Join us in welcoming new Diode Assistant Editor & Designer Steffi Braganza!
Steffi Braganza is a graphic designer currently residing in Qatar. She prefers to design beyond the boundaries of her comfort zone. She believes, as a designer, that one doesn't learn by staying within confined walls; one works best when one finds a way to go around those walls. Most of her time she likes to invest in research and diverge her knowledge. Steffi is extremely passionate about creating and developing new and innovative ideas. Bringing those ideas to life is what she as a designer strives to achieve.
Q&A
Diode: Which designers or works inform your practice?
Steffi Braganza: Over the past year I have taken up an interest in bioplastics. Heston Blumenthal, a British celebrity chef who specializes in Molecular gastronomy, is currently an artist/chef whose work I look up to and gain a lot of inspiration from.
D: What design areas are you interested in exploring?
SB: I am currently interested in product design, bio-plastics and anything that involves making and innovating.
D: What currently inspires you?
SB: A lot of my inspiration comes from watching inspirational videos, talks, documentaries on a topic that I am interested in. I have always preferred watching over reading. I've found it to be the quickest way I can get my creativity flowing. I would definitely recommend Chef's Table, a Netflix show based on various chefs and what drives them to become the amazing and inspiring artists and entrepreneurs they are today. The show focuses not just on food as a delicious meal, but food as a culture and a whole emotional and personal experience.
Portfolio Sample
UROX
In the year 2045, air pollution has become a major concern, impacting people's mental and physical health. The population increasingly faces issues related to dementia, schizophrenia, depression, anxiety and various types of mental disorders.
Adding to these concerns, is an atmospheric particulate matter known as PM2.5, which causes 50% of the earth's population to perish. Years later, in 2082, the government responds to persistent mental disorders by forming a division called UROX. The system permanently implants lenses into the eyes of the surviving population. These lenses help see the world in a better, brighter, and more colorful view. Color psychology is applied to uplift the human brain and mood while playing a constant melody of blissful music to subconsciously help people stay content.
While the benefits of this system seem to help many people, it also serves to hide persistent pollutants in the environment. UROX aims to promote happiness by hiding the reality of the world.
