Teens: Let's Give Them Some Space; An Architectural Exploration of Teenage Tragedies
Abstract
At a time when we can find numerous divisions
between ourselves and the next person, there
is one thing that every adult has in common:
we were once a teenager. Like any experience,
being a teenager comes with moments of
both good and bad. However, many adults
would agree that when recalling their time of
adolescence, they cringe as negative memories
flood their mind first.
Teenagers experience tragedies on a regular
basis. Some are minor moments of discomfort
and some are major moments of grief. What is
important to remember, as adults removed from
that stage of life by years of life experience, is
that as a teenager, many negative experiences,
albeit sometimes small, create a sense of
tragedy.
The goal of this thesis research is to empathize
with a demographic that we can all relate to,
and so easily dismiss. Many of us don't enjoy
thinking about the years of braces, prom
photos, and puberty. Actually, a lot of us figure
"If I got through it, you can too!" without
acknowledging that we have the ability to
do more than causally cheer teenagers on
through what we view is bound to be a series of
unfortunate events.
This thesis research offers a suggestion for how
to prevent tragedies in the lives of teenagers
in the form of a carefully curated program and
intentionally designed environment. The concept
is simple: Teenagers need some space.