explores the rich relationship between our senses and the environments we inhabit. It looks at how our bodies experience the world — physically, emotionally, and socially — and how those experiences shape our sense of connection, wellbeing, and belonging.
At the heart of this approach is the idea that design isn’t just about making things — it's about shaping how we live and feel. Inspired by Anne-Marie Willis (2006) and Arturo Escobar’s (2018) discussions of “ontological designing,” Sensory Ecologies recognises that whenever we design a space, a product, a system, or even a story, we’re also designing ways of being in the world.
The projects shared here are driven by some key questions:
- How can we design environments that support life, diversity, and emotional connections?
- How can we invite both stimulation and comfort — sparking the imagination and encouraging discovery while offering a sense of peace and familiarity?
- How can we craft spaces that feel alive, engaging, and uplifting?
These questions emerged from a realisation: there are too few design methods that truly focus on creating multisensory environments where people can thrive emotionally. This gap led me to research how space — when designed with the sensing body in mind — can foster deep emotional ties and enhance wellbeing.
I became particularly interested in how physical and social phenomena intersect. On one hand, there are spatio-sensory phenomena created by design — light, smell, texture, composition, etc. On the other, there are socio-sensory phenomena — the way people move, the sounds they make, the way they interact with each other within a space. Both matter, and together they shape how we feel and relate to our surroundings.
As I shifted my focus on experiential and sensory practices, I began to see design not just as a tool for solving problems, but as a way of building the world we want to live in. A world where people feel grounded, inspired, connected — to their environment, man-made or natural, and to each other.
My goal is to encourage sensory and emotional engagements as a foundation for designing environments that support richer, more rewarding ways of living. That means creating spaces that are not only functional, but also inclusive, welcoming, joyful, and full of possibility. Places that make everyday life feel a little more connected — and a lot more human.
Reference
Willis, A-M (2006) ‘Ontological Designing’, Design Philosophy Papers, 4.
Escobar, A. (2018) Designs for the Pluriverse. Radical Independence, Autonomy, and the Making of Worlds. Durham and London: Duke University Press.