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Design Beyond Aesthetics
A journal exploring electronic music, sound, and visual culture through a design perspective—connecting technology, rhythm, and contemporary creative practice. This platform focuses on the structures behind electronic music: from techno and house to sound design, production, and cultural movements. It examines how music is shaped by machines, systems, and environments—bridging design thinking with sonic experimentation.
While rooted in design, the focus shifts toward electronic music as a cultural and technological language, analyzing genres, artists, tools, and the spaces where sound becomes experience. Published on otaviosantiago.com, this is an independent perspective on how music, design, and technology intersect—moving beyond aesthetics into structure, systems, and culture.
Graphic, Web & Motion Designer
Bianca Censori’s Bio Pop: Performance Furniture, Power, and the Architecture of Bodily Constraint
Bianca Censori Bio Pop Performance Furniture as Social Architecture Bianca Censori’s Bio Pop performance furniture marks a provocative intersection between design, architecture, and performance art. Presented in Seoul, the work transforms tables, chairs, and chandeliers into apparatuses that physically restrain women’s bodies, reframing furniture not as passive objects, but as active agents of power. Rather than functioning as utilitarian supports, the furniture operates as a
3 days ago
Recycled Food Waste Robotics: EPFL’s ‘Claw’ Machines Made from Crustacean Shells
When Food Waste Becomes Functional Technology At EPFL’s CREATE Lab, scientists are redefining the boundaries between waste, biology, and robotics. In a recent study, researchers developed robotic claw machines made from recycled food waste , using crustacean shells—specifically langoustine tails—as structural components for functional robotic systems. The project challenges the dominance of metal, plastic, and synthetic composites by asking a radical question: can biological
Mar 11
Bee-Sized Robot Design: How MIT Is Rethinking Flight, Intelligence, and Scale
The development of a flying robot small enough to rival a bumblebee marks a significant moment in bee-sized robot design , where engineering, artificial intelligence, and biomimicry converge. Created by researchers at MIT, the four-centimetre robot weighs less than one gram yet demonstrates agility, speed, and control comparable to its biological counterpart. Designed to operate in environments inaccessible or dangerous to humans, the robot is envisioned as a future tool f
Feb 17
Design and Architecture: Spatial Thinking, Structure, and Visual Systems
Design and architecture share a common foundation: both shape how people experience space, movement, and structure . While architecture defines physical environments, design translates those environments into visual systems that guide perception, orientation, and meaning. Together, design and architecture construct the frameworks through which space becomes readable, functional, and culturally significant . Architecture establishes form, scale, proportion, and material pre
Feb 13
Design and Music: Ritual, Power, and Electronic Sound Culture
The relationship between design and music becomes especially evident within electronic music culture . Sound is not only heard — it is released, packaged, staged, and ritualized . From LP covers and record labels to techno clubs and underground parties, design frames how electronic music is perceived, collected, and experienced. Every visual choice — typography, material, space, light — influences how sound becomes culture. Design and Music as Ritual Systems in Electronic C
Feb 7
Design in Conflict: Lebanese Students Reimagine Design for Life Under War
Design in Conflict is an exhibition that brings together architecture and design students from Lebanon to confront the realities of living under continuous instability. Hosted inside Beirut’s abandoned Burj El Murr skyscraper, the show presents speculative yet deeply practical projects addressing life shaped by war, interruption, and resilience. Organised by Archifeed alongside product designer Youssef Bassil and design engineer Tark Mahmoud, the exhibition positions design
Jan 28
Nusantara Capital City Design: How Indonesia Reframed Its New Political Capital
Nusantara Capital City Design as a Political and Urban Strategy The Nusantara capital city design represents one of the most ambitious urban planning projects in contemporary Southeast Asia. Originally conceived as a full replacement for Jakarta, Nusantara has since been redefined as Indonesia’s political capital — a shift that reshapes not only its function, but its architectural and urban meaning. Masterplanned by Indonesian studio Urban+, the Nusantara capital city desig
Jan 20
Understanding the Allure of Minimalist Techno Aesthetics
Minimalist techno aesthetics have carved out a unique space in the world of electronic music and design. Their subtle power lies in the art of less - a deliberate choice to strip away excess and focus on the essence. But what exactly draws us to this refined style? Why does it resonate so deeply with creative minds and brands alike? As someone who has explored the intersection of sound and visual storytelling, I find the allure of minimalist techno both fascinating and instr
Jan 18
Remembering the Ford Nucleon Atomic Car — The Futuristic Nuclear-Powered Vehicle That Never Reached Production
The Ford Nucleon Atomic Car: A 1958 Vision of Nuclear-Powered Mobility The Ford Nucleon atomic car remains one of the most ambitious—and controversial—concept vehicles ever developed. Revealed to the public in 1958 , the Nucleon envisioned a future where cars would run on nuclear reactors instead of gasoline . Conceived inside Ford’s Advanced Styling Studio , the project explored automotive futures 10 to 20 years ahead of its time. Under the leadership of industrial designe
Jan 15
Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners: Steel Wings Transform Abu Dhabi’s Cultural Skyline
