Senisest

Senisest is a neologism used in design theory and cultural studies to describe an approach to examining and representing senescence and aging through immersive, sensory-rich media. The term is applied to both analysis and practice, referring to artifacts, installations, and narratives that foreground embodied perception—sound, touch, motion, and space—over conventional cognitive narration.

Origin and etymology: The word combines senescence, the biological process of aging, with the English suffix -est to denote a school or approach. It began appearing in English-language design journals in the early 2020s, attributed to writers exploring aging as a design and cultural topic.

Applications and scope: Senisest is used to critique or develop media that communicates aging experiences in ways that are felt rather than described. Practitioners may design exhibit spaces with tactile guides, multisensory soundscapes, and accessible interfaces that adapt to aging users. The framework emphasizes ethics, inclusivity, and the politics of memory.

Examples and reception: In hypothetical or speculative projects, senisest-inspired installations map subjective time or memory through spatial and sensory cues. Critics describe the approach as provocative but contested, questioning whether sensory emphasis can obscure narrative clarity or reproduce stereotypes about aging.

See also: senescence, aging, affect theory, design fiction, accessibility in design.