Chiara C. Rizzarda's Blog, page 30

Edogawa Ranpo, Panorama-tō Kitan

Edogawa Ranpo, born Tarō Hirai on October 21, 1894, in Nabari, Japan, was a prominent writer and literary critic known for his influential contributions to the mystery genre. He passed away on July 28, 1965, which means that his works will be in the public domain in around 10 years. Edogawa is celebrated for his detective stories featuring the character Kogoro Akechi, characterized by their unique blend of mystery, horror, and psychological elements.

Ranpo’s pseudonym is a phonetic play on the name of his literary idol, Edgar Allan Poe, but his works include influences from other Western mystery writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle and Maurice Leblanc. His works often explore themes of eroticism and the grotesque, leading to the classification of his style as “ero guro nansensu” (erotic grotesque nonsense) in Japanese literature.

His debut story, “Ni-sen Dōka” (The 2-sen Copper Coin), was published in 1923, marking the beginning of his prolific writing career, but some of his most recognized pieces include The Human Chair (Ningen Isu) from 1925, exploring themes of obsession and horror, in which a woman who receives a disturbing letter from a fan who confesses to hiding inside a chair in her home; The Blind Beast (Mōjū, 1931) in which a blind sculptor kidnaps women to create grotesque sculptures, the unique Vampire (Kyūketsuki) from 1930, and The Case of the Murder on D. Hill (D-zaka no satsujin jiken, 1925), marking the first appearance of Kogoro Akechi.

My favourite story however has to be The Strange Tale of Panorama Island (Panorama-tō Kitan, 1926). The narrative follows Hitomi Hirosuke, a struggling novelist who learns of the death of his wealthy friend, Genzaburo Komoda. Seizing the opportunity, Hitomi impersonates Genzaburo to inherit his fortune, fakes his own suicide, exhumes Genzaburo’s body, and presents he has been buried alive. With his newfound wealth, he constructs a fantastical amusement park on the island of Nakanoshima, designed to be a paradise filled with optical illusions and bizarre attractions.
The island serves as a backdrop for exploring identity, obsession, and the consequences of deceit, rich in grotesque and surreal elements, reflecting Ranpo’s fascination with the bizarre and the doppelganger theme.

The story was turned into a manga written and magnificently illustrated by Suehiro Maruo.

Women Create Games – Milan – Friday, September 13

And now for something completely different… or is it?
Anyone who has followed me throughout the years knows I have a past as a role-playing games creator and that I’ve never stopped being passionate about games and videogames, alongside collaborating with game designer Gabriele Gallo in speeches and in my two main books on innovation. Now, the school I’m consulting for has organised a splendid event in September, celebrating the success, grit and professional accomplishments of women throughout the video game industry. It’s called Women Creates Games and will take place on September 13th in the school’s venue (via Teglio 13 in Milan, close to the Alcatraz event space).
Women are often downplayed as professionals, relegated to support roles and to the assistant’s cliché. According to the Society of Women Engineers, the videogame industry is amongst the tech that needs to change the most. Come with us in September to help propel that change at this extraordinary day-long forum featuring six women who code, design and produce projects in one of the industries that need to change the most.

The GuestsThe Producer

What does a producer do in the video game industry? The proverbial dirty work, or so I’m told.
A video game producer is responsible for overseeing and coordinating various aspects of a game’s development from inception to completion, including scheduling, budgeting, and resource allocation, creating and maintaining project timelines, identifying milestones, and ensuring the team stays on track to meet deadlines. Sounds easy, doesn’t it? We might call it project manager.

Alessandra Tomasina calls herself “a seasoned adventurer in the perilous land of digital entertainment”, and she started her career over 18 years ago, covering various roles in game development, publishing, and marketing. She’s been a game producer for Digital Tales (Battleloot Adventure, Bravura Quest Rush), senior producer for the developer RaceWard Studio (RiMS Racing published by Nacon, and the celebrated TT Isle of Man: Ride on the Edge 3 based on the famous Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycle race). She currently works as a senior producer for Nacon Studio in the Milan division of the famous French company formerly Bigben Interactive. The studio is currently developing Terminator: Survivors, a solo or co-op open-world game set in the post-apocalyptic universe of the aftermath of Judgment Day.

One of the promo arts for Terminator: Survivors.

 

The Game Designer

What’s a Game Designer’s instrument of choice? “The pencil,” might someone say. I guess it depends, but I’m told it’s the spreadsheet.
According to the job description at Computer Science, a game designer is tasked with creating “the defining features of video games, including characters, objectives, obstacles, levels and settings, and narratives.” If that sounds like a lot, it sounds right.

Carola Pettinato recently graduated in Computer Games Design at Staffordshire University and currently works at Criterion Games, a British video game developer founded in 1996 and acquired by Electronic Arts in 2004. The studio is responsible for developing the Burnout series, an arcade-style racing focused on high-speed gameplay and spectacular crashes which featured celebrated titles such as Burnout 3: Takedown and Burnout Paradise. They’re also behind several entries in the Need for Speed franchise, like Hot Pursuit (2010), Most Wanted (2012) and Unbound (2022).
She’s also an ambassador for Women in Games.

The promo art for the “Palace Edition” of Need For Speed Unbound.

 

The Programmers

Do you know how many programming languages exist out there? There is no definitive count, but estimates vary widely between the 700 programming languages listed and accounted for in Wikipedia, and other estimates being closer to 9,000. A list called HOPL (History of Programming Languages) puts the total number at 8,945 different programming languages.
Whatever the language, almost every aspect of a videogame needs programming: from the mechanics to the game loop, from the camera behaviour to the UI elements, such as menus, HUDs (heads-up displays), and other interactive components that players use to navigate the game. Both our guests work precisely in this field.

Irene Filoscia started as a Graduate Research Fellow at CNR (National Research Centre in Italy) and carried on as a Graduate Research Intern at IST Austria with interests in computational geometry, digital fabrication and geometry processing before landing as a gameplay programmer in Milestone, an Italian video game developer based in Milan, renowned for its specialization in racing games, particularly motorcycle racing titles.
Founded in 1994 by Antonio Farina, the studio originally operated under the name Graffiti and gained recognition with its first notable game, Screamer, a racing game for PC. It rebranded as Milestone in 1996 and leveraged the success of Screamer to secure publishing deals with major companies like Virgin Interactive and Electronic Arts. They obtained their license for MotoGP games in 2013.
Irene has been developing games with them since 2020, initially with a focus on GFX (Graphical Effects) and now focusing on User Interface programming (UI).

Promo art for Monster Energy Supercross 6

 

Elena Silletti has a hybrid background as a programmer and a technical artist, making her the perfect fit for such a role. She started as an UI Technical Artist for Ubisoft in Milan, working on titles such as Mario + Rabbids, and then moved to Lunar Great Wall Studios as a Senior UI Programmer. The studio is credited with developing Another Sight, a unique adventure game that blends platforming with puzzle-solving elements, and would later be associated with RaceWard Studio and incorporated into Nacon.

The promo art for Another Sight by Lunar Great Wall Studios.

 

The Artists

Last but not least, the event features two professionals dedicated to developing the aesthetics of videogames, one of the three key components that help define the player’s experience and interaction with a game alongside mechanics and dynamics.

The first is Lisa Gobbi, a Senior Environment Artist at Avalanche Studios Group in London. She has a background in game development, and her expertise spans game asset creation to photogrammetry (the science and technology of obtaining reliable measurements from photographs, widely used as a support to surveys). She started working as a Junior 3D Artist and quickly moved to Milestone, where she worked on titles such as MXGP3, Gravel, and Monster Energy Supercross 6. For Avalanche Studios, she was the Senior Environment Artist for Call of the Wild: The Angler.
She has a degree in economics and currently serves on the Board of the Italian Videogame Tax Credit Commission for the Ministry of Culture.

The stunning promo art for Call of the Wild: The Angler.

 

Arianna Fusetti has a background in animation as a 3D generalist, focusing primarily on character and texturing art, and currently works as a Lighting Artist at Frontier Developments. During her recent interview with Insert Coin Here, she described her work as an artist emphasizing the importance of lighting in creating immersive and realistic game environments, and arguing that lighting artists are responsible for crafting the mood, atmosphere, and visual aesthetics of a game, just as it happens with lighting designers in the physical world.
For Frontier Developments, she worked on titles such as Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin and F1 Manager 2022.

