2019 IA Conference
Immersive technologies like augmented, virtual, and mixed reality are creating new intersections between the physical and digital worlds, and as digital experience designers and architects it is essential that we start to think beyond the screen. In this session we’ll explore lessons learned by studying immersive design at Fallingwater, Frank Lloyd Wright’s masterpiece residence built on a waterfall. Wright coined the term “organic architecture” to describe a philosophy in which the environment and physical structures become a combined, unified experience. Topics covered will include how all of seven of our senses are engaged by our environments (including two senses we generally don’t consider in traditional UX design), learning to see the world and sketch like an architect, and techniques for low-fidelity physical prototyping that can substantially accelerate our production workflows. Whatever our role in crafting digital content, we have the opportunity to pioneer this new frontier, and learning fundamental concepts and techniques of architecture will help us design for physical and virtual environments that in turn become impactful and memorable experiences.
Jordan Higgins is a human-centered engineer lead at MITRE. Jordan specializes in spatial computing and augmented, virtual, and mixed reality experiences, with an emphasis on ensuring accessibility and fostering collaboration with emerging technologies. Active in the UX and immersive communities, he serves as President of UXPA DC and an organizer of DCUX, and teaches design as an adjunct at the George Mason University School of Art.