EDUCATION

2009-2011
MA(RCA) Design Interactions
Royal College of Art, London

2004-2007
BA(Hons) Moving Image Design,
Ravensbourne College of Design and Communication

ACADEMIC POSITIONS

2024–XXXX
Visiting Professor-in-Residence
Industrial Design,
Rhode Island School of Design (RISD)

2022-2024
Assistant Prof, Design,
Department of Art,
University at Buffalo

2016-2021
Professor and Graduate Director
Department of Architecture, Interior Architecture and Designed Objects School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC)

2020–
Visiting Prof, Speculative Studies, Architectural Association
London, UK

2020–2024
Chair, External Examiner,
BA Interior Architecture
University of Brighton, UK

2013–2016
Adjunct Visiting Faculty,
Digital + Media,
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

2012–2013
Practitioner in Residence,
Interaction Media Design
Bournemouth

SPEAKING

Forthcoming
Artists Talk, Research Lecture Series, Department of Design, Goldsmiths, University of London, UK

2026
Lecture and Long-form Q&A,
Studio Live Series Hosted by Onkar Kular, MFA Design Interventions
HDK Valand Academy of Art and Design, University of Gothenburg,
SE

Lecture, Exhibition, Courtroom interiors: Performance of Justice, Asplund and the Court House, The Röhsska Museum,
Gothenburg, SE

Artists Talk, Paracosmologies: World Building in Art, Literature and Design, Media Design Practices, ArtCenter College of Design, Los Angeles, US

2025
Lecture “The Law is a Design Language”, Department of Law, Harvard University, US

2024
Artists Talk, Department of Industrial Design Graduate Studies, RISD, US

Artists Talk, Department of Design, Sheffield Hallam University, UK

Lecture, “Object Film Systems”
Department of Industrial Design, Parsons, The New School, NY

2023
Lecture, “Threads of Deviation: Sleep Capitalism” Department of English MacGill University, Montreal, CA

2022
Visiting Speaker Series, Department of Art, University at Buffalo (SUNY), NY

Lecture, On Counter Hegemonic Architectures Department of Architecture, Vertical Geopolitics Lab, University of Toronto, Daniels (online)

Lecture “Threads of Deviation”, Writers Forum,Department of Writing, Pratt Institute, NY

2021
Lecture, Department of Film; Visual Arts, Instituto Nacional de Bellas Artes y Literatura,
Mexico City

Lecture, Threads of Deviation; A Design History of Sabotage, UTK Department of Architecture + Design, TAAST 2021, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, US

2020
Lecture, The Future of Women’s Work,Media Design Practice, Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US

Artists Talk, ABS4, Department of Architecture, Royal College of Art, London UK

2019
Panelist, with Jake and Dinos Chapman, The Architecture Association, London, UK

2018
Lecture, Civil Disobedience,
Industrial Design, Pratt Intitute, US

Master Lecture, Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL

Lecture, Speculation, Research and Design Department of Design, California College of the
Arts, San Francisco, US

Lecture, Design Means Lecture Series, Goldsmiths, University of London, London, UK

Artists Talk, University of the Underground, Sandberg Instituut, Amsterdam, NL

Panel and Lecture, “The Voice of the Enemy is Female”, Civitas at Large, American Pavilion, Venice Architecture Biennale, Venice, IT

Artists Talk, Department of Design, Vilnius Academy, Vilnius, LT

Lecture, Industrial Design Department, Muthesius University of Fine Arts, Berlin, DE

Lecture, Performing Practice, Department of Fine Art, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, US

2017
Artists Talk, Industrial Design,
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

Artists Presentation, Deep Ocean, Law Warschaw Gallery, Macalester, College, St Paul, US

Panelist, Bauhaus Futures, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago

Artists Talk, Innovation Day, Tesla Headquarters,
Palo Alto

The Brilliant Women of Design, London College of Communication, UAL, London

Panelist, Bauhaus Legacy? Goethe-Institute, Chicago Architecture Biennial, School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Lecture, Department of Design, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago

Artists Talk, Fashion, Jewellery Department, London College of Fashion, London, UK

