SCAD Students are Designing Happiness

By Kavya Narayana (M.F.A., interior design)

To design ways to mitigate loneliness and change lives, we need to start today.

Our Challenge:

We have all heard how technology is changing our world and not always for the better. Technological advances have made it easier to connect across oceans, communicate with our friends, and see what they are eating for dinner. At the same time, studies show that loneliness in the United States has reached epidemic proportions. New data from YouGov reveals that Millennials are the loneliest generation, (Ballard, 2019). The report states that Millennial loneliness has surpassed their Gen X and Baby Boomer counterparts by a wide margin. Thirty percent of millennials report they always or often feel lonely compared to 15% of Baby Boomers and 20% of Gen X.

The report further states that the increase in loneliness is due to how the internet has changed the definition of socialization. Technology has enhanced instant gratification, and at the same time is cited as one of the main reasons for loneliness. Survey responders reported that virtual connections prove to be superficial and not satisfying (Beaton, 2017).

Findings:

To examine how design can promote social connections and mitigate loneliness, I recently conducted a research paper and found that people prefer an activity-based setting that also promotes relational connectedness to combat the effects of loneliness.

I found that built environments can have a positive impact on mental health when utilized to promote informal social contact amongst individuals by facilitating recurring opportunities to maintain social ties (Chang & Sullivan, 2011). Using technology as a positive instigator to promote social connections through in-person interactions and physical activities will decrease loneliness in those impacted today. Spaces are needed to once again bring people together, this time with the aim to specifically help mitigate millennial loneliness and promote good mental and physical health.

Solution:

We need to begin setting up carefully crafted spaces that create a sense of membership through interaction (Oberlander & Wexler, 2017) and that inspire diverse users to reset reclusive patterns with more socially interactive ones. In short, social clubs.

In the era of social media, social clubs are a way to fulfill the growing desire to establish meaningful relationships that revolve around common interests.

A sense of community can be fostered through similar interests, where people feel comfortable socializing (Budds, 2018). Social clubs have the potential to restore confidence and self-esteem, which is often lacking in people suffering from loneliness (Mushtaq et al., 2014), through the process of identification and creating a sense of belonging. Therefore, the programming for the facility should focus on the concept of bonding.

Spaces should be organized to promote bonding through meaningful interactions. The spaces will need to be designed to cater to both introverts and extroverts. To facilitate this, the activity zones should be separated by carefully positioned transitional zones that serve as refuge areas for people to recharge. Each of these transition zones should have direct visual contact with nature to help with mental healing. The entry should be a transition zone that makes the shift from exterior to interior less stressful.

The layout should be directional. Areas relating to activities need to be clustered to provide easy access. Social club layouts should involve transition spaces from private (activity zones) to comparatively public areas to cater to individuals who tend to be shy and lack confidence. Furthermore, the social clubs need to be designed to use technology as an instigator for in-person interactions. Activity zones could have virtual screens for people to participate remotely and gain an understanding of the space and the activity. The provision of a virtual experience will influence users to explore the club activities in-person in the future, and at the same time provide them with a sense of belongingness even when they are at home.

In Closing:

The relationship between health and loneliness go hand in hand. Staying in touch only through technology has proven less effective less and satisfying than in-person interactions. Socialization is the primary antidote to loneliness. We need to help those in need, now.

Ballard, J. (2019, July 30). Millennials are the loneliest generation. Yougov. Retrieved from https://today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2019/07/30/loneliness-friendship-new-friends-poll-survey

Beaton, C. (2017, February 9). Why millennials are lonely. Forbes. Retrieved fromhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/carolinebeaton/2017/02/09/why-millennials-are- lonely/#6228deb67c35

Budds, D. (2018, March 2). The new social networks. Curbed. Retrieved from https://www.curbed.com/2018/3/2/17070990/coworking-social-clubs-the-wing-wework

Chang, C., & Sullivan, W. (2011, January). Mental health and built environment. Island Press.

Gretchel, J. (2019, July 17). Millennials are still moving to Austin, in droves. Statesman. Retrieved from https://www.statesman.com/news/20190717/millennials-are-still-moving-to-austin-in-droves

Mushtaq, R. Mushtaq,s. & Shoib, S. (2014, September). Relationship between loneliness, psychiatric disorders and physical health? a review on the psychological aspects of loneliness. JCDR.

Oberlander, J., & Wexler, M. (2017, September 29). The shifting discourse on third places: ideological implications. Journal of ideology.

Varathan, P. (2018, February 8). The most and least millennial places in America. Quartz. Retrieved from https://qz.com/1198457/the-most-and-least-millennial-places-in-america/