The department of Interior Design & Architecture of Thomas More has a new member: The Postgraduate Space & Service Design. This new study has a multidisciplinary approach. We have international students from all over the world (Armenia, Spain, Switzerland, England and even China) and national students with different backgrounds (interior designers, architects, product designers, graphic designers, etc). With a team like this, we are ready for the real design challenges!
The first assignment of the year brought us to ‘De Lisdodde’, a residential care centre in Mechelen. They had a clear question for us: “How can the outdoor spaces in and around ‘De Lisdodde’ be used as a catalyst for a healthy life style, well-being and to unite people?”.
One of the outdoor spaces of De Lisdoddde
A good design starts with good research. Therefore, we went to ‘De Lisdodde’ on the 18th of September. Here we got a tour of the building and its surroundings. This way, we could experience the spaces and their advantages and disadvantages first-hand.
The research was done in small groups. Some made a thorough analysis of the spaces, others interviewed the residents and employees and some students joined the weekly walk with a group of elderly people with dementia.
Interview with the residents of De Lisdodde.
A walk with the residens with dementia.
The results were presented and then reviewed by some employees of ‘De Lisdodde’.
After the research the real design process can begin. The students are divided in multidisciplinary teams that consist of an international student, a bachelor student and a postgraduate student.
Working in multidisciplinary teams.
The next couple of days will be filled with brainstorming, sketching and reviewing their own work. On the 9th of October, the students had to pitch their ideas to a couple of the employees and residents. Now they can improve and adjust their design.
This blogpost is written by students Emma Verhas and Pauline Verbeke. If you are interested in learning more about the Postgraduate Space & Service Design, click here: http:/https://ideamechelen.be/opleidingen/post-graduate-space-service-design/