DesignHER is a platform that celebrates the vision, craftsmanship, and innovation of women in design. By curating stories from leading female designers, artisans, and creatives, our latest series, in collaboration with Women Create, offers an intimate look at the diverse paths these women take to shape their industries and their own businesses. Through thoughtful interviews and features, the platform illuminates the artistry and technical mastery that define their work, while exploring the deeper narratives of creativity, resilience, and leadership. DesignHER honors the unique perspectives of women, fostering a community where design excellence and empowerment intersect to inspire the next generation of trailblazers.
“Hunting Pollution” features a smog-eating heron, turning urban art into a bold symbol of clean air and climate action.
aspire design and home: Can you share an example of a project where your perspective as a woman played a significant role in the outcome?
Veronica De Angelis: When curating Botanical Pulse in New York, I drew on my experience with Yourban2030 in Rome, where we approach public art with a strong curatorial lens — balancing environmental impact with emotional resonance. I wanted the mural to feel like an invitation, not a statement, something that could speak softly but powerfully to the community. That’s why we chose Fabio Petani. His work, rooted in nature and chemistry, brings a layered sensitivity that matched our vision: poetic, scientific and quietly transformative.
adh: What advice would you give to other women looking to enter the field of high-end artisanal crafts?
VDA: Don’t wait to be invited – build your own table. Be bold in your vision, but grounded in your values. Collaborate, but don’t dilute yourself. It’s okay to care deeply and lead with sensitivity — those are strengths.
adh: What role do you think community and collaboration play in your creative process?
VDA: They are everything. Public art doesn’t exist in a vacuum. It’s born through listening, partnerships, permissions and shared excitement. I often say that walls are just the starting — it’s the process of working with artists, institutions and citizens that brings the real magic.
“Botanical Pulse” bursts with lush greenery and life‑affirming energy, using pollution‑fighting paint to turn a city wall into a vibrant call for us to step up as thoughtful guardians of our shared environment.
adh: Are there any particular themes or messages you aim to convey through your art?
VDA: Absolutely. My work with Yourban2030 is rooted in the belief that beauty can be a tool for change. We use public art not just to inspire, but to act — merging aesthetics with science through innovations like Arilite, a paint that literally purifies the air. Every mural is a visual message and a functional gesture toward the UN’s 2030 Agenda. Our goal is to make sustainability visible, emotional and accessible — transforming walls into symbols of a cleaner, more conscious future.
adh: How do you see technology influencing the future of artisanal crafts?
VDA: At Yourban2030, we always work with Arilite. With Botanical Pulse, we took things further by combining this sustainable material through innovation. We partnered with Ecosapiens to release a collectible digital art piece, with proceeds supporting The Hort. On-site, a QR code leads to Bloomstorm — an original soundscape by Akawalk created to echo the rhythm and energy of the mural. It’s a new kind of craft: tactical, technological, and deeply rooted in the values of regeneration.
“Walking into the Future” blends vibrant shapes and hopeful icons to quietly uplift, reminding us that clean air, education and sustainable mobility pave the path for tomorrow’s generation.
adh: What role does storytelling play in your art, and how do you weave your personal narrative into your pieces?
VDA: Storytelling is everything to me. I didn’t come from a traditional art background — I came from real estate — but I’ve always seen space as a way to tell stories. Founding Yourban2030 was my way of merging that with something bigger: climate action, community, emotion. Every mural we create carries part of my journey — the desire to give back, to make cities breathe better, to turn something as hard as a wall into something alive and hopeful. In many ways, it’s my own way of rewriting what a city — and a career — can be.
adh: How do you ensure sustainability and ethical practices in your craft?
VDA: For me, it’s not a checklist — it’s the foundation. At Yourban2030, sustainability and ethics are not just part of the process, they’re why we exist. We advocate for these values every day, and they’re rooted in everything we do — from the use of Airlite, a smog-eating paint, to choosing partners, artists, and collaborators who share our commitment to environmental and social impact. Every project is an opportunity to act responsibly — and to show that beauty, ethics, and innovation can and must coexist.
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