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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
Description
A home holds so much more meaning and power than the physical structure of a house. As much as our personal space serves as an extension of ourselves, it also affects us. Furthermore, whichever state a home environment is in has a major impact on psychological well-being. This thesis is an investigation of the idea of home design as a means of addressing psychological anxiety through the point of view of a college student. The information is divided into three chapters; which are Overview of Relevant Scholarly Literature, Design Philosophies, and Personal Experience. Within the scholarly literature, well-being and anxiety are two trends in the studies of environmental psychology, positive psychology, and the humanities. There is still limited knowledge in these areas, so it is important to expand the understanding of the home environment's influence. Based on this research, well-known philosophies, and personal experience, design philosophies are an effective way to potentially improve well-being and reduce anxiety, especially for college students. While Hygge and Wabi-sabi are both design philosophies rising in recognition, Feng Shui is already widespread around the world. Some of the recommendations discoverer were to add cozy décor and lower lighting options to soften the room, get rid of extra clutter taking up space, or bring in nature with greenery and fresh flowers. However, these objects have countless interpretations and there is not a single correct answer. In the end, adjusting the space to be individualized will bring more comfort and these efforts will begin to make a difference in the user’s state of mind.
ContributorsDemaagd, Brittni Nicole (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Ramsey, Ramsey Eric (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Over the last few years, we have gradually entered a period of social unrest here in the United States. For the first time in my generation, we are seeing protests fill the streets of major cities across the nation; watching nervously as tensions rise amongst nationalities, religious groups, and political parties, and becoming increasingly more concerned as many powerful countries appear to be on the brink of war. Many people sit at home terrified, feeling as though their basic rights and freedoms are in jeopardy under the current tumultuous circumstances. In times such as these, it is the ideas of hope, unity and social empathy are essential to maintaining a functional society. As these issues continue to develop around me, I began to question my role and responsibilities as a designer in the efforts to battle the growing social injustice. I began my early research on the social implications of design and found that according to the US Census report from 2015, over 62% of the United States population live in a major city, and according to a report produced by the United Nations, over 60% of the people on the entire planet are projected to live in urban areas by the year 2030. Knowing these statistics, we can no longer claim to live in a world shaped primarily by nature, but instead in a designed and constructed environment shaped by human beings. In considering this fact, it became increasingly apparent that designers have tremendous influence over the physical and social progress of our world. But design runs deeper than just physical products in our culture, extending to every service and experience we encounter throughout the day. Conversely, although everything in our world has in some way been designed, not everything has been designed well. With this thesis I will address the social implications of interior design and the extents to which the social issues of equality and accessibility are currently being addressed through design. I will introduce the topics of inclusive design and social responsibility as they relate to the profession of interior design, and begin to question how our current module of education seeks to support these ideas of social progress in regard to the growing profession. This thesis will also serve as a reflection on my recent application of this research in an attempt to influence the designers and discipline around me.
ContributorsOkawa, Shanti Elizabeth (Author) / Smith, Brie (Thesis director) / Bernardi, Jose (Committee member) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
The introductory section of my thesis will draw heavily from sources written by experts in the field of creative thinking. First, I will introduce the ideas proposed by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his groundbreaking publications, Flow and Finding Flow. Here, I will discuss the "what" and "why" elements of my thesis, more specifically explaining why creativity is so important and how it could serve to improve the lives of those feeling emotionally or intellectually stifled by their stays in long-term healthcare facilities. Next I will use the steps outlined in Keith Sawyer's Zig Zag to explain the different elements that are involved in achieving creativity, "flow," and fulfillment. This will begin to touch on the issue of "how" from a theoretical perspective. For the latter half of my thesis, I draw from case studies, research papers, and design solutions from architects, designers, and manufacturers alike to begin imagining what designing a creatively conducive long-term care facility would entail, along with providing some examples of how these spaces might look, feel, and function. This portion is not meant to be a comprehensive design solution, but is simply meant to provide a framework and foundation for healthcare designers interested in incorporating creative spaces into their designs. The conclusion of this thesis is that creatively conducive spaces would be a beneficial contribution to the health care environment, particularly in settings that provide long-term care for individuals with limited capacity to leave the facility. These creative spaces will be guided by three key themes: (1) taking influence from children's health care facilities, which are more focused on the formative experiences of the user, (2) utilizing technology to provide opportunity for creative inspiration, expression, and collaboration, and (3) providing patients with the means to be creatively productive, including giving patients the power to control aspects of their environment.
