SOLACE. Design strategies for managing student anxiety in university spacesOriginal title: SOLACE. Estrategias de diseño para la gestión de ansiedad estudiantil en espacios universitarios
Original title: SOLACE. Estrategias de diseño para la gestión de ansiedad estudiantil en espacios universitarios
Student Thesis:
Student thesis
Thesis
Anxiety is one of the most common psychological issues among 21st-century youth, driven by increasing responsibilities and academic pressure. The WHO (2021) reports that around 32% of students in Latin America experience anxiety. Because of this, institutions have been forced to find solutions for their students. However, the reality is that the data show a rise in affected individuals with increasingly severe symptoms, and with numbers this alarming, it is time to explore new and innovative methods that support student well-being.
The Escuela Superior de Diseño de Barcelona (ES DESIGN), an expert in healthy interior environments, states that “the spaces we inhabit condition and shape both our character and our physical and mental health.” A space should serve as support for achieving specific goals. If the aim of this research is well-being, it is essential to leverage the environment to create meaningful change.
This project proposes the implementation of design psychology and nudge theory to transform a well-being space within the University of Monterrey. The space is intended to be open to all students, offering a place to reconnect through micro-activities. As a result, it not only increases the number of students seeking moments of peace but also provides an environment that calms the nervous system and alleviates the most common symptoms of anxiety.
The Escuela Superior de Diseño de Barcelona (ES DESIGN), an expert in healthy interior environments, states that “the spaces we inhabit condition and shape both our character and our physical and mental health.” A space should serve as support for achieving specific goals. If the aim of this research is well-being, it is essential to leverage the environment to create meaningful change.
This project proposes the implementation of design psychology and nudge theory to transform a well-being space within the University of Monterrey. The space is intended to be open to all students, offering a place to reconnect through micro-activities. As a result, it not only increases the number of students seeking moments of peace but also provides an environment that calms the nervous system and alleviates the most common symptoms of anxiety.