FOUNDATION YEAR
Expression – Duboux
by Alexandra Cupsa
Visual of the labels designed by Alexandra Cupsa as part of a competition organised by Constance and Jean Duboux for students in the ECAL Foundation Year.
FOUNDATION YEAR
by Alexandra Cupsa
Visual of the labels designed by Alexandra Cupsa as part of a competition organised by Constance and Jean Duboux for students in the ECAL Foundation Year.
FOUNDATION YEAR
by Dunand Clea
Reitzel wished to make the surface area of its silo available to young artists for free expression and creativity. To this end, a competition was held and student Cléa Dunand's project was selected, transforming the industrial silo into an artistic canvas. Production of the paintings: Yoanys Andino Diaz and his team
PHOTOGRAPHY
by Sara De Brito Faustino
“This project presents the home as a place where uncanniness and vernacular commonness exist side by side. Being an intimate space, a home should be a restful and secure place. However, mine has been the scene of some painful events. Today, I see this house as threatening. Uncomfortable and dysfunctional, it bears the scars of the past. In my photographs, I revisit those memories and reclaim my body. My tiny dioramas express my young self’s ideals opposed to the wounds I currently bear. Constructing, deconstructing, objects become bodies, whereas my being feels deformed and petrified. Toute petite et vilaine (“Tiny and Ugly”) creates an antagonistic tension between appealing visuals and disturbing details.“
DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP
by Céline Witzke
This project draws inspiration from the world of fashion, specifically the organic movements, volumes and textures found in textiles, and explores how these elements unintentionally create soft forms. In collaboration with Swiss glass manufacturer Niesenglass, a collection of multipurpose glass objects has been created, showcasing craftsmanship in a new light.
DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP
by Shan Yu Kuan
BASUANN draws inspiration from the image of traditional Asian rattan/bamboo chairs. Its name echoes the pronunciation of the Taiwanese meaning “tie with cords”. Comprised of seven pieces of spiral ducts, BASUANN is assembled using mortise and tenon joints to connect the sitting part with the legs part. It is further reinforced by cords that securely bind the stool together. BASUANN seamlessly blends contemporary furniture design with the evocative imagery of Asian traditional craftsmanship, showcasing the aesthetic of minimalistic design.
DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP
by Charitini Gkritzali
Deriving inspiration from 20th century orthopaedic braces, Topology of a Body is a series of body jewellery items that closely conform to the human anatomy and resemble the body’s structural elements. Each piece is composed by solid geometrical shapes and organic curves that are created with silver or steel wire. The thickness of the wire is altered in a dynamic rhythm, highlighting the morphology of the body. The metal structure, which is carefully designed to envelop the human figure, ultimately takes on a sculptural form. Just like orthopaedic braces, the pieces of jewellery are designed to allow the body to move, yet seem to keep it in a constant state of immobility. This paradox eventually raises a question: do these objects enable or restrain the body’s movements?
DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP
by Marine Col
Ropy is a seriously playful stool that plays with the past. Designed in a single, light stroke, this object draws its charm from the reuse of materials. Old naval ropes from the port of Lausanne, their colours tarnished by time, serve as raw material and become precious material once the object has been made.
DESIGN FOR LUXURY & CRAFTSMANSHIP
by Anaïs Sulmoni
Once prized and valued by craftspeople, bone is now perceived as dirty and worthless. Yet, it is still widely used by cosmetics and food industries. It has appealed to me for many years because of its similarity to ivory and because of its living aspect, even though it represents death. Drawing on the abundance of this organic waste, I set out to recreate the prestige of ivory. I discovered the potential of bone as glue and powder, applied to different supports: solid wood, wood shavings and fabrics. The research book and models highlight bone, which presents new aesthetic and structural possibilities and acts as the first step towards reconciliation with this precious material.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
My project focuses on the exploration of sanitary facilities, specifically their spatial layout, use and form. In the context of refurbishment, my project aims to transform the bathroom into an independent, self-contained unit. This fundamental shift provides the framework for a new typology: the fragmented bathroom.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
I met a professional frame artisan who specialises in custom-made frames. During our conversations, she mentioned the lack of innovative designs in the frame options available in her catalogue and the changing preferences of her customers. This inspired me to design new frames. My project involves creating frames with a range of five different styles for various types of frames: wall-mounted, placed on tabletops, or free-standing. What is more, these frames can be combined in different ways, offering exciting possibilities and fresh visual aesthetics. By expanding the range of frame options, my project allows framers to offer a wider selection and provide greater customisation to customers looking for unique frames with a modern design.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Elina Crespi