A gameplay shot from Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin.The Hosts

The event is hosted by an exceptional couple of professionals, alongside in-house producer Fabio Cristi: Fiona Cherbak is the Lead Talent Program Manager at Xbox Game Studios, where she designs and drives inclusive hiring initiatives across the studios and a co-founder for Women in Games International and the Boston Festival of Indie Games; Micaela Romanini is a gaming professional with over 14 years of experience in communications, marketing, events, and business development, currently serving as the Vice Director of the VIGAMUS Foundation, the first Italian video game museum, located in the heart of Rome.

Event Horizon School, my client hosting the event, is one of the larger video game schools in Italy, with multiple campuses located in cities such as Turin, Padua, Bologna, Rome, Jesi, Pescara, Florence and, of course, Milan. The school offers a variety of professional training programs aimed at preparing students for careers in the game industry, cinema, and digital arts.

The Partner: Women in Games

A global non-profit organization dedicated to promoting gender diversity and inclusion within the video game industry, it was founded in 2009, and emerged in response to the underrepresentation of women in gaming, where they constituted only 6% of the workforce at that time. As of 2020, this figure has increased to an average of 22% globally, yet significant disparities remain, particularly in executive roles and esports participation, and their work carries on in advocacy to create a gaming culture free from gender discrimination. Women in Games hosts various events, workshops, and initiatives designed to empower women and promote their visibility in the industry, including mentorship programs and professional development opportunities.

#ChthonicThursday: Eusapia

It might be because of my background in architecture, it might be because it’s fantasy, but Italian intellectuals insist it’s not (which is hilarious when it’s not infuriating), but I’m particularly fond of Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities. Today I give you one of the cities connected with death: Eusapia.

If you’re not familiar with it, the narrative of the book unfolds through a dialogue between the ageing Mongol Emperor Kublai Khan and the Venetian explorer Marco Polo. The book is structured as a series of poetic descriptions of 55 imaginary cities, each representing different themes and reflections on human experience, memory, and identity.

Calvino isn’t in the public domain yet, so what follows is more a retelling than a translation. Enjoy. You can also read it on my Patreon. The picture in the header comes from this project.

Picture by Wendi Yan.

No city inclines more naturally to the delights of life and the liberation from care than the city of Eusapia. Its denizens have wrought a faithful replica of their city beneath the earth’s surface to bridge the chasm between life and death with grace and subtlety. Here, in this netherworld, the corpses—preserved in their skeletal integrity as yellowed skin shrinks around their bones—are tenderly carried to continue their earthly pursuits. These souls delight in a realm of carefree revelries: most corpses are arranged around tables heaped with bounty, set in eternal dance, or posed to sound tiny trumpets. Yet, all the vocations and trades of living Eusapia are also enacted below, especially those performed with greater joy than vexation: the clockmaker, surrounded by the silent tick of his stopped clocks, leans his parchment ear against a dissonant grandfather clock; a barber, with his dry brush, lathers the cheekbones of an actor who learns his script through vacant eye sockets; a maiden, with an eternal grin on her skull, draws milk from the carcass of a heifer.

Many of the living, however, yearn for a fate in death that’s different from their earthly toil, or so it seems: the necropolis swells with big-game hunters, mezzo-sopranos, bankers, violinists, duchesses, courtesans, and generals—far exceeding the number the living city ever held.

A solemn brotherhood of hooded figures is charged with the sacred duty of escorting the deceased below and placing them in their chosen station. None other may venture into the Eusapia of the dead; all that is known of the nether city is learned from these brothers.

It is said that a similar brotherhood exists among the dead, ever ready to extend a spectral hand and, upon their death, these hooded brethren are fated to perpetuate their tasks in the nether Eusapia. Whispers abound that some among them have already succumbed to death yet continue their ascent and descent. Regardless, this brotherhood commands great authority within the living Eusapia.

Each descent reveals changes wrought in the lower Eusapia; the dead, it seems, innovate their city with careful deliberation, not capricious whim. From year to year, the Eusapia of the dead evolves beyond recognition. Eager to keep pace, the living aspires to emulate these innovations, as reported by the hooded brothers. Thus, the living Eusapia has become a mirror of its subterranean twin.

It is said this curious cycle is not new: indeed, it was the dead who first constructed the upper Eusapia in the likeness of their city. Rumour has it that, in the twin cities, there is no longer any way of knowing who is alive and who is dead.

Illustration by Rene Fijten

The name Eusapia comes from “Eusébeia,” a Greek word that means “Piety, Respect, and Devotion towards the gods.” More specifically, Eusapia literally translates to “she who has true piety.”

It’s highly likely, however, that Calvino chose the name with a hint to Eusapia Palladino, an Italian spiritualist and medium who claimed to be able to communicate with the dead and who was unveiled as a charlatan multiple times throughout her “career”.

Niki de Saint Phalle: I Wanted a Larger Reign

In a fortuitous coincidence, I was strolling through a bookshop with a friend and I stumbled across this charming tiny book by Lorenza Pieri on the life and work of Niki de Saint Phalle, and it’s extraordinary because I ad just added her Tarot Garden in Tuscany to a list of must-see places we’re drafting with friends.

Niki de Saint Phalle, born Catherine-Marie-Agnès Fal de Saint Phalle on October 29, 1930, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, was the second of five children in a family that faced financial difficulties after the Great Depression. Her father was a French banker; her mother, an American actress. They moved to New York City when Niki was seven years old, and she had always seen her upbringing as a source of privilege and horror, of hidden and unspeakable trauma.
She began her artistic journey in the late 1940s, initially working as a model for magazines like Vogue and Life, and she eventually transitioned to creating art in a naïve, experimental style. Her early works included Tir paintings, where she shot at canvases filled with paint-filled bags, expressing her anger and frustration, and evolved into her signature Nanas, colourful sculptures celebrating the human body with apparent joy and an underlying condemnation of the judgment for different bodies. I’m sure you’ve seen them.

Throughout her career, Niki used her art to address social issues, including feminism, violence, and environmental concerns. She collaborated with various artists and was particularly close to Swiss kinetic artist Jean Tinguely, who became her husband.
One of her most ambitious projects was the Tarot Garden in Italy, a 14-acre sculpture garden featuring large, fantastical representations of tarot cards. This project took nearly two decades to complete and opened to the public in 1998.

The enlargement of my models was made perfectly with a medieval eye, by Jean Tinguely and Doc Winsen. All of the monumental sculptures armatures were made from welded steel bars, formed by brute strength on the knees of the crew. The first crew who welded in the garden were: Jean Tinguely, Rico Weber and Seppi Imhof. They built the Sphinx, The High Priestress and the Magician.

The Pope was started by Doc Winsen and finished by Jean Tinguely, it was Jean’s favorite sculpture of all the garden. The second half of the Tarot Garden; The Emperor’s Castle, The Sun, The Dragon (Strength), and The Tree of Life (The Hanged Man) were welded by Doc Winsen, a Dutch artist. Doc was assisted by Tonino Urtis.

Next came Ugo, the postman, who began by making stone paths, and then graduated to putting the wire mesh on the steel structures to receive the cement. Later Ugo would ask me to try his hand at putting the mirrors on the sculptures. He has become a poet of putting on mirrors. He’s always always afraid there would be no more work for him. I have made the solemn promise that I would make sure that there was always something new to do each year, and if I run out of ideas, I will make a wall of China around the garden that should take several generations to finish.

Once the steel armatures were finished and the wire mesh was stretched over them, they were ready for gunite cement which was sprayed on. The sculptures then had a melancholy look with a certain sad beauty. My purpose, however, was to make a garden of joy. The finishing of the cement was later done by hand with Marco Iacotonio, a very beautiful and difficult young man.