Conference Speaker and Panelist; alongside David Byrne, Alice Rawsthorn, Natalie Jeremijenko and Justin McGuirk Utopia vs Dystopia, A/D/O Gallery, Brooklyn

2016
Artists Talk, Materials Innovation Lab, Adidas Headquarters, Portland

Lecture/Workshop, The Comedy of Objects, Second City, Chicago

2015
Artists Talk, Interventions in Capitalism, Research Group, Digital + Media Department, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence

Pecha Kucha, Scale Model as Actor, Mixed Tape Series Chicago Cultural Center, Chicago

Keynote Speaker, Better World by Design Conference, Brown University, Providence, US

Conference Speaker, Tektoniks, ACT Festival, Asia Culture Center (ACC), Gwangju, KR

Speaker (Symposium), Aerials, The Alpine Review Magazine, Toronto, CA

Symposium Speaker, Sleep Science, BBC Radio 4 and The Wellcome Trust, London

Symposium Panelist, We Have Never Been Speculative Enough, Central St Martins (UAL), London

Lecture, ”The Long Con”, The Object Agency, The Victoria and Albert Museum, London
Artists Talk, Department of Film and Television, Staffordshire University, UK

2014
Lecture, C.S.I Design, Crime Scenes and Suspect Objects, Critical and Historical Studies Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK

Lecture, Narrative Schematics,
University of Gothenburg (HDK), Gothenberg, SE

Artists Talk, FACT, Liverpool, UK

Lecture and Panelist, Welcome to the Apocalypse, Graphic Design Department, Central St Martins (UAL), London, UK

Artists Talk, Masterstudio Design, Academy of Art an Design FHNW, Basel, CH

Artist Talk, Design and the Courtroom, The Design Museum, London, UK

Artists Talk, Design Products
Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK

Keynote, Image Culture Series,
Museum of the Image, Breda, NL

Artists Talk, W12 Studios,
London, UK

Lecture, Designing Deviance, Design Interactions,Royal College of Art, London, UK

2013
Keynote Speaker, Resonate 2014 Belgrade New Media Festival, Belgrade, RS

Artists Talk, Visual Communications, Department, Royal College of Art, London, UK

Artists Talk, Jill Dando Institute of Security and Crime Science, University College London, London, UK
Lecture, Design Fiction and Extreme Scenarios, V2 Institute for Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL

Artists Talk Industrial Design Department Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

Discussion, Ilona Gaynor in conversation with Norman M. Klein, chaired by Glenn Adamson, Super Talks series, Tent, London Design Festival, UK

Lecture and Panelist, Beyond Design Activism,History of Design Dept, Royal College of Art, London, UK

2011
Artists Talk, Design + Media, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US
Keynote Speaker, Emergence Conference, The Future and New Economic Models,
University of Oxford, UK

Lecture, Under Black Carpets, MDP, Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, US

Artists Talk, Department of Risk Science, University of Michigan, Anne Arbor, US

Lecture, Known Unknowns, Studio X, Department of Architecture, Columbia University, New York, US

2010
Lecture, Crossover scenarios, playing in the fields of Big Society, Demos Think Tank, London, UK

2009
Artists Talk, Department of Graphic Design, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, UK

Keynote Speaker, 4th Annual Click Conference, CreativeReview, Soho Theatre, London,

EXHIBITIONS

2026
The Silent Claims of the Demon Art
Curated: Alberto Ortega Trejo
Watershed Art & Ecology
Chicago, US

2025
Open House,
Headlands Center for the Arts,
Marin County, California US

2023
InSomnolence,
Curated: Alanna Thain and Aleksandra Kaminska, Galerie de l’UQAM, Montreal, CA

2019
Extraperlo,
Curated: Jorge Penades
Madrid Design Festival, Madrid, SP

2018
The Ascent (Radio Play Edition)
VVFA RADIO
Curated: Sitraka Rakotoniaina and Andrew Friend London Design Festival, Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK

Regimes of Prediction,
Curated: Sabine Winkler,
Galerie Weißer Elefant, Berlin, DE

Dark Oceans
Curated: Jehra Patrick,
Law Warschaw Gallery, Minneapolis, US

Futureproof,
Curated: Ingrid Burrington, Cantor Fitzgerald Gallery, Haverford College,
Pennsylvania, US

