Arg.os
23rd July 2024
"Arg.os" is a visual exploration of robotic dogs, blending product design and animal aesthetics. Inspired by the loyal dog Argos from "The Odyssey," this project merges the futuristic designs of Boston Dynamics' creations with New Aesthetics influences. It strives to balance natural dog traits with robotic elements, avoiding the uncanny…
Read MoreGenerative product design
7th April 2024
Extreme Conditions Carry Systems Future-proof carryologyWelcome to my weekend project, a solo journey into AI and sustainable product design. Over two days, I challenged myself to explore the generative capabilities of Midjourney, ChatGPT and Grammarly, focusing on prototyping innovative carrying systems. The aim was to showcase how AI can drive…
Read MoreDesign at a crossroads: challenging the superficiality of corporate design practices
14th March 2024
NextD Journal- Peer Review February 2024 I found the Fast Company Freak-Out to be an interesting read, questioning the current dramatic shifts within the design industry, impacting design departments in heavyweight corporations like J&J, Ideo, IBM and Expedia. The article asks if this trend underlines a momentary industry hiccup or…
Read MoreProject Atagam
9th March 2024
Midjourney, prompt experiment.Atagam ProjectWorks made in 2K23 Project Atagam Midjourney Niji Exploration This project is about remixing influences while listening to Monolake, using the Niji mode of Midjourney.Thanks to my dad, I grew up with French and Belgium comics, BD, here resonating with my early manga influences.The word rainy has…
Read MoreCong Lovid
29th February 2024
Midjourney, prompt experiment.Cong Lovid2K24 Cong Lovid Perfer et obdura; dolor hic tibi proderit olim. KokyūCephal — 9MonowasureMem Ry Cong Lovid Click images to open a lightbox All images are unretouched AI-generated images. W&G 2024
Read MorePreferable future habitats
16th January 2024
Future Visualisations for Preferable Futures, using the MidJourney's Generative Adversarial Networks. I am in my third week of long Covid again. I can spend one or two hours per day on AI images and doing some writing. These images are part of what kept me motivated while mostly stuck in…
Read MoreSix Alpha
2nd January 2024
December 2023 Fictional Photography Using the MidJourney's Generative Adversarial Networks. First tests and expirations with Midjourney V6 Alpha. For this series of test, I used the idea of a common-based universal basic services urban community somewhere in Asia. With the currently limited tools available, I started to recalibrate how this…
Read MoreVerticals
1st January 2024
This is a speculative design experiment using AI / MidjourneyImages made in November 2023While exploring the visual diary of the "Gaza Project," I wished to explore the creative track of hanging vertical textiles as biographic artworks. This series is the result of this parallel exploration. A Midjourney project, an ongoing…
Read MoreProject Gaza
30th December 2023
Project Gaza Spatiocide, Ethnic Cleansing and AI-Driven Introspection Whispers & Giants Prompt Explorations Unretouched AI images October 2023 Fictional Photography Using the MidJourney's Generative Adversarial Networks.This project is an augmented exploration of the visceral and complex realities unfolding in Gaza since October 7th. It ended in early December. I however,…
Read MoreGenerative fashion
28th December 2023
A selection of generations on layered technical textile compositions. Exploring how Midjourney 5.2 works in lowest style settings.
Read More2024 Linkedin trends predictions
15th December 2023
In 2024, as is customary, we are invited to immerse ourselves in a near future of world economic affairs where everything seems to unfold in a truly fantastic manner. As we embark on this comprehensive analysis, we are presented with a unique opportunity to delve into the prevailing trends that…
Read MoreDigital Dye
12th December 2023
Digital Dye Machine Learning & Crafting Speculative Indigo Ethnographies Whispers & Giants Explorations August 2023 Fictional Photography Using the MidJourney's Generative Adversarial Networks.In this exploration, I am experimenting with high style value settings (at 750) to navigate the tension and balance between plausible and the mysterious. This narrative unfolds on…
Read MoreCyberpunk character explorations
7th October 2023
001 A cyberpunk character design exploration using Midjourney's Niji mode. In the near future of this cyberpunk reality, the collapse of the Holocene climate and a devastating explosion of heat have given way to long decades of bad weather, natural disasters and skies clouded by pollution. In this grim backdrop,…
Read MoreThe Wangjitsu Retreat
9th September 2023
This is a speculative design experiment using AI / MidjourneySpotify link
Read MoreThe Other Visitors
5th August 2023
This project is a more personal exploration, where I collect my dreams using AI as a dream camera, often intrigued by their repetitive nature, the characters I meet and the places I visit. Recently, while playing Cyberpunk 2077, I started to feel the need to express the memories of a…
Read MoreUnpacking ideology
21st July 2023
The term "ideology" often serves as a convenient shortcut for discussing a wide array of social beliefs and behaviors. While this simplification can be useful for quick discussions or generalizations, it also has its drawbacks. The danger is to perceive ideology as a monolithic force that singularly shapes individuals and…
Read MoreSurface vs Structures
16th July 2023
When social sciences researchers emphasize the importance of delving beyond the surface of problems, they advocate for a deeper exploration of structural issues. This entails looking past the visible symptoms or immediate manifestations to understand the underlying causes and systemic factors that perpetuate these issues. By investigating the complex web…
Read MoreNarratives of change and moving beyond individualism
16th July 2023
The swirling maelstrom of issues that our society confronts today is an fuzzy web of interrelated challenges that require more than ever systemic solutions. In my work and research, I encounter a variety of worldviews and value systems attempting to navigate the complexity of these issues. Unfortunately, the predominant emphasis…
