Preliminary

This project focuses on Post-Pandemic design for students to make the transition period into society seamless. It offers an in-depth look at how students’ mental health and wellness can be affected by the built environment. The problem being addressed is how to create an environment that will not facilitate stress or pressure for the user. The wellness strategies are focused on both the mind and the body, which takes a well-rounded approach. The methodology used was qualitative data to examine how individuals were impacted in isolation and their preferences in the learning environment. The qualitative data was collected through a two-part online survey. The results concluded that most participants had a negative experience in isolation. However, some positive takeaways were highlighted such as flexibility and lack of commute. Students preferred learning environments that were collaborative but still structured. This study intends to direct designers to be deliberate about how the spaces will affect others. It will provide designers with a deeper understanding of how to set up spaces after traumatic events and contributes to pandemic recovery research which is limited. Designers should consider the following when designing for pandemic reintegration design: biophilic elements, flexibility, contrasting zones, creating familiarity, and considering group and individual spaces.