Academic research

Chapter I — Heritage, Technology, and the Space In Between

My academic journey has always danced between two poles: a deep appreciation for science, critical thinking, and technology on one side, and a profound belief in the social power of art and heritage on the other. I studied mathematics and multimedia techniques, while also earning degrees in performing arts and local heritage policies.

It was during my master's program that I encountered a scenographer working on immersive installations in heritage spaces. That moment was revelatory. I realized that the problems I was hearing from heritage professionals—low engagement, invisibility, barriers to access—had potential solutions in new technologies. But there was a disconnect: technical tools weren't being adopted not because they didn't work, but because they weren't understood, trusted, or designed with heritage users in mind.

So I made that "in-between" space my subject of study. My PhD research explored the challenges of introducing new technologies into heritage practices. I wasn't just connecting two fields at the surface—I was diving deep into both to build the bridge from within. From the evolution of heritage as a social identity anchor, to the technical systems that shape our sensory interaction with the world, my research drew from phenomenology and systems theory alike.

My specialization eventually narrowed to mixed realities, particularly augmented reality (AR). I traced its evolving definitions, identified tensions between hype and substance, and built a working definition of AR that I applied to real-world heritage contexts. The final part of my thesis presented dozens of case studies across France, Japan, Poland, and Brazil—analyzing where AR helped, where it failed, and what lessons we could learn.

Rather than a straight, deep-rooted cypress, I like to say my PhD grew like an olive tree—branching in several directions, rooted in exploration, and driven by questions more than conclusions.

---

Chapter II — Resilience in Culture: Rethinking Crisis and Continuity

After my PhD, I received a research grant from the Japan Foundation to explore how Tokyo-based museums could adopt emerging technologies. My goal was to co-design solutions—not to import assumptions. I spent time listening to curators, understanding their constraints, and identifying cultural gaps in adoption. But then the pandemic changed everything.

During lockdowns, many institutions claimed that "culture was dead" because no one was visiting. That struck me as both wrong and dangerous. So I began researching cultural resilience—not just as a "bounce back," but as a bounce forward. My question became: What does it mean for heritage to be resilient in a world that keeps changing?

This led to a year of research into the multiple dimensions of heritage experience—material, symbolic, spatial, emotional—and how these can evolve under pressure without collapsing. This work culminated in a publication exploring the metaphoric ship of Theseus and how different cultures assign value across an object's lifecycle.

---

Chapter III — Relationship Design: Connecting People, Across Gaps

The third phase of my academic research emerged through my work at Tsunagaru, a Japanese company whose name means "to connect." As a French researcher working with Japanese colleagues, navigating cross-cultural exchanges, I began observing something deeper: what we were really trying to design wasn't just projects—it was relationships.

I began to study how relationships are formed, maintained, and transformed. Drawing from psychology, sociology, communication studies, and design theory, I helped conceptualize a new field: Relationship Design.

I created frameworks, mapped key theories, and developed practical tools to help individuals and organizations design mutually beneficial, long-lasting, and adaptable relationships. For the first time, my research wasn't staying on paper—it was entering workshops, team meetings, and educational programs. I also co-created a Career Design Handbook with Kyushu Sangyo University, and helped design an academic course blending emotional design, career planning, and relationship theory.

I still pursue this research today, building new tools and contributing to the growing community of thinkers and practitioners interested in how we connect—across cultures, sectors, and generations.