Research: ‘Optimal Anxiety’ and Boredom in Science and in Theatre

I realised that we had never actually properly researched 'optimal anxiety', nor had we integrated any early reading we had done about boredom properly into our design. The following is a summary of my findings, and what architectural moves I suggested could use it effectively for affecting user experience. 'Optimal Anxiety' Resources used: https://www.businessinsider.com.au/a-little-anxiety-will-help-you-perform-optimally-but-too-much-is-debilitating-2012-6?r=US&IR=T https://medium.com/@uncomfortableisok/what-is-optimal-anxiety-and-how-can-we-use-it-maximise-performance-73a37441e60a … Continue reading Research: ‘Optimal Anxiety’ and Boredom in Science and in Theatre →

New Approach, New Moments, New Direction [Part 2]

This post documents the various ways we tried to process our moment work. This is a chart made by my other group members - the different moments were placed randomly in positions that mimic the map we drew (see in Part 1 post), and then noted down general characteristics that seemed to appear throughout clusters … Continue reading New Approach, New Moments, New Direction [Part 2] →

A Moment: Individual Rehearsal Spaces

After coming together as a group following the Mid-Semester Crit and collectively reflecting on the feedback we were given, we began independently designing key 'moments' within our project. I was interested in exploring the individual rehearsal spaces, as these are often not considered in Performing Arts Centres for disciplines other than music. This concept is … Continue reading A Moment: Individual Rehearsal Spaces →

Mid-Semester Crit [Feedback and Reflection]

Following on from our Mid-Semester Crit Scheme presentation... Feedback, Discussion and Reflection Introductory notes During Djordje and Iman's presentation of their scheme, the critics made some comments that are applicable to our group's overall approach to creating 'anxiety'. An integral part of theatre in itself is the act of ‘witnessing’ it (as in, the presence … Continue reading Mid-Semester Crit [Feedback and Reflection] →

Mid-Semester Crit [Presented Scheme]

A man walks across this empty space whilst someone else is watching him, and this is all that is needed for an act of theatre.Peter Brook Introduction Our brief poses the question: can boredom and ‘optimal’ anxiety be effectively harnessed within a learning space for physical expression? With the amount of stimulus in present day … Continue reading Mid-Semester Crit [Presented Scheme] →

Stone Massing Concepts [Group work]

After gathering together our initial thoughts as a group, we needed to explore our various ideas in greater depth. To do this, we made massing models using the stones we collected (see them sorted into a draft taxonomy here). This was a way of not only using abstract masses to generally organise different spaces, but … Continue reading Stone Massing Concepts [Group work] →

Atmospheric Exploration

My explorative atmospheric images leading up to Mid-Semester Crit: Abstract interpretation of an atmospheric gradient from 'anxious and surveilled' to 'boredom and isolation' Busy foyer space of constant movement Busy foyer space of constant movement 2 Boredom in an individual rehearsal space: isolation, mystery, pious Individual rehearsal space: exploring the effect of dark stone Anxiety … Continue reading Atmospheric Exploration →

Initial Ideas

Having selected our brief and established our group, we individually worked on relaying our initial ideas onto paper. This was an important step, as we could sort through and consider our own thoughts first (and make these visible) without becoming muddled in an explosion of ideas in group discussion. This also made it easier to … Continue reading Initial Ideas →

Brief for an Architectural Design Studio: Part 1

Harnessing the Unpleasant: Can boredom and anxiety be useful? The elusiveness of the creative process has long confounded us and, while many pedagogies have tried to formalise it, the spark of an idea and the experimentation that follows is often a highly individual, unpredictable process. Psychologists Robert M. Yekes and John D. Dodson conducted research … Continue reading Brief for an Architectural Design Studio: Part 1 →