Interview with Andrea Grosso

Andrea Grosso ("AG") interviewed on Wednesday, 7 June.

Could you please tell us about your experience as a designer, artist, architect or creator?

AG : As an artist I was born as a designer, illustrator and cartoonist specialized in manga style, even if with time I improved a lot by also creating realistic works. Since I was a child I inherited from my father the passion for drawing to vent my excesses of imagination by realizing what my mind imagined. At the age of 25, too late to have an adequately coached hand, I was lucky enough to find the right push to commit myself with full hands in the manga design and try to make my first self -produced comic. Unfortunately, for a series of circumstances and divergences in the creative field with the publishing house that was interested in my work, I have not been able to continue this project of mine which today has a first volume completed and never published entitled "Corsa Project". Subsequently, after continuing this passion, cultivating it as a pastime, completely as self -taught I met thanks to an online game the ing.naccarella with which at the ideological level I immediately set up a feeling and subsequently to our numerous and long chats we started my journey together in the world of 3D design. It was extraordinarily simple for me, which I have always had a technical imprint thanks to my school studies and my training, approach this world thanks to its teachings and, after more than 8 months spent studying and training in the use of the tools I offer me from my teacher I finally put in place my first real project that I will participate in the "Design for Peace" contest organized by the A Design Award Competition.

How did you become a designer?

AG : The reason I chose to become a designer is icted is because I want me to become my profession. I want to get a professional profile and credentials thanks to the awards that I could get by participating in the'Design Award Competition together with the great advertising that this guarantees, using it as a showcase and launching pad for my future career. I became a designer thanks to the teachings and support of the Human Museum Design Studio of Eng. Marco Naccarella, my mentor and a longtime friend. Together with our consultant Alex de Jong, they have always been close to me in the proceeding of my career and in my learning process, while that together we participated as assistants and consultants during the participation of Eng. Naccarella at the 2021/2022 edition with her hypercar intrigue. Becoming a designer for me was like a process of natural evolution. It is like when your design style evolves by always learning new techniques and styles by mixing them together, it was like this for me. Switching from 2D to 3D art was like giving a third dimension to things that I already made in two dimensions, like when a newborn learn to walk, a completely natural process for me. Certainly the thought that with my design and my ideas I can influence the world and the future of people for the best is a definitely motivational factor for me, but what motivates me most in the realization of my projects and in pursuing this career is certainly the opportunity to create, to give life to unique and useful creations, which can undoubtedly make the future for the community better and prosperous.

What are your priorities, technique and style when designing?

AG : The first fundamental point of the design process is the idea. From the general concept, all of all having a solid base is essential to create something unique and above all useful and usable. Secondly the second most important thing is research. Learning and armed with adequate knowledge for the realization of a project, to make it adequate for current regulations and international standards so that it is credible, feasible and exploitable is also essential in my work process. Finally there are the choice of the name and colors. A product must have a unique appearance and a name that is intuitive, easy to understand and remember and that can be a representative of the basic concept that the project/product wants to represent, together with a color that makes it unique and that gives it character And personality. For me, these are the three most important aspects of my creative process. With this question you invite me to a wedding! There is always something of mine in all my projects. Whether they are experiences, memories, emotions or any other element I always try to insert something that always represents my style in my every project. For example, keeping faith with my vintage soul linked to the 80s/90, for Heroybus I used a livery that draws its origins from that of old trusted philaibus of the 80s that served the sections of my city. I always try to put some of my identity in my projects, both because I feel proud of my origins and because my land has given me memories and priceless emotions both personally and landscape speaking. When I make a design often I create pencil sketches on any surface on which he can draw, this to mark and remember any idea and solution to which my mind thinks and then apply it during the design phase, perhaps re -adapting and improving it. Certainly, however, the main tool I use is 3D modeling through the Rhinoceros program, which gives me a wider spectrum on the three -dimensionality of the objects and consciousness of the dimensions of the masses with which it is dealing with, giving me the greatest awareness of the volumes and useful spaces for the evolution of the project. Unfortunately I don't have the chances of creating mock-ups and physical models of my projects, but it would be really exciting to do it. For the moment to carry out all the necessary tests I only use the 3D rendering via Keyshot 4. Every time I start a new project, after establishing the basic idea and the functionality that the final product must have continued with an intensive study session on the various themes and topics that that particular project will have to deal with, examining and exploring new technologies e solutions to make what I have in mind to make as current and innovative as possible.

