LIFE CHAPTER

The much anticipated alternative to marriage

MA Graduation Design

2023 Royal College of Art Interior Design Prize Winner

The project is located at Charleston House, once belonging to the 20th Bloomsbury Group; a speculative spatial design discusses the future relationship form according to the present signal and combined with the site background history.

In 2043, the Charleston House become a place to celebrate your ‘Life Chapter’, and serve people who do not want to be bound by the shackles of conventional marriage. People can flexibly decide the length of combination. Divorce is not a negative word anymore.

The project uses curtains as Motif, using different sorts of fabric to present different relationship periods of intimacy.

brief

A detailed infographic titled "Marriage Revolution" showing the history and future of marriage from ancient times to 2043. It includes sections on marriage law development, involvement of church and love, the rise of feminism, artificial intelligence, and future marriage concepts, with timelines, key events, and social changes depicted.

Research

Illustration depicting the floor plans of a house with a chronological arrangement of art and furniture scenes from different rooms on each level, and the lives of three individuals connected to the artwork at the bottom.

Relationship map

Site Research: Dramatic relationship among the Bloomsbury Group

One of the members, Vanessa Bell, was in a very radical relationship at the time. She had several partners during her life. Among them was Duncan Grant, who accompanied her for a long time during the Charleston House during World War Two.

Diagram illustrating Susan Campbell's 5 Relationship Periods: Blur during Romantic period, Tension during Power struggle period, Integration during Integration period, Order during Commitment period, and Vitality during Co-creation period, with clothing items representing each stage.

Use the curtain as Motif in the spatial design, and these periods will be present through different sorts of fabric, such as velvet and sheer, to visualise these stages. Because the fabric is a flexible and unfixed material, which is similar to relationships

Architectural floor plan of a building with labeled areas including entrance, cloakroom, makeup room, celebrating area, and restrooms, showing an outdoor space with trees and pathways.
  • People viewing colorful fabric or artwork hanging from ceiling panels in an art gallery or exhibition space.
  • Interior of a rustic cafe with exposed brick walls, large windows, and wooden beams. Several people are sitting at tables and standing, some eating or drinking. Fabric drapes hang from the ceiling, and a brick counter is visible to the right with bowls of food and two people working there.
  • Interior of a cozy restaurant or cafe with brick walls and wooden floors. Several people are sitting at a large, oval-shaped table covered with a colorful, patterned tablecloth. There are paintings and artwork on the walls, and a large ceiling curtain with a floral or abstract design. Some of the customers are engaged in conversation, eating, or leaning over the table.
  • Digital rendering of a modern two-story house with a garden in the foreground under a partly cloudy sky. The house has multiple rooflines, large windows, and a balcony with two figures walking.
  • A modern interior room with wooden flooring, black walls, and a large window letting in natural light. A colorful patterned rug is on the floor, and a black sofa with two people sitting on it. A large flat-screen TV is mounted on one wall, and decorative white hanging fabric pieces are suspended from the ceiling.
  • Two women are standing on a wooden floor in front of a red curtain, seen from behind, with brick walls on either side.
  • Two women are seen from behind inside a building, looking out onto an outdoor patio with a field beyond.
  • Illustration of a brick house with a tree and two women walking on a paved path in a garden, with a modern structure covered with a white mesh in the background under a blue sky.
A security camera mounted on a building's corner against a blue sky.
Digital illustration of a social media post celebrating Olivia and Emily's two-year relationship milestone, featuring a courtyard scene with two cartoon characters. One character is practicing yoga, and the other is watching. Includes a banner with congratulatory message and social media icons, likes, and comments.

The ramp camera will capture the highlights and post them on social networks. In this way your relationship will be certificated by the public for the social level. Cause we are all addicted to the internet and social media at that time

Cross-section architectural rendering of a two-story building with brick walls, multiple chimneys, and a large central stage area with people. The lower level has open space with tables, chairs, and seating, while the upper level features a balcony and a large screen with people seated and interacting. Decorative curtains are shown on windows and some parts of the interior.
Architectural illustration of a modern building with a sloped ramp, glass roof structures, and people walking and engaging in activities inside and outside the building.
3D model of a building's interior layout with a section cut and a rail detail diagram.

Section & Axonometric drawing

Architectural floor plan of a building labeled 'Ending Path' with rooms, trees, pathways, and a water feature, including a legend for entrances, a life circle atrium, a life chapter station, and restrooms.

However, in Life Chapter, every ending is a new beginning. You can see a deciduous tree setting at the centre because the tree is the symbol of life, the leave will fall and rebirth, just like the relationship.

Diagram of a bench axon showing a PVC finish, steel connectors, a wooden grain board, and cement basement components.

Just as a book always has an ending, the train has a destination. Sometimes we have to accept the end of a relationship. The ending path is set on the left side of the building.

Architectural drawing of a building's rail detail, showing a side profile with a person walking, a tree, and labeled components including top rail hanger, steel frame, side rail hanger, and ground slot, along with a section view inset.
Illustration of an interior room with brick walls, wooden flooring, a red curtain, large window showing greenery outside, and two women sitting on a bed.
A courtyard inside a building with a large central tree, brick walls, and two people, one sitting and one standing. The building has a partial roof made of glass and a brick exterior.
Cross-section illustration of a building with multiple levels, including a large open space with curtains, a tree in the courtyard, and a seating area with a person sitting, surrounded by brick walls and greenery in the background.
Diagram of the life chapter loop with labeled periods: Power struggle, Integration, Commitment, Co-creation, Romantic, and the central text "Life Chapter Loop" on a green tree graphic.

Regarding the Life Chapter, the relationship is an infinite loop; You can return to finding your partner and return to the romantic period.

Abstract floral background with the text 'Bloom Your Life' in the center.
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