An explorer of technological interstices: Tribute to Nicolas Nova (1977–2024)
Masure, Anthony
An explorer of technological interstices: Tribute to Nicolas Nova (1977–2024) - 2025.
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This article pays tribute to Nicolas Nova (1977–2024), a professor at Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD), who passed away during a trek in the Sultanate of Oman. A pioneer of interdisciplinary studies combining design, the social sciences, and technology, this unclassifiable researcher explored the imaginaries, interstices, and paradoxes of digital objects, examining the tensions between industrial standardization and situated reappropriations. Co-founder of the Near Future Laboratory, he revitalized technological narratives through the practice of “design fiction.” An inspiring teacher, he instilled in his students an ethnographic perspective, transforming everyday observations into a catalyst for creativity. The meticulous attention he gave to the form of his publications reflected his belief in bridging the gap between academic research, design practices, and civil society. With over twenty books to his name, Nicolas Nova leaves behind a shape-shifting body of work. His absence leaves technological criticism without a vital voice—clear-sighted, inquisitive, and poetic.
An explorer of technological interstices: Tribute to Nicolas Nova (1977–2024) - 2025.
28
This article pays tribute to Nicolas Nova (1977–2024), a professor at Geneva University of Art and Design (HEAD), who passed away during a trek in the Sultanate of Oman. A pioneer of interdisciplinary studies combining design, the social sciences, and technology, this unclassifiable researcher explored the imaginaries, interstices, and paradoxes of digital objects, examining the tensions between industrial standardization and situated reappropriations. Co-founder of the Near Future Laboratory, he revitalized technological narratives through the practice of “design fiction.” An inspiring teacher, he instilled in his students an ethnographic perspective, transforming everyday observations into a catalyst for creativity. The meticulous attention he gave to the form of his publications reflected his belief in bridging the gap between academic research, design practices, and civil society. With over twenty books to his name, Nicolas Nova leaves behind a shape-shifting body of work. His absence leaves technological criticism without a vital voice—clear-sighted, inquisitive, and poetic.
Réseaux sociaux