Which emotions do you feel when designing?

AG : The most diverse. I can experience all a wide range of emotions during a project, from joy to sadness, disappointment and excitement for the final result. It depends closely on the moment and the circumstances in which I am during the design phase. Certainly for me the most exciting phase of a project is the transition to 3D rendering. Seeing your creation that magically comes to life and becomes something approachable to reality is a unique feeling and makes it really proud after so many hours spent working and committing. Obviously the thing that makes me most happy with the design process is to create. Every single piece that goes to its place and that makes the project progress is a small piece of extra happiness, a slight curvature more than my lips that in the end will then translate into a large smile once the project is finished. What makes me most satisfied is undoubtedly to see the finished project and to finally be able to show it to people, this gratifies me with all the efforts made making real what I have dreamed of creating. The pleasure that I feel in making real what a project is undoubtedly the confirmation that my efforts are translating into concrete results for my maturation and for my affirmation in the world of design. Knowing that what a project can be seen and commented on by other people excites me and gratifies very much since I hope that my projects can one day create something unique and special able to excite those who will use it.

What particular aspects of your background shaped you as a designer?

AG : This question is very interesting for me. As I mentioned previously I started as a designer, illustrator and cartoonist. This previous experience of mine made me the man who are now artistic intermines, allowing me to draw on a previous artistic background and a knowledge of colors and shapes already basically good to then be able to apply to the world of 3D design. I can also mention at least two other experiences not related to the design that have certainly helped me in my training path as a designer. The first was to have had the opportunity to live the carpenter's work firsthand. Working and seeing my father work on construction sites, witnessing his studying the drawings of architects and learning from these for osmosis has certainly formed in me a automatic and unconscious understanding of the spaces, giving me a larger prospect of both the use of materials for the Interior Design that for the realization of projects that integrate aspects of this design sector. A quality, if I can define it as such, that it was precisely extremely useful to me precisely in my latest projects, finalizing the environments of the First Aid Pod and the Kitchen Pod of my modular bus, furnished by me and carried out as the first and real automotive work Interior Design. Secondly, I can say that my experience in local public transport as an installer technician was the second most important experience that, sanctioned my qualification as an expert in telematic applied to transport, gave me all the basic notions on the automotive sector in the public transport sector which were the backbone of my current research and design. In this sense I have to thank Eng. Alessandro Sasso della Columbia Group S.r.l. For having been at the time one of my most inspired teachers, capable of transmitting myself with his direct and without turns of words the passion for the public transport sector by rubber and rail together with a good dose of love for vintage. And how not to mention Eng. Naccarella? He is and will always remain my mentor, the roots from which every project of mine draws form and inspiration, the foundations in reinforced concrete from which the skyscraper of my experience has started and from which it is growing slowly after slowing to reach the sky of success.

What is your growth path? What are your future plans? What is your dream design project?

AG : What I have in store for my future I still can't know (laughs), what I am sure is that after the design for Peace I intend to participate in the 2022/2023 edition of the'Design Award Competition I already have purchased a digital ticket. I am anxious to establish myself, to make myself known by the community and to demonstrate my qualities to my colleagues with whom I would like to establish a dialogue and compare myself perhaps, to discuss the future and prospects. I certainly want to emerge and get noticed. In my database I have a series of at least a dozen projects that are only waiting to be made, among these there are, to name a few a hybrid supercar, a completely hydrogen hypercar, a hybrid motorcycle and an electric city car inspired by use Citizen here in the Sanremese hinterland. However, I also have many others in my crucible of ideas, remain tuned and you could see some of them that I will perhaps use as a portfolio to advertise me (laughs).

What are your advices to designers who are at the beginning of their career?

