Mnemonic Oasis: Interior architecture as a stimulus for wellbeing through sensorial experience
In today’s society the priority of work and careers has resulted in highly stressful environments. In the twenty-first century the tendency of inflated urban centres has encouraged people to move to the cities and as the urban population increases, the quality of life, people’s wellbeing and overall life satisfaction, becomes a concern. Interested in the effect of human perception through spatial design, this thesis explores how sensorial experience can influence the design of interior architecture to promote productivity and wellbeing. This research aims to explore the implications of environmental stimuli and sensory experience to enhance an occupant’s behaviour and wellbeing within an interior space. Looking closely at the built environment that we inhabit and identifying how it impacts its occupants would aid in how we as designers could design spaces that benefit the occupant’s quality of life. This thesis asks how interior architecture may be utilised to enhance the sense of productivity, wellbeing and life satisfaction of the working class and city dwellers. In addition, this thesis aims to adaptively reuse a historic site in the Wellington CBD as the principal vehicle for the design component of this study. Overall the research suggests providing multiple opportunities for occupants to engage with the built and natural environment whereby interior architecture, through atmospheres and sensorial experiences, contributes to the solution in establishing a sense of productivity, wellbeing and life satisfaction.