INCREASING AWARENESS OF ONESELF INTERACTIVE PIECES TO RECONNECT US WITH THE PRESENT MOMENT By Paulina Shahery Lee Olvera | Truth in Making
Do well do we know ourselves? Can design help us live more mindful and content life? The first step to known who we are is knowing how we are. When we are more aware of our surroundings, our bodies and ourselves, we are also more aware of the present moment. The goal of the personal meditation chamber, Fluttering Stillness, is to create a dialogue between the user and the architecture. When we are actively engaged with our surroundings, our attention is drawn to our senses, rather than our everyday distractions. In the white chiffon fabric responds to the movement of wind and breath, which can connect the users to their surroundings and themselves. Additionally, the smooth walnut plywood base, coupled by the hardwood slats with knots in key areas, provide a sensory experience through materiality. From below, the wood warms to the temperature of the body, yet from above, the fluttering fabric is cooling. Thus, the idea of the most ancient Vipasana meditation is to focus on the breath, and here people can focus on the breaths visual, tactile, and almost acoustical properties.
FLUTTERING STILLNESS PERSONAL MEDITATION CHAMBER
EXPERIMENTATION
THESIS 2014| CYCLE OF NEEDS FOR WELL-BEING Shahery
Seven Chakras
vs. Maslow’s Hierarchy
vs. Cycle of Needs for Well-Being
Cycle of Needs for Well-Being 1. Need for peace Fear of stillness/peace 2. Need for recognition Fear of unworthiness/divulging 3. Need to love Fear of isolation/victimization 4. Need for stability Fear of change/guilt 5. Need for essentials Fear of inexistence/defenselessness
1. Mindfulness Ritual through spiritual 2. Respect Acceptance of what is 3. Love/belonging Group and private zones Movement in nature 5. Safety Prospect/refuge space
BREATHING
regular vs. irregular rhythm
POSTURE
modified savasana, or corpse pose, to alleviate tension in lower lumbar spine
INSPIRATION | VERTICAL ARRAY
INSPIRATION | COMFORT AND FABRICS
MATERIAL STUDIES
SPINAL ALIGNMENT
PRODUCED BY AN AUTODESK EDUCATIONAL PRODUCT
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50
8’
2’ 6”
Number Height (Changes) 1 1' - 6" 2 1'-6 1/2" 3 1'-7" 4 1'-7" 5 1'-0 3/4" 6 1'-0 1/2" 7 1'-0 3/4" 8 1'1" 9 1'1" 10 1'-1 3/4" 11 1'-2 1/2" 12 1'-3 1/4" 13 1'-3 3/4" 14 1'-4 1/4" 15 1'-4 1/4" 16 1'-4 1/2" 17 1'-5 1/4" 18 1'-6 19 1'-6 1/2" 20 1'-7" 21 "1'-7 1/4"" " 22 1'-7 1/2" 23 1'-7 1/2" 24 " 1'-7 3/4"" " 25 1'-7 1/2" 26 " 1'-6 1/4"" " 27 " 1'-5 1/2"" " 28 1'-4 3/4" 29 1'-4 30 1'-3 1/4" 31 1'-2 1/2" 32 1'-2" 1/4 33 " 1'-1 3/4"" " 34 1'-2 1/4" 35 1'-3" 36 1'-3 1/2" 37 1'-4 1/4" 38 1'-4 3/4" 39 " 1'-5 1/2"" " 40 1'-6 1/4" 41 1'-6 3/4" 42 " 1'-7"" " 43 1'-7" 44 1'-6 3/4" 45 1'-6 3/4" 46 1'-5 3/4" 47 " 1'-4"" " 48 1-'5" 49 1-'5" 50 1-'5"
IMAGINATION
SEQUENCE
these events reflect a transition from chaos to calmness, movement to stillness, from dark to light. each dark silhouette has an area of lightness, showing which portion of the body is being engaged and therefore calmed by the capsule.
problem | utter confusion and distress
problem | uncomfortable meditation poses
solution | intention to meditate
Interaction| lowering array of chiffon
Interaction| materiality and texture
Interaction| structure and stability
culmination| heightened awareness
FABRICATION
ARRAY OF CHIFFON
WOODSHOP
SEQUENCE