Interior Design Commons^™

From One Nature To Another, Sarah Mann

Masters Theses

Lichen‭, ‬fungi‭, ‬and soil each represent a microcosm of nature‭. ‬They are all quintessential examples of complex symbiosis‭, ‬yet they are often treated as lifeless materials‭. ‬But what if we took a moment to connect with each one on a daily basis‭ - ‬would that impact the way we envision the future‭? ‬

For most of us‭, ‬our homes won’t be radically changing any time soon‭; ‬therefore‭, ‬From One Nature to‭ ‬Another‭ ‬invites us to bring these entities inside and‭ ‬reflect on their possibilities as collaborators‭. ‬Each piece was carefully researched and designed to‭ ‬provide the correct atmospheric …

While We Were At Dinner, Anna Glass

Masters Theses

Mealtime is globally recognized as a time to gather, as food catalyzes connection. This project delves into this human practice of commensality and both explores and emphasizes the significance of communal eating and its benefits through designed objects. Through a collection of six designed dining experiments, this study examines the role of novel tabletop objects and unusually curated meal environments. The way these experiments are designed highlights how communal mealtime experiences can be used as tools for social engagement and disruptors of cultural norms.

Furniture and tableware designs have the power to challenge the assumed arrangement of traditional mealtime rituals, …

Making Nature Accessible: Building An Accessible Wellness Retreat Within Nature For People With Physical Disabilities And Their Communities, Jenna Morell

Capstone Projects

Nature impacts our lives in such a way that it can be incredibly detrimental to our health and wellbeing to be away from nature (1). Nature helps us heal faster, relax more, and just generally lead a more well-rounded life (2). It provides an opportunity to feel the sun on our face, breathe fresh air, and get the exercise we need. When deprived of these experiences, our bodies truly suffer (1). People with physical mobility limitations suffer from mental health issues at a much higher rate (3), this issue is often exacerbated by the fact that much of the built …

Culture In Disney Films: A Comparative Analysis Of Color, Composition And Rhythm, Megan Paul

Interior Design Undergraduate Honors Theses

As a student of design, I take inspiration from everything around me. The media I consume, the places I visit, and the people I meet.By choice or not, I and my generation are subject to the various forms of pop culture, film is one of them. Film is one of few art forms which combines several methods and elements of design to produce a cohesive result, as opposed to a singular medium. This forms the connection to design thinking and is the foundation for the study.

Another critical component to pop culture is the ability to reach the masses. Due …

Digital Brand Identity Design From A User Experience Perspective, Isaiah Harwood

Undergraduate Honors Theses

As a graphic designer and as a creative in general, my interest has always been in the conceptualization and execution of brand identities. I am most comfortable as a designer when I am working in the realm of art direction, and most of my design heroes and inspirations are legendary art directors and designers like Paula Scher, Paul Rand, and Michael Bierut. Logo and wordmark design in particular are among my favorite aspects of design, and finding ways to creatively apply these foundational aspects of a brand to each stage of the user experience is exciting to me. The stages …

The Art Of The Climbing Wall, Gavin P. Day

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The aim of my thesis is to share the intricacies of climbing wall design, and the building blocks of art, science, and philosophy that go into the work. I will also be detailing my journey of learning through mentorship, trial and error, and my own experience with climbing. All of this culminates in a redesign of the current climbing wall at ETSU’s Basler Center for Physical Activity. While there is limited information on climbing wall design theory, insight is given through industry standards, competition regulations, and interdisciplinary design philosophies

Space-Praxis: Towards A Feminist Politics Of Design, Mary C. Overholt

Masters of Environmental Design Theses

Outside of the academy and professionalized practice, design has long been central to the production of feminist, political projects. Taking what I have termed space-praxis as its central analytic, this project explores a suite of feminist interventions into the built environment—ranging from the late 1960s to present day.

Formulated in response to Michel de Certeau’s theory of spatial practices, space-praxis collapses formerly bifurcated definitions of ‘tactic’/‘strategy’ and ‘theory’/‘practice.’ It gestures towards those unruly, situated undertakings that are embedded in an ever-evolving, liberative politics. In turning outwards, away from the so-called masters of architecture, this thesis orients itself toward everyday practitioners …

Pediatric Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic: Design Focus On Invisible Disabilities With Sensory Sensitivity, Shelbi Boehme

Student Research Symposium

The focus of this research presentation is to design a Pediatric Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic in Logan, Utah providing diverse therapy spaces for children diagnosed with a range of disabilities. The American Disabilities Act (ADA) implemented some good generic standards for accessibility for persons with physical disabilities, but what about universal design for all disabilities? Designing spaces for a Pediatric Rehabilitation Outpatient Clinic involves researching many different types of disabilities that would be treated at the facility. Particularly invisible disabilities such as Autism, Multiple Sclerosis, Asperger Syndrome, and Traumatic Brain Injuries. These types of disabilities are often left out when designing …

