Designing Warmth
in the Berkshires
An intimate, inaugural event exploring the principles of designing warmth through conversation, immersion, and embodiment.
Wed, September 30 - Sat, October 3
ZX is a small gathering of world-builders – people who plan human experience in digital or physical spaces – responding to a new era of responsibility in design.
Designing Warmth
Themes
We’ll begin by looking back—immersing ourselves in America’s first great design culture at Hancock Shaker Village—then look forward at MASS MoCA’s “Technology of Relations,” exploring how technology shapes our connection with the world around us.
“What I mean by good design is helping people find their natural, proper place in the cosmos.”
– Richard Buchanan
At ZX26, we’ll explore Transcendent Experience (ZX) Design — a new perspective on UX that looks beyond the individual and prioritizes the warmth of connection with the world outside ourselves: other people, the natural world, and the cosmos.
The Vision of Warmth
Thinking of design as conversation – not problem solving – makes users feel seen and heard both during the design process, and after, while using the final product or service.
The Power of Warmth
Design as a scaffolding for support for Self Actualization – becoming one’s best self – can activate the power of an individual’s purpose, self-worth, and natural tendencies for reciprocation.
The Heart of Warmth
Design for connection to something bigger than oneself – a shared cause – helps us realize gratitude, experience attunement, and engages our sense of justice.
What you’ll take away
Be part of a crucial course-correction in the design of human experience and recharge your passion for world-building.
Learn about inspiring examples of designing warmth - from people and places you might not expect.
Differentiate yourself as a world-builder and learn to articulate the value of designing warmth to others.
Join the conversation now as we define new priorities for the design of human experience.
Recharge your creative batteries during this thoughtfully-curated exploration of warm places, spaces, people, and ideas.
Registration is now open!
Program Highlights
Shaker design is the source and inspiration for the principles of Designing Warmth.
Within its 20 historic buildings, the Hancock Shaker Village houses exquisite design artifacts. We’ll explore this National Historic Landmark with special access to the most comprehensively interpreted Shaker site in the world.
“Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited” Skyspace by James Turrell.
“We live within this reality we create.”- J.T.
“Master of Light” James Turrell, is a recipient of the National Medal of Arts. We’ll experience one of his masterworks that nudges viewers to “sense their sensing.”
MASS MoCA is one of the largest centers for contemporary art in the U.S.
With a special curator tour and chat, we’ll explore Technologies of Relation, work from artists examining how we relate to one another, to the world around us, and to the technologies that often mediate those relationships.
ZX26’s HQ is at Tourists, nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains.
TOURISTS is a hotel and riverside retreat inspired by the classic American roadside motor lodge, set on the banks of the Hoosic River in the Berkshires city of North Adams. The perfect backdrop for designing warmth.
An inspiring variety of speakers who have built worlds warmed by principles of connection.
For example, Chef Tu Lee, a Vietnamese refugee who resettled in the Berkshires. We’ll gather at his restaurant STATE for a bespoke experience, more than a meal – an ode to intentionality, generosity, and quiet beauty.
Set & Setting
The vibe is warm, the dress code is chill.
Bring a sweater and sneakers, we won’t be in a hotel conference room all day.* Nothing strenuous , but ZX26 will lead you off the beaten path in more ways than one.
* Our experience is in accessible spaces.We’ll explore warmth through the work of artists, technologists, storytellers, spiritual teachers, and other unlikely guides.
Emma Swift Lee, Director, Fred Rogers Institute
The Fred Rogers Institute carries forward a legacy of kindness and connection, with a focus on investing in the adults in children's lives through learning and community.
Featured Speaker
Logistics
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Admission to event and all event sites
All workshops and activities
Shuttle to and from all workshops and activities
MASS MoCA reception
Meals: local, seasonal breakfasts, lunches, and dinners (except Day 2, flex time)
Beer & wine receptions (cocktails available)
Special flex time activities: yoga, hikes, etc.