Metamorphoses is a video game installation that lets you develop your world by exploring its different dimensions. It is an organic machine that represents a harmony of opposites, a duality between machine and human. There is a balance to be found: should the machine adapt to the human or the human to the machine? Human to human? Machine to machine? By participating in Metamorphoses, players are invited to create connections by plugging in a jack cable to solve enigmas. They actively engage in the narrative and interact with the environment. The organic machine embodies a duality by making natural and technological elements coexist in an interactive and changing environment, thereby prompting introspection about our own world.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Lily Rose Hold
Dotto is a digital puzzle game that draws inspiration from classic dot-to-dot games. It combines connecting dots with the satisfaction of creating vector graphics. As you navigate through the collection of puzzles, you embark on a journey of discovery. Each connected dot unveils a part of the underlying artwork, gradually bringing it to life with every connection. A blend of satisfying gameplay and the celebration of vector Illustration, Dotto offers an experience for puzzle enthusiasts and those who love graphic illustration alike.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Julien Caulet
My project is a tool that allows a musician, in this case Iya Ko, to offer their community a privileged role in the process of organising a concert. By using Instagram in unconventional ways, Groove Electric: The Odyssey presents a narrative in the form of an interactive series that invites the audience to participate in the concert’s implementation process until the day of the performance. This project is aimed at artists who want to strengthen and expand their community. The goal is to create an original platform that enables the artist to develop new “human” connections with their audience while promoting their work. This closeness should nourish both the artist and the community, which will play a central role in the creative process of certain projects.
PHOTOGRAPHY
by Gwendoline Albasini
Dear Kingdom is a story told through storytelling. A fictional figure embodies the princess trapped in her role, the horse who frees her and the witch who casts a spell. These archetypes confront intimate questions about the female gender and seek to dismantle collective ideals. The dream castle, once we look beyond its ramparts, vanishes into thin air. The video immerses the viewer in a world as majestic as it is oppressive. The soundtrack consists of singing and violin. The sounds can be both powerful and frail, revealing the beauty of the disparities. “Dear Kingdom is an appeal to the projections of a social and personal ideal. In this message there is a desire to share my path in this imposing, theatrical and fanciful universe.“
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Tickie Bindner
Sazen City immerses us into the collective landscape of our memories. Each participant takes part in the experience by exploring a territory, then sending digital postcards that generate a dynamic and imaginary map. Unlike photos of panoramas or cities, these digital cards depict memories, universal moments and emotions, revealing a new form of epistolary exchange that is more suited to our digital spaces. Inspired by Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, Sazen City employs machine learning to co-create a collective space. As it evolves, this shared landscape questions the individuality of our memories and the role of artificial imagination in our digital environments.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Arthur Lucchesi
The RWM MK1 is an experimental electronic synthesiser that captures and transforms radio signals, creating intriguing sounds and soundscapes. This instrument interacts with terrestrial and cosmic electromagnetic radiation, enabling us to listen to distant echoes from the far reaches of the universe. It consists of two PCB plates with a tangible interface for real-time interaction with these waves. Musicians can also add sound effects, enhancing the experience. My project is inspired by Jocelyn Bell’s discovery of pulsars, NASA’s SETI program, the Wow Signal and the works of musicians such as Tim Hecker and Gustav Holst.
FINE ARTS
by Lou-Anna Ulloa del Rio
“I think that the goal of installation art should be to create an experience between objects so that viewers are transported outside themselves to recognise a larger, more complex world.” – Julie Becker
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Niki Zaal
Waazo is a mobile game that connects unknown participants for a social and friendly experience. It is an experience where virtual reality and reality come together. Today, smartphones and social networks connect us with people far away, but they can also separate us from our physical surroundings. This interactive game uses this hyper-connectivity to reconnect people in a specific location, paradoxically. The game draws inspiration from our childhood games, such as Where’s Waldo? or Cluedo. Using their phone, each participant explores the people around them to discover unknown individuals. Subtle clues like their posture, mood or main accessory will guide the player in this quest for encounters.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
For my graduation project, I have studied the future of ski resorts in the face of diminishing snow cover. Many low- to medium-altitude resorts have had to close due to global warming. Around 180 resorts in France have closed, leaving the lift pylons abandoned. I propose to transform these pylons into perched accommodation to offer a unique mountain experience and create a new tourist attraction. The perched units, located at a height of 10 meters, will offer exceptional panoramic views of the mountain landscape. Inspired by the traditional architecture of mountain huts, they will combine modern comfort with alpine authenticity, promoting harmony with the surrounding natural environment.