Early on I chose Tonino Urtis to be the head of the crew, even though he had no experience; he had been an electrician before. I have always used my instinct in my choices, not my brain, and very often these choices proved right. I then asked Ricardo Menon, my personal assistant, collaborator and great friend who had come with me from Paris, to find me a ceramist. A few days later Ricardo presented me with Venera Finocchiaro. Venera would become the ceramist of the garden. It was total immersion. She lived at the garden and responded to my asking her to do new things in ceramics that had not been done before. The magnificent work she produced speaks for itself. She has several assistants, the main ones being Paola, Patrizia and Gemma.

The twentieth century was forgotten. We were working Egyptian style. The ceramics were molded, in most cases, right on the sculptures, numbered, taken off, carried to the ovens, cooked and glazed, and then put back in place on the sculptures. When ceramics are cooked there is a 10% loss in size, so the resulting empty space around the ceramics were filled in with hand cut pieces of glass. This was done by a variety of different people-the main ones being Marco Iacotonio, Tonino Urtis and Claudio Celleti.

Read more here, and I really hope I’ll be able to see it.

#MerfolkMonday: “The Man Wreathed in Seaweed”

Italo Calvino‘s collection “Italian Folktales” includes this fairytale as coming from the region of Liguria, and that makes perfect sense, as it’s a region known for its coastal landscapes and maritime culture (and the parsimony of its inhabitants, but that’s a different story).

You can read the story on my Patreon.

 

Valerio Adami

I was down at Palazzo Reale to see the Dolce & Gabbana exhibition and I took the chance to see the free exhibition on Valerio Adami, whom I didn’t know.

The Author

Valerio Adami is an Italian painter renowned for his distinctive visual style that blends influences from various artistic movements, including the visuals of American Comics, and incorporates complex themes from literature, philosophy, history, and mythology. Heavily influenced by Pop Art, French Cloisonnism, and artists such as Francis Bacon and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as the Narrative Figuration movement, he developed his distinctive approach through the 1960s, when he began to experiment with saturated colours within flat planes to create images that are both prismatic and satirical.

The sense of fragmentation mirrors the complexity of the themes he explores: literature, philosophy, history, and mythology are central to his work, and his compositions often have a cartoon-like quality that belies their intellectual depth. This combination of playful imagery and serious subject matter is engaging on multiple levels, from the simple trying to understand what the heck is going on to reflecting on deeper meanings, and invites to explore the underlying messages within his artwork.
His ability to incorporate intellectual themes into his fragmented, Pop Art-influenced imagery has earned him a place among the most influential artists of his generation.

Born in 1935 in Bologna, Italy, Adami’s artistic journey began with his studies at the Accademia di Brera in Milan from 1951 to 1954. During this formative period, he developed a foundation that would later evolve into his unique style, characterized by fragmented scenes, flat areas of colour, and bold black outlines.

Adami’s career has been marked by numerous solo and retrospective exhibitions, including those at the Venice Biennale. His paintings are part of major museum collections, including the Centre Pompidou in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. He lives and works between Paris, Monte Carlo, and Meina, Italy.

2. Exhibited Works2.1. The Early Years

The first room is dedicated to Adami’s post-war explorations, with works that are heavily influenced by Francis Bacon and apparently light-years apart from what will become his distinctive style.

«By drawing, passions rise from the paper
through the tip of the pencil
to our hand,
thus following the pencil,
thus becoming artists…»

2.2 Myths and Legends

Adami’s interest in mythological themes is beautifully captured in two significant works created during his stay in New York: “Pandora’s Box” and “Oedipe et le Sphinx.” Both pieces delve into the depths of human psychology and morality, using classical stories as a framework for contemporary reflection.
Pandora’s Box draws from the Greek myth where Pandora, created by Zeus as a punishment for humanity after Prometheus stole fire from the gods, is given a box containing all the world’s evils and is warned not to open it. Driven by curiosity, Pandora opens the box, unleashing suffering and deceit into the world, yet hope remains trapped inside. Through this piece, Adami explores the duality of human nature, the tension between curiosity and consequence, and the enduring presence of hope amidst adversity.

In Oedipe et le Sphinx, Adami engages with the tragic tale of Oedipus, a character who confronts mystery and destiny. The artwork portrays Oedipus solving the Sphinx’s riddle, a symbol of knowledge and truth intertwined with danger. The myth of Oedipus examines themes of fate, the pursuit of truth, and the repercussions of human choices. Adami’s visual interpretation invites the audience to ponder the intricacies of human relationships and the weight of decisions, paralleling Oedipus’s struggle against his fateful destiny.

Neither of these works is present in the exhibition, but their study is both effective to better appreciate works such as Sturm und Drang (1979), in which the painter dances with the myth of Ulysses and the Siren’s song, again a representation of the human struggles in the face of the unknown, of curiosity and forbidden truths.

«Ulysses with wax in his ears. The landscape is medieval. The form explains both things and their archetypes together. Metamorphoses, breviary of drawing, silkworm, etc. If Omero was blind, what good is the face of truth?»
(23.07.1979, V.A.)

2.3. Music and other intellectual suggestions

Another of his most recognized pieces is inspired by Jean Sibelius’s symphonic poem, Finlandia. The artwork resonates with viewers through its dynamic composition and bold imagery, mirroring the powerful themes of nationalism and freedom found in Sibelius’s music. Similarly, Intérieur colonial, a piece purchased by the French state, exemplifies Adami’s approach to modernity and figuration. It explores the complexities of colonial history and its lasting impact, offering a nuanced commentary on cultural intersections and the intricacies of identity.

Finlandia in particular resonates with what’s possibly the most beautiful section of the exhibition, featuring works such as Lilliputian Boat Lake (1990) the Dialogue Between Me and Myself Naked (1970).
Both of them feature Adami’s signature flat areas of colour enclosed by black outlines, and yet the evolution is strikingly visible in the treatment of the background and the intuition of a coronet-like circle transfiguring the head of the figure on the boat to the left. Though the central motif to both of them is a boat, the reference to the Lilliputians from Jonathan Swift’s novel Gulliver’s Travels hints at the idea of being very small in a larger world, whereas the “conversation” in the painting to the right seems to have a more open answer.

2.4. Travelling the World

Travel is a recurring theme in Valerio Adami’s paintings, often intertwined with other elements such as music, literature, and theatre. His paintings often use travel as a symbolic representation of the journey through diverse cultures, landscapes, and narratives.

Adami’s own life experiences significantly inform his artistic practice, with his extensive travels across Europe and beyond shaping the narratives he depicts. His personal journey, including time spent in culturally rich cities such as Paris, New York, and Caracas, has greatly influenced his artistic vision. Each of these cities, with their unique histories and cultural tapestries, has left an indelible mark on Adami’s work, infusing his art with themes of travel, exploration, and discovery. Travel, therefore, becomes an intrinsic part of his narrative, reflecting his understanding of the world as a mosaic of interconnected experiences and stories.

One of the most distinctive aspects of Adami’s work is his use of symbolic representation, which portrays travel as a metaphorical journey, and his often ironical incursion of mythological themes, such as the comparison of the shepherds’ discovery of Noah’s Arc in Arcadia and the loss of his own luggage in India.

His compositions frequently incorporate elements that evoke different cultures and experiences, reflecting a tapestry of various landscapes and narratives. By doing so, Adami’s paintings suggest a journey that transcends geographical boundaries, encouraging viewers to reflect on the diverse experiences of traversing different cultural terrains. The use of vivid colours and fragmented forms symbolizes the excitement and unpredictability inherent in moving through different environments, and this visual dynamism captures the essence of travel as an ever-changing, kaleidoscopic experience filled with both anticipation and discovery.
The theme of fragmentation as a symbol of anticipation also features in the last of the themes I identified while perusing through the exhibition: social commentary and sex.

2.5. Social Commentary and Sex

Adami employs objects and figures that carry sexual connotations, integrating them into compositions that reflect modernity. As these elements are never overt, his paintings are never vulgar even when explicit, and themes are suggested through symbols, creating a visual language that demands a deeper reflection. This subtlety allows viewers to engage with the works on multiple levels, exploring the underlying themes of desire and human connection without being confronted with graphic imagery.

Adami’s depiction of sexuality is heavily influenced by Pop Art, particularly by artists like Roy Lichtenstein. He incorporates elements of pop culture and everyday objects, using them as symbols of modern life, including those of a sexual nature. This method allows him to explore sexuality within a broader context, reflecting the complexities of human relationships and desires. By embedding these elements within his art, Adami connects the intimate aspects of personal experience with the larger societal framework, revealing the interplay between individual desire and cultural expression.

