EXIOS IS THE ON-LINE DESIGN RESOURCE OF BENJAMIN MASON, MRES INFORMATION ENVIRONMENTS POSTGRADUATE, LONDON COLLEGE OF COMMUNICATION, UNIVERSITY OF THE ARTS, LONDON
Benjamin Mason is an interaction designer and researcher that specialises in design methods that integrate digital and physical elements to create socially engaging environments that promote social inclusion.
Initially graduating from the University of Westminster, in 2009 with a First Class honors degree in Graphic Information Design, Ben has just completed a MRes in Information Environments at the London College of Communication, University of the Arts London.
Ben started his career as a freelance photographer, and has worked independently across Europe documenting conferences and political events, as well numerous other social events. Through this experience, Ben gained an appreciation for the complex relationships that occur between people in collective environments.
For his Masters Thesis, 'Designing Public Spaces For Business Environments', Ben explored methods of catalysing behavioural change through collective participation in urban environments, and has been developing an interactive system that allows visitors the ability to interact with physical dynamics of a space, as well as providing a means to generate social interactions with others.
Ben has previously worked for the University of Westminster, as an application designer and developer on the Twoler project – an initiative created to develop innovative web2.0 applications that encouraged and promoted student involvement in the university’s social and academic environments. Ben's contribution to this project was the 'Dynamic Library Catalogue', a revolutionary interface system that replaced the static Library keyword search system with a new dynamic visual interface that visualises conceptual territories, as well as designing the final project report.
During August 2010, Ben participated in the 'Informing the Design of the Future Urban Landscape' workshop at DIS2010, Aarhus, Denmark; which acted as a foundation for the formation of the Urban Interaction Design Network, which he is now an active member of, and in October, Ben made a soapbox presentation on 'Environmental White Space: A Sociological Exploration of the Uses and Functions of Public Space in Business Environments' at This Is Not A Gateway‘s ‘Critical Cities 2010’ festival, Hanbury Hall, London. Ben is also a member of the paper review panel for the forthcoming, CHI2011 conference in Vancouver, BC.
2011
Worked as a Graphic Designer on the Aurasma project at Autonomy, until Mar
2010
Reviewed research papers for CHI2011, Nov
Presented at This Is Not A Gateway's 'Critical Cities' festival, Oct
Completed a MRES in Information Environments at the London College of Communication, Nov
Participated in the 'Informing the Design of the Future Urban Landscape' workshop at DIS2010, Aug
Worked as an Interaction Designer at the University of Westminster, until Mar
2009
Completed a BA (Hons) in Graphic Information Design (1st Class) at the Universtiy of Westminster, June
