Tell Me About Your Office and I'll Tell You What You're Like
The job we do almost never fully describes who we are, what passions we have and what we like in life. This is true for everyone, including Bocconi faculty members. That's why, with photographer Paolo Tonato, viaSarfatti25 went into the offices of professors, in the modern building at Via Roentgen 1, asking them to tell us who they are, beyond what they teach or study. And since it's often what we have around us (or don't have) that speaks for us, a focus was placed on the objects in their workspaces that end up describing the people occupying and living in the space. Lots of pictures were taken and lots of stories were told that, starting today, will be included in three photo galleries on the Bocconi University Facebook page.
One faculty member has a poster from a piano concert because, before teaching philosophy of law, he almost became a professional pianist, while another has a small wooden aquarium because he is a scuba enthusiast. Another has a model of the famous Volkswagen Westfalia Camper because it reminds him of the three – real – vans he owns. Yet another is a fan of contemporary art who would like to decorate her entire office, another has a trophy that looks like the Champions League trophy given to him by colleagues and another purchased a commemorative medal of Lenin and Stalin on a bet in Armenia. Lots of great little stories can be told in the glass offices on Roentgen.
"What a person does with their own space also says something about how they identify with the institution," says Beatrice Bauer, a faculty member who teaches Organization and Human Resources at SDA Bocconi. "Similar to what is done with a home office, which is organized in the owner's image and likeness, an office becomes a space that speaks for itself." For some, surrounding themselves with memories, whether they are their children's drawings or souvenirs from trips or experiences, "can be a useful way to ease tension at work." And not only that: "More creative people," continues Bauer, "often want to create an environment that doesn't conform to strict rules." So some bring an armchair, lamps and plants to create a more welcoming environment, and some love a space full of objects that evoke different experiences. But others do the opposite, keeping the space functional and without frills. "In this case, a desire for control and order emerges. But this too can facilitate work because it ensures time is not wasted, distracting us with unnecessary things," adds Bauer. After all, everyone is different, and everyone finds a different way of concentrating.
Opening the doors of professors' offices means coming into contact with many different personalities and a microcosm of tastes, hopes and passions. You may discover that there's a Pink Floyd aficionado in the Department of Finance, or an economist who is a big fan of Bruce Springsteen, or that a professor keeps a reproduction of her room in New York in her office, a gift from a former roommate.