Tag: interactive design

Type as Cultural Bridge: An Interactive Fusion of Iranian and American Design

How typography and interactive media can bridge Iranian cultural heritage and contemporary American aesthetics.

Narges Sedaghat
Graduate student
East Carolina University

In an increasingly globalized and diasporic world, the negotiation of cultural identity has become a central concern in design. Scholars such as Homi Bhabha and Stuart Hall have theorized identity not as a fixed essence but as a fluid process shaped by historical and aesthetic negotiations. Visual culture, particularly typography, can play a critical role in reinterpreting heritage within new cultural frameworks. This project explores how typography and interactive media can bridge Iranian cultural heritage and contemporary American aesthetics, contributing to broader conversations around hybridity, migration, and representation.

The project unfolds in two interrelated phases. The first phase focuses on type design as a medium for cultural storytelling. A full English A-to-Z typeface was developed, inspired by ancient Persian motifs, particularly the Achaemenid lotus. This typeface merges traditional Iranian elements with modern typographic forms, reframing Iranian identity not as fixed or nostalgic, but hybrid and dynamic, aligned with Bhabha’s concept of the third space that conceptualizes identity as a process shaped by hybridity and negotiation.

The second phase of the project centers on participation and interactivity. It takes the form of a web-based experience built with p5.js, where users type their names using the custom font. This action triggers a system that algorithmically generates Iranian-inspired motifs. Users can download or print their designs as postcards, transforming the experience from passive viewing to active participation.

By creating a custom typeface, this project aims to bridge Iranian heritage and contemporary design. This typeface serves as a tool for cultural exchange, and by inviting user interaction, the project becomes a participatory platform. It illustrates how design can embody migration, hybridity, and transformation. Ultimately, this research positions visual design not only as a means of cultural preservation but as a forward-looking method for negotiating hybrid identities and fostering inclusive, multisensory storytelling.

This design research is presented at Design Incubation Colloquium 11.3: Virtual Summer on Friday, June 20, 2025.

Design + Computation + Performance + __________

An innovative software tool enabling users to create dynamic, immersive media environments.

James Grady
Assistant Professor
Boston University

Random Actor is an innovative software tool initiated by James Grady, Assistant Professor of Graphic Design, and Clay Hopper, Senior Lecturer of Directing at Boston University’s College of Fine Arts. This solution connects computation and human performance, enabling users, including theatrical designers, artists, and more, to create dynamic, immersive media environments without extensive coding expertise. By incorporating computational vision, projection mapping, MIDI control, and machine learning into a user-friendly interface, Random Actor democratizes interactive design, making it accessible to a wide range of industries from theater to corporate events and gaming therapy models.

Building on tools like Processing, OpenFrameworks, TouchDesigner, and Unity, which integrate projection mapping, interactive generative graphics, and computational vision, this new tool addresses the challenges of traditional scenic and visual design. These existing tools often require coding knowledge, which can limit accessibility for non-coders. Random Actor bridges this gap by providing an intuitive, user-friendly interface that enables designers and performers to leverage advanced techniques without needing to learn how to code, thus expanding creative expression and adaptability in real-time visual storytelling.

In staging a previous play within an immersive, fully projected-media environment, we found traditional rehearsal methods to be insufficient for achieving the desired aesthetic goals. The excessive time spent adjusting or writing code during rehearsal led to the development of a software application capable of changing the values of any given generative algorithm in real time, without requiring coding knowledge.

We hypothesize that this kind of generative interactive technology could have far-reaching implications for how we construe visual narrative, story structure, and design principles, and how they manifest in physical space as extensions of the human body, speech, sign, and music. Our goal is to develop a new design vocabulary that merges the interior psychology of the performer with the physical environment, expanding the boundaries of Aristotelian narrative structure while affirming their deep relevance to the human experience.

Random Actor aims to bridge the gap between technology, creativity, and research. It expands on a continuum where technology empowers artistic expression. Based on our recent testing during a live play and multiple workshops, our findings suggest a bright future for such tools, indicating they could be further refined and integrated into broader artistic and educational practices, potentially transforming the landscape of design and performance art.

This design research is presented at Design Incubation Colloquium 11.1: Boston University on Friday, October 25, 2024.

Advancing Design Practices: Assessing the Impact of New Technologies and Sustainable Innovation

The research offers memorable experiences that complement traditional marketing materials.

Caitlin Lu & Maidah Salman
Graduate student
Boston University

Purpose: This study investigates new approaches for displaying designs through digital visualization to enhance engagement and impact while considering the future of design. By integrating methods like projection mapping and digital signage, the research aims to offer memorable experiences that complement rather than replace traditional marketing materials.

The focus is on sustainability, adaptability, interaction, and error correction across various display sizes, including screens and projections. With the global shift toward sustainability, this study offers new strategies for designers to move beyond conventional methods and incorporate more eco-friendly practices.

Process: The research involves a workshop where participants test and compare digital design methods with traditional print media. This includes hands-on experience with projection mapping and a presentation introducing new digital marketing techniques. Following the workshop, participants will complete surveys to measure the effectiveness of different methodology.

Outcomes: Test theory by conducting a workshop where we will check the success rate of digital design as compared to tangible marketing collateral. The findings will highlight how digital visualization can enhance sustainability and audience engagement in design practices.

Significance: The study explores emerging digital techniques that advance conventional design methods, contributing to more sustainable and impactful communication strategies.

This design research is presented at Design Incubation Colloquium 11.1: Boston University on Friday, October 25, 2024.

Practicing Type in the Age of Screens

A panel discussion among design innovators about their design and use of type in today’s changing environment.

Saturday, November 9, 2019
2pm–4pm
Type Directors Club
347 W 36th St., #603
New York, NY 10018

Typeface design and the implementation of typography has never been more exciting. In many cases, type is presented on monitors, tiny and huge electronic visual displays, i.e., screens. In collaboration with the Type Directors Club, Design Incubation will moderate a panel discussion among design innovators about their design and use of type in today’s changing environment.

Moderators

Liz DeLuna
St John’s University

Dan Wong
New York City College of Technology, CUNY

Panelists

Jason Pamental
https://rwt.io/

Javier Viramontes
https://www.javierviramontes.com/
format.xyz

Nancy Campbell
https://www.mccandlissandcampbell.com

Ksenya Samarskaya
http://www.samarskaya.com/