Draft:Nicolas Henchoz

Nicolas Henchoz (born in Lausanne in 1967) is a materials engineer, journalist and art director specialising in innovation processes and design research. He is the founder and director the EPFL+ECAL Lab, a design research centre of the EPFL (Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne).

Career
Born in Lausanne, Nicolas Henchoz studied materials science at the EPFL and graduated with a diploma in 1991.

After training as a journalist, he became science and technology writer in 1992 at the Journal de Genève (now Le Temps). In 1994, he joined Swiss Television, where he collaborated on magazines such as Téléscope. He was in charge of scientific news, and acted as news presenter.

In 2000, he joined the presidency of the EPFL, as Patrick Aebischer's deputy for the institution's image and communication. He was involved in the development the Rolex Learning Center.

In partnership with the ECAL, in 2007 he initiated the creation of the EPFL+ECAL Lab.

He was lecturer and visiting professor at ENSCI in Paris, the Royal College of Art in London, the Parsons the New School for Desig, and the Polytechnic University of Milan. He is also the co-founder of the Global Alliance for Media Innovation.

In 2023, he was the chairman of the art papers of the SIGGRAPH conference.

Research
Henchoz' research interests focus on the fields of design, technology, and innovation. His interdisciplinary work emphasises the integration of cultural creativity with scientific practices to create innovative user experiences and technologies.

His projects include the digital archiving of the Montreux Jazz Festival and rendering the archive accessible by means of augmented reality. In more general terms, his book "Design for Innovative Technology" discusses the role of design in bridging the gap between innovation and daily life. Integrating digital tools with cultural and spiritual practices, his project "The Ming Shan Digital Experience" blended digital technology and traditional practices like Taoist meditation.

Distinctions
In 2011, Henchoz was named Chevalier des Arts et des Lettres de la République française.

Books