Nicolas Nova

Nicolas Nova was a researcher, educator, and writer whose life was shaped by an insatiable curiosity about the ways technology intertwines with human behavior and culture. With a background in anthropology and interaction design, Nicolas devoted his career to bridging disciplines, questioning the norms of technology and its role in our lives. As a co-founder of the Near Future Laboratory, he explored speculative futures, crafting imaginative scenarios that challenged conventional thinking about design and innovation. His work ranged from observing the unnoticed ways people interact with digital tools to envisioning provocative possibilities for how we might live in the future. As a professor at HEAD – Genève (Geneva School of Art and Design), Nicolas was a deeply inspiring figure, encouraging students to see design as a tool for critical inquiry and storytelling, pushing boundaries and fostering creativity. His untimely passing on December 31, 2024, marked the loss of a visionary thinker whose ideas will resonate far beyond his time. For Nicolas, design and research were never just about creating solutions—they were about asking bold questions, embracing complexity, and reimagining how we relate to one another and the world around us.

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