FINE ARTS
by Shkelqim Qestaj
The sky lacks wings. We’re still looking for those places. Places to love and embrace each other. Modern comfort. In the starless morning, you bring me roses, I send you back with thorns. Outdated body and soul. We never lose sight of the shadow for the prey. Balance is our law. We leave to explore what lies behind the wall. We can walk a tightrope without danger. Dance without falling into the void.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Jonathan Hares, Gilles Gavillet
Helix is a science popularisation project inspired by Isabella Maria Pasqualini’s thesis, entitled “Embodied Space in Architecture, Cognitive Neuroscience and Virtual Reality”, carried out at EPFL Architecture. The book focuses on the links of the human body with architecture and neuroscience, offering an interpretation and an appropriation of the thesis. To do this, the book explores the vector representation of the four chapters, alternating with photographic fragments illustrating the integration of the human body into the architecture of the book.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
When we are on the water, it is essential to ensure our safety by wearing a flotation jacket. However, many people refuse to do so, ignoring risks such as cramps, thermal shock or injury. Yet we do not hesitate to carry a waterproof bag to protect our belongings from the water. It is in this spirit of responsibility that Airwear was born: an inflatable flotation jacket that incorporates a watertight compartment into its design. When you want to take your valuables with you, simply slip on your waterproof bag like a backpack, then inflate the vest via a tube in the front. Your belongings are safe, and so are you.
FINE ARTS
by Lylou Müller
This work summons reflection on concepts of security, isolation and protection. The veil, which is woven in the manner of chainmail armour, invites us to reconsider the space of the bedroom, of intimacy, in a context of violence.
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Alexandra Sensi
Self-Reflection is a social experiment that takes an ironic look at the impact of image within our society. It highlights the importance of self-perception in social norms. The installation overlays the user’s reflection onto a digital game through a one-way mirror. This immerses each individual in both the game and a confrontation with their own reflection. Throughout our progress, we encounter situations that reveal how our self-perception influences our behaviour and plays a role in our social constructions. This project is driven by personal reasons and a background in psychology and social sciences, furthering an interest in human mechanisms, psychological analysis and the desire to help.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Gilles Gavillet, Diego Bontognali
As a Krump dancer, I have noticed a lack of editorial content dedicated to this dance. Originating in the underprivileged areas of South Central in Los Angeles in the 1990s, Krump is a way for dancers to express their anger, aggression, frustration and pain in a positive way. This book sheds light on the spirit of this dance through its codes: its community spirit, its vocabulary, its music and its competitions. By seeking to meet those involved in the dance scene in Switzerland, I hope to offer an authentic perspective on this movement.
FINE ARTS
by Axel Mattart
It won’t even blink. Mostly because it can’t. YOU are on its last optical nerve!
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
Pierrot is a project that consists of two modules designed to facilitate access to rocky areas and the lake. These rocky spaces were created long ago by humans to protect the shores. They make access to the lake difficult due to their slippery and ever-changing nature. The objective is to enhance these spaces so that the public can enjoy the lake while preserving the few natural areas that border it. These two platforms of different sizes are made of a wooden structure (Douglass) and a metal net filled with stones, which allows them to adapt to the shape of the lake’s rocks and creates an additional habitat for biodiversity.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Aurèle Sack, Guy Meldem
Baraonda is a playful system designed to help run creative activities. The workshop is based on a wheel of fortune made up of several circles that determine the characteristics and rules that will be put in place. Nine stages have been devised, starting with the widest circle and working down to the narrowest. A working theme is determined, followed by a technique, different materials, colours, and so on. In addition to the series of circles, I developed various materials to support the workshops: wooden stencils, a collection of images and self-adhesive letters. The development of the project and the results of the activities carried out in primary school classes in Lausanne have been brought together in a printed edition. The whole package comes in a cloth-covered cardboard box.
FINE ARTS
by Nolan Lucidi
I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder. I will try harder.
FINE ARTS
by Julie Wuhrmann
« Je suis gueïe, eh toi tu aïe guette aussie ? » Guillaume Dustan, “Queer”“, e.m@le, n°66, 1999 “Je suis gueïe, eh toi tu aïe guette aussie?” Guillaume Dustan, “Queer”, e.m@le, n°66, 1999
MEDIA & INTERACTION DESIGN
by Paul Dorsaz
With GlobalCom, generate your business’s visual identity thanks to the power of AI! The recent emergence of services like ChatGPT or DALL·E prompts us to question the role of AI in design processes. In a reality where an advertising designer inevitably turns to the web for inspiration, the final product often appears similar to others. What would logos and visual identities look like if the initial design was driven by an AI, whose dataset is already saturated with overproduction and mimicry? GlobalCom, a product of this automated process, reveals that these tools are still too naive to operate independently. However, could they be employed as catalysts to stimulate the creativity of designers?