Is Technology Sexist? Desktop Exhibition, Curated: Matylda Krzykowski, FNHW Basel and Domus Academy

2017
Curator and Exhibitor,
Commissioned: Olivier Peyricot
Biennale Internationale Design Saint-Etienne, FR

2015
Minus 2 Degrees,
Curated: Disegno,
Aram Gallery, London, UK

Tektoniks,
Curated:Filip Visnjic,
ACT Festival, Asia Culture Center, Gwangju, KR

2014
Disruption,
Curated: Pollyanna Clayton-Stamm, The Design Museum, London, UK

Solo Show, Forensic Ontologies and the Plot, Curated: Gabriella Arrigoni, FACT Liverpool, UK

Oxford Futures Forum, Curated : Lucy Kimbell, Said Business School, University of Oxford, UK

Artefact Festival,
Curated: Hicham Khalidi,
STUK, Leuven, Belgium

Solo Show, Paper Moon,
Curated: Michelle Kasprzak,
V2 Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL

Requiem for a Bank,
Curated: Fabian Saavedra-Lara,
HMKV,Dortmund, Germany, DE

2013
Image, Building, Object: Exploring, Architecture and Design on Film, Curated: Theaster Gates, Black Cinema House, Chicago, US

2012
Lisbon Architecture Triennale,
Curated: Beatrice Galilee,
Mude Gallery, Bank Vault, Lisbon, Portugal

2011
Solo Show, Escape Ecologies
(with Benedict Singleton),
Curated: Andy Weir,
Fine Art Department, Goldsmiths University

Artefacts from Earth TV Channel, Curated: Alex Crichton,
Palais De Tokyo, Paris, FR

SHOW, Royal College of Art,
London, UK

2010
Solo Show, Goldman Sachs, New York

Glitch Fiction,
Paris Design Week,
Curated: Nelly Ben Hayoun
Citi de la Mode et du Design, Paris, FR

Demain c’est Aujourd’hui,
Biennale Internationale du Design, Curated: Claire Fayolle, St-Etienne, FR

2006
Anti Design Festival,
Curated: Neville Brody,
White Gallery, London, UK

Light, Late Series,
Victoria and Albert Museum,
London, UK

REVIEWS and WORKSHOPS

2025
Thesis Critic, MA, Department of Fashion, RISD, RI

Thesis Critic, BArch, Department of Architecture, RISD, RI

2023
Thesis Critic, Interdisciplinary Design (Objects) Parsons, The New School, New York

2022
Thesis Critic, Counter-hegemonic Architecture, Design Studio 1 Vertical Geopolitics Lab, Department of Architecture University of Toronto, Daniels

Visiting Finals Critic
BArch Architecture and MScd Computational Design Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh

Visiting Project Co-Leader, 4 weeks “What Legal Design Could Be: Towards An Expanded Practice of Inquiry, Critique, and Action”, Department of Law, Northeastern University, Boston, US

2019
Co-Team Lead (Futures Project, MFA) 5 weeks with Ben Hooker and Tim Durfee Media Design Practices (MDP), Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US

Thesis Critic, Industrial Design,
(MFA) Pratt Institute, New York, US

Visiting Master Professor (3 Week Workshop) MA, Nonlinear Narrative
Royal Academy of Art, The Hague, NL

Visiting Critic, Critical Futures Lab, (MDes) Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), Chicago, US

2018
Visiting Thesis Critic, Architecture, (MArch) Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

2016
‘Hunting in Transcript’, Department of Digital + Media,
Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

External Advisor, Industrial Design, (MFA) Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

2015
Project Term Critic, Fashion Womenswear, Royal College of Art, London, UK

Visiting Critic, BA Architecture, Objects and Spaces, Central St Martins, UAL, London, UK

Visiting Master and Thesis Advisor, Masterstudio Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts – FNHW, Basel, CH

2014
‘Learning from Mr Orange, Mr White and Nice Guy Eddie’, 2015 ACT Festival, (ACC), Gwangju, KR

