Domenico Mazza
Thrives on challenging the visual design of digital and physical interfaces with the aim of bringing digital and physical worlds together esemplastically in meaningful ways. Aiming for a future where we all look up and away from screens.
Originally a graphic designer by education, turned web developer and interaction designer by trade, and evolved into a design researcher. Has worked across disciplines, from visual communication, to human-computer interaction, within design studios and for schools of Design, Information Technology and Architecture and Built Environment.
An Italian born in Monza in 1991 of Calabrian ancestry. Raised in Melbourne's north-west. Now lives and works in beautiful Geelong.
Showcase
Fyansford Paper Mill Precincts Short Films
2023
Short films made for the Rotary Club of Highton to help promote and advocate for the history and maintenance of the Fyansford Paper Mill and surrounding area. The club conducts regular tours of the paper mill, see @FyansfordHeritageTours on Facebook.
A Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre
2021–22
A suite of digital experiences to assist the visitors, staff and hirers of the Geelong Arts Centre's new campus. The work has been developed as part of a collaboration between the Geelong Arts Centre and Deakin University's MInD Lab, MotionLab and HIVE Lab. For more information see https://gac.mindlab.cloud/ and https://mindlab.cloud/a-spatially-intelligent-arts-centre/
Geelong Digital Outdoor Museum (GDOM)
2021
GDOM https://gdom.mindlab.cloud is a portable museum designed in the thick of pandemic lockdowns to allow users to explore the cultural heritage of significant sites across Geelong, remotely and on-site. GDOM expands on the Matterport platform by allowing quick navigation of large outdoor 3D/360° scans with a digital catalogue and minimap. Released for Geelong Design Week 2021 via live stream.
Computational Costume
2015–19
Computational Costume is a speculative design imagined for a probable future where augmented reality helps form an esemplastic physical/virtual world based on wearable virtual identities. The work presents an antidote to today's computing which requires our attention to be fixed to screens. It was made as part of a practice-based PhD at SensiLab, see https://sensilab.monash.edu/research/computational-costume/
The exegesis can be found online at https://do.meni.co/phd and the exhibition can be experienced online at https://do.meni.co/phd/exhibition.
Computational Costume v2 was first shown at the Design Translations exhibition 3–6 Dec 2018, MADA Gallery, Melbourne. See more at https://do.meni.co/phd/exhibition/#_computational-_costume-v2-video.
Computational Costume v1 was first shown at the FameLab 2018 Victoria semi-final, 28 March 2018, Melbourne Museum, as part of a live performance. See more at https://do.meni.co/phd/exhibition/#_computational-_costume-v1.
Congrats to all 12 participants tonight in #FameLabAus @auBritish Vic semi-final @melbournemuseum. Great job in ‘talking science’ supported by @synapse101 @em_sci and hosted by our Doctor of Ceremonies @NirajNLal pic.twitter.com/p8J6v3oUsr
— Dr. Amanda Caples (@Vic_LeadSci) March 28, 2018
#FameLabAus 1 is @DomenicoMazza - Computational Costume! What a show! The costume prop was epic! Well done overcoming those nerves Dom! pic.twitter.com/R0S3jThdt7
— Dr Emma Beckett (@synapse101) March 28, 2018
Computational Costume v0 was first shown at No Vacancy Gallery QV in Melbourne, Australia as part of the Melbourne FashionTech collective's showcase during White Night 2018. More info at https://sensilab.monash.edu/news-events/sensilab-white-night/.
Cardboard Poster was shown in conjunction with a publication at CHI 2017 in Denver:
Mazza, D. Reducing Cognitive Load and Supporting Memory in Visual Design for HCI. the 2017 CHI Conference Extended Abstracts 142–147 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1145/3027063.3048430.
sensiLab/Immersive Analytics PhD student @DomenicoMazza is at @sigchi this week with his amazing 3D cardboard poster! #chi2017 pic.twitter.com/KzGnUreLey
— Monash sensiLab (@sensilab_monash) May 12, 2017
.@DomenicoMazza's brilliant cardboard poster at #CHI2017 #cardboardchi pic.twitter.com/zigHiSu3Qo
— David Chatting (@davidchatting) May 10, 2017
Such a fantastic 3D poster design #chi2017 pic.twitter.com/v9vuhhHDm1
— Effie Le Moignan (@Effie_lm) May 10, 2017
what a great #chi2017 "poster"!! :) who made this? couldn't figure it out :( pic.twitter.com/x6H9VITy7X
— Michael Nebeling (@michinebeling) May 11, 2017
FYI @DomenicoMazza flat packed it in hand-luggage all the way from Australia and then toured it across four states in a van
— Tim Dwyer (@immersivecola) May 22, 2017
Visualisation design
2014–15
In 2014: as a research assistant at the Immersive Analytics Lab (IALab) to improve the usability of Accordion a data visualisation application for examining and identifying spending trends across business units and locations within a large organisation.
