Cooking is more than preparation, it is a form of connection, care, and confidence. My thesis argues that when cooking becomes visible, rather than hidden in the back of house, it turns into a shared experience that builds trust and brings people together. The open kitchen challenges the long-standing separation between those who cook and those who observe, revealing the skill, creativity, and warmth that have often been overlooked.

By placing the kitchen at the center, we invite new forms of interaction, learning, and emotional connection. This project reimagines the kitchen as a stage where community and nourishment meet. Through materials, circulation, and sensory design, the project shows how openness can cultivate comfort, inclusion, and care ultimately revealing the heart of the place and the people who were always there.

This thesis investigates how interior spaces can support transitions between activity and rest through materiality, light, and movement. It explores how sensory design and atmosphere can evoke emotion, encourage pause, and foster comfort and reflection. The design approach focuses on creating spaces that gently guide users through cycles of stimulation and restoration, promoting emotional grounding and well-being. Ultimately, the research demonstrates how thoughtfully designed interiors can shape human experience through atmosphere and spatial transitions.

The contemporary landscape of international migration brings numerous challenges as individuals navigate the intricate process of uprooting themselves, sacrificing cultural and familial ties, and adapting to unfamiliar environments. This journey often leads to a search for identity, belonging, and a connection to cultural roots. In this context, food emerges as a powerful connector, serving as more than sustenance but as a pathway to understanding and communicating the rich tapestry of India's cultural diversity. This thesis aims to create a space that unifies India's diverse traditions under one roof, using food and foodways as a means for immigrants and people from various backgrounds to experience and connect with the essence of Indian culture.

‘Sustainable Tourism’ is a concept that has been in practice for fifty years, yet tourism remains unsustainable. Tourism in its own right cannot be sustainable, instead it must be reconceptualized as a tool to improve the well-being of host communities and sustain destination regions. This thesis explores how we, as designers, can harness the possibilities of tourism to create true and lasting sustainability.

Old buildings are an integral part of America’s cities. They tell us about the history of place, where we came from, and what happened before we were here.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

It all begins with an idea.

This thesis explores constructed experience through atmosphere, light and color. Research conducted includes a technical understanding of light and color perception, along with translucency and transparency as a method of veiling. A greenhouse, the selected site for this project, provides the stage for a sensorial progression highlighting mood and materiality. Inspired by Holi, brew HUE serves explosion of color, meditation on light, and quality seasonal micro-brews. An included sit down restaurant highlights the practicality of the greenhouse, encouraging patrons to dine among the hops used to brew their beer, which has been paired with seasonal cuisine.

This thesis will inform viewers of the on-going issues with gentrification in the low-income community of Kensington, Philadelphia.