To me, the highest expression of this approach is Privacy, or the Homosexuals, a 1965 triptych hinting at public bathrooms, half-shed clothes and voyeurism, cigarettes and hats, without being sexual in the slightest.

 

The exhibition is on till September 22nd. And it’s free.

If you’re in the neighbourhood, go and see it.

From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce & Gabbana at Palazzo Reale

I was very late to this exhibition, but I managed to catch it on one of the last days, and I am extremely glad I did, for it really is as beautiful as people were saying. Should you be late as I was, you still have a couple of days left to make a dash for it, and I highly suggest you do.

The exhibition [is] an open love letter to Italian culture as the enduring inspiration for Dolce&Gabbana’s fashion designs, tracing the extraordinary translation of Domenico Dolce’s and Stefano Gabbana’s ideas, from the heart through to their realization, by hand.

“From the Heart to the Hands: Dolce&Gabbana” brings together many of the fashion house’s unique creations for the very first time and groups them into a sequence of thematic rooms that are one stunning installation after the other. The exhibition debuts in Milan before embarking on a worldwide tour, celebrating the brand as a symbol of Italian style. It follows the dreams of high fashion and examines the brand’s unconventional approach to luxury: “elegant, sensual, and unique”, yet also “humorous, irreverent, and subversive”.

Curated by Florence Müller and produced by IMG, the exhibition includes works by visual artists in conversation with Dolce&Gabbana’s iconic designs. Both the archive and new collections are displayed across a series of themes that reveal the many layers of Italian cultural influence in their fashion design, encompassing art, architecture, artisanal craft, cities and their regional topography, music, opera and ballet, folk traditions, theatre, and, of course, “la dolce vita.”

1. Anh Duong and the celebration of the Handmade

The first stunning room, to which you’ll circle back once the exhibition is over, hosts a spectacular composition of paintings that are both parodies and insights into the world of fashion, setting the tone of the refined and yet irreverent, opulent and yet refined works represented by the fashion pieces.

Anh Duong is a French-American artist, actress, and model born in Bordeaux, France on October 25, 1960. She is best known for her self-portraits, which she describes as a visual diary and her portraits of prominent art collectors and influencers. Raised in France by a Spanish mother and a Vietnamese father, Duong studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. She initially pursued a career as a ballerina, training with the Franchetti Academy of Classical Dance before transitioning to modelling. Her career took off when photographer David Seidner discovered her, leading to her first major campaign for Yves Saint Laurent in Vogue. Throughout her career, she worked with top designers like Christian Lacroix, Dolce & Gabbana themselves, and John Galliano, and walked in major fashion shows in New York, Milan, London, and Paris. Her modelling work has been featured in prestigious publications such as Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Elle.

In the late 1980s, Duong shifted her focus to art and acting. Her artwork has been showcased in various renowned galleries and museums, with her latest series, The Incoherences of a Gentlewoman, exploring themes of gender and identity through her unique perspective. Her paintings often depict herself and friends such as Anjelica Huston and Susan Sarandon, reflecting her thoughts on femininity and societal norms.

Despite its mirrored ceiling, the feeling of this first room is overcrowdedness, but keep steady and listen closely, for part of the anxiety you might be feeling is induced by the diffused sound of an unsteady heartbeat. Sounds and perfumes are an integral part of the exhibition.

The first room also frames the exhibition’s leitmotiv: the celebration of the finest Italian craftsmanship. The partnerships between D&G and master artisans capture the essence of an Italian Grand Tour, reminiscent of the 18th-century travels of young European aristocrats exploring Italian art masterpieces.
Haute couture craftsmanship reflects traditional techniques from various Italian regions: the vibrant colours of Capri majolica inspire shimmering embroidery, while sunglasses, headscarves, and crop trousers evoke the spirit of the Dolce Vita era. The woven baskets and trulli houses of Puglia are transformed into intricate embroidery and textile braids. Images of Palazzo Vecchio or Florence’s Cathedral are reimagined through complex embroidered appliqués. The decorations on garments showcased in 2016 on Via San Gregorio Armeno in Naples pay homage to the religious processions that fill the streets and the small sculptures sold there.

Ornamental arts—such as embroidery, lace, and trimmings—enhance the sophisticated cut of the garments, with shapes and transparency effects showcasing the skilled craftsmanship involved in tailoring, corsetry, and draping.

2. Crystals

The garments, mirrors, and chandeliers featured in this room reflect a significant source of inspiration for D&G. The collection showcased in 2021 at the Doge’s Palace in Venice included sartorial creations adorned with intricate crystal embroidery to honour the excellence of the local glassmaking tradition, emblematic of the Most Serene Republic. In other areas, the designers use materials with mirror-like surfaces or ones that mimic the shine of chandeliers. Glass embroideries and silver garments glisten alongside the mirrors crafted by the Barbini masters and the renowned chandeliers of Barovier & Toso, founded in 1295 and one of the oldest family-owned artisanal businesses still operating in the world. Angelo Barovier perfected the famous “Venetian crystal,” as back as 1455, just to give you an idea.

Venetian mirrors gained widespread fame across Europe during the 16th century, but their prominence waned with the city’s decline two centuries later. In the early 20th century, Nicolò Barbini revitalized the art of Murano mirror-making, and today, his descendants, Vincenzo and Giovanni Barbini, continue to uphold their ancestors’ tradition of excellence. The masterpieces in the firm’s collection, showcased in this room, demonstrate the virtuosity of their craft and the endless inspiration they provide.

3. The Gattopardo Room

The Leopard is a cult film for Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, symbolizing the transition from tradition to modernity. This masterpiece by Luchino Visconti is an adaptation of the novel of the same name and is set in Sicily after Garibaldi’s arrival and Italy’s unification. The film captures the nostalgia for the fading Sicilian aristocracy, embodied by Don Fabrizio, Prince of Salina, and the rise of a new democratic social class represented by Don Calogero, a man from modest origins who ascends to wealth as a bourgeois. The two worlds merge symbolically through the marriage of Tancredi Falconeri, the prince’s nephew, and Angelica, Calogero’s daughter. To the curator, this shows how love and beauty can transcend divisions. You can’t expect a Haute Couture exhibition to pick up on the social commentary and how aristocracy, like a weed or a disease, can never be vanquished as it always merges and transforms.

“Everything must change for everything to remain the same.”

The Gallery of Mirrors at Palazzo Gangi in Palermo, where the iconic ballroom scene was filmed, is reimagined in this room with a contemporary twist. Scenes from the film are displayed in one-way mirrors: Alain Delon as Tancredi and Burt Lancaster as the Prince of Salina, dancing with Claudia Cardinale as Angelica. An Alta Moda dress embellished with the leopards of Palazzo Gangi symbolizes Angelica as she faces a crowd of suitors, represented by costumes from the Alta Sartoria collections.

4. The Sacred Heart

In many of D&G’s creations, the Sacred Heart motif is a striking centrepiece, drawing attention with its brilliance and eccentricity. Whether embroidered on clothing or crafted in metal and beads on handbags and Devotion perfume bottles, this symbol of life and love in the exhibition emphasizes that creativity requires complete self-giving to the artistic process. The pieces in the collections embody the pursuit of excellence that brings together artisans and designers with a common passion.

The room features a glass and golden embroidery cage. Protected by the Sacred Heart and an altar dedicated to the perfection of craftsmanship, models shimmering in gold against a black backdrop capture the exquisite blend of the sacred and sensual, a hallmark of Baroque drama. The garments take inspiration from the contrapposto figures carved in wood that were popular in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. Voluptuousness defines this decorative style, conveying life and emotion and creating an overwhelming splendour that evokes a mystical fervour that’s typical of Southern Italy.

5. The Atelier

The ateliers are the essential creative engine behind the collections. Presented as cutting-edge research facilities and guardians of traditional craft techniques, they form the heart of the fashion house. This is where the designs and concepts come to life, interpreted by skilled artisans with their unique expertise.

