APPLICATION OF STORY-TELLING IN ARCHITECTURE

Challenge: ​I am a student of Architecture and as the popular definition goes, we ‘design buildings’. Buildings

according to me are a product meant to target a particular set of people, has it’s constraints and limits like

other products have. In these pandemic times, we were assigned to design a ‘Health and Hygiene Awareness

Centre’ in New Delhi India. It was the first of its kind in India. The main aim was to make the visitors about

their health. But the visitors were classified in various categories on the basis of age, sex, literacy and

nationality. The information we wanted to convey could not be in a very scientific language involving a lot of

biological terms and could not be casual (non-impacting ) as well. The centre had to be felt involving at the

same time educative. In the following sections, I have described how we went on to using the story-telling

tool to our visitors.

Selection: ​Storytelling can be used to get insight into users, build empathy and reach them emotionally. ​I

chose the story-telling tool to convey the information to our visitors so that they also think the same way that

we thought while putting various spaces in the centre. The centre was supposed to include galleries,

auditorium, some periodic councelling chambers. The challenge to present this as a meaningful whole was

accomplished through the story telling tool.

Application: ​Before starting on the floor plans we needed to decide how our we going to convey our

message to the visitors. For that the first thing we did was to ​define our users​. We identified various classes

of users on the basis of age, sex, literacy, nationality, physical abilities(keping in mind specially-abled users )

and purpose of visit.

Having listed down all the users the net step was to ​emphatize with the users.​ The requirements of

each user in the above list was identified and an ​user-behaviour analysis ​was done. After having

discussions among our team we made diagrams to give us a better understanding of the spaces as per

the user requirement.

For example there were supposed to be five thematic galleries related to health and hygiene. After the

user beaviour analysis and a lot of research on user behaviour in public spaces we could shortlist five

themes that were very relevant to our users namely: human body, effects of addiction & pollution,

diseases-transmission-prevention, food and nutrients, and ayurvedic health practices in India. We

compiled our conclusions in a chart to keep them crisp.

Now comes to connecting the dots, as soon as one entered the building there was a green space inside

and galleries to the left visible from the entrance to attract visitors. The first gallery being Human body

containing both interactive displays, learn by fun methods as well as information panels for detail

descriptions. This gallery(3D models and panels ) would orient a the visitors of all categories towards

knowing about their bodies, the second gallery, placed just next to it was, effects of addiction and

pollution(because Delhi! ) on bodies. This would make them realise that their is some issue with the

habits. The third is the disease gallery, making them aware of external sources of diseases. These three

galleries were placed on the ground floor. The upper floor had food gallery and ayurvedic practices

gallery, which will lead to improvement. And also remind them that good health is not a result of

expensive medicines but small changes in food. The other side had the yoga centre , open to full view of

the lake, which would allow natural cooling and good views. It was to emphasize on the importance of

yoga in one’s life. The complete centre was based on universal design principles(could be used by

anyone) . It had ramps all over for specially abled people and a trans-gender toilet also. Overall the centre

turned out to be an amazing experience for all categories of users.

Insights and approach: ​The insight which I gained from this is the importance of users and user centric

design approach. Also breaking down problem into various steps, categirizing them. Solving step by step

not only reduced stress but produces excellent results. One additional tool that could be used for such

organisation could be mind maps ​Mind mapping is used to represent how ideas or other items are linked

to a central idea and to each other. ​Mind maps are used to generate, visualize, structure and classify

ideas to look for patterns and insights that provide key ​design criteria​.​which would have helped us in

putting things together and concise. We will surely be including more tools to keep the process

organised.


APPLICATION OF STORY - TELLING IN ARCHITECTURE Challenge : ​I am a student of Architecture and as the popular definition goes , we ‘ design buildings ’ . Buildings according to me are a product meant to target a particular set of people , has it ’s constraints and limits like other products have . In these pandemic times , we were assigned to design a ‘ Health and Hygiene Awareness Centre ’ in New Delhi India . It was the first of its kind in India . The main aim was to make the visitors about their health . But the visitors were classified in various categories on the basis of age , sex , literacy and nationality . The information we wanted to convey could not be in a very scientific language involving a lot of biological terms and could not be casual ( non - impacting ) as well . The centre had to be felt involving at the same time educative . In the following sections , I have described how we went on to using the story - telling tool to our visitors . Selection : ​Storytelling can be used to get insight into users , build empathy and reach them emotionally . ​I chose the story - telling tool to convey the information to our visitors so that they also think the same way that we thought while putting various spaces in the centre . The centre was supposed to include galleries , auditorium , some periodic councelling chambers . The challenge to present this as a meaningful whole was accomplished through the story telling tool . Application : ​Before starting on the floor plans we needed to decide how our we going to convey our message to the visitors . For that the first thing we did was to ​define our users​. We identified various classes of users on the basis of age , sex , literacy , nationality , physical abilities(keping in mind specially - abled users ) and purpose of visit . Having listed down all the users the net step was to ​emphatize with the users.​ The requirements of each user in the above list was identified and an ​user - behaviour analysis ​was done . After having discussions among our team we made diagrams to give us a better understanding of the spaces as per the user requirement . For example there were supposed to be five thematic galleries related to health and hygiene . After the user beaviour analysis and a lot of research on user behaviour in public spaces we could shortlist five themes that were very relevant to our users namely : human body , effects of addiction & pollution , diseases - transmission - prevention , food and nutrients , and ayurvedic health practices in India . We compiled our conclusions in a chart to keep them crisp . Now comes to connecting the dots , as soon as one entered the building there was a green space inside and galleries to the left visible from the entrance to attract visitors . The first gallery being Human body containing both interactive displays , learn by fun methods as well as information panels for detail descriptions . This gallery(3D models and panels ) would orient a the visitors of all categories towards knowing about their bodies , the second gallery , placed just next to it was , effects of addiction and pollution(because Delhi ! ) on bodies . This would make them realise that their is some issue with the habits . The third is the disease gallery , making them aware of external sources of diseases . These three galleries were placed on the ground floor . The upper floor had food gallery and ayurvedic practices gallery , which will lead to improvement . And also remind them that good health is not a result of expensive medicines but small changes in food . The other side had the yoga centre , open to full view of the lake , which would allow natural cooling and good views . It was to emphasize on the importance of yoga in one ’s life . The complete centre was based on universal design principles(could be used by anyone ) . It had ramps all over for specially abled people and a trans - gender toilet also . Overall the centre turned out to be an amazing experience for all categories of users . Insights and approach : ​The insight which I gained from this is the importance of users and user centric design approach . Also breaking down problem into various steps , categirizing them . Solving step by step not only reduced stress but produces excellent results . One additional tool that could be used for such organisation could be mind maps ​Mind mapping is used to represent how ideas or other items are linked to a central idea and to each other . ​Mind maps are used to generate , visualize , structure and classify ideas to look for patterns and insights that provide key ​design criteria​.​which would have helped us in putting things together and concise . We will surely be including more tools to keep the process organised .