Guest Project Tutor, Architecture Unit (ADS4) Royal College of Art, London, UK

‘Design Metis’ Masterstudio Design, University of Applied Sciences and Arts – FNHW, Basel, CH

‘Constructing Evidence’ with Cher Potter, Close Closer, Lisbon Architecture Triennale, Lisbon, PT

2012
Examinations Juror, Media Design Practices Arts Center College of Design, Pasadena, US

Guest Professor, Industrial Design “Futures Forum” Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå, SE

2011–2014
Guest Critic, Unit 14 (Interface Architecture) Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL, London, UK

‘Prototyping the Future’ Umeå Institute of Design, Umeå, SE

2012
Visiting Critic and Project Professor,
F13 Architecture Studio, Princeton University, New Jersey, US

Visiting Critic and Tutor, Unit 6 (Unknown Fields) The Architectural Assocation, London, UK

Yearly visiting Critic and Jury, Unit 23, (Imagining the Real), Bartlett School of Architecture,
London, UK

‘Proof of Life’ Digital + Media, Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, US

TEXTS

2024
Essay, Good Night Seattle
2023 Dirty Furniture Journal, Bed Edition, Pages 94–102, ISBN 9780993351150

2021
Essay, Threads of Deviation, Fiction Edition, 2021 Perspecta Journal, No 54, Yale University,
MIT Press, Pages 93–102
ISBN 9780262543811

2019
Violence and the Collapsed Reality, Introductory Essay for Photographer Maya Meissner’s The Cedar Lodge, Zatara Press, Pages 3-8

2018
Blade Runner 2049 (Review), Disegno Journal, Issue 17, Pages 166–169, ISBN 97720487770217

2017
The Ascent (Stage Play–Book), Cite du design, St Etienne Biennale, 52 Pages

Our Attempts to Ascend. Escape Routes and Cosmic Trap-doors (Essay), Working Promise, Cite du Design, Pages 64–66
ISBN 9782912808714

Lock Her Up (Essay), Disegno Design Journal, Issue 14, Pages 100–101, ISBN 97720487770214

2016
Star Wars, The Force Awakens (Review), Disegno Design Design Journal, Issue 10,
Pages 185–188,
ISBN 97720487770210

2014
The Lexicography of an Abusive, but Divine Relationship with the World (novelette) Twelve Tomorrows, Science Fiction Anthology, Edited by Technology Review and Bruce Sterling MIT Press, Pages 47–61
EAN 9780262535601

What We Want is in that Room, Essay (with Benedict Singleton) Architectural Design (AD), Volume 227, Pages 48–53
ISBN: 9781118451854

“Chaos and Carpets” When Site Lost the Plot, Redactions series, Robin Mackay(Editor), Urbanomic Press, Pages 121–147
ISBN-13 978-0957529564

RESIDENCIES and AWARDS

2025
Headlands Center for the Arts Resident in Architecture / Environment, Marin County, US

The Slit Library Resident,
Los Angeles, US

2022–2023
Sociability of Sleep, Artist in Residence and Research Fellowship, McGill University, Montreal, CA

2016
Disegno Design Journal Residency,
Aram Gallery London, UK

2015
Wellcome Trust Art Award

2013–2014
Designer in Residence, The Design Museum, London, UK

2013
Researcher in Residence, V2 Institute for the Unstable Media, Rotterdam, NL

2012
Media Design Practices (MDP),
Summer Research Residency,
ArtCenter College of Design,
Pasadena, US

2011–2012
Artist in Residence to Director
Ridley Scott, RSA Films, London, UK

SELECTED INTERVIEWS

Interview with Olivier Peyricot for Après la Révolution Issue 6; Architecture Journal. Paris, FR
ISBN:2678-3991

Podcast: 29. “Let Offices Be Offices”, The Labour of Sleep,
The Crit, Disegno Podcasts,
Interviewed by Oli Stratford, London, UK

Interviewed by Tim Maly,
Futureproof Catalogue,
Edited by Ingrid Burrington, Haverford Press,
Pages 3–6

Etapes Issue 241
Pages 100-104
The Alpine Review, Issue 3, Permanence
Interviewed Boris Anthony
Pages 52–56