AG : Never give up. Be flexible and respect the experience of colleagues. It may happen that you may think that your idea is good, but never have the daring to overestimate yourself, learn to observe yourself from other points of view, with other eyes, critical eyes. Only in this way can a young designer hope to learn and grow. You have to have an open mind and be fluid, flexible, capable of adapting to any situation and solution, good or bad that it is, to extract the maximum possible potential. This was what I implicitly my teacher taught me. The words of him will verbally: “Nobody will ever care about your emotions, of how much you care about a project, how much love and passion you put on it. You must be judge and jury of yourself and you must be as cruel and rational as possible with your work, only in this way can you hope to create something unique and special, something that transcends yourself and that can transmit what you, once Strong, you will be able to be able to put in your work. "

You are truly successful as a designer, what do you suggest to fellow designers, artists and architects?

AG : You have to learn to think out of the box. They are all capable of copying others, to be successful designer you have to create something that others have never created, or something that will use differently used concepts to make something unique and special anyway. You have to have open and flexible mantle, to be able to range on various fields and combine different associates and never get tired of experimenting, looking for and studying.

What is your day to day look like?

AG : I start by saying that I never find my work activity boring, however I can find drying to redo certain processes due to software or hardware problems that smoke my saves by forcing me to redo hours and hours of work, but except that this That I like more than my work sessions is undoubtedly to apply concepts and notions learned during research. It always gives a certain satisfaction to achieve something unique through study and subsequent practical application, so I would say that during my days at work the creative process is always the thing I like most, in its application phase. In the morning after drinking the classic coffee I put myself at work until lunchtime and then I take a short break to eat something light and drink another coffee before leaving me at work. Sometimes it happens that my work sessions last more or less depending on my personal commitments during the day, but I still work at least from 6 to 8 hours a day, but I can get to work even 12 or 14 hours consecutively if I am during the expiry phase. I know it is not healthy, but sometimes when you are alone, there are sacrifices that must be made if you want to get to success with your own strength.

How do you keep up with latest design trends? To what extent do design trends matter?

AG : I start with the assumption that I do not follow the trends of the world of design. I can also find stimulating to have or associate a theme to follow for a project. I don't like the idea that a trend limits my creative and conceptual ability, but so the world goes. Remember when I was talking about flexibility and adaptability? I was talking about this concept. Unfortunately in the world there are trends and willingly or nolenti must be followed the flow of trends to be able to remain on the ridge of the wave. However, what makes the world of design special is that you can always choose how to do it. Trends can be distorted, reinterpreted and altered according to new ideas and concepts applicable to them to make them increasingly innovative and special. This is what makes the world of design so attractive to me and this is the reason that it gives me strength every time I have faced with some tendency that I don't like but that I have to forcefully follow. Without a doubt I would prefer to carry out projects that come from my personal inspiration, but when this is not possible I can always find ideas and meeting points to create useful compromises for the continuation of work. The inspiration can literally come out of anything, whether it is an emotion, a memory or even a trivial landscape that I observe on the street while I pass through the city streets. You have to know how to grasp the fleeting moment.

How do you know if a product or project is well designed? How do you define good design?

AG : When the finished product responds effectively to the request that the market has made the creation of that particular product essential. A design is good, for me, when it is useful and exploitable. It must be synergy between the pleasantness of the forms, the chromatic appreciation and the actual exploitability of a certain product, it must be harmony between these concepts, all equally important, in order to be able to achieve what I personally devinent as a good design. What at first glance I observe a design is the overall form of the object, the first thing that the eye observes in an object is the shape, and later they are the strongest colors to be captured by the gaze, so I would say shape And color first of all. However, I think that going too much with their own ideas is wrong, in the sense of filling something of too many functionality makes the object either too difficult to make, either too confused its primary use or even confused for those who use it to understand what the his primary function. The key of good design is simple and functional.

How do you decide if your design is ready?

AG : Surely I can say that sometimes I realize that I have better in the course of work that it can be done, but it is not always possible to be able to apply them. In my specific case for a mere question of time and for the hardware component. I would have had many more solutions to implement, equipment to be inserted and details to be achieved if only I had had the time necessary to make them and the appropriate hardware to make me stay in the time useful for their realization. At a certain point, when work planning arrives at the final rendering phase, no changes to the project can no longer be made and therefore momentarily I close it to complete the presentation phase, however leaving the various files aside in order to be able to be reworked and re -proposed Subsequently, I never close doors that can lead me to new successes.

What is your biggest design work?

