Short Bio
Stavros Didakis is an academic, researcher, and artist focusing on the speculation of technological futures and in particular studying and experimenting with architectural augmentation and inhabitant personalization, exploring sensorial interfaces and technological frameworks as extensions of human environments. Stavros has won grants and awards in creative technologies, he has exhibited his interactive works in international exhibitions and biennale, and he has made numerous publications in conferences, journals, and books. Stavros is at present an Associate Professor in Interactive Media Arts with New York University (Shanghai).
Qualifications
PhD in Media Arts & Technology
University of Plymouth, UK, 2016
PG-MEd in Academic Practice
Higher Education Academy, UK, 2015
MA in Sonic Arts
Queen’s University, UK, 2007
BSc in Music Technology & Audio Systems
London Metropolitan University, UK, 2004
HND in Media & Audio
IVT AKMI, Greece, 2003
National Diploma in Sound Engineering
IVT AKMI, Greece, 2000
Academic Positions
Associate Arts Professor (FT)
Interactive Media Arts
Courses in Media Architecture, Responsive Environments, & Capstone Studio
New York University (Shanghai), China, 2019 – Present
Associate Professor (FT)
Digital Media Design
Programme Leader in BA/BSc Digital Media Design, BA/BSc Internet Design, BA Game Arts & Design
Senior Researcher with i-DAT
PhD Supervisor in CODEX
University of Plymouth, UK, 2017 – 2019
Senior Lecturer (FT)
Technoetic Arts
Course coordinator in BA Technoetic Arts
Roy Ascott Studio, DeTao Masters Academy & Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, China, 2014 – 2017
Visiting Professor
Peking University, China, 2014 – 2017
Selected List of Works
Exhibitions / Installations
2025, “Logico-Fantastic Machine“, Interactive Art Installation, IMA Gallery (Shanghai, CN)
2024, “Weird Creatures” VR Installation, FutureLab (Shanghai, CN)
2024, “Weird Creatures” VR Installation, Ars Electronica (Linz, AT)
2024, “The Elastic Umwelten” Curated Exhibition, Ars Electronica (Linz, AT)
2023, “Neural Cityscapes“, Media Installation, School of Cinematic Arts, University of Southern California (US)
2023, “Synthetic Cities“, Solo Art Exhibition, Riverside Project Space / TANK Shanghai (Shanghai, CN)
2022, “Xenoforms“, Robotic Installation, Art021 Contemporary Art Festival (Shanghai, CN)
2021, “Invisible Cities / Black Sun”, Curated Exhibition, Planet One & Unity China (Shanghai, CN)
2021, “Neo-Imaginaria: A Collection of Gen-Z New Media Poetics”, Curated Exhibition, The Brownie Project (Shanghai, CN)
2020, “White Magnolia“, Curated Exhibition, CGI & Animations,
2020, “Ubiquitous Colonies 1.0”, CGI Animation, Ars Electronica Festival, .ART Gallery (Linz, AT)
2018, “Proto-Fusion”, Interactive Installation, Songjiang Art Museum (Shanghai, CN)
2017, “Beyond Digital Towards Biological”, Robotic Installation, Chronus Art Center (Shanghai, CN)
2017, “A Manifesto for DomoNovus“, Ars Electronica (Linz, AT)
2017, “Technoetic Multiverse”, Curated Exhibition, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (Songjiang, CN)
2016, “HexSpace”, Interactive Installation, Roy Ascott Studio Gallery (Shanghai , CN)
2016, “Syncretic Transitions“, Curated Exhibition, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (Songjiang, CN)
2015, “Technoetic Arts Exhibition“, Curated Exhibition, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (Songjiang, CN)
2015, “Poseidon’s Pull”, Interactive Installation, Washington State Museum (Washington, USA), Ionion Centre for Art & Culture, September (Kefalonia, GR)
2014, “Cloud: An Interactive Chandelier“, Interactive Lighting System (Athens, GR)
2013, “Plinthos Pavilion“, 7th Biennale, Benaki Museum, 21 November 2012 – 13 January 2013 (Athens, GR)
2013, “The Source”, Interactive Installation, DI-EGY Festival, Gezira Art Centre, March – April (Cairo, EG)
2013, “Pulse Mode”, Interactive Installation, Leicester Arts Centre (Leicester, UK)
2013, “This City’s Centre“, Telematic Performance, Phoenix Art Space (Arts and Humanities Research Council & Exeter Phoenix, September (Exeter, UK)
2012, “Roy Ascott Retrospective“, Technical Direction for Roy Ascott’s Exhibition in Shanghai Biennale, October 2012 – March 2013 (Shanghai, CN)
2012, “Journey to the West: Reactivating Roy Ascott’s “La Plissure Du Texte”“, Telematic Installation, Shanghai Biennale, October 2012 – March 2013 (Shanghai, CN)
2012, “Politics of Media Governance“, Interactive Installation (Heraklion, GR)
2010, “Plinthos Pavilion“, Interactive Architecture, ID10 Interior Design Show (Athens, GR)
2009, “VJ Mode“,Software for Audiovisual Performance, Aurora Festival (Halkidiki, GR)
2007, “Royal Victoria“, Ethnographic Research, Custom Software, Interactive Sonification (Belfast, UK)
2007, “The Cube“, Media Performance, Custom Software (Belfast, UK)
2007, “Sonic Plasma Sphere“, Interactive Instrument & Media Performance (Belfast, UK)
Publications
Didakis, S. (2025) “A Logico-Fantastic Machine & the Architecture of Divergence“, in POM25 Politics of the Machine, Perth, Australia, July15-18.
