Spaces Between
Transforming waiting at the crosswalk into a breathing meditation
Recognition
Honorable Mention @ MDes
Featured in SF Design Week 2025
Timeline
August - December 2024
Project
Master of Design Thesis
My Role
Research
Conceptualization
Fabrication
Background
Learning how to meditate is something you can do by signing up for a class, or downloading an app, or going on a silent retreat!
But, who really gets to access these resources? Who are we not considering when designing wellness resources?
Approach
In an attempt to democratize meditative practice, I sought to bring it to public spaces.
I leveraged a combination of qualitative research and field testing to identify small-scale interventions to help people experience a moment of mindfulness.
Outcome
I created a prototype of a “meditative” crosswalk light and tested it on Le Roy and Hearst Avenue in Berkeley, CA.
100+ people engaged with the exercise, offering commuters a moment of respite from their busy routines.
I investigated transitory spaces as a location for a potential intervention
Ethnographic Inquiries
Document people's behaviors and attitudes towards ‘waiting’
Visited 3 bus stop locations and observed activities a commuter will engage with while waiting
Interviewed 6 people about their experience waiting at the bus stop
What I Did
Key Takeaway
People are thinking of the future while waiting and disengage with their current environment
Diary Studies
Capture feelings associated with occupying and moving through transitory spaces
What I Did
Recruited 4 participants for a week-long diary study
Designed a diary template to document entries, writing a short message and capturing a photo
Key Takeaway
People crave a sense of privacy in public space (i.e. putting on their headphones, looking for empty seats on bus, )
Can ‘waiting’ time be ‘mindful’ time?
Research Probes
I built on insights from qualitative research to test simple interventions, aimed at engaging urban residents in a reflective experience.
Idea Conceptualization
Initial tests sparked curiosity but failed to engage, so I focused on designing with intention by adapting existing infrastructure.
Prototyping & Testing
I created, tested, and crowdsourced visual-audio experiences to identify different ways to engage people in mindful breathing at the crosswalk.
FRAMEWORK
Small-Scale Wellness Interventions in Urban Spaces
What would the world look like if in all our moments of waiting, we took a moment to care for ourselves?
