Parametric design, speculative futures and the politics of technology shapes student works.

Whilst bringing together projects from two Interactive Media courses at NYU Abu Dhabi, Prof. Aya Riad and Prof. Nimrah Syed present an exhibition that explores parametric design, digital fabrication and speculative futures.

Body Architecture from Prof. Aya Riad’s Digital Matter: Parametric Design Lab, showcases nine wearables that transform cultural motifs, natural systems and abstract data into sculptural forms for the body. From dragon-scale neckpieces and seashell-inspired jewellery to algorithmic headpieces and protective exoskeletons, the works highlight the intersection of craft and computation.

Future Punk, taught by Prof. Nimrah Syed, features speculative artefacts and interactive games that examine technology’s role in survival and memory. A “banned” therapeutic wearable, a reconstructed alien communication device and strategy games on extinction and rivalry invite visitors to question the politics of technology and imagine alternative futures from a UAE perspective.

Together, these projects investigate how computation, fabrication and storytelling can reshape our understanding of the body, memory and the future.

About New York University Abu Dhabi Interactive Media:

Interactive Media at NYU Abu Dhabi explores emerging technologies through hands-on making, critical inquiry and creative practice. The programme empowers students to prototype new tools, narratives and experiences that bridge culture, design and innovation.