Didakis, S. (2023) “Xenoforms: Computational Autonomy & Hybrid Architectures“, in ACM Designing Interactive Systems Conference DIS’23, Pittsburgh PA USA, July 10-14, 2023, Pages 64–68.
Didakis, S. (2023) “One Thousand Cities“, in Media Architecture Biennale, June 13-15 (Toronto, CA).
Didakis, S. (2024) “Xenoforms“, ISEA International Symposium on Electronic Arts, May 16-21 (Paris, FR).
Didakis, S. (2021) “Ubiquitous Colonies: Computational Parasites, Sentiment, & the Architectural Space”, in Sentimental Machines 2021, IEEE International Conference on Robotics & Automation, RCA (UK).
Didakis, S. (2020) “Augmentations of Perception“, in Interdisciplinary Conference Taboo – Transgression – Transcendence in Art & Science, University of Applied Arts Vienna, 26-28 November.
Didakis, S. (2020) “Domestic Resonances, Modularity, and the Internet of Things”, in DIS2020 End of Life of IoT Conference, University of Edinburgh (UK)
Didakis, S. (2018) “Computationally-Enhanced Ecologies, Organisms, and Parasites. Speculative Explorations of Symbiotic Oscillations”, in Media Architecture Biennale MAB18, Beijing, China.
Didakis, S. & Beloff, L. (2018) “Beyond Digital Towards Biological”, in International Symposium on Electronic Arts ISEA18, Durban, South Africa.
Didakis, S. (2018) “Micro, Meso, & Macro Data Collection & Analysis as a Method for Speculative Artistic Exploration”, in Politics of The Machines, EVA-Copenghagen (DK).
Didakis, S. (2016) “DomoNovus – A Speculative Framework for the Future of Home” in Consciousness Reframed XIX – Presumptive Predications: Art and the Future. Art and Consciousness in the Post-Biological Era, Chronus Art Center, 26-27 November (Shanghai, CN).
Didakis, S. (2016) “The Search for DomoNovus”, in 22nd International Symposium on Electronic Art ISEA2016 – Cultural R>evolution, CityU, School of Creative Media, 16-22 May 2016, Hong Kong.
Didakis, S. et al. (2016) “Technoetic Art in China: The Ascott Studio at DeTao Masters Academy, Shanghai”, in 22nd International Symposium on Electronic Art ISEA2016 – Cultural R>evolution, CityU, School of Creative Media, 16-22 May 2016, Hong Kong.
Didakis, S. (2016) “Spatializing Invisible Matter; Atoms and Sensor Technologies”, in Leonardo, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA.
Didakis, S. (2015) “The DomOS Effect – Painted Rooms with Invisible Spaces“, in Consciousness Reframed 2015: The Matter of the Immaterial.
Art and Consciousness in the Post-Biological Era, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts & DeTao Masters Academy, 20-22 November 2015, Shanghai (CN)
Didakis, S. (2015) “DataGrid: Sensor Agents of Domestic Space“, in 5th Media City Conference – Social Smart Cities, Plymouth University, 1-3 May, Plymouth (UK).
Didakis, S. (2015) “Hex Space – Domestic Environments and Personalization”, in Hybrid City: Data to the People, Athens (GR).
Didakis, S. (2014) “Spatializing Invisible Matter; Atoms and Sensor Technologies”, in 4th International Conference on Arts & Technology, Istanbul.
Didakis, S. (2013) “Pulse Mode“, in ΑΩ Magazine Publication, Issue 27, June, Athens (GR).
