astrid_hood

I make what is perfect more human

I'm Astrid.
I'm a designer, researcher and technologist.

I'm a designer focused on visual, product, and interaction design in music tech and creative tools. I work on complex workflows where clarity, speed, and exploration all matter.

My work combines deep usability with strong, expressive visuals across logos and brand assets, multi-pane interfaces with layered navigation, and intuitive, beautiful hardware interfaces. I build and maintain design systems that scale, and I believe documentation and onboarding are core parts of the end-to-end design process, not an afterthought.

I make things understandable for users, teams, and stakeholders. I'm based in Berlin, and I work globally.

Scroll down for examples of my work.

Products &

Interfaces

I design beautiful interfaces, as well as brands and products that communicate with clarity and intent.

My process considers four interconnected dimensions:

  • Visual
    How it looks (form, composition, rhythm, and tone)
  • Physical
    Its material presence (shape, size, proportion, and tactility)
  • Communication
    How it's understood (what it says and the voice it carries)
  • Behaviour
    How it works in the world (its use, context, and lifecycle over time)

Visual &
Product

Bela stickets on a table
A graphic promoting Trails, a two-dimensional touch module. It features a stylised grid being bent in three dimensions, with a single glowing red point traversing its curves.
A sample of Little Character font, with Lorem Ipsum text in various sizes. The text is at a 30 degree angle, red text on a white field.
A promotional image for SALT and SALT+, showing the top of the module. The text reads
A logo for Women In Music Tech, which looks like a PCB trace making the letters WIMT
A digital render of Bela Gem Stereo. The shot is top-down on the device which is centred on a grey field showing its logo. The Little Character font used as pin and device labels.
Logo for Intersections festival, consisting of two shapes coming together and the text underneath
A Bela Mini facing towards the camera, showing off the Bela logo on its surface. On the left are two audio adapter cables.
A digital rendering of the Bela Gem Multi packaging. It's a brown cardboard tuck box on a grey field, and the product name
A graphic showing the Trill logo and 5 Trill sensors, with arrows showing the axes of touch sensing for each form factor.
A hand on a bank of five Gliss modules, surrounded by other modular objects on a metal table. The text reads
An image with the words
Logo for D_GEN Studio. An arrow separates the D and GEN, and the font is a modified VCR font.

Interface &
Experience Design

sample2
Screenshot of a website
Screenshot of all Gliss menu modes
thumb
A settings panel rendered in light and dark mode
A screenshot of a knowledge base
sample3

Hardware
Interface Design

salt
1
2
trails_mockup
20250510_150439
moai3
grooveMachine_table
Plastic geometric pieces on a table, some lit up.
IMG_3001

Case Studies

This is how I work.

Below are examples of how I've responded to complex problems in interface, interaction, and product design, showing my process and outcomes.

Research

I have a proven track record of producing insightful, impactful research across culture and technology.

I ask the right questions, design thoughtful methodologies, and apply rigorous analysis to understand how people use things any why.  My work generates meaningful knowledge that informs both design and broader cultural understanding. 

My work has been peer-reviewed and published internationally. 
For a complete list, please see my Google Scholar profile.

Instruments

I care deeply about the way culture and technology intersect through music.

Working both within and beyond my own cutlural context, I design and build digital musical instruments, typically focused on percussion. This includes hardware, software, and material implementation, often developed in close collaboration with others. 

I love making instruments. I'm driven by the challenge of innovating across materials, forms, and interaction models. My instrument practice forms a vital feedback loop with my research, allowing me to test and ground theory in experimentation and lived experience.

Here are some examples:

Speaking

I deliver engaging talks for creative, academic, and industry audiences. 

My talks explore the intersection of technology, creativity, and human behaviour, drawing on two decades of hands-on experience in interface deisgn, digital instruments, and cultural research. I speak with clarity, depth, energy, and an unfailing sense of humour, whether on stage, online, or in workshops.

Need a keynote speaker, panelist, or someone to connect design and culture in surprising ways? There's samples below. Let's talk.

Contact

Email me

Got a problem only I can solve?
Want to talk about a product, brand, or something that doesn't yet exist?
Need a speaker with sharp ideas and a fresh perspective?
Just want to connect?

Reach me here:

heyastrid (at) astridbin.com

Download my CV

Curious about my background in design, research, and public speaking? It's all in my CV:

Click here (PDF)

ASTRID BIN

Making what is perfect more human.