Milla Petrolino (she/her)
I was born and raised in San Francisco by a family of immigrants. Both of my parents immigrated to the United States from Brazil at a very young age. Brazilian culture has influenced all facets of my life including the food I make and the languages I speak. As a child I dreamed of becoming many things: one day I would be a ballerina, the next a cook, a fashion designer, or a scientist. With all of these aspirations, and in everything I liked doing – I was drawn to tactile experiences. After years of studying Design and Advertising at USF I realized how much I was missing that tactile element, and was led to interior design. As a designer I am always creating and looking for unique ways to incorporate my appreciation for physical interaction, and my multi-cultural experience into my design work.
Inviting Interiors
My project, Inviting Interiors, uses interior design as a tool for inclusion and well being. Interior design can be selective and exclusive to those that can not afford the luxury of custom furnishings and fixtures. When I sought to find a way to bring interior design into a space that is for the public, I began to think about the power of a well designed space and how much it can alter the way one feels and experiences a space. Thinking about interior design as a tool, I began looking into spaces that are neglected by design and practicality. The health care sector has been a part of our everyday narrative with the COVID pandemic. When I started to look at ways to bridge the gap between sterile and cold health clinics with interior design, I started by looking at patient and staff comfortability in a space. From how comfortable a space is to how you enter and navigate the space, and how safe you feel. Patients and health care workers deserve a space that is well treated much like they want to be by their physicians. My end result is a process deck featuring my research findings and a proposed health care center. As you navigate this process deck, I hope you can begin to see how interior design is a tool that can better any environment.
View full publication: Inviting Interiors : A Case Study on Public Health Spaces & The Power of Interior Design