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Gilles Gavillet, Jonathan Hares
Nativo+Latino reinvents the heritage and syncretism of the South American continent. Long shaped by the evangelisation of the indigenous people, the consequences of this mix of identities bears witness to the cultural and religious alienation of Latinos. Gradually, awareness of the indigenous condition has pushed their descendants to honour and revive their cult. This project is a place where Latin communities, who aim to reclaim this heritage that was until now regarded as pagan beliefs, to come together, confront one another and express themselves. Nativo takes the shape of ancestral memories and a collective imagination that reflects a reinterpretation of the practice of Catholicism in Latin America in order to restore power in a hybrid vision of identity.
INDUSTRIAL DESIGN
with Stephane Halmai-Voisard, Christian Spiess, Carolien Niebling
In Sierra Leone, traditional handicrafts are in decline due to imports, which have deconstructed the qualitative perception of locally made objects for Western standards. My graduation project consists of organising creative workshops for children in a school located in an economically and geographically vulnerable area. I focused my research on woodworking, tailoring and textile printing. The project comprised two stages: first, collaborating with Sierra Leonean artisans to design objects using local materials and techniques then conducting three workshops to introduce children to manual trades, foster creativity and create usable objects within the school premises.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Guy Meldem, Diego Bontognali
Millennia ago, humankind discovered electricity and never stopped exploiting and reinventing it, unconcerned, considering this resource to be infinite. This book, Les Chemins Perdus, opens up new horizons, between dream and fiction, through realistic and poetic notions. What if all the lights went out? It stimulates the imagination and offers readers light, childlike speculation. Interest in illustration, storytelling and printing techniques brings this graphic tale to life. This journey of colours and images appeals to a multi-generational audience, tapping into the potential of children’s books in these tense and confusing times.
FINE ARTS
by Ysé Willemin
(Ah, ah-ah, ah-ah) (Ah-ah, ah-ah-ah-ah) (ah-ah) (Ah, ah, ah-ah) ‘Cause when love is gone There’s always justice And when justice is gone There’s always force And when force is gone There’s always Mom, hi Mom (Ah, ah) (Ah, ah, ah-ah) I have no choice, I don’t know what to do So hold me, Mom, in your long arms In your automatic arms, your electronic arms In your arms So hold me, Mom, in your long arms Your petrochemical arms, your military arms In your electronic arms (Ah, ah-ah)
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Gilles Gavillet, Guy Meldem
606 is a travelling and modular art space, built from shipping containers. Every three months, the space changes location and layout. 606 invites local artists to create new universes at the intersection of technology and reality. 606 comes to life at night and showcases its identity through constantly evolving 360-degree projections, which cover and transform the structure of the containers. 606 also exists throughout the city through animated posters that offer a new interpretation of the projected visuals. The communication of 606 is simultaneously developed in 3D, 2D and in rhythm.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Nicole Udry, Jonathan Hares
Recent scientific studies reveal that Red Sea corals are more resilient than average to rising water temperatures. This unique coral refuge on earth gives great hope to scientists and allows them to analyse factors of coral resistance before they to eventually disappear. Red Sea Last Hope combines scientific reports, expedition accounts and geopolitical archives, aiming to raise awareness about the gradual disappearance of corals while highlighting the influence of the geopolitics of the Red Sea, which is delaying research.
GRAPHIC DESIGN
with Gilles Gavillet, Nicole Udry
Part art book, part science textbook, this meta-encyclopaedia evokes the risks of global warming. Going beyond the usual paradigms of the Anthropocene era, these phenomena are known as HYPER-OBJECTS. Through the reading of a simplified language, this system of mental maps conceptualises these complex phenomena. In the context of the ecological crisis, the materialisation of this ecological thinking allows us to measure our impact, while reinterpreting the phenomenon of the end of the world in a more tangible way. Through this visual archaeology, we search for traces of our contemporary civilisation, questioning our relationship with the future. In truth, doesn’t this object bear witness to the destructive movement of the end of the world?
by Remo Corazza
My graduation work consisted of being the cinematographer on the film Les satellites ne Tombent Jamais du Ciel, which I co-directed with Matias Carlier, a 2022 Film Studies graduate from ECAL. The film tells the story of brother and sister Loup and Noah, who get together every Sunday to go pickpocketing. After robbing a passer-by in a shopping mall, they meet Monica, a woman in her sixties who invites them into her home. An unexpected bond develops between the three.
