Milan / May 2017 / solo project
During my third year specialising in design at art high school, my professor collaborated with a Milan-based urban hub called Marco (Martesana Centrale Outdoor), to organise a student project exhibition during Fuorisalone 2017.
The project brief was to imagine that the City of Milan commissioned a new souvenir: an object able to symbolise the city and become a meaningful keepsake for tourists visiting Milan.
This challenge was compelling given the current souvenir landscape, dominated by magnets, shot glasses, monument miniatures, and photo mugs—objects mostly perceived as kitsch, generic, and lacking design quality.
1/5 A city compass
Designed to be both a souvenir and a functional tool, Orientami is a circular disc to be used with a smartphone compass app. It helps tourists navigate analogically the city through a circular skyline of Milan’s landmarks.
2/5 From Piazza Duomo
To use Orientami, visitors needs to reach Piazza Duomo, the city’s symbolic and geographic center. Placed over the phone compass, the the person orient the disk until the Duomo icon aligns with the real cathedral.
3/5 Prove your sense of direction!
Once aligned, the illustrated compass becomes active, showing the geographical position of Milan’s main landmarks around the user, encouraging to explore the city with his/her sense of direction.