Didakis, S. (2013) “Defining Computational Media within Domestic Environments”, in Hybrid City II: Subtle Revolutions, Research Institute of Applied Communication (U.R.I.A.C) of the National Kapodistrian University of Athens, 23-25 May, Athens (GR).
Didakis, S. (2012) “The Myth of Symbiosis, Psychotropy, and Transparency Within the Built Environment“, in Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research, 9 (2+3), 307-313.
Didakis, S. & Phillips, M. (2013) “Objects of Affect: The Domestication of Ubiquity“, in Technoetic Arts: A Journal of Speculative Research, 11 (3), 307-317.
Didakis, S. (2011) “Plinthos Pavilion“, in ArchDaily, Architizer, DesignBoom, Monitor Magazine.
Didakis, S. (2007) “The Cube: An Audiovisual Interactive Installation“, in Proceedings of the 4th Sound and Music Computing Conference (SMC’07), eds. C. Spyridis, A. Georgaki, G. Kouroupetoglou & C. Anagnostopoulou, July, Lefkada, pp. 64-67.
Public Talks / Presentations / Panels
2025, “Synthetic Symbionts: Negotiating Agency“, in The Sentient Interface – Art, Technology & the Expanded Mind, The Point, MANA, November 16 (Shanghai, CN)
2025, “Entangled Agencies in Computationally-Enhanced Environments“, in Human-Desire-Machine Conference, NYU Shanghai, November 11-13 (Shanghai, CN)
2025, “Creative Practices with Synthetic Media“, in The Creator in the Age of AI: How to Use AI Ethically, October 18 (New York, US)
2025, “Omnipresent Algorithms, World-Making, & Distributed Creativity“, in Duke-Kunshan University, October 9 (Kunshan, CN)
2025, “Synthetic Gods & the Architecture of Divergence“, in D20 Alibaba Global Design Institutes Dean’s Summit: Designer in the Era of A.I., July 12 (Hangzhou, CN)
2025, “Generative AI, Artistic Practice & Pedagogy“, in ComfyCon: ComfyUI Official China Conference, March 31 (Shanghai, China)
2025, “Syncretic Ecologies & the Pursuit of Originality“, in Conflux Residency, Harvard University, January 9 (Cambridge, US)
2024, “Introduction to Interactive Media Arts“, in Futurelab: Art & Design Education, West Bund (Yuz Museum, Shanghai, CN)
2024, “The Elastic Umwelten“, in Ars Electronica, September 6 (Linz, AT)
2024, Panel Judge in “The 9th Think Youth Shanghai International Digital creation, Innovation, Entrepreneurship Competition, New Media Art Section” (Shanghai, CN)
2024, “Architectural Augmentations & Synthetic Realities“, Conflux Residency, Harvard University, January 6 (Cambridge, US)
2023, “Co-Creating Realities: Generative AI and the New Aesthetic Dialogue in Synthetic Cities“, in AI versus ART, Athens School of Fine Arts, November 10 (Symposium, Athens, GR)
2023, “Realm-Oscillations & Organic Emergences“, in Shanghai Industrial Museum, October 19 (Seminar, Shanghai, CN)
2023, “Logico-Fantastic Machines & Synthetic Realities“, in Shanghai Curators Lab, Tongji University, October 9 (Lecture, Shanghai, CN)
2023, “In the Pursuit of Originality” in Going Upstream, Design Innovation Institute, September 28 (Symposium, Shanghai, CN)
2023, “Synthetic Cities“, in Synthetic Cities Symposium, New York University NYU Shanghai & DigitalFUTURES (Shanghai, CN)
2023, “One Thousand Cities“, in Media Architecture Biennale MAB23, July 8 (Toronto Ontario, CA)
2021, “Aesthetics & Computation“, Public Lecture, University of Shanghai for Science & Technology, 23 October (Shanghai, CN)
2018, “Augmented Performing: Bodies, Technologies, Publics“, in RELATE Symposium, (Aalborg University, Copenhagen, DK)
2017, “Equilibrium, Adaptation, Evolution: Redefining Art+Technology in Post-Digital China“, Keynote, in CCAD The Second “In the Front” Digital Media Summit: Art, Experiment & Innovation Under the Development of Science, Nanjing University of the Arts (Nanjing, CN)
2017, “The Future of Home“, in Future Innovators Summit, Ars Electronica: “The Other I” (Presentation, Linz, AT)
2017, “Analyzing Ecologies, Habitation, and Personalization Through Computational and Technological Speculations“, Keynote, in 9th Forum on Internet & Information Technology, South University of Science and Technology, 24 April 2017 (Shenzhen, China)
2017, “Technoetic/Experimental Arts Collaborations”, Discussion Panel, in Chinese Academy of Fine Arts, CAFA, 20 April 2017 (Beijing, CN)
2017, “Cyberception, Cyborgs, and the Post-Biological Era”, Guest Lecture, Peking University – College of Engineering, 24 March 2017 (Beijing, China)
