Iga Węglińska develops masks that alter the senses and explores new ways of perceiving the body

Iga Węglińska , a Polish designer focused on the intersection of body, technology, and sensory experience, presents a series of experimental masks that modify how stimuli such as smell, breathing, and the environment are perceived. The project investigates how limiting or altering the senses can transform a person's relationship with their own body.

The pieces, conceived through speculative design, do not seek to resolve an immediate functional need, but rather to raise questions about perception, control, and body awareness. By directly engaging the senses, these masks generate a distinct experience of space and of one's own physical state, drawing attention to processes that normally go unnoticed.

This type of exploration introduces a different dimension to well-being. The experience is no longer solely focused on relaxation or stimulation, but on making visible how the body is perceived under specific conditions. Sensory limitation becomes a tool for observing, pausing, and reinterpreting what is felt.

At the same time, these projects connect with a broader trend where design is used to challenge habits and expand bodily experience. Instead of optimizing perception, the focus is on exploring what happens when it is modified or reduced.

✳️ SPApreneurs Insight

This case opens up an interesting line of inquiry into the design of in-cabin experiences. Beyond simply adding stimuli, working with perception—silence, darkness, pauses—can create more mindful moments within the treatment.