Room to think
An investigation of how nature inspired architecture can contribute to contemplative spaces in the city.
We humans are affected by our surrounding. Both by the built and the natural environment. Many people experience stress in their daily lives today. This problem might not be solved by architecture alone, but what we can do is to create spaces where people have a chance to slow down and let their mind wander. Spaces like these are called contemplative spaces.
The aim of this project is to make a building for contemplation on Götaplatsen in Gothenburg. The thesis explores how phenomena in nature can be used as inspiration to create contemplative spaces. To be accessible to more people the building has, unlike most contemplative buildings that exist today, no specific program. It is available for everyone who needs some time to slow down.
The method is to visit different forests in Halland, where I grew up, and find some phenomena to bring into the building. The phenomena are soft fascinations. That is things that only require effortless attention, and when spending time among these, people may have a chance to reflect. I have chosen two different soft fascinations to explore and bring into the building: the light of the spruce forest and the forest stream. To find the essence of the soft fascinations, the phenomena are explored with photos, videos, drawings, models and tests in different scales. The design of the building is created through the exploration of the soft fascinations. You can find the whole exploration in my booklet.
