Author: Dr .Valérie Mace
I’m a Senior Lecturer at University of the Arts London, London College of Communication, where I’ve had the privilege of teaching across a range of disciplines, from interior and spatial design to experiential, interaction, and User Experience design.
My research explores dynamic relations and embodied interactions between the sensing body and environmental conditions. I’m interested in how constructed and natural sensory settings can foster meaningful interactions and connections to sustain life, diversity, belonging, wellbeing. I call this approach Sensory Ecologies and this site brings together a portfolio of studies developed over the past few years. It includes work from my PhD, which investigated how sensory practices can help visitors form emotional connections to place in public interiors.
As an educator, I’m a strong advocate for integrating research into teaching. Some of the activities featured on this site are joint explorations with students, tackling real-world challenges together. I also contribute to local and international collaborations on design and place. I’ve had the opportunity to participate in conferences, to contribute to academic journals, and work with external partners. Projects include a partnership with the Malta National Art Museum, and a study in Milan with Politecnico di Milano and Piazza Grace, a day centre supporting people living with dementia. I am a member of the Space and Place Research Hub and the Experimental Pedagogies Research Group at London College of Communication, and I contribute to the Design for Placemaking Working Group at the Cumulus Association.
My work at University of the Arts London
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