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Master´s Thesis 2020 Matter Space Structure

Lovisa Einarsson

TO COMBAT LONELINESS

A search for urban togetherness

“I remember the year eye contact stopped. It was not some big demographic shift. People just seemed to give up relating to each other. Now this town is one of the loneliest places on earth”.

Loneliness is merely a human phenomenon that afflicts most of us at some point in life. Yet, it is strongly stigmatized and associated with shame. Man’s strive for a sense of belonging is deeply rooted and tied to her evolutionary struggle for survival. Loneliness can be experienced during moments of solitude, or when accompanied by others. Loneliness stands out especially in contrast to a busy city and is also more common among people living in cities.

This thesis aims to explore and illuminate what role architecture may play in combating loneliness, by investigating the linkage between architectural elements and human behavior in public, urban space and subsequently, propose a design of a public, urban space that encourages social interaction.

Explore the complete thesis project in the booklet below.

Contact:

lovisa.einarsson@gmail.com