World Building and the Architecture of What-If

Josh Dawson will discuss how speculative worldbuilding can critique real-world systems while offering tools to reshape them. Drawing from work in architecture, computational design, and filmmaking, he will present a journey through narrative projects like Caustico, Loa’s Promise, Spa Sybarite, and the forthcoming Bradbaori. From collaborating with policymakers on climate resilience at Arcadis to crafting dystopian futures for Netflix, this lecture reveals how data, design, and storytelling converge to imagine—and inform—alternative futures.