Nelly Ben Hayoun on designing experiences

Nelly Ben Hayoun, your astro-assistant for this presentation, designs experiences.

Interaction designer Nelly Ben Hayoun engages the physics of the impossible to create out-of-body experiences in her captivating Design Indaba Conference 2011 Pecha Kucha-style talk.

The most important things to the 2009 Royal College of Art graduate are the setup, the character and the interaction, as well as the dynamic that happens around her spaces. She is excited by “design to tell a story, design to make us access our dreams, our fantasies, and design to trade debate.”

We can improvise with design. It is a sort of commedia dell'arte, Ben Hayoun believes

Ben Hayoun talks about her experimental work with scientists, such as an invention to bring "big science" into the home. It combines a microwave gun, two pigeons' eggs and salt water to create dark energy.

"Design must be engaged, says Ben Hayoun. "What's the point of putting another chair out there if there is no concept behind it or any political engagement?"

This is a question she deals with throughout her work.