First Place Winner
Roots and Routes - Archıtectural Reflectıons on Emotıon
Design by
Tayu Ting, Raymond Kurniawan
"Fascinating approach in crafting a topography of spaces that mirrors the emotional journey, ensuring a harmonious alignment between spatial design and the evolving emotional experience.”
-Andreea Felciuc
Tayu Ting, Raymond Kurniawan
Tayu Ting (James), a psychology graduate, is completing his architecture thesis at Rhode Island School of Design and is set to graduate in June.
Raymond Kurniawan, an undergraduate at Bandung Institute of Technology in Indonesia, is in his final year of study.
Celebrating Creativity & Vision
Winner’s Spotlight: An Exclusive Interview
Discover the story behind the victory — from concept to creation.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in architecture or related fields?
○ Tayu Ting (James) - I study architecture in Rhode Island School of Designed in the state. I have a background in psychology, and i'm currently doing my thesis for graduate students and I am graduating in June this year.
○ Raymond Kurniawan - I'm currently studying in indonesia, an undergraduate in Bandung Institute of Technology. And i'm currently in my final year.
How would you define emotional design in architecture?
○ Emotional design in architecture goes beyond simply creating functional spaces; it involves crafting environments that elicit specific emotional responses from occupants. Our experiences within architectural spaces are inherently intertwined with our emotions. Whether consciously or subconsciously, the spaces we inhabit impact how we feel on a daily basis.
○ Emotional design in architecture is about understanding and harnessing the power of spatial elements to evoke particular emotional states. For example, a well-designed room may evoke feelings of comfort and tranquility, while a chaotic or disorganized space may induce stress or unease.
○ By paying attention to details such as lighting, spatial layout, materials, and color schemes, architects can manipulate the emotional atmosphere of a space. It's about creating environments that resonate with people on an emotional level, whether it's through feelings of warmth, excitement, serenity, or even discomfort.
○ Ultimately, emotional design in architecture aims to enhance the human experience by creating spaces that not only serve their functional purposes but also evoke meaningful emotional responses, enriching the lives of those who inhabit them.
What inspired your design concept for the Emotions on Display competition?
○ Our design concept was deeply inspired by our personal experiences of living abroad and navigating the complexities of being immigrants or expatriates. Both my colleague, James, and I have lived in foreign countries – James in the US and myself in Taiwan. Drawing from these shared experiences, we began to explore the emotional journey of adapting to a new culture and environment.
○ Living as foreigners in a new country is like embarking on a journey filled with highs and lows. It's a process of initially feeling like outsiders, gradually finding our place, and eventually forming connections and feeling a sense of belonging. This emotional rollercoaster of navigating unfamiliar territories and finding our way resonated deeply with us.
○ We wanted to capture this emotional journey and translate it into a spatial experience. Our design concept reflects the ups and downs, the challenges and triumphs, of living abroad. It's about creating a space that mirrors the emotional complexity of the immigrant experience – from the initial feelings of displacement to the eventual sense of belonging and connection.
○ In essence, our design concept seeks to evoke empathy and understanding by inviting visitors to embark on a journey that mirrors our own experiences of navigating foreign lands and finding our place in the world.
Can you walk us through your design process for this competition?
○ Our design process for this competition was rooted in our personal experiences and the narrative we wanted to convey. Initially, we brainstormed the story we wished to tell and outlined it into chapters, each representing different emotional stages. We then delved into breaking down these chapters into specific emotions and scenes, identifying similarities and grouping them together.
○ Once we had a clear understanding of the emotions we wanted to evoke, we began to conceptualize the spaces that would best reflect and amplify these emotions. We believed in the importance of contrasts and challenges within the emotional journey, understanding that moments of happiness are more profound when juxtaposed with moments of stress or adversity.
○ Our design revolved around three key movements: the beginning of the journey, the middle part representing transition and adjustment, and finally, the culmination where one finds a sense of home or belonging. Throughout these movements, we aimed to create a rollercoaster of emotional experiences, ensuring that visitors would traverse through highs and lows, ultimately leading to a fulfilling and memorable journey.
○ To visualize and understand the emotional journey more scientifically, we created a graph depicting the fluctuations of dopamine levels throughout the experience. This graph served as a guiding framework, helping us map out the peaks and troughs of emotional intensity.
○ Our design process involved translating these emotional concepts into tangible spatial experiences, ensuring that each space was meticulously crafted to elicit specific emotional responses. This approach allowed us to create a museum that not only tells a story but immerses visitors in a transformative emotional journey.
