Meet Silvio Skarwan

School: University of applied arts Vienna
Line of study + year: Industrial Design 4th Year
Nationality: Austrian

Use five words to describe the Camp experience
International, Enlightening, Exiting, Unique, Open-minded

Why are you here?
The Baltic Sea, the beautiful Danish landscape and the small but cozy and welcoming city of Kolding are amongst some of the things that motivated me to do my exchange semester at Design School Kolding. However, I would have to say, that the biggest driving factor for me was the prospect of personal development. I am certain that this exchange semester will enrich me, both personally and academically since intercultural exchange is necessary to understand the close-knit and fast-moving society we live in. Learning from one another is an advantage in every aspect. This intercultural exchange will not only bring knowledge in various academic disciplines, but it will also speed up the necessary need to become independent in life.

What has been your biggest learning experience in the DesignCamp so far?
The biggest and most meaningful thing that I have learned throughout these two weeks of the DesignCamp would be the amazing lectures and their content. It has been really interesting for me to learn the different methodologies and strategies that are taught here to approach a design project. I also must add, that working with people from other design branches has also been a very enriching and enlightening experience.

How do you think that you or designers in general can help create sustainable actions?
In my personal opinion design is not only about designing projects that are appealing for the eye, but creating projects that inspire a conversation and debate amongst the public. As designers we are creative, radical, fresh and not bound to all sorts of regulations and therefore we are able to create new scenarios and open doors for the development and wellbeing of our society.

Generally, what inspires you?
While it's fairly easy to say that I find my inspiration trough the works of other artists and designers that are featured in the countless blogs and magazines, the truth is that I find my inspiration in everyday life. However sometimes, inspiration just happens when you're least expecting it! What has caught your professional attention at the moment? At the moment I have been mostly drawn to modern production methods such as the laser cutter, 3d printer and the CNC milling machine. The endless possibilities with such modern machines really astonishes me. Lately I have also been highly interested in animations, computer generated images and in more traditional areas such as ceramics.

What would be your ideal job – and why?
I have been asking myself this questions many times throughout my design education, however I have never really been able to define which design branch I would like to peruse later on. Nevertheless, if I would describe my ideal job, it would be a job that would allow me to travel the world, explore different cultures and work with inspiring and talented people, but the most fulfilling thing for me would be to make a difference in the way we see and understand our world.