How did it feel to win?
I was initially shocked, happy and excited. Afterwards it was relief (it was my last year that I was eligible to apply) and a sense of achievement that my work had impressed some great people who I admire in the design world

How was it working with people at Fabrica?
The Tadao Ando building is incredible and the city of Treviso is beautiful and charming. But the people are the greatest part about the experience. I met students from all over the world who are as passionate and excited as I am about design/being creative. There are 5 or so different departments focusing on different areas of design, so there is a wonderful overlapping where opportunities arise to collaborate between different fields. The combinations of cultures allows a broader thinking style that appeals internationally – it inspires a somewhat alternative design/thought process to what I was used to in Australia.
Each grantholder has left their home, their friends and their families to study in a foreign environment, so there’s this sense of community and family that seems to help the students create original and inspiring work.

What work did you get involved in?
Each trial student is required to participate in an advertisement to promote new Fabrica applicants. Another brief was for United Colors of Benetton, we were to propose new concepts for their interactive external windows. I was lucky enough to return to Treviso after my trial, where I participated in a commercial for the United Nations – Rio+20 Conference. It involved travelling all around north-east Italy to shoot different scenes with a production crew, from the sea to the alps and everywhere in between.

How was your experience overseas?
The experience was extremely rewarding, it opened my eyes to the European and international design culture. There is a great passion for design and craft in Italy, and the rest of Europe that sometimes is overlooked or under-prioritised in Australia. And having the chance to jump on a train and be in a city/country with completely different culture/architecture/lifestyle to the previous is extremely inspiring. You can’t help but pick up new ideas or references along the way.

What opportunities did you get out of winning the Fabrica Award
The opportunity to meet so many great people at Fabrica. The ability to explore Europe for the first time where I learned so many new things. And now the opportunity to work and live in Italy for one year, at this great creative hub Fabrica.

What was the best part about the whole experience etc. 
Having the opportunity to work in an internationally recognised creative hub that nutures and promotes inspired creativity. There is not one style or trend or preference in outcomes, so originality is high. And the great people I got to meet along the way who opened my eyes to new ways of thinking and designing. I was challenged everyday to think differently. And the local food is pretty amazing!

Have a look at some of Sam’s work here: