Romy joined WoSP earlier this year (2022) and is now a valued member of the Toy Makers – making miniature furniture for the doll’s houses. This takes patience and a keen eye / steady hand. Plus, Romy is one mean cook as we all found out recently when she prepared a pasta lunch for the Toy Makers. Romy comes to WoSP with significant woodworking skills covering many of the machines in our workshop.

 Romy lives with her husband in Sorento – close to the border with Blairgowrie. Theirs is a very interesting house clad in shingles – something you don’t see every day. The house sits atop a ridge with a great view from the balcony east to south-east along the peninsula. The neighbour’s house to the east sits very much lower than Romy’s but they are planning to replace the existing traditional one-story house with a multi-story dwelling that will block the view from Romy’s. This now becomes a challenge for Romy to prevent the multi-story development. In the meantime, Romy has had an external workshop built and is busy renovating the interior. Good work Romy.

 Romy grew up with fabrics and designs – grandfather had a fabric factory – mother designed clothes and had a shop. Working intermittingly both in Australia and overseas has been a “double edge sword”. On one side Romy developed a wide range of experience with renowned Projects and award-winning Architectural companies, on the other side, moving from country to country has hindered her from getting registered as an architect in Australia. To simplify the administrative paperwork Romy will likely register as a draftsperson, to be able to establish her own architectural and interior design company in Sorrento in the near future. She has a passion for materials and house interiors – likes working at the detail level.

 Romy was born in northern Italy – in The Dolomites Region in the town of Bressanone; close to the border with Austria and some 250 Kms north-west of Venice – and above the snow line. Her father was Italian – her mother grew up in Italy speaking German. After WW1, the area where they lived changed from Austrian to Italian hence the mix of cultures and languages. Romy is proficient in both Italian and German languages – as well as English of course. Romy moved to Milan at 19 years old; to the university to study architecture and graduating 6 years later.

 One year later (2006), Romy first arrived in Australia with her future husband – and working under the holiday visa agreement. Arriving in Perth in December, jobs were hard to find – Romy became a waiter and her future husband (a qualified IT Network Engineer) as a kitchen hand. Within three months, Romy found a job with Craig Steere Architects – a great experience. However, the Visa required no more than 6 months working with any one employer. Romy and Mat (Mattia) had saved enough money to spend the rest of the 4.5 months exploring the Australian Continent, travelling clockwise from Perth to Melbourne. An aim of this trip was also to reconnoitre somewhere to live permanently to the future – Sydney or Melbourne – Melbourne won hands down. Then back to Italy to organise Visas. Within 6 months, her husband was back in Australia – Romy came 3 months later. Things were tough for Romy as the timing of her arrival coincided with the outbreak of the Global Financial Crisis (GFC), and the job market dried up. Nevertheless, after working for free (to show good will) Romy landed a job that allowed the couple to stay in Melbourne and keep them financially afloat. Four years later, they were in the process of applying for permanent residency when the effects of Global Financial Crisis hit both their jobs as the funds that allowed them to work had dried up and they both lost their jobs on the same day – husband working as a researcher at Swinburne University and Romy for Daryl Jackson Architecture and now (three months before their wedding) was given just one week to leave Australia.

 So back to Europe ending up working in Switzerland, their Permanent Residency came through. Some 4.5 years later, they are back in Melbourne. After a further three years in Richmond, they moved to their home on the Peninsula. Romy’s husband is now working in cyber security from home – say no more.

 Romy landed a job as project lead with Ab Rodgers Design, representing the client’s side (Scape) by coordinating the design for student accommodation in the eastern states in collaboration with the Architects of Hassell and DCM, as well as doing the interior design work for the projects as well. Guess I leaned a lot from Romy’s discussion of what students in Melbourne want in this day and age (I’d recommend a chat with Romy on this subject). Another project was the Eastern Plaza at the Melbourne Tennis Centre which contains Romy’s influences.

 Bressanone was a 20-minute bus ride from ski resorts so skiing was a regular activity. Romy has had varying other interests in sports – swimming, tennis (Australian Open), Formula One, ski racing, Aussie Rules (Freo Dockers), etc.

 So, if you need interior design work done, Romy is ready to help. The following is a selection of some of Romy’s work.