Addressing Orphanage Design, Megan Orme

Student Research Symposium

The body of society is the people in its communities. There are girls without parents or a home that lack the development to contribute to such. These girls need refuge. Creating an orphanage that modernizes the care of these girls is dire. This facility will help mend the societal processes for facilitating children without permanent homes and families. By creating rooms and freedom within a secure facility, girls will grow and develop prepared to contribute to society as they feel loved and built up in a difficult position in their lives. The purpose of this study is to address the …

Nurturing Creativity And Innovation Through Activity-Based Courses For Undergrad Interior Design Curriculum, Katherine Jean-Maxim Sword

Master's Theses and Doctoral Dissertations

Different strategies that have the capability of encouraging creative and innovative thought need to be evaluated by traditional literature review methodology. This study designed a four-part course to better teach creativity and innovation through design by using two principle questions. (a) What learning models are most effective at teaching creativity and innovation? (b) What teaching strategies are most effective at teaching creativity and innovation? The spectrum of research on creativity and innovation revealed four principles: fostering mastery of a discipline, reducing internal barriers, encouraging people to have divergent thinking, and crossing over disciplines can make new ideas emerge.Using the above …

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 …

Hidden Gem: Realizing The Value Of Community In Healthcare Environments, Nicole Lee

Theses and Dissertations

Holistic approaches in healthcare address a problem from its root causes. The American healthcare model – both its treatment and distribution methods – is among the many issues that divides the nation. We have found ourselves with millions of uninsured people among a growing population where chronic illness is on the rise among adults and children, especially within low-income demographics (Goodman & Conway, 2016). Though this is a widespread epidemic, only recently has there been any effort to question and reform traditional healthcare.

The way that wellness is assessed in America has been detrimental to patient outcomes …

Design Hub: Activating Community By Design, Ed Williams

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION

At the turn of the century, Robert Putnam (2000, 27) wrote “...a powerful tide bore Americans into ever deeper engagement in the life of their communities, but a few decades ago that tide reversed and we were overtaken by a treacherous rip current.” Putnam is describing a loss of “social capital” throughout American society. Research suggests that many of our contemporary issues are the result of a decline in “social capital,” or “community.”

This pervasive lack of community is thought to be detrimental to “educational performance, safe neighborhoods, equitable tax collection, democratic responsiveness, everyday honesty, and even our health …

From Eye Sore To Eye Catching: Improving Function And Appeal Of Campus Spaces, Katherine E. Gorham

Senior Honors Projects

An interior space has a lot of power over an individual. It can dictate one’s mood, efficiency, confidence, and more. Most people can recall a time when a room had a negative effect on their mindset and productivity level due to its lack of color, light, or comfort. A functional, well lit, warm space makes for an uplifting and motivating work environment. Throughout my college career, I have encountered several spaces across the University of Rhode Island campus that aren’t the most visually appealing, comfortable, or inspiring, yet they still have plenty of potential. The goal of my project was …

Bantaba: Designing The Sacred Circle, Tashiara Scott

Theses and Dissertations

MOTIVATION In Richmond, there are 1.21 times as many African Americans as any other ethnic group. Yet 63.4% of African Americans live in poverty (Richmond, VA). African Americans face greater exposure to stress due to low socioeconomic status and poverty. In these communities, “discrimination and deprivation undermine individuals’ ability to accumulate the social and material resources to mitigate the effects of stress” (Brondolo, 2018). In this city’s African American community, where stress levels are high and consequential health concerns are prevalent, dance can be a remedy for managing stress and improving health (Hanna, 2006).

DESIGN PROBLEM How can an intentionally …

Light In Community: A Study In The Adaptive Reuse Of Sacred Space, Abigail Barras

Theses and Dissertations

ABSTRACT

MOTIVATION
American life is increasingly fragmented, leading to a sense of restlessness and disconnection. Much of that fragmentation can be traced to our pattern of architectural and sociological development, namely, the rise of the automobile suburbs in the 1950s and 60s and the abandonment of densely populated, human- scaled environments like that of the small town or city center (Oldenberg, 1999).

PROBLEM
Large numbers of architecturally significant buildings have fallen into disrepair over the years following the “white flight” of the 1960s and 70s, during which significant segments of investment dollars left city centers and followed to the suburbs …

The Process Of Redesigning An Existing Structure Within An Environment, Rachelle Martin

Honors Capstones

Capstone submitted as a graduation requirement for the BSU Honors Program.

Design Sales And Marketing - An Investigational Study, Katrina Jeanne Kuddes

Undergraduate Honors Capstone Projects

Dating back to the ancient Mesopotamian era, design has been a fundamental instigator of creations and inventions, leading us to the world we have today. Everything we have is the result of design: communities, architecture, mechanics, plumbing, furniture, clothing, etc. Design starts, often quietly, in the mind of an individual as an idea; but the idea begins to breathe when committed to paper or tangibly created.