Winner of the 'Most Creative Project'.
Awarded by the Interior Design Department at Falmouth University on the 30/04/2019
For young adults, managing their grief after a berevement can be tricky. On top of their heightning emotions and hormonal imbalances that they’re already having to manage, dealing with the loss of a loved one can often cause adolescents to falter as they struggle to come to terms with their bereavement. For many young adults, this can often lead to social isolation, whether this be in the form of recluse, addiction, or other forms of antisocial behavior. The teenage years are some of the most important developmental years in the human life, and missing out on the social and academic cues needed to progess in life can severely affect their wellbeing well into adulthood.
Often referred to as the ‘forgotten mourner’s, young adults tend to suffer through their grief alone without seeking out help, whether that be from friends, family or professionals. Grief has oft been described as a ‘Jungle’ in which no matter how hard a person tries to escape the expanse, it just continues, getting thicker and thicker. You can see a faint light from the canopy above, but no matter how hard you try to get to it, you cant.
For this project, I wanted to create a place for those young adults who are suffering to retreat to. A space where they aren’t pressured to talk about their pain, but know they can if they want or need to. A space where they are surrounded by other people who know exactly what they’re going through. A space where the support isn’t the ‘scary professionals’, but other young adults who are capable of understanding your pain.
My space is specifically designed to help provide a comfortable space that allows young adults to convene without feeling under pressure. I wanted to create a space that was light and airy, with the comforts of nature that are so often needed during times of struggle. I have used natural materials and colours throughout the design of the space, following the ‘Kubler-Ross Curve Model’ and the ‘Waterfall of Grief’, which greatly influenced my thought process while designing for this project. There are social areas, and private rooms, where members of the project are able to seek out a professional if need be, as well as a fully functional kitchen, as during my research I found that baking was a common retreat from the pain that grief can cause.
The main features of my design are, as said above, the ‘Kubler Ross Curve Model’ and the ‘Waterfall of Grief’. The Curve can be found throughout the design, on the stairs, on the floor, in the roof, the skylights and much more. Organic forms can be comforting, and so I attempted to include the curve subtely throughout. The way I interpreted the ‘Waterfall of Grief’ is in the large living wall found in the centre of the building. It stretches all the way from the ceiling down to the floor, distinguishing areas of the ground floor, creating a space that flows outwards from the centre wall.
After all, Grief is a Jungle
MEZZANINE KITCHEN VIEW
INTERIOR VIEW
EXTERIOR PAVILLION & GARDEN
GROUND FLOOR PLAN
FIRST FLOOR PLAN