Located in Milan, the ateliers occupy spacious facilities that open onto a large, tree-lined courtyard. Around 120 artisans work there, crafting handmade clothing tailored for each client. The designers have incorporated several innovative techniques into traditional craftsmanship, such as the “collage” method, which involves transferring images from nature or art history onto garments, and they have revived traditional techniques, like cross-stitch embroidery.

The room recreates an atelier, giving visitors a unique opportunity to witness some of the tools of the trade. A collection of black dresses currently in development underscores the significance of this colour throughout the designers’ stylistic journey: black is traditionally worn by working-class women in Italy, the veil colour for Venetian women, and the attire of a recurring character in Neorealist Italian cinema, the Sicilian widow. However, for D&G, black represents the colour of the essence, with its purity enabling each woman to express her own individuality.

6. Architecture and Painting

The next room’s subject circles around the emphasis on the structure and decoration of the designs involving both physical and metaphorical architecture and painting from Italian art. The architecture of the gallery in Palazzo Farnese in Rome and the renowned fresco cycle by Annibale Carracci (1560–1609) on its ceiling, depicted in a video installation, serves as the main inspirations for the displayed clothing, alongside artists such as Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, Titian, Piero della Francesca, Giorgione, Salai, Caravaggio, and Moroni.

Creating a garment, in D&G’s vision, is akin to constructing a building. Architects and fashion designers alike begin with a sketch that outlines the project’s main lines and volumes, then develop the floor plans and elevations. In haute couture, this sketch becomes a 3D master pattern in cotton fabric. Once perfected, the model is laid flat, and tailors use the pattern to cut the designer-selected fabric, assembling and sewing it to create the finished garment. Decorations are then added, similar to how a building project moves into the hands of painters.

7. Sicily

D&Gabbana has a special connection to Sicily and its age-old traditions. The influence of Sicilian ceramics and carts is prominently reflected in their collections showcased in Palermo in 2017. Sicily’s ceramic tradition dates back to the Mycenaean era, with major production hubs in Caltagirone, Monreale, and Santo Stefano di Camastra. These vibrant motifs have been beautifully reinterpreted in the dresses.

The Sicilian cart displayed in the room originated in ancient Greece but took on its modern form in the 19th century. Initially designed to transport a variety of everyday goods, these carts became central to processions and wedding ceremonies. Like in the past, today’s carts, along with their harnesses and wheels, are ornately decorated with colorful patterns that require the expertise of skilled woodworkers, carvers, painters, and blacksmiths. The painted designs showcase the rich iconographic diversity of Sicily’s regions. Common motifs include heroes from Charlemagne’s adventures and depictions of Saint George slaying the dragon, a symbol of chivalry. These legendary figures are featured prominently in the crinoline corset gowns, and the tall feathered headpieces echo the adornments worn by the horses pulling the carts.

To celebrate Sicilian traditions, three master artisans have created the processional cart, painted wooden wall panels, and ceramic floor tiles of the room. Videos highlight the craftsmanship involved in these creations. The tiles were made by Ceramica Bevilacqua, a family-run workshop established in 1997 by Antonio and Giuseppe Bevilacqua. This workshop revitalizes traditional Sicilian decorative styles inspired by Sicilian majolica.
Salvatore Sapienza, a cart painter, learned his skills at the workshops of renowned artists Domenico Di Mauro and Antonio Zappalà, and he since crafted about thirty carts. Gianfranco Fiore discovered the tradition of Sicilian cart-making while studying decorative painting at the Art Institute of Monreale and the Academy of Palermo. He immersed himself in this art form, learning from master artisans before opening his own workshop in Partinico.

To them it’s owed one of the most lively and vibrant rooms in the whole show.

8. The White Baroque

Combining sculptural garments with stuccowork, interior decoration and fashion converge in a tribute to the White Baroque. Inspired by Giacomo Serpotta’s work (1656–1732), the designers reinterpret the decorative interior stuccowork popular in Sicily during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in fine textiles. They adeptly capture the dramatic contrast between the simplicity of white and the opulent arrangements of figures, flowing draperies, and an abundance of cherubs, volutes, pilasters, niches, and caryatids.

The Holy Spirit Monastery Church in Agrigento

Giacomo Serpotta gained fame for his stucco artistry in many Palermo churches. He used a mix of lime, plaster, and sand applied over a framework of wood and wire, enhancing the final effect with his technique called allustratura. This method involved finishing his sculpted reliefs with a mix of dehydrated lime, gypsum, and finely powdered marble, giving them a unique gloss. In the clothing designed by Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana, the baroque figures are formed using horsehair and wadding for volume, then draped in duchesse and Mikado. These sculpted textiles mirror the brilliance and lustre of Serpotta’s stuccoes.

The armours of the Otsuni Collection are created by 3D printing thermoplastic polyurethane and metallic side closures, hand-painted with an allustratura effect, to pay homage to the stuccowork by Giacomo Serpotta.

9. Magna Grecia…

The oniric garments in this room are designed to capture the divine essence within every individual. Featuring images of queens, goddesses, and gods, these designs carry a strong symbolic significance. The Fall/Winter 2019–20 collection draws inspiration from myths depicted on ancient Attic Greek pottery, and the pieces are displayed on steps that resemble the Temple of Concordia in Agrigento, a masterpiece in Doric style built around 440–430 BCE.

10. …and Byzantium

Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana frequently draw inspiration from the stunning art of mosaics with geometric and figurative designs. The Fall/Winter 2017–18 Alta Sartoria collection, showcased before Sicily’s Cathedral of Monreale, paid homage to this architectural marvel, which blends Arab, Norman, and Byzantine elements. The collection’s tunics and coats, adorned with intricate patchwork patterns, reflect the brilliance of the Byzantine mosaics crafted by local artisans in the twelfth century.

The Fall/Winter 2021–22 Alta Moda fashion show in Venice also honoured the iconic Byzantine mosaics of St. Mark’s Basilica and its Cosmatesque flooring, which features elaborate scroll and floral designs. The Orsoni Venezia 1888 glass factory created the mosaic that serves as a dazzling backdrop for the Dolce&Gabbana pieces. This esteemed Venetian furnace, known for reviving Byzantine mosaic techniques, is the sole entity capable of reproducing the legendary “Gold of San Marco” and plays a recurrent role in restoring St. Mark’s Basilica in Venice.

11. Opera

Possibly my favourite room in the exhibition, it lines up a group of gentlemen against clusters of costumes inspired by Verdi’s Aida, La Traviata, Don Carlo, Il Rigoletto, Puccini’s Tosca, Norma, Madama Butterfly and Turandot. In D&G’s imagination, theatre and everyday life intertwine in a shared celebration of beauty. The designers aim to transform ordinary life through the allure of their creations, turning every moment into a powerful extravaganza.
Opera plays a significant role in the collections, embodying the essence of “dramma all’italiana”. It allows them to express human passions at their most intense.

12. Milan

The last room is a single piece dedicated to Milan and in particular to our golden Virgin Mary. The dress is in gold macramé lace with gold filigree jewelry, and the hemispherical skirt is meant to be a representation of the dome of the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II.

The Madonnina represents the heart and soul of Milan’s people, who believe she has the power to intercede on their behalf in heaven to obtain protection and blessing. The Alta Moda interpretation of the Madonnina expresses the quintessence of Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana’s style: elevation through the passion of creation and skillful workmanship, a quest for the absolute in elegance, a search for perfection beyond the mediocrity of daily life. A beauty capable of transfiguring the world.

#ChthonicThusrday: Ningishzida

I mentioned him last week in connection to the goddess of salt and you were curious, so… who was Ningishzida, “Lord of the Good Tree”, and what have snakes to do with him?

Ningishzida was a Mesopotamian deity associated with vegetation, the underworld, and sometimes war, and he was frequently linked with snakes. Similar to Dumuzi, consort of Inanna, he was thought to spend part of the year in the land of the dead and shared many roles with his father Ninazu.

Ningishzida appears in the Epic of Gilgamesh, where he is mentioned in relation to the afterlife and as throne bearer of the Underworld. In the Standard Babylonian version of the epic, in particular, Gilgamesh’s mother Ninsun acknowledges that her son is destined to “dwell in the land of no return” and mentions the company of Ningishzida. In another myth related to the Epic, titled “Death of Gilgamesh,” the hero is promised a position in the underworld that is “equal to that of Ningishzida” so, while not the unique ruler, his position had to be recognised as significant.