AG : For the moment it is the Angros B01 Heroybus, the modular bus that I chose to bring for the Design for Peace competition. I have never designed so many things, so much different from each other in such a short time. In less than two months it is like having carried out 5 different projects that had to interact and connect perfectly together in a synergistic and perfect way. It was certainly an exciting period of my career as a designer and a wonderful experience for me as an artist. Heroybus was conceived as a normal citybus that has the peculiarity of being modular. This is to make it a machine capable of responding not only to the different requests of the local public transport market, making it capable of serving both narrow city roads and long interurban roads, but also making it a machine capable of equipping itself with several pods to face emergencies At the level of armed conflicts or natural disasters that can endanger the civilian population. I designed Heroybus thinking of the population in Ukraine, the difficulties for refugees in having to survive and be transported from one city to another without shelter, food and medical care. Heroybus was born as a gesture of love for all those people who, in need of help, need a hero who gives them the hope of a better, sustainable and peaceful future. I think it is my greatest job because it is made up of so many parts and details that I find it difficult to list and represent them all within a 40 -page report without spoving, it is really a huge project, full of possible upgrades and additions, possible Full electric engines, hydrogen and I thought it could also be a very solid base to make it a trolleybus. Heroybus is truly one of my biggest projects. What makes Heroybus special is without a doubt its modular connection system. With a simple double action, one of the components can be hooked or unhooking in a few minutes, effectively creating multiple configurations suitable for any request by the customer for more or less passenger transport capacity and to obtain support in terms of first aid or canteen service, All assisted by increased load rooms and emergency structures capable of supporting the population on the run and supporting it for several days of travel. The main challenges that distinguished this project were above all structural and physical. Designing a bus in full puller configuration with frontal motor was not easy in compliance with current regulations and excess with an adequate dose of courage I have sacred redistribute masses and weights to hit the center of gravity of the machine adequately so that not to lay all the weight only on the front axis. To do this, I exploited the substantial weight of the coupling system that makes the rear structure rigid enough to ensure the solidity of the junction and in this way I have on the weight increase in the front, also exploiting the use of suspensions equipped with self-tank to always keep the vehicle on on level with the ground.

Who is your favourite designer?

AG : As much as I am a lover of the sacred monsters of the past like Bertone, Gandini and Giugiaro my dispassionate admiration goes to my master Marco Naccarella. He was the source of my passion and knowledge and this made it for me a source of constant epserienza and inspiration. I try not to think about the past, although the sacred monsters of the design of the past are a source of constant and priceless inspiration for me. What I believe is that you have to project yourself towards the future, without forgetting what we have been influenced in the past. Maintain one's identity by turning your gaze towards the future.

Would you tell us a bit about your lifestyle and culture?

AG : Surely my favorite city is Sanremo, my hometown. It seems trivial and obvious, but my Christmas and my Ligurian identity have had a profound impact on my world view. Being between the sea and the mountains he placed me in perfect balance between two worlds, giving me the opportunity to understand more, different worlds, cultures and systems, without ever placing limits. Music without a shadow of a doubt is a fundamental component of my every project, often, indeed almost always, I have some songs in my ears, better if of the good Sinthwave that relaxes me during the 3D modeling phase, but also not disdain classic music and the Good rock, as well as any other song that inspires me at that particular moment, I do not place myself gender limits in this sense. I think my Italian being does not influence my design too much, I always try to create things that are projected towards the wider possible socio-cultural panorama, it is certain that of the "Italian style" I want to maintain elegance, precision and quality, Pardary points of my national identity, although they have now become an almost natural part of my self -critical process so I don't do it much by much case (laughs). Now I am in my room, in my house, in front of my fixed computer to typing loudly on the keyboard, you know, I write extremely fast, so fast that when I type it looks like a writing machine (laughs). Like now I am filling up this interview while my cart PC has been grinding for hours to create one of the Heroybus renderings, my latest project. I think that good design is necessary for the progress of society because evolution brings change and change generates an intrinsic social dynamism such that the minds of people will be unconsciously led to be more flexible, malleable to the social change that history has Seen growing over the past twenty years and this process will be faster and faster, whereby a good design helps society to be more ready and capable of adapting better to the future.

