Saudi Cultural Missions Theses & Dissertations
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Item Restricted Dune Dynamics: A Nature-Based Preschool(Virginia Commonwealth University, 2024-05-12) Alhaidari, Aseel; Ventura, Roberto; Carleton, Kristin; Hamnett, TimothySustainability is a global issue that requires collaborative efforts. Environmental values and attitudes are shaped in adults by early exposure to nature. During the COVID-19 pandemic, remote learning increased the attention to nature-based learning from families and the press (Prochner, 2021). Although many early childhood education approaches for the age group of 3-5 years recognize the importance of holistic development and focus on tailoring the learning experience to the developmental stage of young children, few emphasize the importance of integrating nature as one of the learning tools. Nature-deficit disorder in children means that children spend less time outdoors and in nature than in the past, leading to many behavioral problems (Louv, 2008). Studies have shown the importance of biophilic design on humans, which can be applied to educational centers. The term Biophilic design is inspired by Wilson’s “Biophilia Hypothesis,” in which he suggests that humans are genetically attracted to nature and need a connection with it in order to survive and enhance their emotional and physical well-being (Ungar, 2005). Therefore, designing an early childhood education space that emphasizes nature can benefit children and the local community by raising awareness of environmental issues among children, allowing them to interact with nature indoors and outdoors throughout the day, and focusing on enhancing their emotional and physical well-being. I am an interior designer and a mother of a six-year-old son who loves nature; like many parents, it is necessary for me to find the best education methods that resonate with our family's values and foster a deep connection with nature. By researching current early childhood education approaches that emphasize connecting children to nature I will explore the impacts of designing a nature-based preschool on children’s physical and psychological well-being. This research will address the following question: How can we design a preschool that encourages children to engage deeply with natural environments through year-round outdoor and indoor activities, fostering experiential learning and environmental education? Studies have found that children attending preschools which occurs in natural settings are more prepared to learn when they reach formal school age than children from conventional schools. For example, In Denmark, about 10% of children attend outdoor forest schools where children spend five days a week and 8 hours a day outdoors. When formal school starts at seven, teachers in local public schools found that forest school children are more socially skilled and prepared to learn (Sobel, 2015). A literature review has been conducted to investigate and compare some examples of successful early childhood practices worldwide that incorporate nature in their education philosophy to identify commonalities between the two approaches: the Waldorf education approach and nature-based education. In addition, several precedent studies of schools incorporating biophilic principles will be examined. Moreover, two teachers teaching in a school implementing a developmentally appropriate curriculum for the age group (3-5) will be interviewed. In conclusion, spending time outdoors and in nature in education settings has a range of long-term physical and psychological benefits for children. Furthermore, studies have proven many other benefits of nature elements and designing with nature elements indoors on children’s physical and psychological well-being. Research has shown that stress reduction, improved mental health, better cognitive function, and lower obesity rates are a few examples of the benefits. Furthermore, Waldorf’s approach and nature-based education in early childhood both emphasize the use of natural environments and outdoor settings as a key aspect of learning and development.37 0Item Restricted The Emotional Experience of Residential Space Through Immaterial Culture(Saudi Digital Library, 2023-05) Alghamdi, Roia; Forlini, Francesca; Trelles, MariaMaterials may encompass an important element in interior design, but in fact, what constitutes the spaces and human behavior in themselves is the immaterial culture (the aggregate of values, mores, norms, etc., of a society; the ideational structure of a culture that provides the values and meanings by which it functions). The immaterial culture comprises the main element on which spaces and the distribution of activities are built, and through that, the materials are a translation that supports the functional and cultural perception of space. Through analyzing the immaterial culture, we can clearly and explicitly reflect culture through material elements. Understanding meanings, however, comes from immaterial elements that form the identities and heritage of other cultures and thus contributes to accepting difference. In the past decade, Saudi students have faced many hate crimes, which in some cases ended in deliberate murders because of stereotypes spread by false media. Due to the lack of communication between the two communities, this was and still is a stereotype that prevails to this day. In this thesis project, the two cultures will be integrated through the representation of the immaterial culture in the formation of a safe space that allows the sharing and understanding of Saudi culture in particular through the re-design and distribution of a townhouse in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.25 0Item Restricted The Contribution of Design to Social Interaction: A Case Study of the 2023 Islamic Arts Biennale in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.(2023) Alqahtani, Taghreed; Takamura, JohnSocial interaction among people in public spaces is an important way to strengthen community ties. Therefore, this study seeks to shed light on the significant role of interior design in increasing the quality of exhibition-built environments. Which in turn affects human behavior, which may lead to enhanced communication between visitors. In addition, the results guide the designer to the most effective design features to build spaces that help social interaction. The research took the Biennale of Islamic Arts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as a case study representing contemporary religious exhibitions. It investigates the impact of lighting, furniture layout, and space planning on interactive behavior among visitors. And these aspects will be measured by applying the triangulation method: field observation, semi-structured interviews, and survey, spread randomly, among biennial local and international adult visitors (n = 114, women n=71 and men n=43). The results illustrate that employing design features around users’ preferences (Human-centered design) within public interior spaces influences the visitors’ behavior and willingness toward social interaction.33 0