New center fuses media arts, data and design

The boundaries between art, design, science and technology are disappearing in a digital world. Today, artists use algorithms, scientists rely on visualization and designers are often focused on helping people navigate new technologies. At the University of Chicago, the disciplines come together at the Media Arts, Data and Design Center, creating a new collaborative space for experimentation, discovery and impact. The MADD Center will support work by faculty, other academic appointees, students, staff and community partners through cutting-edge technologies. The 20,000-square-foot center in the John Crerar Library opened Feb. 25. "Design, as a field, now encompasses the sum of human interactions with the devices, environments and communities that shape daily life," said David J. Levin, Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts.