Christina Vanhoof and Natalia Stefanski -.
podcast #14 of the series "Foundations"
The episode and the entire series are also available on Soundcloud and Spotify:
In the latest episode of the "Foundations" podcast, Christina Vanhoof and Natalia Stefanska share their experiences studying interior design at the Academy of Fine Arts in Gdansk. They talk about their paths that led them to choose this specialization, and how their professional lives developed after graduation.
Christina Vanhoof's thesis defense
© Christina Vanhoof
Studying at the Academy of Fine Arts: combining art and technology
Christina Vanhoof recalls that she has always had a penchant for experimenting with space - she created drawings of apartment layouts as a child. She initially planned to study biology or chemistry, but ended up at the Academy of Fine Arts somewhat by accident. Together with Natalia, they started studying interior design, while going through difficult times of pandemonium when they had to adjust to remote learning.
group project presentation in Sopot
© Christina Vanhoof
They talk about the beginnings of their education at the university, which combined artistic subjects like sculpture, photography and painting with technical fundamentals. Chrisitna, not having gone to art high school, gained a solid foundation in manual technical drawing, as well as learning computer programs such as ArchiCAD and SketchUp, which was not part of the curriculum in the first years of college. She and Natalia recall the difficulties of combining study with everyday life, especially in the early pandemic phase, when classes were held online.
Natalia Stefanski's undergraduate diploma
© Natalia Stefanska
challenges after graduation: work and career
A year after graduation, the two continued their education with a master's degree in Gdansk, albeit with different experiences. Chrisitna continued her studies under the same professor she had worked with during her bachelor's degree, while Natalia chose a different studio. Both spent a lot of time preparing for their thesis, and in the case of the master's degree, creating a project from scratch, often in non-standard ways.
They also touched on issues that arise after graduation. Natalia talks about the challenges of finding a job in the industry right after completing her education, but also about her work at Patrycja Dorczek's studio, where she develops her skills. Christina, although not working directly in the interior design profession, emphasizes how many of the skills she acquired at the Academy of Fine Arts come in handy in her current job related to agriculture.
film space studio
© Christina Vanhoof and Natalia Stefanski
Christina and Natalia emphasize that although studying at the Academy of Fine Arts was a challenging time, it taught them not only the basics of interior design, but also a broad view of space, art and architectural history. Thanks to these experiences, even if not each of them is pursuing a career in the profession, they feel they have learned a great deal from these five years - both professionally and personally.
Aleksandra Skorupa
Maria Cipinska
Listen also to other podcasts
from the "Foundations" series:
10: Body, Material, Emotion. How does Mikołaj Hewelt design spaces that touch?
12. studying architecture in China - Aleksandra Debicka on living and studying in Guangzhou.
