The Winners!
EMOTIONS ON DISPLAY 2023
First Prize Winners
Tayu Ting, Raymond Kurniawan
Taiwan
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.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in architecture or related fields?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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?
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ 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.
â—‹ Overall, refining our communication methods and integrating the design elements more harmoniously with the landscape could have enriched the project significantly.
Second Prize Winners
Reneah Joanna Fedelicio
U.S.
Reneah Joanna Fedelicio is a fourth-year undergraduate architecture major at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, with a minor in Creative Writing & Literature. She has prior experience as an architecture intern, private architectural tutor, and freelance architectural visualization artist. Currently studying abroad in Argentina for the spring semester, she is eager to explore various architectural and construction methodologies in Latin America.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in architecture or related fields?
My name is Reneah Joanna Fedelicio and I’m a 4th year undergraduate architecture major at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute with a minor in Creative Writing & Literature. In addition to pursuing my B.Arch, I’ve also previously worked as an architecture intern, a private architectural tutor, as well as a freelance architectural visualization artist. At the moment, I’m currently studying abroad in Argentina for the spring semester and looking forward to learning more about the different architectural and construction methodologies in Latin America.
How would you define emotional design in architecture?
Emotional design in architecture involves intentionally crafting built environments to evoke specific emotional responses and meaningful experiences for occupants. This goes beyond aesthetics to consider how sensory and experiential qualities like space, lighting, and materiality influence our emotional states. I'm fascinated by the impact these fluctuations can have on our emotions. From the arrangement of spaces to the choice of materials, each architectural element contributes to the overall sensory experience, shaping how we perceive and interact with a space on an emotional level.
What inspired your design concept for the Emotions on Display competition?
The inspiration for my design concept in the Emotions on Display competition stemmed from the awe-inspiring landscape of Slieve League, Ireland. I was particularly drawn to the idea of providing visitors with a moment of self-reflection through a captivating mountainside perspective. Thus, the mountain itself became the driving force behind my design, guiding every aspect of its creation to ensure a harmonious integration with the site.
Can you walk us through your design process for this competition?
I began with a crucial step: finding the perfect site. I knew it would shape the entire experience, so I had to get it just right to capture the most thought provoking views views. Then, I started visualizing how the building would fit into the mountainside, essentially taking over the existing viewing platform at Slieve League.
Next, I focused on circulation – how people would move through the space. I decided on two corridors flanking a central area, which I then subdivided further into smaller, intimate spaces. Also, instead of working solely on floor plans, I found myself drawn more to section views, where I could play with materials and lighting to evoke specific emotions.
Once the layout of the building was completed, I transitioned into the production phase, where I focused on drafting plans, sections, diagrams, and renders to bring the design to life.
How do you plan to ensure that visitors have a memorable and emotionally impactful experience in your museum space?
To ensure visitors have a memorable and emotionally impactful experience in the museum space, the approach involves meticulous attention to detail. Every part of the visit, from the initial approach to the building to the exploration within, is crafted to remain intriguing. This is achieved through an interplay of elements such as changing material palettes, diverse lighting, captivating shadows, unique spatial configurations, and breathtaking views of the Slieve League cliffs.
What were some of the major challenges you encountered during the design process, and how did you overcome them?
During the design process, one of the major challenges I encountered was visualizing and graphically representing the methodology behind how the building creates fluctuations in emotions. While I came up with the scheme for the building relatively early on and found designing it to be straightforward, translating the concept into a clear visual representation proved more difficult than anticipated. It took several weeks of experimentation and refinement until I was finally able to graphically illustrate how materiality and spatial distance influence one's positive and negative emotions.
How do you believe your museum design will contribute to enhancing visitors' understanding of the relationship between architectural spaces and human emotions?
The museum design aims to heighten visitors' awareness of the emotional impact of architectural spaces. Through contrasting experiences—like navigating tight, dimly lit areas versus open, well-lit spaces—visitors will learn how surroundings influence mood. This firsthand understanding will inspire them to rethink their own living spaces to better suit their emotional needs.
Looking back on your design process, is there anything you would have done differently?
I would have refined the emotional fluctuation methodology more. I think it would have helped to add more visualizations and create more diagrams surrounding how the building frames specific thought-provoking views.
Third Prize Winners
Jaron Richards
U.S.
