This is the personal website covering works and projects of Raphael Faeh, an interaction designer with specialist knowledge in environmental topics in relation to creative practice. His conceptual, critical and speculative design addresses change as an opportunity not a threat. His work is highly visual and incorporates the use of digital media, interaction and electronic prototypes to create value for a resilient society.
In 2006 Raphael decided to study Postindustrial Design at the Academy of Art and Design in Basel, Switzerland after having worked for three years in the international reinsurance industry.
Dealing with the constant change of technology and society, his interest on environment topics started to grow quite soon. Together with fellow student Jonas Burki he examined the question of how natural light and shade can be utilised to display information in order to provide an expressive solution to the problem of light pollution in urban environment. The concept, with which the two had come up, was later awarded with the Prix Ars Electronica [NEXT IDEA] Art and Technology Grant and they were given the opportunity for a residency at the AE Futurelab. They’ve built a large-scale prototype which adopts natural and given light-circumstances hence emerging a revolutionary type of image composed by natural conditions and technology. Their prototype was on display at the international Ars Electronica Festival back in 2007.
Since then – besides many other smaller projects – Raphael organised the 1st Carrotmob in Switzerland and sucessfully obtained his BA Degree in 2009. He is currently working on his Master Thesis for the MA Design and Environment programme at Goldsmiths, University of London. In his design research work he focuses on design for a resilient society, that is to capture and embrace the dynamic nature of the world in order to increase our ability to absorb unforeseen disturbances.
Raphael’s work is influenced by readings of Bruce Sterling, Tony Fry, Clive Hamilton, Bronislav Szerszynski, Steward Brand, Andrew Sims, Buzz Holling, Kevin Kelly, John Michael Greer and many more.