But that’s just one side of the coin.

The other one has to do with vegetation and renewal, frequently depicted with serpents and associated with the mushussu, a mythical dragon-like creature. When depicted in human form, his iconography includes two serpent heads emerging from his shoulders.

Ningishzida was primarily worshipped in the cities of Gishbanda and Lagash, where temples dedicated to him served as centres for his veneration. He is often described as the son of Ninazu and Ningirida, and his consorts include Geshtinanna and Azimua, but his family ties aren’t as strong as those of another neighbour deity of death and renewal who might seem similar at a superficial glance, the Egyptian ruler of the dead Osiris.
He appears in various cuneiform tablets, particularly offering lists and ritual texts from the Ur III period (c. 2100-2000 BCE), and he’s mentioned receiving offerings alongside other deities like Ninazu in cities such as Ur and Puzrish-Dagan, as we saw last week.
Visually, he’s famously depicted on the “libation vase of Gudea”, a sculpture dedicated to him by the ruler Gudea of Lagash around 2100 BCE. The vase shows the dragon-like creature Mushussu, associated with Ningishzida. Seals and statues from the Early Dynastic and Akkadian periods (c. 2900-2150 BCE) also corroborate the iconography and show Ningishzida with snakes emerging from his shoulders.

In the Middle Babylonian myth of Adapa, he is described as one of the doorkeepers of the celestial palace of Anu. I guess the world turned upside-down eventually.

Autodesk University 2024 – My Personal Selection (2)

Last week, I did a selection of lectures from the digital catalogue of Autodesk University (upcoming in October), but that included just events in the “Industry Talk” categories. This week, let’s take a look at Case Studies. There’s nothing like a practical success case if it’s presented well and showcases their actual process, isn’t there? Let’s break them down by topic.

Good Old BIM

Alfonso Monedero, AS1110 | Connecting BIM and Design: The Heatherwick Process
Tuesday, Oct 15
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will discuss the benefits of combining Building Information Modeling (BIM) platforms and design software to leverage their complementary strengths throughout the design phase. It will highlight the integration of Rhino and Revit software, emphasizing interoperability requirements at different project stages and how this approach brings BIM culture closer to designers. Additionally, the session will review how an agile methodology can incorporate emerging technologies, enhance the design process, and capture every iteration in the federated model.

You know them: Heatherwick Studio is the firm behind the famous Expo British Pavilion at the Milan Expo.

 

Selma Rabelo, BES2967 | Sustainable, Affordable Housing: Modular Design, BIM Automation, and Factory Robotics for Exceptional Living
Tuesday, Oct 15
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This presentation will unveil an innovative sustainable housing solution that integrates BIM methodology with AI and factory robotics construction powered by Autodesk’s advanced tools. The approach accelerates building processes, ensures safety, and reduces waste, demonstrating enhanced efficiency and sustainability from site analysis to construction. Originating in Florida and expanding to Texas and Georgia, this proven business model highlights its effectiveness and scalability, showcasing the future of construction and the feasibility of affordable housing in any economic climate.

Resia integrates residential development with a technological production system.

 

Amr Raafat, BLD2496 | Building a Smart Campus: A Digital Twin Journey Powered by Innovation and Partnership
Tuesday, Oct 15
1:30 PM – 2:30 PM PDT

This case study will explore the 15-year partnership between Windover Construction and Endicott College, which has resulted in over 25 design-build projects that have transformed the campus. It will highlight the digital transformation journey from scan-to-BIM, digital handover, and the use of digital twins and IoT for real-time data collection and enhanced facilities management. Featuring insights from Endicott’s facilities director, the VDC team, and an Autodesk expert, this session will showcase how these innovations create a smarter, more efficient campus.

Endicott College

 

Jakub Bielski, CES2521 | Modeling and Detailing of Bridges in Revit: Next Level
Tuesday, Oct 15
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This session will introduce the SOFiSTiK Bridge + Infrastructure Modeler (SBIM), an advanced Revit application for creating linear structures in infrastructure projects. Attendees will learn about its various functionalities and see project examples from industry leaders, focusing on modelling reinforcement and prestressing for concrete bridges. The session will demonstrate how parametric profile-based design enhances flexibility and customization for rebars and tendons and how model-based information, including annotations and schedules, can be efficiently extracted and shared with stakeholders.

 

John Hall, BES1142 | Unique Solutions for Large Models: A Case Study of a 1.3 Million-Square-Foot Hospital
Tuesday, Oct 15
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

This presentation will address the unique challenges of managing a large model environment, focusing on the Revit models for MEP systems in a new 1.3 million-square-foot hospital. It will highlight the innovative solutions implemented using tools like Ideate, Clarity, BIM Interoperability Checker, and BIM 360 Model Coordination to establish a robust BIM 360 model environment capable of handling vast data and elements. While not offering a definitive solution, this session aims to provide a foundation for generating new ideas and workflows for future large-scale projects.

The Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital Expansion in Houston developed by Arup.

 

Laura Aldea, CS2304 | From the Cloud to the Pitch: BIM Collaboration in Santiago Bernabéu Stadium Revamp Project
Wednesday, Oct 16
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PDT

This session will explore the impact of Building Information Modeling (BIM) on the iconic Real Madrid stadium revamp, highlighting how digital technology and BIM methodology enhanced design and construction. Attendees will learn about seamless data transfer from cloud to field, real-time collaboration, document management, and on-site QA checks using Autodesk cloud services. The presentation will demonstrate how over 30 firms aligned with ISO 19650 standards within a common data environment (CDE) and how 11 construction teams met stakeholder needs in a fast-track delivery. The session will also cover preserving the stadium’s 1950s legacy, utilizing BIM and Design for Manufacturing and Assembly (DfMA) to create a new steel structure that enhances sustainability and efficiency.

The Santiago Bernabéu Stadium

 

Innovation and Change Management

Nadia Simanjuntak, CS2745 | Placing people at the heart of adoption – a true story of change management
Tuesday, Oct 15
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will explore the transformation journey of implementing Autodesk Construction Cloud (ACC) with intentional change management. It will present the process and activities undertaken to bridge technology and people, enhancing team engagement and connectivity while improving efficiency. Through a practical case study filled with lessons learned and future plans, attendees will gain insights into mastering the challenges of change, increasing engagement, and improving technology adoption.

 

Madhu Aravind, BLD1310 | ITC’s Digital Transformation Journey: Achieving Kitemark Certification for ISO 19650—Being the First and Beyond
Tuesday, Oct 15
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

ITC Limited embarked on a digital transformation to improve project management and predictability across its diverse infrastructure assets. By embracing new technologies and utilizing Autodesk Construction Cloud, ITC established a common data environment (CDE) that enabled traceable, accountable workflows for ISO 19650 compliance. This transformation led to ITC receiving the Kitemark certification, the first in India and fourth globally, highlighting their success in enhancing data accessibility, BIM integration, digital maturity, and workflow automation.

 

Tomasz Mainusz, AS3394 | S.M.A.R.T. Implementation of Autodesk Forma in an Architectural Office as a Game Changer
Tuesday, Oct 15
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

This case study demonstrates how NOVA PROJEKT Architekci effectively integrated Autodesk Forma software into their design process to expedite and enhance urban analyses in the preliminary phase of architectural projects. This integration allowed for analysing multiple options, crucial for projects on brownfield sites subject to various laws. The session will discuss initial expectations, obstacles encountered (such as lack of support for some coordinate systems and DXF files), and how Autodesk support facilitated a data-preparation process using AutoCAD Map 3D, Autodesk Forma, and Revit. The result was a tenfold reduction in initial design time, making a compelling case for project approval.

 

Christopher Shafer, AS1518 | Guardian of Grimshaw’s Revit Galaxy
Wednesday, Oct 16
8:00 AM – 9:00 AM PDT

This session will address the challenges BIM managers face in implementing best practices and standardized workflows across Revit models in a fast-paced, data-intensive environment. Grimshaw’s global BIM team will share how they used the proactive BIM management toolkit Guardian (by iconicBIM) to prevent issues before they occur, reducing QA/QC time by 70% within a year. The presentation will discuss best practices, lessons learned, and the tools used to synchronize processes, as well as analyze the ROI achieved across several Grimshaw projects.