ContributorsHumphrey, Amanda Rose (Author) / Bernardi, Jose (Thesis director) / Neaves, Jeff (Committee member) / Pickett, Christine (Committee member) / Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
This project primarily examines the physical and mental health of K-12 school children and faculty by implementing biophilic and ergonomic design into the learning environment. By understanding the positive impacts that both biophilic and ergonomic designs had on humans throughout various office space and healthcare environments, this lead into the question of how these tactics could impact the growth and development of children, as well as the positive impacts they could have on teachers. This research was paired with my fall semester interior design studio (fall of 2021), which is the study of schools and other education spaces in order to strengthen this defense and demonstrate ways schools can incorporate these tactics through the eyes of a design student.
ContributorsFrandrup, Hannah (Author) / Therien, Alex (Thesis director) / Huff, Robert (Committee member) / Bochart, Sonja (Committee member) / Keane, Kirsten (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
The WELL Building Standard is the first of its kind to focus on the health and wellness of building occupants. It’s a dynamic rating system between design and construction with evidence-based health and wellness interventions. It’s a holistic design approach addressing seven concepts: air, water, nourishment, light, fitness, comfort, and mind. Within these concepts are 100 “features” intended to address specific aspects of occupant health, comfort, and knowledge. To model these concepts and features, I will be using my Spring 2022 interior design studio project to exemplify the importance and benefits of the WELL Building Standard in workplace design.
ContributorsRaines, Emilia (Author) / Jacobs, Cheri (Thesis director) / Bernardi, Jose (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Marketing (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2022-05
Description
Levels of chronic stress in the United States related to work culture and working environments is a widely dealt with issue that is taking a toll on factors such as mental health and physical well being. High levels of stress can lead to issues such as headaches, high blood pressure, weight gain or damage to the immune system. Due to adults in the United States spending roughly eight hours a day, five days a week in their workspaces, it is relevant to investigate designing a space tailored to the way humans interpret their emotions and feelings about the surrounding environment: through the five senses - sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch. Findings suggest that there is potential to lower chronic stress levels by gaining a better understanding of the senses and how different stimuli affect the stress response and how those can be applied to the workspace.
ContributorsGlucroft, Elizabeth (Author) / Jacobs, Cheri (Thesis director) / Sharp, Nina (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Management and Entrepreneurship (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
This research discusses the key drivers for redeveloping airport buildings and destroying the existing infrastructure. In the past, airports across the United States have not been up to the standards in comparison to other airports across the world (Singapore-Changi, Seoul-Incheon, Dubai). A case study about New York LaGuardia's Airport in New York City is also discussed and used as an example since they are one of the newest airports in the United States.
ContributorsNoland, Nicholas (Author) / Zhou, Zenan (Thesis director) / Van Orden, Joseph (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Department of Information Systems (Contributor)
Created2024-05
Description
Human beings have always created shelters in order to live within the context of Earth’s natural processes. Of course, different places have yielded different solutions. Dictated by climate, physical conditions, natural resources, and hazards, people have both adapted to the environments in which they live and shaped them over time. Inevitably, the relationship between humans and the planet has shifted over time, as the effects of climate change increase with rising global temperatures, natural disasters are increasing in frequency and intensity (Fig. 1). Consequently, establishing precedents for increasingly effective temporary disaster relief housing is a crucial step toward supporting at-risk communities. Implementing clear and efficient procedures in areas around the world with a natural proclivity for geophysical, climatological, hydraulic, and meteorological disasters is paramount. Time-efficient, sustainably built, and cost-effective temporary housing and community support spaces that inherently promote the social-cultural values of at-risk areas will help mitigate the lasting detriment of disasters. This proposal advocates for a new precedent in designing disaster relief housing to address the pressing global issue of community displacement resulting from natural disasters.
ContributorsCicero, Isabella (Author) / Bernardi, Jose (Thesis director) / Dal Martello, Chiara (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Art (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor)
Created2024-05