In 2014–15: as a summer intern at Arup Melbourne to design and build a suite of data visualisations for building information modelling, project management and sensor data.
Graphic and web design
2013–15
2014–15: Design and development of the website for Negative Press (2014) http://negativepress.com.au which has been archived by the National Gallery of Australia in PANDORA (Preserving and Accessing Networked Documentary Resources of Australia) http://nla.gov.au/nla.arc-160724. Other clients included Groovin the Moo music festival (2014) and Brook Andrew (2015).
2014: visual identity, collateral and wayfinding system for Monash Art, Design & Architecture (MADA) Open Day 2014 and MADA Now (graduate show) 2014. The wayfinding system was made up of 100+ signs within and outside the faculty buildings. The collaborative project was documented as a short film, see https://vimeo.com/105825388.
2013 & 2014: learning the ropes at a real design studio as a student intern with Andrew Ashton at Work Art Life studios and a range of clients, predominately the arts event Nite Art.
Spotlight
A Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre Panel Talk at Geelong Design Week
2022
A panel talk at Geelong Design Week 2022 exploring design concepts for 'a spatially intelligent arts centre'. Information at https://mindlab.cloud/2022/03/18/a-spatially-intelligent-arts-centre/
© Geelong Arts Centre
Treasure hunt goes digital, Geelong Advertiser
2021
Intelligent design: giving physical and virtual worlds the human touch, Deakin Disruptr
2021
By Melina Bunting, published September 1 2021, the article is available at https://disruptr.deakin.edu.au/innovation/intelligent-design-giving-physical-and-virtual-worlds-the-human-touch/
Geelong Digital Outdoor Museum Launch Livestream at Geelong Design Week
2021
Résumé
I am Dr. Domenico Mazza (b. Monza, 1991) an Australian/Italian citizen currently based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
I am a skilled visual designer of digital user interfaces, data visualisations and wayfinding systems. I thrive on challenging the visual design of digital and physical interfaces.
Experience
I have a wide range of experience as a practicing visual, interaction and web designer for tertiary education and research, design and cultural organisations.
Product Designer
Nov 2022 onward
Direction, research and development
https://mazza.studio
Research fellow
Sep 2020 – Nov 2022
Digital media design research for the built environment.
Mediated Intelligence in Design Lab (MInD Lab), Deakin University School of Architecture and Built Environment
https://mindlab.cloud
Sessional teaching associate / unit coordinator
Feb 2016 – Dec 2017
Teaching and coordination for web design unit.
Monash University, Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (MADA)
Freelance visual/interaction designer and web developer
Dec 2013 – Jun 2015
Clients including Groove in the Moo music festival, artistic publisher Negative Press and artist Brook Andrew
Interaction design intern
Dec 2014 – Feb 2015
Interaction and visualisation designer.
Arup, Melbourne, Australia
Graphic design intern
Jun 2014 – Jul 2014
Print and wayfinding graphic designer for faculty open day.
Monash University, Faculty of Art, Design & Architecture (MADA)
Research assistant
Jun 2014 – Jul 2014
Interaction and visualisation designer.
Immersive Analytics visualisation lab (IALab), Monash University, Faculty of Information Technology
Graphic design intern for Nite Art 2014
May 2014 – Jul 2014
Print and web graphic designer.
For Nite Art, under Work Art Life Studios, Melbourne, Australia
Graphic design intern
Jun 2013 – Jul 2013
Print and wayfinding graphic designer.
Work Art Life Studios, Melbourne, Australia
Education
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Computer Science
2015–2019
Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University.
https://do.meni.co/phd/exhibition
Bachelor of Design (Visual Communication)(Honours)
2011–2014
Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, Monash University.
