[Herald Design Forum 2023] Dan Goods explores universe through art installations

What if you could locate where satellites are in space just by listening to the sounds they make?

The Orbit Pavilion at the Huntington Library in San Marino, California, where the sounds visitors hear map out the trajectories of 19 satellites orbiting Earth, offers real-time auditory connections to space. But this experience would not be as compelling without the pavilion's giant seashell design, which transports visitors to the celestial landscape of satellites by representing their chatter in a sound installation.

The pavilion was created with the vision and design of Dan Goods, a visual strategist who also calls himself a storyteller. Heading a team of creatives, Goods crafts meaningful narratives from complex, universal concepts. These narratives are then made accessible through creative projects displayed in public spaces and art museums.

Extending his philosophy for life and space, Goods, a recipient of NASA's Exceptional Public Service Award, delivered a presentation titled "From Inner Space to Outer Space" at the Herald Design Forum 2023. Under the theme of “Design for Coexistence: Exploring New Perspectives on Coexistence,” the forum was held at the Shilla Seoul on Tuesday.

During the forum, Goods' talk delved into the captivating presence of the unseen and the unknown in the universe. He shared his journey as an artist who had no idea he would eventually become one. His installations are designed to draw people closer to the invisible yet profound aspects of space, he explained, fostering greater engagement with the aerospace field.

“Helping people further their thinking” is a crucial objective of designers, the visual strategist stressed.

Through what he termed, “sneaking up on learning,” he said he aims to instill in people a mindset of continuous learning, as a designer who studies, investigates and translates concepts from one domain to another so that people are able to think through intricate and challenging ideas.

Yet, ultimately, it boils down to recognizing "the gift and privilege to be alive," he said. Just as specific atoms have come together to form each person, he emphasized the preciousness of our being, and that what we all do, in fact, matters.