Interior Design Commons^™

Walking And Wondering, Helen T. Tran

Theses and Dissertations

My thesis approaches walking as a form of inquiry and the Flood Wall as a site open to reinterpretation. I believe that the way we walk changes the way we observe and experience the world around us. This contrast between purposeful and leisurely walking reveals how time and intention shape our awareness of space. When walking is no longer dictated by urgency, it invites observations and questions. Slowing our pace allows curiosity to emerge, which aligns with my design ethos of asking questions as a foundation for understanding and creating meaningful experiences.

The Flood Wall’s emphasis on uninterrupted movement prioritizes …

Waxing And Waning: Hidden Interiors Of Grassroots Expression, Asmita Baskar

Theses and Dissertations

Concealed interiors historically emerged from necessity in response to dominant systems around surveillance, control, and visibility. These hidden spaces carefully regulated access, cultivated intimacy, and enabled self-expression within grassroots groups and marginalized communities. Operating free from surveillance and in contrast to surrounding architectural and urban systems, these concealed spaces were not formally “interior designed”, yet they reveal how communities activate the interiors they encounter to retain agency.

Scholarship on grassroots resistance is largely examined through sociology, anthropology, psychology, or political science, with limited literature directly linking interiority, interior design, and resistance within covert spaces. This thesis addresses the gap in …

Strata: Layered Support Through Community, Resources, & Design, Jenna M. Sawyer

Theses and Dissertations

Strata reimagines transitional housing as a layered, responsive ecosystem that supports the holistic well-being of individuals experiencing housing insecurity. Inspired by the vertical structure of a forest canopy, the design integrates biophilic principles, trauma-informed strategies, and sustainable practices to create a dignified, inclusive environment. Located in the historic Sauer’s Factory in Richmond, Virginia, the project leverages adaptive reuse to ground the building in local context while addressing systemic gaps in supportive housing. Public amenities, such as a hygiene center, café, learning spaces, and a free store, encourage community integration and reduce stigma, while flexible private units and calming retreat spaces …

Civic Conservation Workshop: A User Manual For Creating A Makerspace Dedicated To Historic Preservation, Building Repair, And Civic Engagement, Madeleine Bean

Theses and Dissertations

Research Abstract:

Democracy depends on citizens’ participation at all levels, from local to national; moreover, engagement in one’s community is directly correlated with greater reported feelings of happiness and trust (Cox et al., 2021). This research examines how makerspaces can act as civic hubs that promote inclusive community interaction, facilitate the exchange of cultural and skills-based knowledge, encourage civic discourse, and serve as sites for political engagement through the provision of tools and resources that focus on historic home repair/preservation and craft-based trades. Specifically, this study proposes the development and design of a preservation-focused makerspace in Jackson Ward, a historically …

Mementos, Zixuan Guo

Theses and Dissertations

Relevance:

Personal Relevance: This project merges my passion for film photography and modern technology, aiming to create a design that bridges traditional and modern practices.

Local Relevance: Richmond’s rich historical context provides an ideal setting to illystrate that traditional arts like analog photography can be preserved while integrating modern digital technology.

Global Relevance: Globally, there is an increasing trend toward combining traditional and modern design approaches, particularly in architecture and interior design. Synthesizing analog and digital means is used to meet the balance between materiality and modern technology (Rose, 2014; Pelizzari & Scrivano, 2011). Designers balance tactile materials like wood …

Wander, Wonder: Beyond The Window, Se Young Lee

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how small, site-specific interventions can reframe everyday spaces through acts of observation, walking, and placement. In response to the increasing detachment from physical environments caused by digitized, image-saturated culture, this research asks how gentle gestures might restore presence and embodied perception in overlooked urban sites.

Drawing on the notion of the flâneur and grounded in theories by Peter Zumthor, Rebecca Solnit, and others, walking is employed as a form of spatial inquiry—a way of thinking through movement, of seeing through slowness. Along a recurring route between home and studio, three underappreciated sites were identified and engaged through …

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 …

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), …

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 …

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.

Discovery: A Visual Arts Elementary School, Cindy J. Perdomo

Theses and Dissertations

On average, school-age children spend more time in the classroom environment than they do at home. Why not provide environments that stimulate children’s curiosity to learn through visual arts? Including visual arts in educational programs can enhance students’ cognitive development, problem-solving abilities, cultural awareness, and critical thinking skills.

