Contact: dbenno@alumni.risd.edu
I am a multidisciplinary designer motivated by an interest in social and environmental issues. I have always questioned the world around me - eager to gain a better understanding of person and space, object and emotion, individual and collective. With a background in fine art and linguistics, I have explored these themes using materiality and storytelling, guiding people through curated installations and experiences that inspire critical thinking. My creative process continues to be inspired by an interest in the relationships we have with each other and with our surroundings; analyzing our behaviors and how or why these behaviors change. Form and function play a large role in my work - regularly thinking about how object meaning is interpreted and the importance of interactive encounters.
My design practice is based on a human-centered approach and research methodology encompassing an expansive analysis of past and present in order to critically think and strategize about the future. Through an exploratory development process across complex systems, products and experiences, I am able to gain valuable insights and consistently work toward impactful designs that reach people on an emotional level.