One of my favourite latest projects by Grimshaw is the Sustainability Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai

 

Derek Kultgen, PLT1625 | Digitalization Isn’t a Track Meet, It’s a Marathon: The METL Digitalization Journey
Wednesday, Oct 16
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM PDT

This session will explore how Argonne National Laboratory and Implexus Lab digitized the Mechanisms Engineering Test Loop (METL) to advance sodium fast reactors. By designing components with Inventor, assembling them in Navisworks, and generating construction documents with AutoCAD, they laid the foundation for a digital twin (DT) integrated with Revit. This journey demonstrates that digitalization is a marathon of incremental milestones, not a monolith, culminating in a DT with live data visualization within a virtual reality (VR) environment. The presentation will show how digital tools can help meet the advanced nuclear industry’s constraints of tight timelines, smaller budgets, and fewer workers.

The Argonne National Laboratory

 

Mika Miro Kazassoglou, AS2482 | The Power of Technical Education: Designing Innovative Housing Solutions in the UK with Autodesk Software
Wednesday, Oct 16
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

Join Mika Kazassoglou, an 18-year-old high school student from Liverpool, England, as he explores the use of Autodesk Fusion, Revit, Autodesk CFD, and Dynamo in crafting a unique solution for a local housing project. This session will showcase Mika’s growth as a young aspiring engineer, highlighting his use of sustainable design principles and Passive House methodology to improve energy efficiency and living standards. Learn about his design process, including how Dynamo helped create a distinctive roof model and CFD analysis assessed its performance, demonstrating the transformative potential of technically driven education supported by Autodesk.

 

Andreas Bøving, SD3025 | Integrating Autodesk’s Ecosystem into BIM Data Management: A Case Study on Enhanced Data Accessibility
Thursday, Oct 17
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT

Discover the transformative integration of Autodesk data models with the AEC Data Model API and Data Exchange API in a new BIM data management system. This case study will demonstrate practical applications and strategies for using these powerful tools to centralize and improve data accessibility within BIM projects. Learn how this integration streamlines data management, ensuring all stakeholders—from architects to engineers—have instant access to critical information, thus enhancing collaboration, accuracy, and efficiency. Through real-world examples, we will highlight the seamless flow of information and its impact on project success, showcasing Autodesk’s comprehensive data ecosystem.

 

Artificial Intelligence

Angie Foss, AS1415 | From Research to Industry: How Autodesk Research’s Residency Program Is Accelerating AI in Industry
Tuesday, Oct 15
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

The Autodesk Research Residency Program welcomes external groups from academia, startups, and industries focused on novel projects. It provides Autodesk with industry insights and offers residents access to a global network of innovators, events, and Technology Centers. This session will showcase multiple case studies of AI work within the program, featuring teams leveraging the Residency Program to accelerate AI development and high-impact industry solutions.

 

Dulce Lopez Parra, AS1458 | Revolutionizing Design-Proposal Production with Autodesk Forma: A Digital Transformation Journey
Tuesday, Oct 15
3:00 PM – 4:00 PM PDT

This session will highlight SSOE Group’s use of the Autodesk Forma cloud-based platform in the Caterpillar Pharaoh Industrial Facility Project to drive digital transformation and revolutionize proposal production. By enabling swift design iteration and insightful data analysis, Autodesk Forma helped evaluate design variations quickly and significantly improve sustainability outcomes. Strategic design interventions in the desert location reduced temperatures by up to 18 degrees Fahrenheit and minimized heat stress over facades, creating a more sustainable and comfortable environment. Join us to explore how these innovative architectural approaches are reshaping industrial engineering and architecture for a sustainable future.

 

Qing Kou, AS3328 | AI-Driven Industrial Design in AEC: Exploring Robot Retrofitting Applications in Historic Town Heritage Conservation
Thursday, Oct 17
9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PDT

Join us for a cross-industry technology fusion! This session will explore how Autodesk Generative Design software was used to create an adaptive connector bracket for robot-operated 3D scans of ancient structures. Using ReCap and Dynamo, we studied traditional construction methods to enhance restoration efforts. We will detail our process in Autodesk Fusion 360, from entering design parameters to extracting constraints from historical sites, and how we rapidly iterated to find the best solution. Learn how ReCap processed robot-collected point cloud data to investigate the architectural principles of ancient buildings in Southern China and how Dynamo converted these insights into automated BIM scripting, bridging historical knowledge with modern technology for efficient restoration practices.

 

Gamification and Gaming

Abraham Kirubakaran Jebaraj, GA1937 | Cultural Tapestry and Design of “Unsung Empires: The Cholas”
Wednesday, Oct 16
4:30 PM – 5:30 PM PDT

Join us for an insightful session on how Ayelet Studio, with just three artists and an 18-member team, created the narrative-driven game Unsung Empires: The Cholas using Maya software as a pivotal tool. Discover how Maya’s powerful features for prototyping, modelling, and animation streamlined workflows to bring the game to life. Learn how the game’s immersive experience—enriched by captivating storytelling, unique artistic styles, memorable characters, engaging dialogues, and evocative music—resonated deeply within the gaming community and fostered a sense of pride among players. Gain valuable insights into using Maya for successful game development.

What about you? Have you selected what you want to attend yet? You can enroll in classes starting from tomorrow and I remind you that mine, “The Three-Horizons Problem: Using LEGO Serious Play for Climate-Resilient Infrastructure Design” is here.

#MerfolkMonday: the Two Cakes

“The Two Cakes” is a story from The Pentameron, or The Story of Stories by Giambattista Basile, here given in the translation by John Edward Taylor. You can also read the story on my Patreon.

I have always heard say, that he who gives pleasure finds it: the bell of Manfredonia says, “Give me, I give thee:” he who does not bait the hook of the affections with courtesy, never catches the fish of kindness; and if you wish to hear the proof of this, listen to my story, and then say whether the covetous man does not always lose more than the liberal one.

There were once two sisters, named Luceta and Troccola, who had two daughters, Marziella and Puccia. Marziella was as fair to look upon as she was good at heart; whilst, on the contrary, Puccia by the same rule had a face of ugliness and a heart of pestilence; but the girl resembled her parent, for Troccola was a harpy within and a very scarecrow without.

Now it happened that Luceta had occasion to boil some parsnips, in order to fry them with green sauce; so she said to her daughter, “Marziella, my dear, go to the well and fetch me a pitcher of water.”

“With all my heart, mother,” replied the girl; “but if you love me give me a cake, for I should like to eat it with a draught of the fresh water.”

“By all means,” said her mother; so she took from a basket that hung upon a hook a beautiful cake (for she had baked a batch the day before), and gave it to Marziella, who set the pitcher on a pad upon her head, and went to the fountain, which like a charlatan upon a marble bench, to the music of the falling water, was selling secrets to drive away thirst. And as she was stooping down to fill her pitcher, up came an old woman, who upon the stage of a large hump represented the tragedy of Time; and seeing the beautiful cake, which Marziella was just going to bite, she said to her, “My pretty girl, give me a little piece of your cake, and may Heaven send you good fortune!”

Marziella, who was as generous as a queen, replied, “Take it all, my good woman, and I am only sorry that it is not made of sugar and almonds, for I would equally give it you with all my heart.”

The old woman, seeing Marziella’s kindness, said to her, “Go, and may Heaven reward you for the goodness you have shown me! and I pray all the stars that you may ever be content and happy,—that when you breathe, roses and jessamines may fall from your mouth; that when you comb your locks, pearls and garnets may fall from them, and when you set your foot on the ground, lilies and violets may spring up.”

