spatialdesignjessicazhang

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

AN EXPLORATION OF DESIGN, EXISTENTIALISM AND THE HUMAN EXPERIENCE

“How can existentialism be considered when designing holistic spaces in order to reconnect society through examining and catering towards the human experience?”

Research (Field, Historical) Investigating contexts of chosen sites and studying the historical significances of the site and its surroundings to respond and design holistically and with references towards the course of time and generation. By applying field and historical research to my interventions with present problems, my designs seek to merge the old and the new for a more refined approach to paying respects to the site while designing holistically.

Design Thinking Utilising skills of empathising, defining the problem, ideation, prototyping and testing through this way of thought to create designs in which I can intervene with an existing issue. In applying design thinking, it was easier for me to understand and act upon such findings towards improving my design approaches.

Studying Pre-Existing Works (Case Studies) Understanding how the literary and design communities have addressed the problem in the past and how they are investigating the issue through their practices to adapt and glean into my practice. I refer to many works of literature, art and other influential designers as inspiration and motivation to come up with a innovative concept.

Design Iteration Identifying and defining conceptual approaches to my fabrication practice through an interactive testing process of perspective sketches, architectural drawings and quick-fire models.

Collaboration Seeking different perspectives within my design circles or community, I work within the site to produce a design that supports those utilising the final product. Feedback and critiques are essential in my practice as living and design are intrinsically connected in a way where society is not an individual and the perspectives of others are valued because we, together, make the collective society.

Material Tests Testing surfaces and textures to help with expressing my concept in a tactile way to create intimate connections between the space and people interacting with it. I typically consider the cultural nuances of materials I use as exploration of the site, cultural contexts and of the native land.

INTRODUCTION

My practice is influenced by my endless pursuit of finding meaning in a meaningless world and the inherent loneliness that comes with this journey. Jean-Paul Sartre’s proposition, ‘existence precedes essence’ (Sartre, J.-P., 2003), suggests that our essence is not predetermined at birth but is instead shaped by the human experience. This concept informs my design in a way that gives meaning to my existence, as I am interested in creating and contributing to spaces that can leave marks on people, and in turn, spaces that enable me to leave my mark through design. I am driven by the hunger to not only live but to love and continue to learn about the space in which we inhabit – because the beauty in living is the moment in which happiness precedes the pain that we endure. Drawing on my interest in culture, sustainability, temporality, and existentialism, my design approaches articulate my desire for my projects to resonate with people. By considering sustainability and target demographics for my projects and through my understanding of political and sociological stances, I design to intervene in a way that would help reconnect society with one another and the beyond-human agencies with whom we share this world.

CULTURE

My identity as a third-generation Chinese immigrant has influenced my ways of thought through feelings of diaspora and my awareness of how Western thought processes have controlled modern thought processes and society. Culture and cultural history are an intimate study of our values and a palpable bond that connects us with the world and is a crucial instrument in our identity. In discussing culture through my projects and applying cultural nuances to my concepts, I want to breach that disconnection between our collective individuality and cultural roots by fabricating spatial landscapes where we could appreciate or regain cultural identity. My restaurant project in 2022, “The Dining Hall,” was an examination of the intricacies of memories, connections, and culture while paying homage to my roots as a third-generation Chinese immigrant through my food memory that involved fried rice and introducing cultural foods to my friends in high school. It was an examination of my own culture within the rich landscape of New Zealand, where an amalgamation of people from different backgrounds has gathered. When I consider the cultural landscape of New Zealand, where the marks of colonization are still felt; discussing space, land, and time, and the importance of historical and cultural identity in space and its people is crucial in a progressive march towards a more connected society. Tuhiwai’s (2012) research on decolonizing methodologies highlighted my perception of space in relativity to the political and sociological essence of space and culture. To exist in a space also means understanding it, learning, and educating ourselves on New Zealand’s rich culture and history of its indigenous people - the Māori - is our responsibility and moral obligation. “The point at which society moves from prehistoric to historic is also the point at which tradition breaks with modernism” (Tuhiwai, 2012, pg. 113) is an articulate conclusion that proves the crucial action of progressing ahead into the future with an open mind and the willingness to break norms in all matters that not only precedes the relation of colonialism and spaces for the betterment of the people of society. “The Dining Hall” was my take on preserving food that was important to me, while the concept also acted as a gastronomical introduction to those of different backgrounds trying foods from different cultures, as I considered food and sharing food as a form of connection because we all need sustenance to survive despite the different ways in which each individual eats differently.

SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability and grassroots responses are at the forefront of my design etiquette due to the importance of holistically designing to sustain society and our environment. Part of my philosophies and practice is to design in a way that connects people through my interest in the relations of existentialism and space. Because we exist within this realm, the ordeal of living is a collaborative act where we owe the space in which we live and each other as much as we can give. With the growing rise of capitalism, society has become individualistic and estranged from our duty as protectors of the environment, which goes against the idea that a sustainable society requires. The values that sustainability brings to my design through the usage of materiality lay the groundwork for creating a dialogue between people regarding the state of the world. My work is produced with consideration towards equity in social hierarchies and preserving resources by the conditions of sustainability from “The Natural Step” by Karl-Henrik Robèrt. The conditions that I hold close to my heart when designing from this text are: “For society to be sustainable, nature’s functions and diversity are not systematically impoverished by physical displacement, overharvesting, or other forms of ecosystem manipulation” (Robèrt, K.-H, 2008) and the idea that “people are not subject to conditions that systematically undermine their capacity to meet their needs” (Robèrt, K.-H, 2008). My desire for equity has influenced me to conceptualize “Combing” (Jessica, Z, 2023), an exhibition within the Auckland Wintergardens, as an exploration of my own culture and indigenous environmental philosophies through applying the structures of traditional Chinese Pharmacy to the interactive foraging exhibit, which sought to reconnect people with nature to address food insecurity in New Zealand.

TEMPORALITY

The temporal quality of space has always intrigued me and my practice due to the intrinsic connections of time, space, and existence. Time is a concept, and it is often overlooked as many people follow concrete structures in this society controlled by capitalism. It is a given that we must always work towards wealth in our lifetime to support ourselves in this system influenced by money. We forget to enjoy the simplicity of just taking our time, being present in this fast-paced reality, in that very moment. My practice involves considering the passage of time, how a space would change, how our perception of space would change, and how the space would change us and our relationships with others. Human experiences and emotions are intrinsically linked to our appreciation of specific spaces that invoke meaning and stimulate our senses. While living in time, there is the beauty of existence in this stratum’s mental and physical stimulations. My practice of applying space and time is furthered through being influenced by Filipa Matos Wunderlich and her piece on the “place-temporality” of urban spaces and the rhythm of human geography in space (Wunderlich, F. M. 2013). The analysis influenced how I observe my surroundings and consider existence within this world and a space’s temporal relation to the human collective by making me aware of the further existentialist nuances in the performance of human bodies experiencing the same space simultaneously. In a more physical sense, the correlation between temporality and the materiality of my concepts also work in conjunction with each other as my design philosophy centers heavily on sustainability. I hope to know that my designs will withstand time or be able to ‘wither’ through a cyclical system of being reused or repurposed.

