A Phenomenological Study of Contemplative Experiences

This research reports on a project concerned with the relationship between the person and the environment in the context of achieving a contemplative or existential state a state which can be experienced either consciously or subconsciously. The need for such a study originated with the desire to contribute to the design of multicultural spaces which could be used for a range of activities within the public and the personal arena, activities including contemplation, meditation and prayer. The concept of sacred is explored in the literature review and in primary interviews with the participants of this study. Given that the word sacred is highly value-laden and potentially alienating for some people, it was decided to use the more accessible term contemplative . The outcomes of the study inform the practice of interior design and architecture which tends currently to neglect the potential for all spaces to be existentially meaningful.

Autorentext

Rinkle Shah is an interior designer, as well as a researcher at the School of Design, Queensland University of Technology, Australia. Her work lies between person-environment relationships, creating engagements for user and space in the context of design, built-space and theory.