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.

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.

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.

In today’s fast-paced world, stress has become a major concern, especially for people living in urban areas. The hectic pace of life, the constant stimulation and the limited access to nature can all contribute to stress and its negative effects on health and well-being. While urban green spaces have been recognized as potential solutions, access to these much-needed environments is limited due to scarcity of free space. Furthermore, existing green spaces often fall short of providing the needed restoration as they primarily cater to visual stimulation, neglecting other senses.

Building on this need for better restorative environments in cities, my thesis aims to design a space that renders a slow and sensory experience through a gradual progression into the building providing an escape from the fast-paced urban environment. The goal of my thesis is to create a restorative built environment, incorporating biophilic design principles with emphasis on multisensory and contemplative design, that fosters stress relief and supports wellbeing by inviting its occupants to relax, rejuvenate, and unwind.