Interior Design Commons^™

Reconnect: The Importance Of Beauty Within Architecture, Rebekah Lueck

Interior Design Capstones

In a world where secular design has become the norm, this project addresses the profound disconnect individuals experience in modern spaces. This research investigates the impact of contemporary design principles on user well-being and the built environment. It explores how secularism and modern design have contributed to this disconnect and alienation, and further how reforming a classical view and approach of architecture and design contribute to its remedy.

The integration of classical architecture not only offers an aesthetic and functional solution but also serves as a powerful response to the negative impacts of the fragmented view that has been embraced …

Beneath The Waves, Meredith Bol

Interior Design Capstones

In an age marked by technological advancements and a growing need for meaningful human-nature connections, aquariums and conservation programs stand as unique platforms for enhancing both education and human wellbeing. This design will dive into the conceptualization of interactive exhibits within aquariums, focusing on their potential to enrich visitor experiences and contribute to human wellbeing. By blending innovative technology, immersive environments, and educational narratives, aquariums can transform into dynamic spaces that not only showcase marine diversity but also actively engage visitors through these elements.

Intellectual: The aquarium space is meticulously designed to cater to varying intellectual levels, achieved through a …

From Healing To Happiness, Lauren Hannah

Interior Design Capstones

Animal shelters play a crucial role in providing care and rehabilitation for stray or abandoned dogs. However, there is a growing understanding that rethinking the conventional role of animal shelters can lead to significant improvements in the lives of dogs through specialized behavioral therapy and rehabilitation programs. By implementing these programs, shelters have the potential to regenerate and transform dogs’ lives, enabling them to overcome behavioral challenges and increasing their chances of finding loving adoptive homes.

The focus of these initiatives is to heal and nurture the dogs’ behaviors, addressing underlying issues that may have contributed to their arrival in …

Eduscape Shaping Tomorrow’S Leaders Through The Lens Of Neuroarchitectural Design, Viktoryia Shauchuk

Interior Design Capstones

Interior spaces hold undeniable significance; hence, the project advocates for a design rooted in well-being. The “EduScape” project seeks to redefine the design of K-8 schools by integrating an applied approach that prioritizes student well-being, safety, and the seamless blending of indoor and outdoor spaces. In an era where there is a heightened awareness of comprehensive wellness the physical environment cannot be ignored as it significantly influences a child’s emotional, mental, and physical development. Because the physical environment plays a pivotal role in shaping a child’s emotional, mental, and physical development, it is necessary to transform the landscape of educational …

Designing Sensory Adaptive Environments To Enhance Participation In Healthcare For Autistic Children, Lady Rios-Vega, Amy Carroll, Rachel Dumont, Diane Treadwell‑Deering, Matthew Fields, Roseann Schaaf

Jefferson Autism Center of Excellence Faculty Papers

Purpose: Many autistic individuals experience sensory features that impact participation in healthcare. In this study, we aimed to identify the needs of autistic children during healthcare participation and, based on the findings, generate solutions to improve participation in healthcare. Methods: A design-thinking approach with qualitative methods was used. First, observation of the environment and journey mapping were completed as part of the empathy stage of design thinking. Next, six parents of autistic children completed semi-structured interviews. The interviews were transcribed, and thematic analysis was used to identify themes. Next, healthcare providers participated in a group session to discuss experiences caring …

Biophilia: Developing A Taste For Care, Che'leah Shannon

Theses and Dissertations

People in materially developed cultures spend over 90% of their lives in buildings (Evans & McCoy, 1998). Commencing with the industrial revolution these materially developed cultures see most of their populus moving from the countryside to the city in search of work and better lives. The city, an urban and modern development of densely packed peoples, buildings, and infrastructure, has developed as an efficient solution to meet the needs of a cosmopolis.

