I change my life, when i move from Kenya to Italy. In August 2022, while in Italy attending the Rimini meeting, I found out about STAR Florence Design School, and this was the beginning of my journey in Florence. I was happy at the prospect of living and studying in Florence, and I arrived in May the following year, eager to learn and discover more about Italian interior design. Thanks to the small class at the school, we were able to get full attention from our professors and discussed our projects in depth. We visited a lot of companies, based in Florence and outside of the city, like Arketipo, Toscot and Terzani and also a lot of architectural masterpieces like Cantina Antinori and Certosa di Firenze. We did not just stop at the beauty of these places, but tried giving reasons why we thought they were beautiful. With this I understood that giving reasons, having a judgement about what I experience is important because it makes me aware of what is in front of me, and as a result the experiences remain, they don’t just fade away.

The friendship with my classmates was also a highlight of this experience. The beauty of studying in an international school is having the opportunity to meet many people who come from all over the world, so coming from different countries, we shared our experiences, stories and knowledge with each other. We developed a close bond amongst ourselves and we spent a lot of time out of class, exploring the city or having meals together. We also supported each other in several other ways, even outside of class, and although class ended, we stayed in touch, because the bond we created remained very strong.

During my studies, I worked on various Interior and architectural projects. One of my favourite projects that I worked on was an apartment here in Florence, owned by an elderly couple. They are both originally from Tuscany, and thus for the design concept I used the beautiful Tuscan hills as a reference. This informed the colour palette, the design of the floor, the dropped ceiling, the bookshelf and other accessories within the house. I had a great time working on this project because I could listen to the clients and understand their needs, and at the same time I also got to learn a lot from my professors.

While i was still at school, i got an admission into the Master of Landscape Architecture Programme at the Harvard Graduate School of Design on a Dean’s Merit Award. So, after my graduation at master’s course in interior design at the Florence design school, i move to U.S.A, to start this new chapter of my life. I’m looking forward to discovering more about my profession and about myself in this next phase of my career, grateful for the time I have spent in Florence.

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