Nina
Sommer

Projects

ECAL AT THE FESTIVAL DES CABANES, VILLA MÉDICIS, ROME

PRODUCT DESIGN

ECAL AT THE FESTIVAL DES CABANES, VILLA MÉDICIS, ROME

with Camille Blin

For the 2026 Festival des Cabanes at the Villa Medici in Rome, students from the Master in Product Design were invited to develop a project related to the Villa's garden, in collaboration with the renowned Italian ceramics manufacturer Mutina. The Villa's gardens offer a rich historical and spatial context, conducive to exploring aesthetics, function, and interaction with visitors. Students had access to the entire Mutina catalogue (tiles, bricks, and other materials) to build their installations. The project was selected and mentored by the French designer Ronan Bouroullec, ECAL, Villa Medici and Mutina.

One-Off 1/1

PRODUCT DESIGN

One-Off 1/1

with Augustin Scott de Martinville

For this semester, students were invited to focus on the creation of a “One-Off” of their choice. They were encouraged to free themselves from the issues traditionally associated with industrial design - mass production, costs, market positioning, etc. The project concluded in a silent auction at the ECAL's traditional Christmas Market.

Transformations

PRODUCT DESIGN

Transformations

with Studio Isabel + Helen

This workshop was led by Isabel + Helen Studio, a duo of London artists known for their captivating kinetic sculptures and installations. They blend art with movement to create playful and thought-provoking works. During the week, they guided students through the fundamentals of creating dynamic, moving sculptures. Using umbrella mechanisms, students created fireworks.