Marziella thanked the old woman, and went her way home, where her mother having cooked a bit of supper, they paid the natural debt to the body, and thus ended the day. And the next morning, when the Sun displayed in the market-place of the celestial fields the merchandize of light which he had brought from the East, as Marziella was combing her hair, she saw a shower of pearls and garnets fall from it into her lap; whereupon calling her mother with great joy, they put them all into a basket, and Luceta went to sell a great part of them to a usurer, who was a friend of hers. Meanwhile Troccola came to see her sister, and finding Marziella in great delight and busied with the pearls, she asked her how, when and where she had gotten them. But the maiden, who did not understand the ways of the world[1], and had perhaps never heard the proverb, “Do not all you are able, eat not all you wish, spend not all you have, and tell not all you know,” related the whole affair to her aunt, who no longer cared to await her sister’s return, for every hour seemed to her a thousand years until she got home again. Then giving a cake to her daughter, she sent her for water to the fountain, where Puccia found the same old woman. And when the old woman asked her for a little piece of cake, she answered gruffly, “Have I nothing to do forsooth but to give you cake? do you take me for such an ass as to give you what belongs to me? Look-ye, charity begins at home[2].” And so saying she swallowed the cake in four pieces, making the old woman’s mouth water, who when she saw the last morsel disappear, and her hopes buried with the cake, exclaimed in a rage, “Begone! and whenever you breathe may you foam at the mouth like a doctor’s mule, may toads drop from your lips, and every time you set foot to the ground may there spring up ferns and thistles!”

Puccia took the pitcher of water and returned home, where her mother was all impatience to hear what had befallen her at the fountain. But no sooner did Puccia open her lips, than a shower of toads fell from them; at the sight of which her mother added the fire of rage to the snow of envy, sending forth flame and smoke through nose and mouth.

Now it happened some time afterwards that Ciommo, the brother of Marziella, was at the court of the king of Chiunzo; and the conversation turning on the beauty of various women, he stepped forward unasked and said, that all the handsome women might hide their heads[3] when his sister made her appearance, who, beside the beauty of her form, which made counterpoint on the canto fermo of a noble soul, possessed also a wonderful virtue in her hair, mouth and feet, which was given to her by a fairy. When the king heard these praises, he told Ciommo to bring his sister to the court, adding that, if he found her such as he had represented, he would take her to wife.

Now Ciommo thought this a chance not to be lost; so he forthwith sent a messenger post-haste to his mother, telling her what had happened, and begging her to come instantly with her daughter, in order not to let slip the good luck. But Luceta, who was very unwell, commending the lamb to the wolf, begged her sister to have the kindness to accompany Marziella to the court of Chiunzo for such and such a thing. Whereupon Troccola, who saw that matters were playing into her hand, promised her sister to take Marziella safe and sound to her brother, and then embarked with her niece and Puccia in a boat. But when they were some way out at sea, whilst the sailors were asleep, she threw Marziella into the water; and just as the poor girl was on the point of being drowned, there came a most beautiful syren, who took her in her arms and carried her off.

When Troccola arrived at Chiunzo, Ciommo, who had not seen his sister for so long a time, mistook Puccia, and received her as if she were Marziella, and led her instantly to the king. But no sooner did she open her lips, than toads dropped on the ground; and when the king looked at her more closely, he saw, that as she breathed hard from the fatigue of the journey, she made a lather at her mouth, which looked just like a washtub; then looking down on the ground, he saw a meadow of stinking plants, the sight of which made him turn quite sick. Upon this he drove Puccia and her mother away, and sent Ciommo in disgrace to keep the geese of the court.

Then Ciommo, in despair and not knowing what had happened to him, drove the geese into the fields, and letting them go their way along the seashore, he used to retire into a little straw shed, where he bewailed his lot until evening, when it was time to return home. But whilst the geese were running about on the shore, Marziella would come out of the water, and feed them with sweetmeats, and give them rose-water to drink; so that the geese grew as big as a sheep, and were so fat that they could not see out of their eyes. And in the evening when they came into a little garden under the king’s window, they began to sing—

“Pire, pire, pire,
The sun and the moon are bright and clear,
But she who feeds us is still more fair.”

Now the king, hearing this goose-music every evening, ordered Ciommo to be called, and asked him where, and how, and upon what he fed his geese. And Ciommo replied, “I give them nothing to eat but the fresh grass of the field.” But the king, who was not satisfied with this answer, sent a trusty servant after Ciommo, to watch and observe where he drove the geese. Then the man followed in his footsteps, and saw him go into the little straw shed, leaving the geese to themselves; and going their way, they had no sooner come to the shore than Marziella rose up out of the sea; and I do not believe that even the mother of that blind boy who, as the poet[4] says, “desires no other alms than tears,” ever rose from the waves so fair. When the servant of the king saw this, he ran back to his master, beside himself with amazement, and told him the pretty spectacle he had seen upon the stage of the seashore.

The curiosity of the king was increased by what the man told him, and he had a great desire to go himself and see the beautiful sight. So the next morning, when the Cock, the ringleader of the birds, excites them all to arm mankind against the Night, and Ciommo went with the geese to the accustomed spot, the king followed him closely; and when the geese came to the seashore, without Ciommo, who remained as usual in the little shed, the king saw Marziella rise out of the water. And after giving the geese a trayfull of sweetmeats to eat and a cup-full of rose-water to drink, she seated herself on a rock and began to comb her locks, from which fell handfuls of pearls and garnets; at the same time a cloud of flowers dropped from her mouth, and under her feet was a Syrian carpet of lilies and violets.

When the king saw this sight, he ordered Ciommo to be called, and pointing to Marziella, asked him whether he knew that beautiful maiden. Then Ciommo recognizing his sister ran to embrace her, and in the presence of the king heard from her all the treacherous conduct of Troccola, and how the envy of that wicked creature had brought that fair fire of love to dwell in the waters of the sea.

The joy of the king is not to be told at the acquisition of so fair a jewel; and turning to the brother, he said that he had good reason to praise Marziella so much, and indeed that he found her three times more beautiful than he had described her; he deemed her therefore more than worthy to be his wife, if she would be content to receive the sceptre of his kingdom.

“Alas, would to Heaven it could be so!” answered Marziella, “and that I could serve you as the slave of your crown! but see you not this golden chain upon my foot, by which the sorceress holds me prisoner? When I take too much fresh air, and tarry too long on the shore, she draws me into the waves, and thus keeps me held in rich slavery by a golden chain.”

“What way is there,” said the king, “to free you from the claws of this syren?”

“The way,” replied Marziella, “would be to cut this chain with a smooth file, and to loose me from it.”

“Wait till tomorrow morning,” answered the king; “I will then come with all that is needful, and take you home with me, where you shall be the pupil of my eye, the core of my heart, and the life of my soul.”

And then exchanging a shake of the hands as the earnest-money of their love, she went back into the water and he into the fire,—and into such a fire indeed that he had not an hour’s rest the whole day long. And when the black old hag of the Night came forth to have a country-dance with the Stars, he never closed an eye, but lay ruminating in his memory over the beauties of Marziella, discoursing in thought of the marvels of her hair, the miracles of her mouth, and the wonders of her feet; and applying the gold of her graces to the touchstone of judgement, he found that it was four-and-twenty carats fine. But he upbraided the Night for not leaving off her embroidery of the Stars, and chided the Sun for not arriving with the chariot of light, to enrich his house with the treasure he longed for,—a mine of gold which produced pearls, a pearl-shell from which sprang flowers.

But whilst he was thus at sea, thinking of her who was all the while in the sea, behold the pioneers of the Sun appeared, who smooth the road along which he has to pass with the army of his rays. Then the king dressed himself, and went with Ciommo to the seashore, where he found Marziella; and the king with his own hand cut the chain from the foot of the beloved object, with the file which they had brought, but all the while he forged a still stronger one for his heart; and setting her on the saddle behind him—she who was already fixed on the saddle of his heart—he set out for the royal palace, where by his command all the handsome ladies of the land were assembled, who received Marziella as their mistress with all due honour. Then the king married her, and there were great festivities; and among all the casks which were burnt for the illuminations, the king ordered that Troccola should be shut up in a tub, and made to suffer for the treachery she had shown to Marziella. Then sending for Luceta, he gave her and Ciommo enough to live upon like princes; whilst Puccia, driven out of the kingdom, wandered about as a beggar; and, as the reward of her not having sown a little bit of cake, she had now to suffer a constant want of bread; for it is the will of Heaven that

“He who shows no pity finds none.”