After five years in architecture, I joined the Master of Interaction Design and Electronic Arts (MIDEA) programme with a clear vision: to take the human connection I experienced in architecture and bring it into the digital world. My background taught me how spaces can shape lives, foster connection, and leave a lasting impact—but I wanted to go beyond physical structures. I wanted to reach people more deeply by designing digital experiences that could touch their lives in meaningful ways. MIDEA gave me the chance to blend my skills in creating architectural spaces with the tools to design intuitive, user-focused digital products.

One of the most transformative elements in MIDEA was learning Systems Thinking. In architecture, I focused on each design detail with precision, but Systems Thinking opened my eyes to seeing projects as interconnected parts of a broader ecosystem. This shift was essential to understanding how every design choice impacts user experience on a larger scale. Good design isn’t just visual or functional; it’s about creating experiences that fit seamlessly into users’ lives and make a lasting difference.

The Double Diamond framework was another powerful tool, guiding me through structured problem-solving. This framework allowed me to explore possibilities with divergent thinking and then refine them with convergent thinking. During one project, for instance, it helped me balance creativity with focus, ensuring that each idea was purposeful and centred on real user needs.

Human-Centred Design (HCD) rounded out my approach, anchoring each project in empathy. Architecture taught me the value of creating places people feel connected to, but HCD expanded this, teaching me to design with the user’s daily needs at the forefront. I came to see design not as an opportunity to create impressive structures but as a way to improve lives, connect people, and address real-world challenges.

This journey also taught me the power of collaboration. Early on, I thought dividing tasks would create balance in a team, but MIDEA showed me the importance of aligning with each team member’s strengths and building on ideas together. I learned that even a small concept, when shared and developed collaboratively, could evolve into a powerful solution.

Through MIDEA, I’ve grown from a designer focused on buildings to one who sees the world as a system of connected human experiences. Whether creating a structure or a digital platform, I am motivated by a single goal: to create designs that connect, empower, and bring joy. Design, for me, isn’t about showing ambition or aesthetics; it’s about building experiences that people love and that resonate on a human level. My story as a designer is about bridging the worlds of architecture and interaction design to craft spaces—both digital and physical—that people feel drawn to and inspired by.