EXISTENTIALISM

Existentialism is a key theme when I design, where I constantly refer to “The Myth of Sisyphus” by Albert Camus, which has shaped how I apply meaning to my design. Camus questioned the meaning of existence and life, posed, “… one really serious philosophical problem and that is suicide,” and discussed the possibilities of acceptance and living within this world devoid of meaning (Camus, A., & O’Brien, J, 2018). Existentialist philosophy has influenced my practice in a way where I accept that life is essentially devoid of purpose and contrary to Camus, I believe existence is given meaning in our pursuit of finding our role in this absurd world. While existing in a society controlled by capitalism, it is obvious that we are not born to feed into the social structures that we have built in our craving for structure and a sense of order. Instead, we exist for the essence of life, the aesthetics - “… poetry, beauty, romance, love, these are what we stay alive for” (Dead Poets Society, 1989) as it connects us. Humans are biologically social creatures; we crave connection and are psychologically inclined to actively search for places and people to belong to. In existing, we constantly create connections and as a result, we create lasting memories within this world. With the growing rift between our perception of materiality, money, and our identities; my practice stems from rebuilding lost bonds towards our inherent connections to nature, one another, and identity through applying material beauty and conceptual approaches towards rebuilding belonging and meaning to the collective mind. “Can’t Help Myself” (Sun, Y., & Peng, Y. 2016) is an art piece that has influenced my way of thinking about design, existentialism, and temporality due to the haunting nature of the work. The artists employed an industrial robot with visual recognition sensors that perpetually cycled through a series of 32 movements while trying to contain coloured fluid within its radius. The museum stated that the “repetitive dance presents an absurd, Sisyphean view of contemporary issues surrounding migration and sovereignty.” I interpreted this differently as I felt that it was a severely important piece of existentialist work where the robot was programmed to perpetually only cycle through these 32 movements while trying to contain the ‘blood’ that was leaking out, growing more ‘tired’ as the liquid becomes discoloured and the machine becomes more stained with the ominous liquid. I felt that it was an examination of working culture and human life. The art piece visually influenced me in a way that has made me realize that now, more than ever, it is more important to put ourselves first rather than what society has ‘programmed’ us to think our purpose was for

CONCLUSION

By analyzing the contexts of culture, sustainability, temporality, and existentialism through my design process, I navigate through my design journey by examining the human experience towards my own existentialist philosophy. Part of the human experience, and finding meaning in our lives, involves our identities, relationships with time, people, and the world we inhabit. I truly believe that society has become disconnected from our core values of experiencing life due to toxic working cultures and the growing disparity between the rich and poor. In the future, I hope to leave a mark behind to prove that I have existed as well as elevating the collective or individual experience. I recognize that change is difficult, so I can only hope to contribute to the progression of a more united society on a spiritual and emotional level through leaving my mark through the design language.

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

Bibliography (Reference style)

Baudot, B. (2004). Meaning of Life and Purpose of Society: Essential Dimensions of Morality – Report. Triglav Circle. https://www.triglavcircleonline.org/meaning-of-life-and-purpose-of-society-essential-dimensions-of-morality/

Broken Pencil. (2023, September 19). Catalina Cheng on Ceramics and Preservation of Queer Art History . https://brokenpencil.com/folio-2/folio-catalina-cheng-on-ceramics-and-preservation-of-queer-art-history/

Camus, A., & O’Brien, J. (2018). The myth of Sisyphus (Second Vintage international edition). New York: Vintage International : Vintage Books, a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Freschi, F., Venis, J., Nazier, F., Russell, K. J., Hopewell, H., Carter, L., Miller, S. C., Krishnan, T., McCaw, C., Galloway, M., Wilson, J. K. T., & Campbell, D. (Eds.). (2021). The politics of design: Privilege and prejudice in aotearoa new zealand, australia and south africa. Otago Polytechnic Press.

Jessica, Z. (2023). Combing. Best Awards. https://bestawards.co.nz/spatial/student-academic-spatial/aut-art-design/combing/

Robèrt, K.-H. (2008). The natural step story: Seeding a quiet revolution. Gabriola Island, BC: New Catalyst Books.

Sartre, J.-P. (2003). Being and nothingness (H. E. Barnes, Trans.; 2nd ed.). Routledge.

Sun, Y., & Peng, Y. (2016). Can’t help myself. The Guggenheim Museums and Foundation. https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/34812

The Cooperative Human. (2018). Nature Human Behaviour, 2(7), 427–428. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41562-018-0389-1

Tuhiwai Smith, P. L. (2012). Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples. Zed Books. http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/aut/detail.action?docID=1426837

Weir, P. (1989). Dead Poets Society. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

Wunderlich, F. M. (2013). Place-Temporality and Urban Place-Rhythms in Urban Analysis and Design: An Aesthetic Akin to Music. Journal of Urban Design, 18(3), 383–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2013.772882