As someone who has attended various public schools in Florida, I’ve found that incorporating arts education into the curriculum can enhance students’ overall engagement with learning. Unfortunately, many students lack access to arts education due to a lack of funding and resources. Traditionally, the arts have been viewed as an opportunity for …

Crafting Community: A Ceramics Center, Nadia Mechboukh

Theses and Dissertations

For artisans, being part of a community can facilitate engaging with the public. Networking and collaborating with peers are vital for building meaningful relationships that can lead to mutual inspiration and learning opportunities. By strengthening the connection between society and various forms of craft, we can weave invisible threads that link the stories that craft tells with the time and place in which they were created. Pottery is a craft that has existed for thousands of years. Ceramics and clay have carried the history of communities and their ways of living through centuries and have been used as identifiers of …

Intersect- On The Corner Of Princess Anne And William, Madison M. Goff

Theses and Dissertations

After a worldwide pandemic, perspectives towards personal space and private quarters have shifted. Social distancing procedures during COVID-19 altered the use of space, even after vaccinations have been administered. After limits on large gatherings and keeping 6 feet away from each other, what is the expectation that people hold now when in public?

Research will include interviewing the intended user groups (students and travelers), designers who are familiar with hospitality and hostel design, and hospitality professionals. The perspective on private and public space has shifted after the pandemic, so a survey will target hostel age groups that could help understand …

From Silence To Forte: Developing An Inclusive Space For Persian Musicians To Flourish, Sholeh Salimi

Theses and Dissertations

Music serves as a reflection of culture and conveys various emotional and intellectual states, such as a nation's perspective, social attitudes, and historical background. However, the Iranian revolution in 1979 led to the ban of music by the new regime, limiting the output and audience for Iranian music. In addition, the emergence of Western music accessibility through technology posed challenges for traditional Persian music, and the government's restrictions on music further compounded the problem. To support and advance the preservation and dissemination of Iranian music, this study aims to explore how an interior designer can create a space that enables …

Flourish: Exploring Healing Environments In A Residential Treatment Setting, Emily D. Kalafian

Theses and Dissertations

The following project explores the ways in which our environments promote healing and support recovery through the design of a residential center for eating disorder recovery. The center will serve 8-10 young women as they seek recovery from restrictive forms of eating disorders. The center will accommodate the necessary staff personnel as well as spaces for supporting activities and wraparound services. The project intends to create a place for healing that feels safe, warm, and considers patients’ needs for autonomy, dignity, and a sense of control amidst disorder. This is a place to create meaningful relationships and to participate in …

Connections Exposed | A Library For The People, Stephanie Wilburn

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION

The U.S. economy, democracy, and the health and happiness of citizens depends on maintaining social capital, the networks of bonds between community members. Social capital creates the trust that facilitates action and cooperation for mutual benefit. Since the 1960s, there has been a decline in-person socialization and social bonds both within and between demographic groups in the US resulting in reduced social capital (Putnam, 2000).

One measure to combat declining social capital is to create third places where incidental and repeated social interactions build and reinforce bonds between community members (Oldenburg, 1997).

With the reduction of accessible and inclusive …

Connected: Exploring Automation To Activate Aging In Place Success, Hallie W. Gillespie

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION: There’s no place like home. Technological advances are now allowing us to live and work from anywhere. Spatial divides are disappearing through remote connections, creating a dispersion of the nuclear family, traditionally the prevailing caregivers for seniors. Older adults are projected to outnumber children under eighteen by 2034, a first in U.S. history (Census Bureau, 2019). This is not specific to America; “globally the population is aging. Since 1980, the number of people aged over 60 has more than doubled in size and is projected to do so again by 2050 to 2.1 billion” (United Nations, 2017).

ISSUE: There …

Chest Of Drawers (Cómoda), Cindy Perdomo

Object Analysis Projects

Cindy Perdomo, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Chest of Drawers (Cómoda) for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

The French and English trade with Cuba influenced Cuban furniture during the eighteenth century. Cuba was influenced by the Spanish plateresque style which was influenced by the French baroque. During the British occupation in 1741 Havana residents had the ability to purchase consumer goods from British merchants. The sacristy room holds the vestments and sacred objects used in the services. In Cuba, the elites would commission cabinet makers from the island to create a smaller sacristy chest …

Chest With Drawers, Tessa Trowbridge

Object Analysis Projects

Tessa Trowbridge, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Chest with Drawers for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project

As people began to accumulate wealth, more storage methods were needed for small objects. Using the chest as the display case was an indicator of wealth. The chest turned into a focal point of the home. Motifs from Tudor style embroidery largely influenced the designs of chests from the Connecticut River Valley. It is possible that makers understood the value of embroidered patterns and wanted to bring this value to their furniture. Similar to the use of embroidery …

Writing Desk (Escritorio), Nadia Mechboukh

Object Analysis Projects

Nadia Mechboukh, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Writing Desk (Escritorio) for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

The portable desks traveled through space and adapted to new locations. The materiality, design, and techniques of the escritorios are an indication of the location where it was made. The concept of the escritorio was relatively the same through time but told different stories through its designs and ornamentation.

1) It had an administrative function.