Ample time for rest & reflection
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Day 1
Arrival (3:00pm)
Chef’s Cookout (6:00pm)
Fireside Keynote (7:00pm)
Day 2
Yoga/river/forest/social time
Coffee & Breakfast at Tourists
ZX Introduction
Intro to Shaker material culture, curator talk and tour of Shaker Village
“Being Neighbors" featured lecture in the Round Barn
Dinner (Chef prepared, Shaker inspired)
Day 3
Yoga/river/forest/social time
Coffee & Breakfast at Tourists
“Method Acting for Designers”
“Technologies of Relation” tour and curator talk at MASS MoCa
“A Braver Collective” featured lecture in Spencer Finch Gallery
Dusk viewing of James Turrell’s “Sky Space”
Dinner with Chef Tu at STATE Food & Drink
Day 4
Yoga/river/forest/social time
Coffee & Breakfast at Tourists
“After Glow” with special guest
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Fully refundable up to 4 weeks prior to event.
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Each experience, plus Tourists motor lodge, is accessible and ADA compatible. Feel free to contact us if you have any concerns or specific requirements.
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Attire is casual; we’ll spend time outside during the program so bring layers and appropriate shoes; temps are usually mild days and cool evenings, with average highs around 63-67F and lows 43-45F
Transportation will be provided, departing from Tourists in the morning and dropping off at Tourists after our last activity of the day
Lodging at Tourists is highly recommended; if you choose to stay elsewhere, you’ll need to arrange transportation to/from Tourists each day
Event Location
Planes
Albany International Airport (1 hour drive)
Bradley International Airport (1.5 hours)
LaGuardia International Airport (3 hours drive)
JFK International Airport (3.5 hours drive)
Trains
Manhattan, NY (3 hours via Albany, NY)
Automobiles
Boston, MA (3 hours drive)
Manhattan, NY (3 hours drive)
Hartford, CT (3 hours drive)
Philadelphia (5.5 hours drive)
2026 Planning Committee
We’re design professionals and educators who believe in new priorities, new responsibilities, and new inspiration for the design of human experience.
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Daniel, founder of Designing Warmth, is a designer and research expert specializing in the field of Human Experience design.
He has helped organizations such as Toyota, Samsung, and McDonald's embrace human-centered design for over 25 years.
Daniel was founder and manager of the User Interface team at Samsung’s Los Angeles Design Lab, V.P. of Research Services at Gist Design, acquired by TrueFit Innovation in 2014.
He’s the inventor on five U.S. design patents for human-computer interface innovations.
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Sarah is a writer and curator specializing in American craft and design.
She’s the former curator of Hancock Shaker Village (Pittsfield, MA) where she oversaw the stewardship of the museum’s collection of 19 historic buildings and over 22,000 works of Shaker material culture. Sarah served as Luce Associate Curator of American Folk Art Museum (New York), and she has held positions in the curatorial departments of Frye Art Museum (Seattle), Museum of Contemporary Craft (Portland, OR), and Cranbrook Art Museum (Bloomfield Hills, MI).
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Killeen teaches Strategic Design and Management at Parsons School for Design in New York City.
She consults as a thought partner and design strategist. Her ongoing research projects and collaborations explore the power of collective reading, how objects work as vehicles for ideology and change, and the relationship between education, publication, and civic engagement. She holds degrees from Stanford University, Pacific Northwest College of Art, and Oregon College of Art and Craft.
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Stephanie Smith is a design strategist and team leader who develops innovative products, services, and customer experiences.
She has led teams for multiple organizations, including Thrivent Financial, Deloitte (Doblin), and Humana. She has a passion for mentoring, developing, and teaching emerging design leaders and scaling the skillful application of design in business, with a particular emphasis on how Buddhist-articulated principles powerfully inform human-centered design.
Stephanie was an adjunct professor at IIT Institute of Design in Chicago creating new courses on design leadership and design critique. She spearheaded the study Lead with Purpose.