Nakisa Dehpanah
Senior Experiential Designer | Architecture • Exhibitions • Brand Environments
Experiential Designer creating immersive environments where architecture, storytelling, technology, and culture converge.
With over eight years of experience across museums, architecture, hospitality, digital products, and public art, I create experiences that are both emotionally engaging and technically grounded. Whether designing exhibitions, branded environments, AI-powered products, or public installations, I approach every project with the belief that design should foster connection, curiosity, and lasting impact.
As an interdisciplinary artist, my practice in sculpture, installation, and performance continually expands my approach to design, allowing me to bridge physical and digital experiences through storytelling, movement, and material exploration.
I'm always excited to collaborate with organizations, brands, and communities seeking bold ideas, thoughtful execution, and meaningful experiences.
CORE EXPERTISE
Experience Design
Exhibition Design • Experiential Design • Visitor Experience • Customer Journey • Environmental Graphics • Spatial Storytelling • Brand Experience • Hospitality Design • Installation Design
Creative Leadership
Concept Development • Creative Direction • Design Strategy • Art Direction • Cross-functional Collaboration • Stakeholder Engagement • Project Leadership
Product & Emerging Technology
UX/UI Design • Product Strategy • Design Systems • Human-Centered Design • AI-Assisted Design • Figma • Framer • Rapid Prototyping • Creative Technology
Architecture & Fabrication
Spatial Design • Revit • Rhino • SketchUp • Adobe Creative Suite • Construction Documentation • Fabrication Documentation • Installation Coordination
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Exhibit Designer
Museum of History & Industry (MOHAI)
Seattle, WA | October 2025 – Present
As the museum's sole Exhibit Designer, lead the design and execution of temporary and permanent exhibitions from concept through fabrication and installation, translating curatorial narratives into engaging visitor experiences.
Responsibilities
Lead exhibition design from concept through installation for multiple concurrent exhibitions.
Develop exhibition concepts, visitor journeys, spatial layouts, environmental graphics, interpretive media, and wayfinding systems.
Design custom exhibit furniture, interactive experiences, artifact displays, and graphic systems.
Produce construction drawings, fabrication packages, graphic production files, and installation documentation.
Present design concepts to museum leadership and oversee implementation from early planning through public opening.
Coordinate directly with curators, conservators, educators, collections staff, AV specialists, printers, fabricators, installers, and community partners throughout every phase of production.
Collaborate with local artists to integrate commissioned artwork into exhibitions, ensuring a cohesive visitor experience that supports curatorial narratives.
Balance storytelling, accessibility, conservation requirements, fabrication, budgets, and production schedules across multiple projects.
Selected Projects
For Which It Stands: The Many Threads of the American Flag (Lead Designer)
The Beautiful Game: How Soccer Connects Us All
Freedom Plane: Documents That Forged a Nation
Reframing Seattle's Southeast Asian Histories
TADAIMA: I'm Home
Co-Founder | Creative Director | Experiential Designer
Majnoon
Seattle, WA | 2025
Designed and launched an immersive hospitality concept where architecture, branding, art, music, and cultural programming create a cohesive customer experience.
Highlights
Conceived the overall guest experience from initial vision through opening.
Designed architecture, interiors, lighting, furniture layouts, circulation, material palettes, and environmental branding.
Developed Majnoon's visual identity and integrated branding throughout the physical environment.
Directed consultants, contractors, artists, muralists, and fabricators throughout design and construction.
Managed permitting, ADA compliance, occupancy, health, fire, and building code requirements.
Curate performances, live music, and cultural programming that transform the venue into an ongoing community experience.
Independent Experiential Designer | Product Designer
Seattle, WA | 2023 – 2025
Worked across digital products, AI, installation art, and creative technology, exploring how emerging technologies can create richer experiences across physical and digital environments.
Selected Projects
Founder | Zeevar
Designed an AI-powered jewelry customization platform combining generative AI, personalization, and digital fabrication.
Led product strategy, UX research, interaction design, user flows, and prototyping.
Designed end-to-end digital experiences using Figma, Framer, and AI-assisted workflows.
Explored generative AI as a creative tool to enhance personalization while preserving craftsmanship.
Creative Technology
Integrated AI-assisted workflows into research, concept generation, visualization, and design development.
Investigated emerging technologies that connect digital experiences with physical environments.
Installation Practice
Created immersive installations and performances integrating sculpture, movement, architecture, and digital media.
Collaborated with galleries and cultural organizations on exhibition design and visitor experience.
Architectural Designer III
Perkins&Will
Seattle, WA | February 2022 – October 2023
Managed complex civic projects through construction while ensuring design excellence, technical coordination, and stakeholder alignment.
Highlights
Served as Construction Administrator on multiple concurrent public projects.
Coordinated architects, engineers, consultants, contractors, clients, and end users throughout construction.
Led RFIs, submittals, field observations, punch lists, and quality control.
Designed the award-winning Perkins&Will installation for the IIDA Product Runway, earning the Show Stopper Award.
Design Professional
NAC Architecture
Seattle, WA | October 2018 – December 2022
Contributed to 17 civic, educational, healthcare, and justice projects from concept through construction.
Highlights
Led design research, programming, and spatial planning.
Contributed to schematic design and design development for major educational facilities.
Produced construction documentation, architectural graphics, diagrams, and visual storytelling.
Conducted GIS analysis and environmental performance studies.
Collaborated with Gehry Partners on the Restorative Justice Village Master Plan for Los Angeles County.
SELECTED CREATIVE PRACTICE
Interdisciplinary artist creating immersive installations exploring identity, movement, memory, and belonging through spatial experience.
Recognition
Seattle Office of Arts & Culture Downtown Activations Grant (2026)
4Culture Art Projects Grant (2026)
Suspended Selves, Solo Exhibition, Method Gallery
Featured Artist, Seattle Magazine
Featured Artist, KUOW
Education
Master of Architecture
Iowa State University
Master of Design in Sustainable Environments
Iowa State University
Bachelor of Science in Architectural Engineering
Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran
CERTIFICATIONS
CareerFoundry Product Design Immersion
NCARB Architectural Experience Program (AXP) Completed
LEED Green Associate
Google UX Design Certificate
Google ARCore: Introduction to Augmented Reality
SKILLS
Experience Design
Experiential Design • Exhibition Design • Visitor Experience • Customer Journey • Spatial Design • Environmental Graphics • Wayfinding • Brand Experience • Hospitality Design • Installation Design • Storytelling
Product Design & AI
UX/UI Design • Product Strategy • User Research • Design Systems • Figma • Framer • AI-Assisted Design • Generative AI • Rapid Prototyping • Creative Technology
Architecture & Fabrication
Revit • Rhino • SketchUp • Adobe Creative Suite • Enscape • Grasshopper • AutoCAD • Construction Documentation