Read MoreComplexity Blindness
4th July 2023
Have you ever wondered why we seem stuck, unable to effectively address the wicked problems plaguing our world? Why do the dominant paradigms of capitalism and conservatism persist despite the growing threats of climate change, systemic inequality and other deeply entrenched issues persist? Or why do so many people gravitate…
Read MoreThe Resilient Table 2043
18th June 2023
Post-Holocene Open Food-SystemsA critical visual exploration into the future of a post-Holocene climatarian diet. Switzerland 2043 Pascal WichtIn the wake of devastating climate disasters, geopolitical instability, and societal upheaval, the world of 2043 is transformed. This project invites us to adopt an unconventional mindset, one that challenges us to welcome…
Read MoreConservative Thinking
2nd June 2023
When designers, equipped with creativity and a commitment to social innovation, venture into arenas dominated by conservative power structures, they often find themselves walking a tightrope. On one side is a seemingly solid ground of traditional norms and values; on the other, a chasm of unknowns, challenges and opportunities for…
Read MoreThe intersection of AI and creativity: a new era for Generative Art
25th May 2023
Artificial intelligence has long been an intriguing experiment in my professional life. However, it has taken a more central role over the past five years in my work. Specifically, it has become a central element in my critique of the discourse surrounding technology and intelligent systems. I have to be…
Read MoreSocial vs Societal
24th May 2023
Fictional AI-illustration Definition Grasping the distinction between "social" and "societal" is essential for effective social innovation. While "social" focuses on individual interactions and community dynamics, "societal" encompasses the larger frameworks that shape these interactions. By integrating both perspectives, designers can avoid reinforcing individualistic narratives and work towards systemic change that…
Read MoreDesirability, Feasibility and Viability
10th May 2023
As scholars, practitioners, and students of design, we are likely familiar with the triadic framework of Design Thinking, which underscores desirability, feasibility, and viability as the key dimensions to consider when approaching a design problem. This model is praised for its pragmatic, user-centered, and iterative approach, often positioned as a…
Read MoreNeurocapitalist Design
8th May 2023
In the contemporary capitalist landscape, designers play one of the most essential role in shaping the material conditions and the symbolic world we collectively inhabit. However, as creative agents operating within this economic context, designers must confront the often-unacknowledged ways in which capitalism can restrain, limit and constrain their work.…
Read MoreFuture scenarios
7th May 2023
Future scenario development is a key creative and critical phase in the strategic design research process. By applying anticipation, imagination, creativity and critical thinking, this process element enables the identification of blind spots and stimulates the imagination of alternative futures, breaking away from the notion of a monofuture. Coupled with…
Read MoreDesk research
24th April 2023
The desk research element plays a vital role within the strategic design research and intervention framework. Approaching from the angle of sense-making, imagination, and orientation, this early phase process is crucial for expanding the research spectrum, exploring the structural reality of problems, and deepening the research relevance. The benefits of…
Read MoreThe myth of the selfish human
7th April 2023
"Pascal, you are an idealist; you cannot change human Nature. Humans will always try to cheat and maximise their personal gain. That is the way it is. It is dangerous to pretend humans are different." Have you also heard this before? The neoliberal and conservative individualist myth! This elusive notion…
Read MoreRapid calibration
3rd April 2023
Rapid calibration is a vital element within the strategic design research framework. This process is often used during the early phase of research, leveraging an existing database of signals, trends, and insights or directly in the field to make sense of the challenge space in immersion. Objective The process of…
Read MoreHow whales can help mitigate climate change: the power of nature-based solutions
2nd April 2023
Introduction Climate change is one of the biggest challenges of our time, and it requires urgent action. While many solutions have been proposed to reduce carbon emissions and slow down global warming, one of the most promising ones comes from an unlikely source: whales. Yes, you read that right. Whales,…
Read More10 clues to identify the invisible hand of neoliberalism in your design environment
4th January 2023
As designers, we often think about the ways in which our work can make a positive impact on the world. But have you ever stopped to consider the role that ideology plays in shaping your design practice? In this post, we’ll be exploring the impact of neoliberalism on design and…
Read MoreNFT: Capitalism on steroids and the commodification of everything
26th December 2022
This blog post expands on an initial Linkedin post (2021) about two academic papers on NFT cryptocurrencies and ownership. After the FTX scandal and the Trump trading cards, I needed to unpack my previous post. In this post, I want to explore how, behind the narrative of technological revolution, democratization,…
Read MoreDefining the Box: how sense-making and reframing can help you think out of the box
23rd December 2022
Introduction The phrase "think outside the box" is often used as a call to creativity and innovation in design thinking. It suggests that we should let go of our preconceived notions and biases, and come up with new and unconventional ideas. But in order to truly think outside the box,…
Read MoreWhat urgent matters in design?