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

INTRODUCTION

My practice is influenced by my endless pursuit of finding meaning in a meaningless world and the inherent loneliness that comes with this journey. Jean-Paul Sartre’s proposition, 'existence precedes essence' (Sartre, J.-P., 2003), suggests that our essence is not predetermined at birth but is instead shaped by the human experience. This concept informs my design in a way that gives meaning to my existence, as I am interested in creating and contributing to spaces that can leave marks on people, and in turn, spaces that enable me to leave my mark through design. I am driven by the hunger to not only live but to love and continue to learn about the space in which we inhabit – because the beauty in living is the moment in which happiness precedes the pain that we endure. Drawing on my interest in culture, sustainability, temporality, and existentialist philosophy, my design approaches articulate my desire for my projects to resonate with people. By considering sustainability and target demographics for my projects and through my understanding of political and sociological stances, I design to intervene in a way that would help reconnect society with one another and the beyond-human agencies with whom we share this world.

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

As an individual who is pursuing spatial design, I am interested in creating and contributing to such spaces that can leave marks on people and in turn, spaces that enable me to leave my mark on through design. I am driven by the hunger to not only live but to love and continue to learn about the space in which we inhabit – because the beauty in living is the moment in which happiness precedes the pain which we endure. I believe it is ethical to learn all I can about this world to better understand where I stand in it, the people in whom I interact and society as a whole.

THOUGHTS WHILE WRITING

Humans are biologically social creatures; we crave connection and are psychologically inclined to actively search for places and people to belong to. In existing, we constantly create connections in this plane of existence and we create lasting memories as the result of such connections. Such ideologies further push us to continue to create irreplicable memories in the environments we are exposed to – and in turn, the space and time in which we inhabit naturally become eternalized with the memories we create.

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

THOUGHTS WHILE WRITING

Humans are biologically social creatures; we crave connection and are psychologically inclined to actively search for places and people to belong to. In existing, we constantly create connections in this plane of existence and we create lasting memories as the result of such connections. Such ideologies further push us to continue to create irreplicable memories in the environments we are exposed to – and in turn, the space and time in which we inhabit naturally become eternalized with the memories we create.

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

draft research questions

How can literature and fine-arts be used to fabricate holistic spatial design approaches to enhance the collective experience within spaces to reconnect society creatively?

How can references in literature and fine arts be utilised in creating a space to enhance a user’s experience?

A designer that utilised a specific lit/artHow can existentialism/ existentialist … be applied to design - fabricating a space. In order to ….. 

How can existentialism be applied to fabricating a space to reconnect society through holistic spatial considerations?

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

thoughts x2

The ability to exist and to be confined in this reality, is physical – we are born into this world and we exist at this very moment in this very space. In such an absurd idea of being free yet confined in this society – I personally believe that people are attracted to the idea of leaving marks. Existence is essentially a space that we are confined in; a box that is escapable only in death. We cannot stand the idea of the world continuing – as it had million years before and as it will millions of years later – as our existence in this space we live in extends only until our end, which is death. We live in fear of not leaving a physical mark on space and the people around us in our death. To me, space is the proof of our existence; of the materialism that our society is constructed around and of the spaces between people that we connect and share intimacy with in this node of time and space. 

[spatialdesignjessicazhang]

Catalina Cheng - Artist

I was always quite intrigued by Catalina's work after being told in the ceramics lab that my bowls I made resembled her works. I think much of her art philosophies aligned with mine in terms of style and execution because I made the bowls with high school worries to preserve my own memories of high school and to dig into my roots as someone who grew up in a Chinese Immigrant household. I found solace in knowing that there are creatives like me out there, sharing their culture through design or art - which I think is so important at this point of time.

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Can't Help Myself - Sun Yuan and Peng Yu

This art piece was really influential and quite evocative to me as I thought it was quite an existentialist piece of work. The idea that the machine was programmed to do 32 movements perpetually while doing happy dances for the audience as they watch it scramble to scoop up the 'blood'. I think there is something much more at play here due to it's similarities to the Myth Of Sisyphus (as quoted by the museum also). I think it was a piece on working culture, life and existence because it was doomed (or designed) to work like these for the rest of it's machine life while people watched it 'perform'. (life is a performance perhaps)

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Mindmap for theory - I think the toughest part about this was that I was narrowing down the parts of my interests and designs that were the most important to me because I am constantly striving to learn more about things, existence, and the world and trying to recognize my place as a designer amongst it.