The city has developed widely without a necessity or place for nature. The ground outside is paved with concrete, efficient and comfortable for travel, buildings are built high …

Learning Curve: Designing An Inclusive Early Childhood Learning Center, Sarah Alrumayh

Theses and Dissertations

This research centers on the improvement of early childhood education environments in hopes to reduce the disparities in outcomes among children aged 2-6, widely known as "the achievement gap." It sheds light on designing an inclusive, child-centered school for students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) and speech or language impairments (SLI). Drawing on the IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act), it underscores the benefits of integrating students with special education needs into mainstream education, thereby fostering inclusive learning environments. (IDEA, 1975).

The research question probes how to create a nurturing and adaptable school environment tailored to the diverse needs of …

Particl Plant Medicine, Tommye Dean

Theses and Dissertations

In an era marked by a growing recognition of mental health as a critical component of overall well-being, unconventional approaches to therapeutic interventions have gained prominence. One such intervention coincides with the importance of setting the intersection of psychedelic therapy and interior design, creating a synergistic environment for emotional healing and self-discovery. This thesis ventures to delve into the uncharted territory where the realms of altered states of consciousness and thoughtful spatial design converge, seeking to discover the profound impact this collaboration may have on the therapeutic and design landscape.

A Walk In The Woods, Caitlin Mclean

Theses and Dissertations

A connection with nature fosters increased appreciation, admiration, and responsibility toward the natural environment, thus encouraging the mindful use of its resources and preservation of both species and their habitats. Defined by Mayer and Frantz (2004) as an “experiential sense of oneness with the natural world”, this connection is more important now than ever in this highly digital era. Studies indicate that limited exposure to nature can negatively impact the activation of neural pathways associated with pro-environmental attitudes and behaviors (Chawla, 2020), while further research shows that engagement with the outdoors during childhood as a significant life experience (Chawla, 1998), …

Biophilic Design And Its Effects On Mental And Physical Health, Alexandria Lahman

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

The design of interior spaces can greatly impact one’s mental health. Because people are spending more time indoors, the importance of well- designed interior spaces has increased dramatically. Using biophilic design in architecture can increase productivity and creativity and positively impact mental health. Biophilic design involves incorporating organic materials, patterns, colors, textures, and plants into the built environment. This project aims to highlight the importance of biophilic design in architecture and how it can be incorporated into interior architecture.

Inspiring A Ripple: A Case For Evidence-Based, Biophilic Design For Affordable Housing, Chelcey A. Dunham

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

RELEVANCE

Currently in the US, 4 million families in need of affordable housing are not housed in affordable units and are spending 30-50% of their monthly income toward rent (Aurand, 2023.) Due to this shortage of affordable housing and the trajectory of its growth, advocacy groups and policy makers are making a push to fund more affordable housing projects. What if the designs of these projects were informed in such a way that individual and community mental health and wellness could be addressed in addition to meeting the demand for affordable, safe shelter? In this way, the return on …

Reducing Food Scarcity: The Benefits Of Urban Farming, S.A. Claudell, Emilio Mejia

Journal of Nonprofit Innovation

Urban farming can enhance the lives of communities and help reduce food scarcity. This paper presents a conceptual prototype of an efficient urban farming community that can be scaled for a single apartment building or an entire community across all global geoeconomics regions, including densely populated cities and rural, developing towns and communities. When deployed in coordination with smart crop choices, local farm support, and efficient transportation then the result isn’t just sustainability, but also increasing fresh produce accessibility, optimizing nutritional value, eliminating the use of ‘forever chemicals’, reducing transportation costs, and fostering global environmental benefits.

Imagine Doris, who is …

Attitudes Of Experiential Designers Across Design Disciplines, Danielle Degarmo

Architecture Masters of Science Program: Theses

The expanded use of the term scenography is widening its understanding of the word to encompass many experiential design disciplines beyond its origin in theatre. At its essence, scenography is the culmination of a designer’s collaborative efforts to take a prompt, whether it be a client program, a script, or other, and produce a holistic assemblage of experiential design elements to spatially engage an end user. Many experts in across design fields have acknowledged that there is disciplinary cross over among those practicing in experiential design fields in terms of design output or intention. By means of designer surveys and …

Manifesto Of Poor Images: Re-Imagine Guggenheim In The Post-Digital Age, Mengning He

Masters Theses

What is the role and value of low-resolution digital images, or "poor images," in a culture dominated by high-resolution and hyper-realistic digital media? This thesis investigates poor images from several perspectives: their technical characteristics, viewer’s experience, creative process, and artistic content.