Would you tell us more about your work culture and business philosophy?

AG : I do not find particular difficulties in working in a group and I am quite malleable to be able to face both single projects and projects in collaboration with third parties. I certainly had previous group work experiences both before I join the Human Museum Design Studio group and I have always found positive interactions with all my work partners. Reliability and sincerity in the workplace are everything for me and I think the people with whom you work with them must be honest and strive together to achieve the results that the group wants to achieve, by committing all towards the same direction. An artist, architect and designer must essentially have two characteristics: dynamism and fantasy. Then obviously he needs to have a certain level of personality to be able to interface with the public, with customers, in order to sell their projects and expose them in a fluid and professional way, trying, with their own personal aura, to make your work shineRegarding my corporate culture, I can say that I firmly believe in dialogue and collaboration, in mutual confrontation and personal and group growth. These in my opinion are the essential factors to be successful as a company. For the moment the main challenges of my profession is to make me know and make me a reputation. Design is a selective world and where personal qualifications and affirmation is needed, through the validation of entities as the A'dseign Award Competition is; For this I am trying to do my best to have the necessary reputation to have credentials useful for my statement in this world. At work level I currently cover all the possible charges for myself, trying to start my career on your own, certain is that at the same time I am a business partner with the members of the Human Museum and therefore I would say that from my personal point of view I am responsible Of everything concerning me, while when I collaborate with the Ing.naccarella I am a collaborator with the functions of councilor and co-designer.

What are your philanthropic contributions to society as a designer, artist and architect?

AG : As a designer I have a strong sensitivity towards the progress of all society in my drawer. I can say that having relief people like Eng. Naccarella and morally extremely straight people like Alex de Jong my goal is to make the life of others better by creating ecologically sustainable projects, useful for society and exploitable in everyday life. Up to now I have always worked pro bono. Unfortunately in my current condition I cannot do otherwise to be able to afford to be visible and let me know. Obviously and at the same time, taking advantage of the opportunity given to me from the Design for Peace Contest, I intend to assert my voice regarding sensitive issues such as the consequences of armed conflicts such as the one in Ukraine and the effects that natural catastrophes can cause. My Heroybus project was carried out precisely in this sense, to give all those involved in such events a small light of hope through a design expressly conceived to make up for crises of this type. I am deeply in favor of the commitment to similar projects and it is my firm intention to participate further in any further humanitarian design project that I had the opportunity to meet on my way.

What positive experiences you had when you attend the A’ Design Award?

AG : Since it is the very first time that I will try to respond by placing myself in the condition of hypothesizing any future advantages that I hope to obtain. What I think that the A'Design Award Competition has to offer is great visibility above all. All the greatest designers of the whole world participate in this prestigious competition and it is above all a great honor for me to be able to take part in it. Secondly, I believe that the prestige that is obtained by winning an Award is something that does not steadate, having in your references to have won any of the prizes issued by this prestigious competition elevates you against the normal designers by certifying the quality of your work and the My primary objective is precisely to obtain recognition, so as to obtain validation to what are currently my skills. Finally, I think that the community that revolves around this competition is undoubtedly an interesting panorama to obtain collaborations, exchanges of opinions and comparisons on the design and on its multiple applications, which I undoubtedly have interest and that I absolutely want to obtain perhaps comparing myself with others My colleagues present in the rest of the world and that could one day perhaps take an interest in my work. My career as a designer would definitely benefit from a qualitative boost from the certification obtained by receiving an Award, so I think that obtaining it is mainly confirmed by what are the qualities and skills of the designer who receives that particular prize, also giving him the confidence and the credibility necessary to believe more in one's skills as a designer. Design competitions are relevant and important because they help you do not even young designers and designers who are established to make themselves known and promote their projects and products, but they are also because they always place new limits to overcome as regards the future of projects and ideas that is Always something positive if you think of a future perspective as part of the design panorama. Evolution is always important and competitions help progress and push towards ever better design. Being designer of the day would be definitely incredible for me! A great satisfaction. I admit it, I would have been excited to become it for any reason, but I don't want to raise the bar of expectations, I want to remain humble and hopeful, however trying to do my best to emerge and get noticed and reach that goal one day.

Andrea Grosso Profile