Experiential design is a powerful tool for creating immersive environments that deeply engage audiences. My Master of Fine Arts thesis, Remote Existence, explored how experiential design can be used to inform, enlighten, and create meaningful interactions.

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This project centered around a planned immersive environment within the Ugludax Lodge in Nikolski, Alaska, a remote village in the Aleutians. Designed to educate and engage visitors, the space incorporated historical and cultural storytelling through visual displays, interactive installations, and sensorial design elements.

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As an extension of this concept, a gallery exhibition at the Tweed Museum of Art (University of Minnesota Duluth, 2009) brought this remote experience to a wider audience. Through photographs, printed materials, physical installations, and digital projections, the exhibit transported visitors into the culture of remote Alaska, demonstrating how design can foster a profound sense of place and connection.

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Note: When this thesis was written, the term experience design encompassed what is now termed experiential design.