2016, “The Death of the Architect – How Computational Technologies Redefine the Way We Create Understand, and Experience Architectural Spaces”, Public Talk, Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts, 02 December 2016, (Shanghai, China)
2016, “An Artificial Ecology“, Public Talk, in Maker Faire Shenzhen, 21-23 October (Shenzhen, CN)
2015, “Computational Media and Interior Space“, Public Talk, in Make+ MIX 2015 – Science of the Left, Art on the Right, WE+ Center, 19 December 2015 (Shanghai, China)
2013, “Objects of Affect: The Domestication of Ubiquity”, Conference Talk (with Mike Phillips), in Consciousness Reframed: Art and Consciousness in the Post-Biological Era, German University in Cairo, 27 March 2013 (Cairo, EG)
2013, “Pulse Mode – An Interactive Installation“, Keynote, in Code Control Festival, Arts and Humanities Research Council, Phoenix / Leicester Arts Center, March (Leicester, UK)
2012, “The Myth of Symbiosis, Psychotropy, and Transparency within the Built-Environment”, in Technoetic Telos: Art, Myth and Media. An International Research Conference in the Framework of Planetary Collegium, Ionion Centre for the Arts and Culture, April 30 – May 2, Kefalonia (GR)
2011, “Media Technology & Architecture“, in PechaKucha, Heraklion Vol.2 (Symposium, Heraklion, GR)
Teaching/Pedagogy
2024-25, Advanced Lab: Synthetic Media, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2024, Thesis Project, PG Course, MA Low-ReS New York University, TISCH (US/CN)
2023-25, Emerging Technologies & Computational Arts, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2020-25, Capstone Studio I, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2020-25, Capstone Studio II, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2019-23, Media Architecture, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2021-22, Responsive Environments: Designing Interactive, Sentient, and Intelligent Spaces, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2021, Thesis Project, PG Course, MA Low-ReS New York University, TISCH (US/CN)
2021, “Creative Coding & Generative Design”, Workshop, 2 weeks, ArtScope (Shanghai, CN)
2020, Extended Perception, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2019-20, Communications Lab, UG Course, New York University, Shanghai (CN)
2019, Thesis, PG Course, MPhil/MRes Digital Arts and Technology, University of Plymouth (UK)
2017-19, Final Year Project, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2017-18, Everyware, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2018-19, Reflexive Design, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2018 “Generative Design with P5.js”, Workshop, 2 weeks, OF Course – http://www.ofcn.io, (Shanghai, CN)
2018, Datacloud, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2018, “Sensing The City: Psychogeography, Cyberception, Wearables”, Workshop, 2 weeks, Nanjing University of the Arts (Nanjing, CN)
2018, “Internet of Things, Node-Red & IBM Watson”, Workshop, 4 weeks, IBM Smarter Planet (Plymouth, UK)
2017-18, Creative Coding I, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2017-18, Creative Coding II, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2017, Netscapes, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2017, “Creative Coding – P5.Js, Javascript, Node.Js”, Workshop, 4 weeks, Plymouth University (Plymouth, UK)
2017, “Future Innovators Summit”, Workshop, 4 days, Ars Electronica “The Other I”, (Linz, AT)
2017, “Stardust: Pixels as Raw Data for Sonification“, Workshop, FILE Electronic Festival (Festival Internacional de Linguagem Eletronica), 19-20 July 2017, Sao Paolo (BR)
2017, “Cyberception – Becoming Cyborgs”, Workshop, 2 days, Shenzhen University of Science and Technology (Shenzhen, CN)
2017-18, Strategies for Digital Art & Technology, UG Course, Digital Media Design, University of Plymouth, (UK)
2014-17, Cyberception, UG Course, Technoetic Arts, DeTao Masters Academy / Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (CN)
2016-17, Behavior, Identity, Environment, UG Course, Technoetic Arts, DeTao Masters Academy / Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (CN)
2016-17, Critical Integration, UG Course, Technoetic Arts, DeTao Masters Academy / Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (CN)
2016 “Artificial Ecology – Sensorial Behaviours”, Workshop, 6 weeks, DeTao Group (Shanghai, CN)
