Physical Architecture Meets Interaction Design
Physical architecture is about how environments interact with people. Interaction design is about the mind moving through abstract spaces. Somehow the two must intersect.
This session is aimed at taking two design disciplines (physical architecture and interaction design) and finding where they relate, and how they can learn from one another. Interaction design has taken a lot from the field of architecture's creative and scientific process. For example, wireframes are very similar to blueprints (construction documents). These similarities are ever present between the two. Truly, both fields blend art and science, as well as both sides of the mind. Expect to come away with a high-level understanding of how phenomenology influences our interactions, tangible and intangible, and how cognitive science can be used to manipulate perception. This talk will be a lot of fun, so come down with an open mind and a lot of questions!
Presenters
Leonard Souza loves instigating epic battles between the left and right hemispheres of his brain. Upon studying both Computer Science and Fine Art, he has worked hard at mashing the two disciplines into fun and exciting solutions to complicated problems. Today, he happily works for UniversalMind/SpatialKey as a Senior Experience Engineer, where he is given many opportunities to play with art and technology. Over the years, Leonard has been fortunate enough to work with several outstanding companies such as Panasonic, DirectTV, Intel, MGM, FedEX and Boeing, as well as many startups. Leonard lives in Las Vegas, Nevada with his wife and two young boys.
Sean Coulter has been fascinated with the power the built environment has on people most of his life. As a result, Sean made an early decision to be an architect. He attended Louisiana Tech University where he received a Bachelor of Architecture degree in 1991. Soon after graduating from college, Sean began his practice in Las Vegas starting his architectural internship at Welles Pugsley Architects. Ultimately in 2006, Sean became a partner with the firm and the name of the firm was changed in 2008 to Pugsley. Simpson. Coulter. Architects.
As Principal and Director of Design for Pugsley.Simpson.Coulter. Architects, Sean has been instrumental in the feasibility study and design of projects for various public and private entities including the City of Fresno, City of Las Vegas, Nye County, and Clark County. Sean’s experience with these projects has also proven to be an asset on other projects completed by the firm for the Clark County School District and the University of Nevada Las Vegas. He is currently the Principal in Charge for Clark County Development Services Expansion and Renovation, a building he originally designed years before. Not only was the original building deemed as one of the most energy efficient buildings in Clark County, but the new addition will be a LEED Gold facility.
In 2011 he served as President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Nevada Chapter where he has been instumental in steering the architectural community to create an inspirational built environment. For the past 15 years, he has been an Adjunct Professor and Juror for the School of Architecture at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Here, he has focused his students on creating architectural designs that dramatically respond to the human condition via a phenomenological approach to the creation of ‘place’. In his spare time, Sean is an avid cyclist and has been known to participate in several 100 mile races during the year where he likes to break his clavicle...sometimes.
Saturday, March 10
