Wearable Architecture. A Workshop by Bruno Villani

The Jewel as waymarker and structure: from Cairn symbolism to architectural design
Contemporary jewelry is communication, status, symbolism, ideology, belonging. There are no limitations; it is the design that sets the intent. The primary objective is to create new visions through the application of the most diverse goldsmithing techniques. Observation is fundamental—never limited to simply looking; being curious about forms and knowledge, finding new approaches, developing the magic of mathematics and applying it to goldsmith craftsmanship.

Wearable architecture: the engineering approach
This seminar shifts the focus to architecture-inspired jewelry, applying goldsmithing techniques with an engineering-oriented approach. The objective is the design and creation of contemporary jewelry that interprets monumentality and structural complexity.
Through the analysis and reinterpretation of iconic architectures such as Norman Foster’s Alif and the Pantheon in Rome, students will be guided in transforming these structures into wearable forms. The materials used in this pathway are chosen for their material and structural qualities: wood, plexiglass, and mechanical components such as hinges and threaded rods, essential for giving dynamism and engineering solidity to the design.


Important Information:
Duration: 25 hours in 5 days.
Cost: 1000 €.
Teaching language: Italian.
Materials: The school provides, as part of the participation fee, the necessary materials for the exercises. The objects made by participants remain their property.
Skills: Basic knowledge of goldsmithing techniques.
 
The workshop will be activated with a minimum of 5 participants.
Participants may request the list of tools from the school office to purchase their own, or they can rent a complete kit provided by the school.

15% discount on total tuition for enrolment and payment by December 31, 2025.

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Bruno Villani was born in Naples on July 9, 1973. He is a goldsmith model maker with over 25 years of experience in the fine jewellery and high fashion sector. He earned his Master of Arts diploma at the State Institute of Art in Florence, specializing in goldsmithing and sculpture.
Since 2017, he has worked at MAMI S.R.L. in Calenzano as a wax and metal model maker and micro-casting specialist. Previously, he collaborated with companies such as Alessio Pecchioni srl, Orotech, Rosita Gioielli d’Amare, Pada srl, and other renowned firms in Naples, Florence, and Caserta.
His expertise includes independent prototype creation, management of the full creative-production cycle, wax modelling, micro-casting, soldering, and both flame and laser techniques. He has participated in numerous events and competitions, being selected for international contexts such as the Diamonds International Awards and Creativeness Gems Relations, and winning first prize at Gioielloinarte 2022 at the University and Noble College of Goldsmiths in Rome. Villani is also active in contemporary jewellery design, creatively combining mixed techniques and innovative materials. He currently works in his studio in Florence, maintaining a style that merges traditional craftsmanship with contemporary research.