2) It was a sign of wealth and social position. (from a cassone to escritorio)

3) The length of the production process using …

Chalice, Madison Goff

Object Analysis Projects

Madison Goff, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Chalice for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

Native Indian silversmiths were forced by Spain to forfeit their traditional silver practices and are taught by Spanish silversmiths the rules and styles of the Spanish Church. The function of the chalice was to hold the consecrated wine during communion. The chalice was created by pouring the molten silver into a cast that the artist made out of wax. The artist then utilized the technique called ‘repousse’ where he hammered from the inside of the chalice which creates a low …

A Looking Glass, Chelcey Dunham

Object Analysis Projects

Chelcey Dunham, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected A Looking Glass for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

Around 1720, mahogany was imported to England and began to supersede walnut as the wood of choice for fancy furniture. The North East colonies were a good stopping point along the shipping route from Jamaica, Cuba, and Honduras. Of course, some of the mahogany remained in the North East, and that is most likely how Mr. Elliott got his supply of Mahogany for his many-looking glasses. It was most likely designed to fit on a wall between two windows, …

Coffee Pot, Tawny Chamberlain

Object Analysis Projects

Tawny Chamberlain, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Coffee Pot for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

Entertaining in the home was also important and high society wished to emulate silver tableware from London in particular. Only the affluent could afford silver coffee pots and their elite status would have been marked by how many pieces they used to serve their guests. Tea and coffee rituals were also associated with elite femininity, as depicted by two Boston women in the painting to the right (Jamieson, 2001). We can imagine their parlor had elegantly framed mirrors and …

Candlestick, Caitlin Mclean

Object Analysis Projects

Caitlin McLean, VCU Interior Design MFA 2023, selected the Candlestick for the 2021 Colonialism And The Americas, Object Analysis Project.

Candlesticks were a physical representation of wealth and status, so it’s very likely these were regularly kept on display during meals or in the bedroom. Candles themselves were expensive - given the prosperity of the Schuylers [owners], it’s probable that these were used fairly regularly, as they could afford to maintain a supply of candles. Because they were originally made in a set of four with a snuffer stand, I believe these were made for display purposes, likely in a …

Humanizing Architecture: A Polymorphic Space, Nada Abbara

Theses and Dissertations

The built environments in which our communities thrive constitute an integral part of human experience and evolution. Yet, many places are detached from the way we experience them due to mass-production, which often produces standardized environments, and due to the tendency of modern architecture to delineate spaces as static objects rather than dynamic interactions. Thus, there is an emerging need to humanize architecture through an interdisciplinary approach that engages nature’s behavioral patterns. The project proposes a transformable polyhedral structure that interacts with human emotion through a three-dimensional morphing space that contracts and expands. This spatial interaction is achieved through a …

Haven: Support For Mothers, Sarah Kincaid

Theses and Dissertations

This thesis explores how a nonmedical interior environment can provide support and care for mothers during the perinatal period in order to prevent maternal mental health (MMH) issues such as anxiety and postpartum depression.

Covid-10, Healthcare Interior Design + Provider Experience - How Does Your Space Work For You?, Ruth E.P. Deibler

Graduate Research Posters

The lack of research on healthcare staff experience and interior design of the spaces they work in is evident. A focus on staff perspective is needed, particularly staff who navigated the COVID-19 pandemic. This research seeks to capture those stories to develop further research in order to improve staff experience. The initial phase of this mixed-methods approach is a survey. Hypothetically, by placing providers at the center of qualitative research related to healthcare interior design, we can better understand existing healthcare spaces. Ideally, we can develop additional evidence-based, human-centered solutions to transform interior environments in healthcare.

The 20-year Women’s Health …

Flourish: Combating Food Insecurity & Promoting Wellness On A College Campus, Jocelyn Zavala

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION In the past, it has been assumed that students enrolled in college are fairly privileged individuals unlikely to face challenges associated with poverty (Haskett et al., 2020). That assumption has been challenged in the past few decades and a survey released last year by the Hope Center for College, Community and Justice indicated that 45% of today’s higher education students face food insecurity (Goldrick-Rab et al., 2019). According to VCU’s Dean of Students Office, it is a situation in which a student lacks access to enough nutritious food in order to live a healthy, active life. Food insecurity can …

Kaleidoscope Wellness | Destigmatizing Mental Health For Teens By Design, Rhode L. Baptiste

Theses and Dissertations

Motivation

Mental health is a global public health crisis. (Marcus et. al, 2012; WHO, 2020). Although there is a growing acceptance of the complexities surrounding mental illness, care delivery for adolescents with mental health concerns remains highly stigmatized, which contributes to delays in care (Hoisington et. al, 2019; Burns & Birrell, 2014). Half of all mental illnesses can be detected prior to the age of 14 (National Alliance for Mental Health, 2020). While research exploring how the physical health care environment impacts health and well-being for patients has evolved immensely over the past two decades, research on how facility design …