Tokyo, London, Cuba; the world has been Alina Moat’s home since she was just a little girl. So deciding to go to Kolding School of Design to complete her Master's degree was not that big a deal to the experienced traveller – although Kolding is indeed the smallest city Alina has ever had to settle in. But, ironically, Alina says that she has never found herself in a place that feels so large and open as Kolding School of Design.

Background
Born in Cuba, Alina was only one year old when her parents, both of them bankers, were sent to Tokyo to set up a branch of the Bank of Cuba. Seven years later, Alina’s father was asked to set up another branch in London so naturally, the family – counting also an older sister – went along. Being Cuban Alina’s mother was terrified by the Cold War, so Alina and her sister did not play outside very often. Alina’s sister was considerably older, so Alina found herself spending a lot of time alone making clothes for her dolls. Later, her mother bought her a sewing machine, and Alina believes that her passion for design started at this early age. After three years in London, the family returned to Cuba. At 20, Alina went back to London. She had been accepted to the London College of Fashion and spent three years there studying fashion and the environment. In 2010, her excellent results landed her a spot at the Kolding School of Design DesignCamp, and Alina immediately fell in love with the place. She divided her fourth year of study between London and Kolding, and is now spending her final master’s year exclusively in Kolding – and loving it!

The human element
“What I love about Kolding School of Design is that the human element is always at the centre. And I mean that on so many levels. Everyone here is so dedicated; students and teachers both. The infrastructure of the place is alive and creative, and the atmosphere is one of mutual respect. The faculty is just brilliant. Professionally and personally, we’re treated as individuals and this allows us to grow and develop. If you work hard, you will get all the input you like. The key principle of teaching is freedom with responsibility. The school may be small compared to others, but it is so big in terms of human interaction, skill, and dedication. I believe this is linked to the actual space and the facilities as well. It is all very open and inspiring. And a great thing is that there is always easy access to all the workshops and machines and they are free; you don’t have to be on a waiting list for weeks to use a laser-cutter for instance. It’s all very well organised. Another aspect that I find appealing and inspiring is that the school doesn’t seem to need to advertise its dedication to sustainability, social inclusion, and cultural diversity; it’s simply inherent and I find this very sympathetic. Even the canteen practises this approach. The entire atmosphere of the school influences your design process in a positive way”.

Always observing
You sense very clearly that Alina is observant and analytical; perhaps an acquired skill from always having to adjust to different cultures and trying "to blend in", as Alina puts it. And she does admit that her favourite pastime is observing how people interact and how they change their behaviour depending on the social and cultural framework. Alina’s interest in fashion design has mostly been with this particular focus, which is also why her shift to interaction design feels natural to her. “The insider / outsider contrast has always fascinated me. And when I’ve designed clothes, my focus has often been on interaction and social change. My childhood sewing sessions gradually progressed into a search for meaning. I’m not too interested in installation art; I love to observe. Interaction design gives you the choice of different media and I like this. Kolding School of Design is amazing at recognising the power of the interdisciplinary “, Alina says.   

Master's degree project
Currently, Alina is working on her master’s degree project. She is focusing on education and how to make learning more exciting. “I’ve decided to address the educational challenges of maintaining the curiosity of children around the age of 12. This is in many ways a transition period; the children experience bodily changes, they begin to separate themselves from their parents, school becomes increasingly about tests rather than play, etc. I believe that programming represents an excellent tool to excite and encourage learning. The thrill and response the children get from creating a successful programme is very motivating and they don’t even think about the skills they acquire in the process such as math, spelling, aesthetics, etc.”, Alina explains.

What's ahead?
Although Alina defines Cuba as a place with many design challenges, she has no plans to make a professional life there. "There's too much red tape", she says. For now she is quite happy spending most of her days (and nights) at Kolding School of Design.

Learn more about the Master's degree programme at Kolding School of Design.

February, 2012