Interactive Living Space for Neo-Nomads: An Anticipatory Approach

This dissertation proposes a design concept for an interactively modifiable living space aimed to support the lifestyle of neo-nomads. Popularly known as Silicon Valley talent, this new breed of highly mobile, technology-dependent, creative professionals is currently facing a severe housing crisis (limited availability, often resulting in higher rent). The proposed architectural concept consists of a single, multi-functional living space. It is designed to offer an adaptive, highly optimized spatial solution that reflects and enhances the transitional, temporal, minimalist living of young mobile professionals.

The proposed design is informed by awareness of anticipatory processes. The proposed dwelling is designed to allow occupants the technical possibility to generate affective spatial qualities adapted to their needs. This is made possible through interaction with space characteristics (such as texture, color, contrast and other aesthetic parameters) in order to accommodate their current and emergent emotional, psychophysiological needs. Affective space-making is acknowledged as a primary goal of architecture. The traditional space articulation technique is introduced in the realm of interactive design with the goal of modifying sensory design elements of color, brightness, texture and material that can be perceived by the occupant as warm, cool, exciting, calm, spacious or intimate. The proposed design was evaluated in a six-sided interactive Virtual Environment. The experimental component had the goal of providing data to support the description of an underlying aesthetic framework. The data acquired helps define a guideline for meaningful human-space interaction design.

As a testament of its time, architecture represents a way of life, symbolizing contemporary and emergent technologies, lifestyles and ideologies. The proposed design attempts to define interactive architecture that is physical, tangible and essentially spatial in nature, and which provides a platform for further research and experimentations for a humane and aesthetic living solution for the target group.