Jaron Richards, currently employed at a Kentucky-based firm, began his architectural studies at Western Kentucky University. He then pursued a graduate program in Architecture at Lawrence Technological University, where he has been studying and working for the past two years. Richards believes that immersing himself in both academic and professional realms has paved the way for his future in architecture.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your background in architecture or related fields?
My Name is Jaron Richards, I currently work at a firm located in Kentucky. I started studying architecture at Western Kentucky University. I enrolled into Lawrence Technological University's graduate program for Architecture and have been studying and working for the past 2 years. I believe that by fully immersing myself in both architectural studies and working in a firm it has helped guide a path for my future.
How would you define emotional design in architecture?
Architecture is a physical manifestation of human ideas, design, and emotions that are meant to create movement, emotions, reflection, everything that evokes these concepts and more is emotional design.
What inspired your design concept for the Emotions on Display competition?
I really started to look at Brutalist Architecture as a style that I wanted to pursue for this competition because to me it was one that created the most response when experiencing it. I wanted to shape the architecture in the project in a way that really reflected on not only a brutalist style but the principles of it. By creating architecture that evokes emotion, there is no need for second hand concepts to shape it.
Can you walk us through your design process for this competition?
My design process involved listing out emotions that I wanted to create in spaces. Whether that be one emotion for a space or multiple but in the end I found myself not wanting to design a single space that was dedicated to one emotion, rather, create a space that the architecture allowed for multiple emotions to be emphasised and let the end user be the judge on which emotion they were experiencing. I then was able to start sketching and modeling areas of the project that I wanted to strongly portray this idea.
How do you plan to ensure that visitors have a memorable and emotionally impactful experience in your museum space?
Due to the architecture of this museum not having a preconceived design in certain spaces to evoke a list of emotions, each visitor of the museum will experience it differently than the next, thus they will feel a heavier connection to the museum.
What were some of the major challenges you encountered during the design process, and how did you overcome them?
This competition was unlike any other competition I've done which brought a sense of self pressure to ensure that I captured concepts and design that were cohesively working together in a manner that made sense. The emotional architecture sense really made me take a step back and rethink how architecture can reflect emotions in the design.
How do you believe your museum design will contribute to enhancing visitors' understanding of the relationship between architectural spaces and human emotions?
I believe my museum design created a sense of groundedness and weight. The museum utilizes raw materials and big masses that are complementary with open spaces that allows for a user to both experience the spaces and transition between them in a simplistic manner.
Looking back on your design process, is there anything you would have done differently?
I would’ve liked to have showcased more spaces within the museum and focus more on how a person can maneuver through each space from an outside perspective rather than my idea of what it could be.
Special mention
Maxim Sarychev
Maxim Sarychev, an aspiring architect, is eager to establish his own architectural firm and is unafraid to experiment and innovate. He is delighted that his idea has been recognized and valued.
Honorable mention
Hong Huimin, Wu Jiamin & Wen Jing
Yunzhi Liang, Xinya Wen, Yuxi Jiang & Xuejin Yang
Ayorinde Fadayiro & Fadayiro Adeoluwa
Shrini Shrivastava & Taba Arzoo
Hong Huimin, Wu Jiamin & Wen Jing
China
Yunzhi Liang, Xinya Wen, Yuxi Jiang & Xuejin Yang
China
Yunzhi Liang, a student at Tianjin Chengjian University's School of Architecture, expressed gratitude for the award, emphasizing the importance of architecture resonating with people's emotions. Alongside architecture, Yunzhi has a keen interest in landscape and urban planning and aims to pursue a master's degree in Germany after graduation.
Xinya Wen, also from Tianjin Chengjian University, expressed gratitude for the opportunity, mentioning a familial background in medicine but a passion for architecture. Xinya aspires to specialize in ancient architecture during postgraduate studies.
Yuxi Jiang, a student at Tianjin Chengjian University, expressed joy at the honor received. Believing that an architect should deeply experience life, Yuxi aims to continue studies abroad to gain more insights and experience in architectural education.
Xuejin Yang, a student at Tianjin Chengjian University, expressed happiness at the award and participation in the competition. Studying interior design, Xuejin believes that interior design and architecture are interconnected. She intends to pursue a master's degree with a focus on architecture.
Ayorinde Fadayiro & Fadayiro Adeoluwa
Nigeria
Ayorinde Fadayiro & Fadayiro Adeoluwa
Shrini Shrivastava & Taba Arzoo
India