2014-17, Tools, Software & Systems, UG Course, Technoetic Arts, DeTao Masters Academy / Shanghai Institute of Visual Arts (CN)
2011-14, Final Year Project (AL), UG Course, Digital Art & Technology, University of Plymouth (UK)
2011-14, Creative Coding (AL), UG Course, Digital Art & Technology, University of Plymouth (UK)
2014, “Raspberry Pi & Python”, Workshop, 4 weeks, Digital Art Technology, University Of Plymouth (Plymouth, UK)
2014, “Processing & Collective Sentiment”, Workshop, 2 weeks, Shanghai Maritime University (Shanghai, CN)
2013, “Sensorama”, Workshop, 16 hours (with Mike Phillips, Ziad Ewais), DI-EGY Festival, German University in Cairo, 1-2 April 2013 (Cairo, EG)
2012, “Data Ecologies Symposium”, Workshop, 4 hours, i-DAT, University of Plymouth, October (Plymouth, UK)
2012, “Media Technology in Architectural Spaces“, Workshop, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University, 10-17 February 2012 (Heraklion, GR)
2011, “ECOIDS (Eco-OS Ecological Operating System) and Prototype Development“, Workshop, i-DAT, University of Plymouth, November (Plymouth, UK)
2011, “Bio-OS (Biological Operating System): Biometric System Development“, Workshop, i-DAT, University of Plymouth, November (Plymouth, UK)
2011, “Confluence“, Workshop, i-DAT, University of Plymouth (Plymouth, UK)
2011, “Remixing in Ableton“, Workshop, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University, February 2011 (Heraklion, GR)
2010, “DJing Techniques & Practice“, Workshop, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University, December 2010 (Heraklion, GR)
2010, “Processing Programming Language“, Workshop, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University (Heraklion, GR)
2009-10, Interactive Narratives, UG Course, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University (GR/UK)
2009-10, Virtual Environments, UG Course, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University (GR/UK)
2009-10, Multimedia Design Practice I, UG Course, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University (GR/UK)
2009-10, Multimedia Design Practice II, UG Course, MBS College / Nottingham Trent University (GR/UK)
Funding / Awards
2024, “Weird Creatures“, Ars Electronica, Campus Award – Honorary Mention (AT)
2023, Sponsored Exhibition, “Synthetic Cities“, Linso | Leyard LED, MANA, Riverside Project Space / TANK Shanghai (CN)
2022, Commissioned Artwork, “Xenoforms“, Flexiv & AMAN, Art021, Shanghai Contemporary Art Fair (CN)
2021, Commissioned Exhibition, “Neo-Imaginaria”, BCA (Block Create Art), The Brownie Project (CN)
2019, Research Funding, “South West Creative Network – Automation“, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth (UK)
2018, EU Research Funding: “PARTICIPATE”, STARTS H2020, 2018-2020, Information & Communication Technologies
2017, Art Residency: “Beyond Digital Towards Biological”, Chronus Art Center (CN) / IT University of Copenghagen (DK) / Plymouth University (UK)
2017, Research Funding: “Protolab – A Technoetic Ecosystem”, Songjiang Municipal Funding Program (CN)
2016, Research Funding: “Techno-Organic Practices”, Danish Ministry of Science, Technology & Innovation (DK)
2015 Commissioned Artwork: “HexSpace”, DeTao Group (CN)
2013, Commissioned Artwork: “This City’s Centre”, Arts and Humanities Research Council AHRC (UK)
2013, Research Funding: “Qualia Data Visualizations“, Nesta / Digital R&D for the Arts, December (UK)
2013, Catalyst Award: “Pulse Mode”, Code Control Festival, Arts and Humanities Research Council & Phoenix / Leicester Arts Center, March (UK)
2012, PhD Scholarship, Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation (GR)
2007, Commissioned Artwork: “Royal Victoria Hospital: A Sonic Installation”, CETL Northern Ireland (UK)
2007, Commissioned Artwork: “The Cube“, CETL Northern Ireland (UK)
2006, Postgraduate Studies Funding, Alexander S. Onassis Public Benefit Foundation (GR)
Development Training
2025, FERPA (NYU, US)
2024, Interfolio F180 (NYU, US)
2013, Graduate Teaching Associates Course, Plymouth University, March – June (Plymouth, UK)
2012, NVIVO Workshop (Plymouth, UK)
2012, EndNote Workshop (Plymouth, UK)
2012, Full-Dome Environments/Lectures (Leicester, UK)
2012, IBM Smarter Planet Workshop (Plymouth, UK)
2012, Interactive Art and Technoetics. Research training with Roy Ascott (Shanghai, CN)