Svasthya
Duration: 16 weeks
My role: Site analysis, Contextual Enquiry, Ideation, Conceptual development, Exterior 3d modelling and rendering
Team member: Khushi Monga
In collaboration with: Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology
Design Question
What role does the built environment have on our overall wellbeing? How may we satisfy our innate need to connect with nature?
The Outcome
The Svasthya Space
This thesis explores the negative impacts that spending time in urban environments has on wellbeing and proposes a new typology of public built amenity that utilizes the concepts of
biophilia and third places to stimulate healing.
This project is aimed at staffing a conversation to engage both designers and the public, and address why spaces like these are necessary inclusions.
The Process
Concept of Chakras
The project explores the concept of Indian energy circles also known as ‘Chakras’, which according to Hindu philosophy, when connected and flowing ensure wellness of the human body.
Why Biophilia?
Humans possess an innate tendency
The Biophilia Hypothesis
to seek connections with nature and
other forms of life.
The trend of urban living is relatively small on the evolutionary timeline, and research has shown that this has created negative effects on physical and mental health. Additional research supports that spending time in biophilic environments can drastically improve wellbeing and overall improving healing time.
Multi-sensory design
When we experience multi-sensory spaces we use more fields in our brain and that in turn enables us to remember experiences more vividly. These same inputs also work to influence our mood, our behavior, and ultimately our well-being in any given space.
This vision is the core of multi-sensory design, with the idea that we must approach the act of design by targeting the body’s multitude of brains. The concept acknowledges that people experience and react to space in many ways, consciously and unconsciously by receiving input from all sensory organs.
A multi-sensory approach to design is critical to supporting the psychological and physiological needs of those who spend time within the spaces we create.
Jen Kilp, CDI Director of Design
Sensory Mapping
This is a sensory map made observing the different human senses engaged as you walk from the East Entry to the East Exit. It helps evaluate the multi-sensory design of the individual spaces as well as the overall.
The lessons I’ve learnt from this project
- Physical spaces can come with their own set of limitations and as designers we must adapt to fit these requirements of a space with mindful consideration for the environment.
- Along a project there may be areas of research that might require external expertise and you should be open to collaborating with external stakeholders if need be.
For a more detailed process, please visit the thesis documentation book here.