in an era where connection is more accessible than ever, genuine intimacy often feels more elusive.
The design process and research journey revealed that while digital tools and social microcosms like festivals offer unparalleled access to potential relations, they simultaneously foster a culture of performance, emotional detachment, and optimisation.Therefore this project explored how contemporary dating culture offers both opportunities for connection and barriers to genuine vulnerability. Through the lens of critical design, cultural theory, and participatory practice, the goal was not to provide solutions, but to reframe how we think, feel, and talk about love. Along the way, I learned that critical design can not only challenge cultural norms, but it can also foster connection, reflection, and emotional awareness.
This thesis also marks a personal evolution in how I understand the role of design. Rather than simply solving problems, I now also see design as a relational, emotional, and cultural practice.
Ultimately, while this thesis does not aim to resolve the complexities of modern love, it demonstrates how design can help make them visible, relatable, and open to reinterpretation.