Process Documentation & Project/ “Biophilic Wallpapers” – May 2019

1. Project Statement: For my research paper, I decided to look into biophilic design – a way of designing spaces that incorporates nature – and how it holds the potential to increase productivity and alleviate mental health issues for people in their everyday spaces (such as healthcare facilities, offices, schools, homes, and more). When deciding on what to do for my final studio project, I considered designing my own space using biophilic design methods and either making a 3D model, a digital rendering, or a 2D collage. Ultimately, I decided to make something that could mix these different ideas and do wallpapers. In doing my research, I learned that direct and indirect contact with nature both enhance a design’s biophilic appeal, meaning I could make wallpapers depicting patterns found in nature and that they will work just as effectively as having plant life in a space. To make my them, I gathered reference photos and digitally rendered them using illustrator, playing around with the colors as I did. To show them “at work”, I (also using Illustrator) drew out a bathroom of mine from back home and used the wallpapers as accent walls. Wanting to show that each wallpaper can be customized as far as scale and color scheme goes, though, I also made sure to make thumbnails that show how they can be changed (assuming that people were to buy these). My final outcomes are three digital wallpaper designs, paper printed versions of these designs, fabric printed versions of these designs (I plan to use them as tapestries), three different thumbnail sheets, and three digital drawings that show the wallpapers being used.

2. Inspiration: I took inspiration from patterns found in nature.

3. Research Thesis: Biophilic design – a way of designing spaces that incorporates nature – holds the potential to increase productivity and alleviate mental health issues for people in their everyday spaces. It is something that could be consciously utilized to reduce people’s anxiety and depression in healthcare facilities, offices, schools, and more. By looking at case studies, scientific evidence and scholarly research, it is clear that this correlation between nature and our mental health exists and that design should be moving in this direction in order for people to thrive and function at their best.

4. Explanation of how my Studio project is related to my research thesis: When first deciding on what to do for my final studio project, I considered designing my own space using biophilic design methods and either making a 3D model or a digital rendition of said room. Having had extensive training in the fine arts, though, I thought about my strengths (particularly painting, drawing, collaging, and using fibers) and came up with something that fell somewhere in the middle – wallpapers. In doing my research, I learned that direct and indirect contact with nature both enhance a design’s biophilic appeal, meaning I could make wallpapers depicting patterns found in nature and that they will work just as effectively as having plant life in a space. There have even been case studies where just adding a painting or a picture of nature to a space has improved  people’s wellbeing.

5. A link to my Bridge 3 ELP post:

Project Statement – https://portfolio.newschool.edu/sabrinavaldes/2019/03/28/bridge-3-project-statement/

Process Documentation: https://portfolio.newschool.edu/sabrinavaldes/2019/03/29/bridge-3-process-documentation-submit-assignment/

6. Visual Documentation:

 

Research Presentation PDF

 

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