Rosanna Ceravolo is a Melbourne based architect and designer whose multi disciplinary studio focuses on delivering a full and considered design response across architecture, interiors and product design. Her architectural work is collaborative, contextually sensitive, client specific and considered at both an urban and human scale to create places for people. We took some time out with Rosanna to know more about her and her brand. Let’s hear what she has to say..
Her design approach focuses principally on how a space can be inhabited to ensure maximum enjoyment, considering connectivity, materiality, texture, light, and scale. As a natural progression, her work maintains a refined and detailed interior focus. Rosanna’s product work is a natural extension of her design process. The work is characterised by form, simplicity, composition and texture. Each piece is handmade to order by quality local fabricators with whom collaboration is an essential and integral part of the process.
George Takes Twelve
1. Pleasantries first… Tell us about who you are and what you do?
I’m Rosanna. I am a Melbourne based architect working primarily in residential architecture and interiors at this stage. I also design furniture.
2. When I was growing up I wanted to be….
An architect. I am fairly non committal in all other aspects of life but that seems to have been one constant.
3. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
Outsource (well*) where required and focus your attention on what you’re best at and what you most enjoy. *This is the caveat.
4. What is your favourite way to get the creative juices flowing?
Running. Travel. Swims. Travel is great because it’s the only time I’m really tuned into all the senses, so the experiences stay with me and I find I am always drawing on them in my work. I also think that experiencing foreign urban environments, housing typology and ways of living is critical for architects. More specifically, it depends what I am working on. If it’s an architectural project, I find visiting the site quite inspiring, as pedestrian as that may sound. Even if it’s a pile of rubble, the place usually tells you what it wants/needs and the constraints and possibilities are often immediately accessible to a trained eye. My clients play a big part too. Their energy usually finds its way into the project somehow. My product work is more of a passion project, so I have the luxury of only working on designs that are inspired. When I feel that I have something I want to develop further, I often head to the seaside, swing into introvert mode and work the concept into something more resolved.
5. What does your average work day look like?
Routine is not really my thing but, depending on the day and on my mood, I might be up and going for a long run by 7am. I am fairly useless before coffee so I usually head to the coffee shop by 8:30-9 where I’ll jot down a list of stuff to get done for the day or check emails etc. I split my time between my home-studio and a fab co-working space in town. Depending on what I have on, I am either sitting at my desk designing/documenting/liaising with consultants or attending client/site meetings or visiting manufacturer/fabricators.
6. If you could invite any five celebrities to dinner, who’s dining?
Carlo Rovelli, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Neil deGrasse Tyson, Dave Chapelle, Alexa Chung (with whom I share a wardrobe in a parallel universe)
7. What was the last rule you broke?
Probably speeding.
8. What’s one thing people may not know about you?
I have a lot of knives (for cooking, just to clarify).
9. What was the last movie you saw and was it any good?
Dolor y Gloria. I am a huge Almodovar fan so I really wanted to love it, but no, not really. The visuals were stunning though.
10. You’ve got a week off… where are you headed?
Buenos Aires for a tango workshop because, why not?
11. What’s your favourite project/design so far and why?
Probably an as-yet-unbuilt-but-recently-documented alterations and additions project which will be commencing on site in the new year. It’s been a fun project to work on for some amazing clients and will hopefully be a dynamic and engaging family home when completed. I also really like the Moored shelving and console furniture pieces because they represent a refining of my design process in many ways.
12. What’s next for you? Any exciting new projects in the pipeline…
I am finalising documentation and approval for my current architectural and interiors projects and looking forward to getting these on site soon.
Meet the Maker Radio
’Not A Podcast’
“When I am not listening to nerdy science podcasts, this is sort of stuff I’ll have in the background to get me through those long documentation days. It usually starts off quite melancholy in the morning, maybe some soul/hip hop/electro funk to maintain stamina in the middle of the day, then some bold and empowering disco classics to tie me over at the end of the day.” – Rosanna
Where to find her
Name: Rosanna Ceravolo
Business Name: Rosanna Ceravolo Design
Job Title: Architect
Website: www.rosannaceravolo.com
Instagram: @rosanna_ceravolo_design
Photography by Amanda Santamaria
