Emotional Living Spaces - The significance of Emotional Spaces for dwelling and well-being

Abstract

Purpose Demographic changes will have a profound impact on the healthcare system, housing and infrastructure requirements and social structures (European Union, 2023). According to forecasts, the number of people in need of care in Germany could rise to around 6.78 million by 2055 (Statistisches Bundesamt, 2023). This, together with the low birth rate (VDEK, 2023) will increase the need for new inclusive concepts and barrier-free systems. This project looks at architecture from a different perspective. In this context dwelling is an important issue and a basic human necessity (Hahn, 2008). This applies to the physical requirements of the built environment, but also to its emotional significance. The meaning of dwelling evolves over a person's lifetime and reflects their personal dwelling history. It is shaped by so-called residential breaks, such as relocation or displacement. Dwelling is a process of appropriation of space. The home serves as a shelter, a place for living and acting. It allows relationships to develop and provides a stage for everyday life (Günther-Luckow, 2017). In addition to its functional purpose, dwelling offers a place of identification and self-realization. Dwelling therefore influences the quality of life and human well-being (Hannemann, 2014). The acceptance of a living environment, e.g. in a care facility, depends also on the existing atmosphere, associations and influences resulting from the biography of the residents. Atmosphere should be understood as a sensory perception that is shaped by the sentiment in the spatial coherence. It has an impact on the well-being and social behavior. The reduction of negative feelings and the promotion of positive emotions are important. To achieve this, the causes of stress and anxiety, as well as factors that minimize stress, must be identified and understood (Brichetti, 2019). The research project Emotional Living Spaces (EmotionaLS) investigates the connections between emotions, space and biography. An Emotional Space is an individual phenomenon. It is not a physically perceptible place, but can become bodily observable. Emotional Spaces are characterized by different physical categories such as light, atmosphere, materials, and sensual categories such as smells, sounds and relationships. Important components are affective phenomena such as emotions, feelings and sensations. Method The project is concerned with the study of Emotional Spaces. To begin with, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on topics such as spaces, dwelling, biography, emotions and emotion recognition. Emotional Spaces were identified through extensive interviews (Günther-Lückow, 2017), which is time-consuming. For this a new tool is being developed in order to detect Emotional Spaces in the simplest, quickest and most cost-effective way. This methodology will combine familiar and new working methods. The next steps are the testing of new methods to make the individual Emotional Space visible. Results and Discussion The main challenge is to address the question of how Emotional Spaces of people with advanced dementia, or without the ability to communicate verbally, can be revealed and positively inserted into spatial situations. A new concept is being sought which could be implemented in existing care approaches such as residential care, palliative care and advance directives.

References

Brichetti, K. (2019). Heilsame Architektur. Raumqualitäten erleben, verstehen und entwerfen. Bielefeld, transcript.

European Union (Eds.) (2023). The Impact of Demographic Change in a changing environment. https://www.bundestag.de/gg/grundrechte

Günther-Lückow, C. (2017). Gefühltes Wohnen. Die Bedeutung der Wohnbiografie für ein “gutes und gelingendes” Wohnen im Alter. Dissertation. Dresden, Technische Universität Dresden. https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:bsz:14-qucosa-230701 

Hahn, A. (2008). Architekturtheorie. Wohnen, Entwerfen, Bauen. Konstanz/Stuttgart, UVK; UTB GmbH.

Hannemann, C. (2014). Zum Wandel des Wohnens. Politik und Zeitgeschichte, 12.05.2014, 36-43. https://www.bpb.de/shop/zeitschriften/apuz/183450/zum-wandel-des-wohnens/

Statistisches Bundesamt (2023). Prognostizierte Anzahl von Pflegebedürftigen in Deutschland nach Bundesländern im Zeitraum der Jahre 2021 bis 2055 (in 1.000). Statista GmbH. https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/167654/umfrage/anzahl-pflegebeduerftiger-nach-bundesland-2007-und-2030/#statisticContainer

Vdek (2023). Prognostizierte Bevölkerungsentwicklung in Deutschland nach Altersgruppen in den Jahren von 2013 bis 2070 (in Millionen). Statista GmbH. https://de.statista.com/statistik/daten/studie/702412/umfrage/demographie-bevoelkerungsentwicklung-in-deutschland-nach-altersgruppen/