The Zayed National Museum by Foster + Partners officially opens to the public in Abu Dhabi, marking a defining moment for the Saadiyat Cultural District. This long-awaited institution merges architecture, environmental engineering, and cultural storytelling, forming a landmark whose five aerodynamic steel wings rise dramatically above the desert landscape. More than a museum, it stands as a reflection of Sheikh Zayed’s legacy and a new pinnacle of sustainable design in the U
Jan 12
Nike Wearable Design: Project Amplify and the Rise of Motor-Assisted Movement
Nike’s Project Amplify signals a new chapter in Nike wearable design , where footwear evolves into a hybrid system that extends the body itself. Rather than focusing on elite performance gains, the motor-assisted anklet reframes athletic design around accessibility, endurance, and everyday movement. Developed in collaboration with robotics company Dephy, Project Amplify is conceived as a wearable “second set of calf muscles.” The device adheres to the lower leg, integrating a
Jan 11
Pilar Zeta Unveils The Observer Effect: Iridescent Postmodern Portals on Miami Beach
On the shoreline of Miami Beach, directly in front of The Shelborne By Proper , artist and designer Pilar Zeta debuts The Observer Effect — a sculptural installation that transforms the sand into a luminous corridor of portals. Opening during Miami Art Week 2025 , the work merges postmodern geometry with iridescent materiality, inviting visitors to explore how perception shifts with movement, angle, and light. Unfolding as a sequence of eight metallic arches, The Observer
Jan 9
US Government Typography: Why Calibri Was Dropped in Favor of Times New Roman
The recent decision by the US State Department to abandon Calibri and reinstate Times New Roman has reignited a long-standing debate about US government typography and the role design plays in institutional identity. Officially framed as a return to tradition, the shift reveals how typographic choices extend far beyond legibility, entering the realm of symbolism, politics, and cultural signaling. US Government Typography as Political and Cultural Design Language Calibri, a s
Jan 8
Berlin Electronic Music Events: A Guide to the City's Vibrant Soundscape
When I first stepped into Berlin’s pulsating nightlife, I was immediately captivated by the energy that electronic music brings to this city. It’s not just about the beats; it’s about the culture, the people, and the stories woven into every event. Have you ever wondered what makes Berlin a global hub for electronic music? Let’s dive into the heart of Berlin’s electronic music scene and explore how you can experience it firsthand. Discovering Berlin Music Events: Where to Be
Jan 2
Concrete, Water, Light: The Barbican Architecture Through David Altrath’s Atmospheric Lens
Concrete Towers, Water Gardens, and Elevated Paths: The Barbican Through David Altrath’s Lens Photographer David Altrath moves through the Barbican Centre much like a filmmaker—studying how light grazes concrete, how pathways direct the body, and how water softens an otherwise monumental scale. Shot on Kodak Vision3 film, his series reveals the Barbican not as a fixed architectural object, but as a living system of atmospheres, rhythms, and human traces. Completed in 1982 by
Jan 1
New Year’s Eve and Design: Why Transitions Shape Creative Culture
Why New Year’s Eve Matters Beyond Celebration New Year’s Eve is more than a countdown or a party ritual. From a design perspective, it represents a threshold moment — a symbolic pause between what was and what comes next. These moments of transition are powerful because they force reflection, intention, and recalibration. Design, at its core, operates in the same space. Every project begins by closing one chapter and opening another. NYE externalizes this process, turning it
Dec 31, 2025
DeTour 2025 Transforms Hong Kong’s PMQ With Installations That Reveal the Hidden Meaning of Everyday Objects
deTour 2025 Hong Kong , titled The Shape of Yearning , arrives from 28 November to 7 December 2025 , turning PMQ into a ten-day creative laboratory of exhibitions, installations, workshops, tours, and performances. Curated by designer Adonian Chan and organized by PMQ , with sponsorship from the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) , this edition invites visitors to reflect on desire, interpretation, and the emotional charge embedded in everyday object
Dec 26, 2025
Doarchiwow Redefines Prefabricated Architecture with the Forest Nests Treepod Project in China
Doarchiwow Redefines Prefabricated Architecture with the Forest Nests Treepod Project in China Doarchiwow’s Forest Nests Treepod Project introduces a new vision for modular ecological living — a design concept that functions simultaneously as a boutique resort prototype and a model for low-impact, near-zero-carbon construction. Developed for diverse sites across China, including Rizhao and Wuhan, the series transforms the idea of a treehouse into a vertical, nature-embedded
Dec 18, 2025
Tomislav Topić Suspends a Floating Chromatic Field of 451 Mesh Sheets Inside a French Chapel
A Sacred Space Reimagined Through Color and Suspension Artist Tomislav Topić brings a mesmerizing transformation to a historic French chapel by installing a floating chromatic field composed of 451 translucent mesh sheets . Each sheet hangs delicately in space, forming a weightless, layered volume that shifts constantly as light filters through the chapel’s interior. The result is a suspended color field that hovers like a soft cloud — part sculpture, part atmosphere, part
Dec 17, 2025
KAWS Unveils 32-Meter Companion Lifting a Glowing Moon on Abu Dhabi’s Waterfront
KAWS Lights Up Abu Dhabi with a Monumental Moonlit Companion A new chapter in the global KAWS: HOLIDAY series has arrived, and this time the artist’s iconic Companion stretches 32 meters across the waterfront of Mina Zayed. Instead of floating or standing, the figure reclines gently at the edge of the promenade, holding a glowing moon to its chest. The installation, created with long-time collaborator. All Rights Reserved, forms the centerpiece of Manar Abu Dhabi 2025 , a cit
Dec 14, 2025
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