Participant 1: This is my bathroom. My parents are always complaining and banging on the doors because I end up hogging the bathtub. I literally spend 3 hours sometimes, just lying in the bathtub not doing anything. It’s just nice. I don’t know… like I’m back in the womb.
Interviewer: If you had to unpack it, do you think it’s the fact that it’s a small place? That it feels like an escape? That no one can come bother you? What do you think it is?
Participant 1: I have my bath water temperature really, really hot. I feel like a little bald chicken inside. And my house is normally really cold, so it feels really nice.
Interviewer: So it’s temperature, it’s privacy, do you think if you went to a hotel you would have the same experience?
Participant 1: No, because it is home.
Interviewer: Ah ok, that is very interesting to me. So I’m the same where I am obsessed with bathrooms, but it doesn’t necessarily need to be my own. I simply like the idea that no one can come bother me, and that it is a private moment, and I can be on my phone, I can zone out. It’s the idea that we’ve established as humans living a society that no one will come into the bathroom if it’s being used. Whereas, if you are in your bedroom, and you have guests over, it is considered rude, that you aren’t engaging, whereas with a bathroom nobody seems to mind or care.
Interviewer: Ok great. Participant 2?
Participant 2: So this is my balcony, overlooking a Christmas tree. The Christmas tree is such a significant part of my childhood. I would wait around standing in my balcony, looking down to see if my friends were hanging around by the Christmas tree as that was our meetup spot. It’s really special, when we moved into our flat which is on the 3rd floor, I would have to look down to see the Christmas tree, and by the time we moved it, the top of the Christmas tree was so high up – so it signifies my own growth.
Interviewer: Yes, Participant 3?
Participant 3: So, it’s a really bad drawing of it. It is a walk-in closet which is attached to my bedroom. Now it holds old magazines, art supplies, suitcases, any extra clothing that belongs to my family. Yet there is still a lot of empty space in there. Whenever I feel overwhelmed, or too emotional, and I need that privacy, I’ll lock my room, enter my closet, and just spend hours there. I don’t even really do much in there, sometimes I’ll just sit and stare at the white-yellow light inside. I love to go and spend some time alone there by myself.
Interviewer: Participant 4?
Participant 4: So this here is in my living room, behind the table and the chairs, there was a corner behind the door. I claimed that growing up as my toy corner. So I kind of built it all up using Bratz dolls. Whenever we had guests over, my mom would toss a stripey blanket over it. When I asked her why she would cover it, she would respond by saying that not everyone is going to understand you have Bratz dolls everywhere. This one was my favourite Bratz doll. Her name was Roxy. I would spend all day and night there, just playing. I’d wake up really early, before anyone else was awake, so I could go down and play. My Bratz dolls were like a form of escapism. I felt like I was in a different planet.
Interviewer: I can see that there are a lot of connecting themes between all of us. All of us seem need a break from life, everyone is searching for an escape.
Participant 2: It is a little chai store close to my house in India, that we used to take our bicycles to and drink a cup of chai. We knew the person who worked there. We used to have comfortable conversations. Anytime we didn’t know what to do, my brother and I would go there.
Interviewer: Was this a part of your daily routine?
Participant 2: It wasn’t daily, but definitely once every couple of days. Like we would go at least 3 times a week.
Interviewer: I think there’s something really joyous about this act of tradition. It makes us feel anchored. Do you guys have a spot perhaps around the new East bank building, where you have created a similar ritual?
Participant 4: Nothing here around East bank just yet, but certainly around the previous Lime Grove building.
Interviewer: It’s interesting, for me, I feel like the element of nostalgia heavily at play. When we were at Lime Grove, I didn’t value or appreciate it as much. But now with the move to East bank I often miss how colourful the market was, and the hustle and bustle of that environment.
Participant 4: I felt like Lime Grove was a nice homely area. Whereas here at East Bank it feels like we are all just stuck in this very large building.
Interviewer: Yes, I would defiantly say there are pros and cons to both. This new building feels professional, very cool and modern, with all its amazing resources. But there’s a more corporate sensibility.
Participant 3: Yeah
Participant 1: Yeah
Participant 2: Yeah. It feels more structured here.
Participant 3: I agree, the old Lime Grove building felt really homely. Like I could get creative in that environment. Whereas here it feels really structured and corporate.
Interviewer: Perhaps this space needs more time to feel more worn in.
Participant 4: It’s hard to get used to this new space. At Lime Grove, after I’d finished with all my classes, I loved sitting in the outside Courtyard for hours, sometimes even until 9pm. Similarly, I really enjoyed how comfortable the student lounge was with the large brown sofas. To imagine that kind of space here is hard. Where can I find that feeling?
Participant 1: I also get scared to make a mess here as it’s a new building. There’s a pressure from the teaching team to maintain and preserve things. But it’s a creative space, and we should be able to make a mess.
Participant 2: I will say I do find that my productivity levels are better here. Maybe not on this floor (Floor 6) but when I’m in the library and I see other people working, it pushes and motivates me as well. Whereas at Lime Grove there was no collective working space. We would only see people gather in the cafeteria.
Interviewer: Really helpful to here everyone’s thoughts. Shall we return to presenting our drawings. Participant 1?
Participant 1: Me and my dad used to have a phase where we sat in our back garden and would gaze up at the stars. We would just grab a picnic blanket and would just look at and stars. It just slows everything down and makes the world move really slowly.