When Site Lost The Plot
Interviewed by Robin Mackay,
Urbanomic Press Volume 005,
Pages 121–148

Interviewed by Shona Kitchen,
Disruption Catalogue,
The Design 2014 Museum, London, Pages 19–30

The Ascent,
Interview with Regine Debatty WeMakeMoneyNotArt

Profile Interview
The Design Museum, London

99% Invisible, Interview Roman Mars, Breaking the Bank

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Interview with Olivier Peyricot for Après la Révolution Issue 6; Architecture Journal. Paris, FR
ISBN:2678-3991

Disegno Issue.20, Critical Works, Funded Pages 23-24

Etapes Issue 241
Pages 100-104

Futureproof Catalogue,
Edited by Ingrid Burrington, Haverford Press
Pages 3–6

Dark Ocean Catalogue, Law Warshaw Gallery
Pages 15–18

Disegno Design Journal, Issue.14
Pages 100–101

Working Promise Catalogue, Cite Du Design Publications
Pages 64–66

The Alpine Review, Issue 3, Permanence
Pages 52–56

Disegno, Issue.9 (Cover and feature) Front Cover and Pages, 72–73, 92–98

When Site Lost The Plot, Urbanomic Press
Volume 005, Pages 121–148

Disegno Design Journal, Issue 8
Pages 42–44

Disruption Catalogue,
The Design 2014 Museum, London
Pages 19–30

Disegno Design Journal, Issue 6
Pages 32

Architectural Design Magazine (AD), High Definition: Zero Tolerance, Edited by Bob Sheil,
Vol 227, Pages 48–53

Landscape with Bird Trap, Para Fiction Novel, Written by Oscar Gaynor. A detailed portraiture of Ilona Gaynor and
The Department of No set over the course of one year, 48 Pages

Architectural Design Magazine (AD), Scarcity Issue,
Edited by Jon Goodburn,
Vol 227, Pages 32–33

WIRED Magazine UK,
Pages 77–78

Biennale Internationale Design Saint Etienne Catalogue,
Page 48

ONLINE PUBLICATIONS

The Ascent, Interview with Regine Debatty for WeMakeMoneyNotArt

Filmed Interview, The Creators Project

Objection!!!, WeMakeMoneyNotArt

Fast Company, Designers to Watch and Fear

Dezeen, Coverage of Disruption

Disegno Daily, Objection!!!

Disegno Daily, Reality Isn’t Working

Icon Magazine, Iconeye

It’s Nice That, Disruption Coverage

Design Week, Design in Court

Dazed and Confused Magazine

Disegno Daily, Problems with Design Fiction

Uncrate, Under Black Carpets

WIRED USA, Artist Designs Heist

WIRED UK, Profile of Ilona Gaynor

Another Something and Company, Heists

Hyper Allergic, Under Black Carpets

Lowdown Magazine

The Minneapolis Egotis, Womens Robbery

Core77, Ilona Gaynor wants to know

We Make Money Not Art, UBC Review

Disegno, The United Micro Kingdoms of Dunne & Raby (cited)

Disegno, Under Black Carpets

Boing Boing

Venue Project, Interview with Geoff Manaugh

It’s Nice That, Under Black Carpets

Design Boom

Beautifiul Decay, Designing A Robbery

BLDGBLOG, Do Black Swans Dream of Electric Sheep

Beyond The Beyond, Bruce Sterling, WIRED

We Make Money Not Art, EEIC Review

Blueprint Magazine, Top 10 Graduates of 2011

Creative Review, Profile

FRAME Magazine

TV & RADIO

Podcast: 29. “Let Offices Be Offices”, The Crit, Disegno Podcats

Interview with Oli Stratford

Interview, The Church of Sleep, BBC Radio 4

The Discovery Channel, The Art of the Heist

VICE TV, Interview with artist about a decisive plane crash, as featured on Creative Applications

T-R-E-M-O-R-S, Arts and Architecture, Radio Magazine

99% Invisible, Interview, Breaking the Bank

Art Uncovered, Breakthru Radio

AIL (Artists In Labs), Resonance 104.4 FM 2012

NNN Nippon News, ‘the women who wants your money, but not at 2012 gunpoint