The Slow Research Project employs design theory, personal creative practices, and an interdisciplinary approach to understand methods of comprehending individual and collective connections with surroundings. Students refine observation skills and grasp perception nuances through analysis and creative projects. The project involves crafting an "environment" reflecting spatial identity, fostering creative practice, and documenting mental perspectives of the surroundings.
Question
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How does the spatial experience of an
environment affect mentality?
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Research
Weekly research was conducted for three weeks. Daily practices with specific steps were performed each week. At the end of each week, changes would be made to the daily practices to gain further insight into the mentality of someone in their environment
Research Week 1
- Daily Practice
- Meditate outside while practicing breathing techniques
- Reconnect self with surroundings and nature
- Steps
- Go outside
- Find comfortable space
- Meditate while practicing breathing techniques
- Meditate for 5-10 minutes
- Write down thoughts
Research Week 2
- Daily Practice Steps:
- Locate a safe and comfortable space
- Meditate for 5 minutes while practicing breathing techniques
- Draw what comes to mind
Research Week 3
- Daily Practice Steps:
- Locate a safe and comfortable space
- Sit in space
- Meditate for 5 minutes while practicing breathing exercises
- Draw/doodle
- Choose colors from the space
- List the 5 Grounding Steps:
- 5 things I see
- 4 things I touch
- 3 things I hear
- 2 things I smell
- 1 thing I taste
Research Week 4
- Daily Practice Steps:
- Locate a space
- Meditate for 5 minutes while practicing breathing exercises
- Draw/doodle/Photograph
- Choose colors from the space
- List Grounding Step observations
Short Story Inspiration
Inspired to investigate how an environment may affect our actions by closely examining the "Trading Cities 2" chapter of "Invisible Cities" by Italo Calvino.
2-D Experimentation
Possible 2-D experimentation sketch ideas
2-D Experimentation research inspired by readings of "Trading Cities" chapter
3-D Experimentation
Documentation photos of a rendered space full of various objects and shapes throughout a day cycle.
Objects are shown emerging or vanishing from the frame to illustrate how environments are changed by external activity.
Investigating how objects may be changed or used illustrates external thoughts on the specific object.
Documentation further explores how natural lighting can affect environments from sunrise to sunset.
Objects are shown emerging or vanishing from the frame to illustrate how environments are changed by external activity.
Investigating how objects may be changed or used illustrates external thoughts on the specific object.
Documentation further explores how natural lighting can affect environments from sunrise to sunset.
4-D Experimentation
Video research further examines how individuals interact with their surroundings to create their environment.
Six family participants were selected for this experiment. Various home-like objects with differing shapes were selected for this process. Each participant would interact with the previous participant's creations. To illustrate how individuals are a dynamic force within spaces, shifting and manipulating static environments. Visually watching how each participant manipulates and interacts with objects illustrates their mentality of the space.
Conclusion
The slow research project helped create an open conversation about how people may interact with their environments and how those environments may affect their mentality. An environment and interactor affect each other.
This research helps develop and create interiors by understanding how every individual has specific relationships and interactions with an environment. Spaces are static unless they are manipulated and changed by dynamic external forces.
Changes to the process would be to ask 4-D video participants how they felt before and after interacting with the environment.