Participant 2: Mine, is a restaurant that my boyfriend and I used to go to called Tai-Fung. Right now we are in separation. I haven’t seen him in 2 months nor have I been to that place since. I put glitter in my image because it felt so special to be there with him. Like even the wait staff recognized us because we were there every week.
Interviewer: So it was the ceremony and the building of a tradition and memory within a physical space with this person.
Participant 2: Yes definitely. Although sadly right now there is so much miscommunication between that that it is a difficult time in terms of our relationship. So with that I’ve realised that it’s not necessarily the space, but him as a person, and that by being with him, any room feels special, as his presence changes the energy of that space.
Interviewer: Participant 4?
Participant 4: Where my family home is, it’s like a community within itself. In the middle we have a park where everyone who lives in that area goes. I used to love exploring around there. Right by the park, there was this alley way in between 2 neighbours house. It was a private alley way, where they had a tree, which my friends and I took over, and made it into a tree house. We used to spend time in that alley way all day. The red car shown in my drawing, was a mans who we used to call devil man. He used to always find a problem with us being there.
Interviewer: Its interesting, with the activity before, I noticed that there were some parallels in everyone’s responses, with how everyone loved a little private nook. And your response is almost that same idea, manifested outside, so an outdoor nook with the treehouse. So a private spot, where your friends can come together.
Participant 4: Cold…. I get a very structural vibe…. I wrote “help”. A lot of lectures. It’s a lot of people talking and having to sit and listen. The environment in the classroom feels really frosty.
Participant 1: I wrote about the lighting. It makes me feels like I am in an office, which is literally my worst nightmare. Everything in the room feels really rigid and uptight. I always lose focus in the classroom.
Interviewer: So interesting, because that is the opposite of what it should be. We should feel free, welcome, and inhibited.
Participant 4: I find it hard to be reflective in classroom. It’s hard to sit there and think to yourself. It’s quite overwhelming being here, so because of that I find it hard to connect to my brain.
Participant 1: It feels like everyone is far away from each other. Classrooms are meant to have a community feeling, but I don’t feel that here. Everyone feels far away.
Participant 2: This might be strange to say, but I think it helped when in Lime Grove we had wheels on our chairs. It allowed us to feel a little free, move around, fidget.
Participant 4: I feel like we need some colour in this place. It’s not inspiring. I find it quite draining.
Participant 3: Yes! It feels really corporate!
Participant 4: I feel very anxious in that space.
Participant 2: I always turn down the volume of my music, because I’m worried that other people might be able to hear what I am listening to.
Participant 3: I over-observe others within an elevator – for e.g. what others are wearing. So I feel that if I am doing that, then others are probably also observing me.
Participant 2: I feel better if I know someone in there. If there is someone with me then I feel better.
Interviewer: So hyper aware of your own self in relation to others gaze.
Participant 4: I find it overwhelming. I’d rather go to Westfield.
Participant 1: I wish the windows were more opaque, because this way people can peek in.
Participant 2: There’s a lot of attention on you. I feel like people will look in.
Participant 4: I also think they are randomly located in the middle of floor? I wish they were more of a private corner, so they could be more secluded.
Interviewer: We actually had one in Lime Grove also, but I’m not sure if many students knew about it, as it wasn’t heavily promoted and shared.
Participant 3: It looks like a therapists office.
Participant 4: Where is this located?
Participant 4: How do other people know if the room is in-use? Is there a lock? Imagine you are in there crying, and then someone just barges in. That makes me feel really vulnerable.
Participant 2: How long can you be in there? How is this managed?
Participant 1: What is the purpose of the multi-faith room?
Participant 3: It’s unclear for me how we are supposed to use this space. I would love more directions and guidance and what is appropriate and what isn’t.
Participant 2: I would feel uncomfortable using this space. It’s too open. I wouldn’t feel comfortable chanting here, which is a part of my faith. So, I don’t think it really serves its purpose.
Participant 4: I feel like they could have made this more meaningful. We have so many diverse people from different religious backgrounds that attend this university. They could have added different symbols so everyone feels invited and could relate more to this space. It also feels like an office space? It feels very formal. They should add some floor seating. Maybe a sofa? So people can feel more comfortable and at ease as they devote time to their faith and practice. Overall, it just feels like they couldn’t be bothered with it and that they just took a free room and stuck a label on the door. It doesn’t seem like they thought about this deeply or invested much time and care into the making and curation of this space.
Participant 3: It looks more like a waiting room to me. We are an arts university. They could have been a little bit more creative in terms of the design. I wish it was more cosy. Also, since everyone has their own ways of praying, I think people would appreciate some privacy? I would be very conscious of how others in that space would be perceiving me.
Participant 2: I wish there was a way that you could separate and signify your own space. Even having matts in there would help? I would never want to sit on a chair and pray.
Participant 3: It looks like an immigration office.
Participant 4: We are an arts university. They could have invited students to come together to paint and create a mural for the wall that incapsulates different faiths. Or to even have a small library of books, of different religious texts and resources, for people to read and learn more.
Also to echo what the others said – I think separation would be really helpful. May some curtains so you can have some privacy and have your own space. A space to be themselves. To feel safe. To let your thoughts out. This design makes no sense to me.
Participant 3: I also feel like there should be a person in-charge of overseeing this space. If it’s a multi-faith room. People should be respectful. Cleanliness and hygiene are important when you pray, so you don’t want people entering with their shoes on.