With low-resolution as the defining characteristic of poor images, these pictures challenge the unceasing longing for ever-higher image resolution. While they seem unstable and untrustworthy, they challenge the obsession with higher resolution, offer an ambiguous visual experience, and provoke nostalgia. Poor images are open to appropriation, allowing users to become editors and co-authors. In the process of image-making, poor …

Sanctuary, Harsha Kejriwal

Masters Theses

When I first arrived in New England, I was accustomed to thinking of winters as short but pleasant periods. For me, winter was a break from the strong and relentless sunlight of summer in Central India. But the contrast between my childhood winters and the same months in the Northeastern United States was dramatic. Statistically, Providence has an average of five hours of sunlight a day whereas Central India enjoys 9.5 hours during its coldest months. This pronounced change in light piqued my interest. I was struck by the various phenomena created by natural light during these cold months. Sunlight, …

Overlooked Modi Vivendi, Natalia Silva

Masters Theses

Traditional gender roles, performance of heterosexuality, marriage, parenthood, and a large variety of other societal expectations manifest themselves in the domestic realm, both intangibly and spatially. The design of domestic spaces has historically catered towards heteronormative living stereotypes, marginalizing people whose way of living challenges the norm. Even in the present day, designers with non-user clients — developers, investors, real estate firms, etc. — will design with heteronormative households in mind. The rise in feminist and LGBTQ+ rights movements has allowed for non-heteronormative modi vivendi (ways of living) to be more vocally and visibly present in the sociopolitical and cultural …

Moving Narration: A Journey Through History, Yincheng Zhu

Masters Theses

The Central Pacific, as the first transcontinental railroad, is a remarkable achievement in the history of the United States. However, the story of what happened during its construction, including the struggles of the first generation of immigrants from China who built the tracks, and the resistance of native Americans to cede their lands, is largely forgotten. The California Zephyr, as a long-trip train that currently runs on the Central Pacific tracks, is not only a means of transportation but should also tell the history of survival and resistance embodied by the landscape it moves through and tracks it travels over. …

Thingle Things: An Exploration Of The Imperfect, Jesse G. Groom

Masters Theses

I am fascinated by the “imperfect” and ask: What are these so-called flaws? Might they just be misalignments with the plane of expectations which coat our visual processing? The relationship between object and human has grown ever more assuming since the advent of industrial production methods. I posit that the efficiency and profit driven decisions which underly this scale and mode of making have subsequently forced matter into the molds of our whims with little allowance for evidence of disobedience. During the opportunity of my own fabrication practice, however, I can discover new possibilities for the typologies of the things …

A Part Apart, Spenser Atlas

Masters Theses

I am fascinated by connections. Things that click, snap, slide, and hold. I care about the ways in which objects meet, looking for answers in the space between. What binds one thing to another?

I believe the world is presented to us in pieces. It’s hard to say how it all comes together. It's easy to believe things are shapeless and detached from each other. Connection is a bridge, a way of linking one thing to another that reveals interdependence, and eventually moves outwards to express a correlation between pieces, once assumed to be discrete and isolated.

This work is …

Lighting And Furniture In Higher Education: The Impact Of Classroom Environmental Features On Student Learning Perceptions, Robert Mcdonald

Honors Theses

Universities worldwide are undertaking extensive renovations and new construction projects to enhance their facilities. These efforts include upgrading flooring, repainting walls, purchasing new furniture, and updating lighting. With many outdated classrooms, institutions redesign older spaces and invest in more modern facilities to create comfortable and collaborative environments. Researchers and commercial manufacturers have studied the significant impact of classroom environments on students' mental well-being, perceptions, and learning performance. However, while research shows the effects of school environments on Pre-K - 12 students, limited studies have focused on the impact of classroom environments in higher education. This research aims to fill this …