Project Overview

The Multi-Sensory Room Design project, guided by Professor Amy Hurst and associated with the NYU Ability Project, aimed to create an accessible calming space for students with diverse mental health needs. The room features included custom elements such as ambient lighting, personalized scents, soundscapes, and guided meditation programs all contained within a compact 3 square meter area.

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Curation Process: Ambient Lighting, Soundscape, Personalized Scents, Fidget toys

💡Ambient Lighting

  1. Research and Planning: Gathering insights from psychological research and lighting design studies to understand optimal lighting for relaxation.
  2. Customizable Lighting System: Implementation of a user-controlled system for adjusting colors and brightness, ensuring flexibility in creating a personalized atmosphere.
  3. Technical Setup: Use of digital, energy-efficient LED lights to ensure sustainability and ease of use.
  4. Final Implementation: Strategic placement within the room to maximize the therapeutic effect of the lighting.

🎼Soundscape & Meditation Programming

  1. Selection of Sounds: Curating a range of sound options from nature sounds to ambient compositions and guided meditation recordings that promote mental peace.
  2. Interactive Controls: Enabling users to select and control the volume and type of soundscape to match their emotional state.
  3. Integration with Other Elements: Ensuring the soundscape harmonizes with the lighting and scents to provide a cohesive experience.

💐Personalized Scents

  1. Variety of Scents: Offering a selection tailored to enhance mood and reduce stress.
  2. Adjustable Intensity: User control over scent intensity to accommodate personal sensitivity and preference.

⛓️3d-printed Fidget Toys

  1. Selection of Toys: Providing various tactile objects like stress balls and textured materials that cater to different tactile needs.
  2. Hygiene and Maintenance: Regular cleaning and inspection to maintain hygiene, especially important in a shared space.

Setting table with fidget toys

Setting table with fidget toys

Implementation and Impact

Through a series of three pop-up installation launches over a three-month period, the project attracted a total of 100 participants. Each individual was invited to spend a 5-minute session in the room, experiencing a unique and personal decompression time.

Future Steps

Following the positive initial feedback, there are plans for collaboration with the NYU IDM to make this a more permanent installation. This step aims to further enhance the inclusive environment on the IDM floor, continually promoting mental wellness among students.