Vea Vecchi (Reggio Children), Jane McCall (translator), Maurizio Fontanili (PLAY+), Michele Zini (ZPZ Partners) - answer questions from the audience at the close of the design conference (17/09/07)

 

 

 

 

The event included delegates from South Africa, Iceland, Greece, Netherlands, Ireland, Spain, Australia and USA.  A wide range of professionals from the UK included architects, educators, atelierista, designers.  We would like to thank all those who contributed and attended for making the day so enjoyable.

 

Vea Vecchi (atelierista and consultant with Reggio Children), speaking in the UK for the first time about the pedagogical research and experience at Reggio Emilia, and the continued dialogue and research collaboration with architects and designers.  Michele Zini talked specifically about the 'Children, Spaces, Relations' project (published 1998) and its continuing influence defining guidelines and a language for architecture and design projects, extending this theme to look at a range of architectural case studies.  Maurizio Fontanili described his role as a designer and entrepreneur, bringing together the consultancy of Reggio Children, the art direction of Michele Zini and ZPZ Partners, with leading figures in the fields of design and textiles, for the collaborative design project: PLAY+.  This four year project takes as its starting point an examination of 'soft qualities' in children's spaces, presented in 'Children, Spaces, Relations' - tactile, visual, aesthetic - and promotes the importance of complexity and 'intelligent materials' in developing environments for children.

 

Slideshow (photography Jolayne Attwood/Matthew Giaretta)