How do you plan to ensure that visitors have a memorable and emotionally impactful experience in your museum space?
○ Our approach to ensuring a memorable and emotionally impactful experience for visitors centers around the carefully crafted sequence of encounters within the museum. We've intentionally designed the museum to be enclosed underground initially, creating a sense of mystery and intrigue from the moment visitors step foot inside. As they descend further into the space, they encounter the circular maze, which serves as a catalyst for individual exploration and reflection. There's no predefined path through the maze, allowing each visitor to navigate it at their own pace and derive personal meaning from the experience.
○ Rather than dictating specific emotions to the visitors, we aim to provide them with the freedom to interpret and feel the space in their own unique way. This freedom encourages a diverse range of emotional responses and ensures that each visitor's experience is distinct and meaningful to them.
○ The architecture of the museum plays a crucial role in guiding visitors through this emotional journey. For example, the opening on the roof, formed by the circular structure, allows natural elements like sunlight, rain, and fog to interact with the interior space, creating dynamic and ever-changing environments. This engagement with the elements reinforces the sense of being in a foreign or unfamiliar place, heightening the overall sense of excitement and discovery.
○ Ultimately, our goal is to create a museum experience that transcends traditional notions of space and encourages visitors to explore their emotions and perceptions in a thought-provoking and immersive environment.
What were some of the major challenges you encountered during the design process, and how did you overcome them?
○ One of the significant challenges we faced during the design process was coordinating our efforts across different time zones. My colleague, James, and I were located in separate time zones, making it difficult to schedule meetings and align our working hours. This discrepancy often led to late-night work sessions for me and early mornings for James, disrupting our usual routines.
○ Maintaining synchronization in our creative processes was another hurdle. Due to the time difference and varying headspaces, it was challenging to ensure that we were always on the same page mentally. Despite these obstacles, we were committed to making our collaboration work.
○ To address these challenges, we employed various strategies. We made a concerted effort to accommodate each other's schedules, often scheduling lengthy Zoom meetings where we could brainstorm and sketch ideas collaboratively. While these meetings could be exhausting, they were crucial for maintaining the flow of communication and creativity.
○ Overall, while the time zone difference presented a significant challenge, our dedication to effective communication and flexibility enabled us to overcome it and successfully collaborate on the project.
How do you believe your museum design will contribute to enhancing visitors' understanding of the relationship between architectural spaces and human emotions?
○ Our museum design aims to revolutionize how visitors perceive the connection between architectural spaces and human emotions. Firstly, it communicates the idea that facing challenges is a natural part of life and that embracing discomfort can lead to personal growth. This message is embedded in the architecture itself, encouraging visitors to confront and navigate through emotional obstacles.
○ We strive to create a space that acknowledges the diversity of human emotions while fostering a collective experience. Each visitor's journey is personalized, yet there's a universal theme of resilience and overcoming adversity that resonates throughout the museum.
○ An important aspect of our design philosophy is challenging conventional notions of what a museum should be. Instead of merely showcasing art objects, our museum deconstructs emotions, presenting them as tangible artifacts worthy of reflection. This perspective encourages visitors to engage with their own emotional experiences and contemplate the profound impact architecture can have on our feelings.
○ By immersing visitors in an environment that prioritizes emotional exploration over traditional exhibition methods, we hope to expand their understanding of architecture beyond its functional aspects. Ultimately, our museum serves as a catalyst for discussions surrounding the intricate relationship between emotions and spaces, shedding light on a dimension of architecture that is often overlooked.
Looking back on your design process, is there anything you would have done differently?
○ I think, in hindsight, there are a few aspects I would have approached differently. Firstly, the communication network within the team could have been improved. Given the challenges of different time zones, it was crucial for us to better understand each other's perspectives during meetings. This could have facilitated a smoother design process.
○ Secondly, concerning the design of the museum, particularly the maze and journey elements in the middle, I believe we could have utilized a more cohesive design language. While the concept of using circles was intriguing, incorporating a more dynamic and interconnected design language, perhaps mimicking the terrain, would have enhanced the overall experience.
○ Additionally, I believe we missed an opportunity to integrate the maze elements with the surrounding landscape more effectively. Instead of remaining solely on the surface level, the maze could have interacted more deeply with the terrain, possibly even extending underground to create a stronger connection with the land.
○ Overall, refining our communication methods and integrating the design elements more harmoniously with the landscape could have enriched the project significantly.
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