Gabriella Annetta: breathing life into everyday objects

Making objects come alive 

One example? A generic can of cola named Louis whose lifelong dream is to be consumed by a human.

“I used quotes and type a lot throughout the packaging, so for him I had really big text that said, ‘I want to serve my purpose’,” Gabriella says.

“I used something called thermochromic ink, which appears or disappears depending on the temperature. So when the can is full in the fridge, it’s quite colourful and different messages are visible.

“However, when the can becomes warm – aka when a consumer finally drinks it – the design becomes very stark and simple, black and white, and the type changes to show Louis’s process of being able to fulfil what he’s wanted to do all his life.”

It might be unconventional, but the work was more than just a gimmick – Gabriella says the goal was to inspire people to interact with their surroundings in ways that we might otherwise forget to do.

“We live in such an egocentric and technology-based modern day, so being able to engage with our surroundings in a way that we unknowingly neglect was really interesting to me,” she says.

Real-world experience

Gabriella presented her project at the Design Honours showcase. Industry professionals (including Buck, Mighty Nice and Houston Group), family, and friends came to see the projects.

While the Design Honours showcase was a highlight, it was far from Gabriella’s first interaction with the world of design – the Bachelor of Design in Visual Communication offers extensive interaction with industry, including live briefs, internships and other practice-based learning opportunities.

Among these is a third-year subject called Socially Responsive Design. As well completing a compulsory internship, students are called on to deliver design solutions in response to a real-world client brief.

Gabriella was part of a group paired with Naiteev, a social enterprise that repurposes automotive plastic waste into golf tees and coasters. She and her team were asked to create a series of coaster designs, as well as new packaging for the products.

The experience helped build Gabriella’s confidence as a designer, as well as her experience working on industry briefs.

“When it comes to project briefs at uni, you can kind of bend them a bit to suit what you really want to do,” she says. “This was a good chance to put aside any personal bias and really make sure you're meeting the requirements of your client.

Finding her path

The year-long Design Honours program helped Gabriella find her niche as a designer. “I felt like that really allowed you to experiment and decide what type of design you really enjoy,” she says.

She’s now leaving UTS with an internship under her belt, a professional portfolio and the confidence of leading a unique Honours project.