19th December 2022
This is a repost of my answers to the question "What urgent matters in design" for the Next-D Journal. The promotion of design thinking First, I see too many designers brainwashed by the promotion of design thinking. Unfortunately, they end up practising the marketing of design. In this cargo cult,…
Read MoreSystem-shifting design, a review
19th December 2022
This is my contribution to the unpacking of "System-Shifting Design, An Emergent Practice Explored”, authored by Cat Drew, Cassie Robinson and Jennie Winhall in collaboration with 40+ design experts was published by the Design Council in the United Kingdom in 2021, for the Next-D Journal. System-Shifting Design, An Emergent Practice…
Read MoreNo, Humanity is not destroying the planet; a system is
16th December 2022
Since the pivotal summer of 2022 and following the recent failed COP, it has become increasingly clear that we cannot revert to the conditions of the Holocene—a period characterized by relatively stable temperatures and a stable climate. We have transitioned into a new era, commonly referred to as the Anthropocene.…
Read MoreWe are not all in the same boat
16th December 2022
Today, in the train on the way to a client, I heard once again the expression "we are al in the same boat". As usual, it felt a bit disturbing and deeply problematic. Especially when used in the context of climate change. Based on my notes from the last few…
Read MoreExperiments with matter
15th December 2022
This post is a rapid behind the scenes of my Hostile Habitat series using MidJourney and how I started this process by figuring out which words were helpful to break, twist and deform matter. When attempting to generate images that could translate the idea of collapse and climate change disasters,…
Read MoreTomorrow, the future of chocolate in Africa?
14th December 2022
This article is a repost of a post originally published on Linkedin. Switzerland, known for its fine chocolate, relies heavily on imports of cocoa beans from Ghana and Ivory Coast, which account for almost two-thirds of the world's cocoa production. In 2021, during a state visit to Switzerland, Ghana's President…
Read MoreThe United PizzaStates: quelle grille de lecture pour les USA de janvier 2021?
14th December 2022
Cet article est un repost d'un billet initialement publié sur Linkedin au lendemain des événements du Capitoles à Washington. Que se passe-t-il aux USA? Ce matin, en buvant mon café je fais un tour d'horizon de la presse suisse et internationale. Je suis interpellé par les analyses disponibles tant il…
Read MoreDemain l’innovation suisse c’est quoi?
14th December 2022
Cet article est un repost d'un billet initialement publié sur Linkedin en réaction à un posts sur la question de l'innovation suisse. Une fois de plus j’écris mon commentaire. Puis, Linkedin m’informe que je dépasse la limite maximale de caractères à disposition. Normalement je rage-quit, je le détruis, déçu et…
Read MoreFuturbulences
13th December 2022
Alvin Toffler, in 1970 spoke of a phenomenon that would shake the very foundations of our existence: Future Shock. Toffler predicted that the pace of technological change would soon become so rapid that it would leave individuals and society in a state of shock and disorientation. Today, we face a…
Read MoreSense-Jamming
13th December 2022
In the Anthropocene epoch, a time marked by the significant influence of extractives, productivist and consumerist activity on the planet's ecosystems, a new cognitive phenomenon is surfacing, known as 'sense-jamming'. It is a consequence of pervasive mobile phone addiction that mimics the psychological traps of a pocket-sized casino. Our global…
Read MoreThe origins of Wangjitsu
13th December 2022
In 2018, as I was creating Whispers & Giants, I started an incredible collaboration with the Swiss typographer and dear friend Loris Olivier. Although, as we worked on a series of typefaces for the studio, we got tired of constantly writing “Whispers & Giants” in our Slack; it was too…
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