Honours year project: https://printer.lc
Certificates IV in Design and Visual Arts and Contemporary Craft
2010
Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography
Publications
GDOM: An Immersive Experience of Intangible Heritage through Spatial Storytelling
Journal
Paper
Tuba Kocaturk, Domenico Mazza, Malcolm McKinnon, and Sofija Kaljevic.
December 2022, Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage
http://dx.doi.org/10.1145/3498329
Geelong Digital Outdoor Museum (GDOM) - Photogrammetry as the Surface for a Portable Museum
Conference
Paper
Domenico Mazza, Tuba Kocaturk and Sofija Kaljevic.
April 2022, CAADRIA 2022
https://caadria2022.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/74-1.pdf
Bridging the Virtual and Physical: from Screens to Costume
PhD
Exegesis
Domenico Mazza.
August 2019, Monash University
https://do.meni.co/phd
https://doi.org/10.26180/5d5a214fdf8aa
Reducing Cognitive Load and Supporting Memory in Visual Design for HCI
Conference
Abstract
Domenico Mazza.
May 2017, CHI 2017 Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems
https://doi.org/10.1145/3027063.3048430
Exhibitions and Performance
PhD exhibition
27–31 May 2019
SensiLab (Monash University), Melbourne, Australia https://do.meni.co/phd/exhibition
Design Translations exhibition
3–6 Dec 2018
MADA Gallery, Melbourne, Australia. Information: https://www.monash.edu/mada/events/2018/design-translations. Showing Computational Costume v2
FameLab 2018 Victoria semi-final
28 Mar 2018
Melbourne Museum. Performing Computational Costume v1
FashionTech collective exhibition
17 Feb 2018
No Vacancy Gallery QV, Melbourne, Australia during White Night 2018. Showing Computational Costume v0
CHI 2017 student research competition
8–11 May 2017
CHI 2017 conference, Denver, CO, USA. Showing and presenting Cardboard Poster
Talks
A Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre panel discussion
18 Mar 2022
At Geelong Arts Centre, Geelong Design Week 2022. Recording https://vimeo.com/689576393
At Monash Student Talk
17 Apr 2013
Invited to present as a visual communication student to prospective students.
Brighton Bay Exit Student Talk
18 Mar 2013
Invited to present as a graduate of Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography, to 2013 students.
Brighton Bay Exit Student Talk
8 Aug 2011
Invited to present as a graduate of Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography, to 2011 students.
Grants
A Spatially Intelligent Arts Centre
2022: $155,000
2021: $75,000
As researcher. From The Trustee for Geelong Performing Arts Centre Trust
Geelong Arts Industry Commissions Program
2021: $20,000
As co-lead. From City of Greater Geelong, for (In)tangible Heritage of Greater Geelong: Public City Space as Virtual Museum
Scholarships
Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship / Australian Postgraduate Award (APA) scholarship
2015–2018
Australian Government
PhD Top-up scholarship
2015–2018
Arup Melbourne
Volunteering
Panel member
Aug 2020–2024
City of Melbourne grants and sponsorship external assessment panel. Information: https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/about-council/governance-transparency/Pages/grants-and-sponsorships.aspx
Audio/visual assistant
Mar 2014
At Codex Australia artist books symposium
Awards
Perimeter Books Social Engagement Award in Visual Communication
Nov 2013
Awarded by Monash University, Art, Design & Architecture (MADA) at the 2013 MADA Now graduate exhibition http://www.artdes.monash.edu/gradshow2013/#domenico-mazza
AGDA Award
Oct 2012
Awarded in student category at AGDA Australian Design Biennale 2012 for 'Neglected' type specimen and 'Removed' poster
AGDA Award
Nov 2010
Awarded by Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography
Brighton Bay Award for Excellence
Nov 2010
Awarded by Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography for most professional student at Brighton Bay Art, Design and Photography in 2010
Chris Connell Design Recognition Award
Nov 2010
Awarded by Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography
Vocational Pathways Acquisition Award
Nov 2010
Awarded by Brighton Bay Art, Design & Photography
Recognition
FameLab 2018 Victoria semi-finalist
Mar 2018
British Council Australia. Media release: https://www.britishcouncil.org.au/sites/default/files/famelabvic_semi_finals_media_release_2018.pdf
agIdeas NewStar Award finalist
2011, 2012 & 2013
agIdeas / Design Foundation (Australia)
AGDA Australian Poster Biennale 2013
May 2013
Finalist for 'Perpetual Loss' poster addressing the theme 'A Mother's Life is Precious'