About / CV

Chi ha ucciso Il Conte? ("who killed the Count?")

“Chi Ha Ucciso il Conte?” is a pseudonym for the Parma (Italy) based designer Nicolò Merendino. It is not a random fact that “Chi Ha Ucciso Il Conte?” is a question and not a statement. My approach to design starts from the idea that design is a process that requires people to ask to themselves many questions.

My Work

“Chi Ha Ucciso il Conte?” is specialized in developing the Design of electronic music instruments and components for media art installations. His work consists in understanding the artist's needs and translating them into a usable and expressive shapes. Nick is skilled in using Digital Fabrication techniques, and of course in applying finishes manually to the machine's output, starting from an internship at STEIM in the Netherlands he already collaborated with the development of several electronic music instruments and sound installations all over Europe.

Activities

The Design of elecrtonic music instruments is my passion and my main field of work, but not the only one. In parallel with my main activity I also give workshops, and I worked at the Waag Society as Fablab manager and Digital fabrication researcher. I'm currently working also as a design researcher at CSC Padua

Lab

I have my digital fabrication lab, which is where I spend almost all my time... The lab is equipped with a 3D printer, two CNC milling machines, woodworking tools and a basic electronic soldering station. With this equipment I can cover every step of the fabrication of an electronic device, from milling a prototype of the PCB to the fabrication of the actual device, using almost every material available from wood to soft metal.

I know how to use the all most common CAD softwares, but I decided to use exclusively open source softwares to develop my projects. Everything you see on this website is made with tools developed by creative communities.

CV

This is my Curriculum Vitae; here you find informations about my work experience, education and other aspects of my professional life

Work Experience

Product / Interaction Design research fellow
sept 2020 - current - Padua (IT)
@ CSC Padova / Università di Padova

Freelance Product / Interaction Designer
jan 2018 - Current - Venice (IT)

Designer / Digital Fabrication Researcher
jan 2018 - jan 2019 - Venice (IT)
@ Batjo Project.

Freelance Product / Interaction Designer
may 2013 - dec 2017 - Amsterdam (NL)
Selection of clients:
- Alex Nowitz (DE)
- iii (NL)
- Kristina Andersen (NL)
- Gabey Tijon (NL)
- Kacper Ziemiamin (PL)
- Mark Ijzerman (NL)
- Metabody Project (EU)
- STEIM (NL)
- Constant vzw (BE)
- Marije Baalman (NL)
- Familiar (ES)
- Solomiya Moroz (UA)
- Jonathan Reus (US)
- Andi Otto (DE)

Designer / Digital Fabrication Researcher / Fablab Manager
feb 2016 - jul 2017 - Amsterdam (NL)
@ Waag Society / Fablab Amsterdam

Founder / Project Leader / Instructor
jan 2016 - jul 2017 - Amsterdam (NL)
@ A square dreams A sphere project

Product / Interaction Design (Internship)
sept 2013 - dec 2013 - Amsterdam (NL)
@ STEIM

Product / Interaction Design (Internship)
aug 2012 - dec 2012 - Rome (IT)
@ ISIDE Research Center + Laboratorio Marotto

Tutor (Internship)
aug 2012 - dec 2012 - Rome (IT)
@ Gustolab

Skills

Manual Skills
- sketching and drawing
- phisical prototyping skills

Software Skills (Specialized in open-source Design software)

- 3D Modeling
- FreeCAD
- Blender
- Rhinoceros (+ t-spline plugin)
- Solidworks

- 2D CAD and graphics
- Inkscape
- Gimp
- KiCAD (PCB Design)
- Libre CAD
- Adobe CS (Illustrator/photoshop)
- AutoCAD

- Digital Rendering
- Blender (Cycles)
- V-ray
- Keyshot)

- Digital Fabrication
- 3D printing
- 3 axis CNC Milling
- laser cutting
- vinyl cutting

Education

Fab Academy program diploma
Oct 2020 - Fab Foundation / Crunchlab Venice ( program blog here)

Master's degree in Systems Design (PSSD)
jul 2013 - ISIA Roma Design (110 w Honors/110 evaluation)

Bachelor degree in Industrial Design
may 2010 - ISIA Roma Design (110/110 evaluation)

Awards and grants

2019 - EU Worth Partnership Fund
// project "Persona"

2018 - Cultura Venezia - Venice street art fund
// project "Noiseboard"

2017 - Google DNI Fund
// project "Batjo"

2015 - Dutch Creative Industries Fund
// project "A square dreams A sphere"

2012 - 4° AIPI Contest “Design my third-age house”
// 2nd prize with project "Differently Young"

2010 - Samsung Young Design Award
// 2nd prize with project "Horde"