by Adrien Beroud
Noé, an unemployed actor, auditions for a theatre play without knowing the codes. His performance triggers an argument between the director and his assistant who interrupts him. His audition is compromised. Noé wanders around the theatre and looks after Kenzaëlle, the director’s daughter, in the hope of getting another chance. Before being adapted into a short film, Aire de Jeux was my Bachelor project: a feature film script and a satirical comedy in the world of contemporary theatre. Although the short film’s story differs slightly, the two projects maintain a similar tone and directing stakes.
by Rémi Molleyres
Swiss countryside, 1939. Joseph has a date with Félicie, his fiancée, to go dancing at the village ball. He finds her agitated and she confesses to him that she has just killed her uncle and that she is about to flee. She invites him to leave with her, but he cannot bring himself to such an upheaval. This is the pitch for my graduation film, shot in April 2023. Driven by a real desire for fiction, I was confronted with the challenges related to period films. These constraints, in particular those related to the sets, turned out to be very stimulating for me during the writing process. The result is a film of around 20 minutes, the culmination of a very rewarding year. This project was indeed an opportunity for me to better understand the role of production and casting.
by Marcello Balzaretti
Thoroughly disappointed by his recent trip to the USA, for which he had great expectations, Daniel, back in Switzerland, goes back to his routine, which he finds very dull… One day he sees a ghostly cowboy appear before him, who entrusts him with a mission: to steal a Chevy El Camino.
by Ilù Seydoux
My graduation work in sound engineering involved recording and sound editing the film Avant l’Océan, directed by Ilan Dubi. Having participated in the entire creative process from writing to mixing, this wide-ranging graduation work develops the sound of a film that focuses on a stage in the life of a teenager.
by Jay Holdener
Thoroughly disappointed by his recent trip to the USA, for which he had great expectations, Daniel, back in Switzerland, goes back to his routine, which he finds very dull… One day he sees a ghostly cowboy appear before him, who entrusts him with a mission: to steal a Chevy El Camino.
by César Cadène
My graduation project at ECAL involved being the director of photography for the film Avant l’Océan, written and directed by student director Ilan Dubi. Inspired by the cinema of the Safdie brothers and John Cassavetes, this film was a real technical and creative challenge. We worked with long focal lengths, shoulder movements and natural light to capture the nocturnal wanderings of two young people stuck in Lausanne. The minimalist lighting, the uniqueness of each location and the intimate point of view of the camera reinforced the authenticity of the narrative and aesthetic framework of the film. This project allowed me to refine my instinctive and sensitive approach to the camera and light work.
FINE ARTS
by Laura Hagmann
I had a flashback of something that never existed.
by Ilan Dubi
A short film shot in Lausanne by night. “A 15-year-old boy decides to flee his city to join Olivia on her way to the ocean. Only, a transportation issue forces them to wait in the city by night.” With a shoulder-mounted camera and a small crew, we set out into the streets of Lausanne to film the wanderings of two teenagers tinged with the melancholy of departure. In this film, with its saturated images and surreal sounds, I sought to explore the notion of introspection and the feeling of disillusionment that haunts our teenage years. The film opens with a shot of the ocean at sunset, followed by a transparent portrait of the main character.
FINE ARTS
by Alix Bitz
Installation objects & lithographs Size: approx. 2 x 2 m At eye level, a white line. A void. Looking up, a series of self-portraits stare back at us. Faces in transmutation. A single portrait cannot show the full extent of a being. So it unfolds before exploding to better reappear. Underneath, a collection of objects, like the wanderings of a life that has led to this moment and stops. Memories flow from the heads that have become objects. Through this staging, the shattered quest for a self that slips away as soon as we seem to approach it.
FINE ARTS
by Clément Grimm
No sinister prop adds banal meaning. No melodramatic detail usurps an easy role. All the painter had to do was interpret the figures’ energy, expression, attitudes and gestures in his sober, masterly style.
FINE ARTS
by Ali Chatila
My graduation project consists of four 90 x 200 cm wooden boards – in total, eight sides on which I have been painting for over two years. I paint mainly for the pleasure of painting and like to focus on the present moment. At the end of my studies, I will continue working on these four boards. They are therefore not finished and may never be. The title of the work announces the temporary interruption. I do not have any particular technique; I just paint with what I find. My four boards were salvaged from a dumpster and most of the material I use was destined to be thrown away. For my installation, my paintings are fixed on the wall, revealing only the four sides.