Immigration to the United States causes challenges and hardships that are associated with a cultural transition. I plan to address how the engagement and interaction of public space can facilitate openness and inclusivity.

What is a museum and what is the role this anchor institution plays in the 21st century? This thesis explores this question along with how design can be utilized to create a more equitable and culturally responsive art museum, specifically in an underserved community in Philadelphia. By focusing on equity, access, activism, and advocacy, while providing an environment to promote local initiatives, creativity, and innovation, the museum’s primary function changes from an archive of physical objects to an archive of cultural memory. By structurally changing the institution to have a stronger focus on the visitor and their experiences/connections made in the museum, the museum becomes an archive of the people and their communal identity.

This thesis project explores how the elementary shapes and forms cooperate and translate the design functionality and circulation within multiple dimensions. The transition between graphic 2 dimensional and extruded 3 dimensional spatial elements create a complex yet minimal interior architecture which accommodates a diverse range of programmatic functions.

This thesis project will explore the relationship between light and aesthetics, comfort and mood. I aim to work with light, including temperature and luminosity, to enhance mood and create a sense of comfort in different spaces and times. I am especially interested in empathetic technologies that allow for dynamic adjustment of light based on individual preference and need.