e molecule that mediates pleasure i n t h e h u m a n b r a i n . W e a r e striving to keep these incredible m o l e c u l e s b u s y b y c r e a t i n g experiences that we consider a feast to the senses. I believe that our strength is the ability to establish bridges between the world of engineering and sci- ence and the one of emotions, pleasure, and senses. Now you are sharing this vision also with students… Well, this is the fun part of m y j o b : l a s t y e a r , I s t a r t e d teaching Interior Architecture a n d F u r n i t u r e D e s i g n a t t h e Academy of Art University in S a n F r a n c i s c o . M y s t u d e n t s have to work on real projects, while I pick clients who look for innovative and fresh ideas com- ing by young people. I also get my students to do internships with them, so they can practise in a professional environment. Are you running any spe- cial project? I think one of the most inter- esting is the collaboration with an Italian company, ALU, based in Bassano del Grappa, in the Veneto region. Together with the CEO, Abramo Manfrotto, we had the idea to take students to Italy to work for them. For three or six months, our stu- dents get to experience a com- pletely different culture, living i n t h e m e d i e v a l t o w n o f Bassano del Grappa. I believe this is a great opportunity for them to embark on a different journey, full of diversity, cul- ture, creativity, and unconven- tional experiences. What's next? As Dopamine, we just signed a contract to produce two lines of furniture. We are very happy of this first milestone, however we are working hard to develop new lines both to sell and use in our architectural projects. By designing projects also for air- ports and hotels, we understood how important is for architec- ture to merge with the world of art and embrace the glamour, creative, and innovative vision coming with it. Serena Zanello (right) with Dzoanna Pavulina, one of the students displaying their works at the Spring Show From Turin to California, shaping architecture and design through art: Serena Zanello and Dopamine Design SERENA PERFETTO From far left, Brenda Ng, Abrar Aljuhani, Serena Zanello, Courtney De Walt, and Che-Yuan Hsu

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