Faculty of Design

Environmental Design - Interior Design Specialization

Chelsea Prime

37 Bulwer Street

This project was a renovation and reimagination of an existing house.The client I was assigned to is a single woman who lives with agoraphobia, which is a severe anxiety disorder that causes her not to be able to leave the comfort of her home. This mental disorder severely limits her from being able to put herself in public spaces out of fear of being too crowded or being placed in situations that will cause her to panic or that will induce anxiety. However, she has her own service dog to help her maintain her anxiety, help her complete tasks, and overall be a friend and keep her company as she does live alone. Because of her intense anxieties, my client will require a very private space that is closed off from the outside world without making her feel trapped or too constrained within her space, therefore she will require a very open-concept layout. As she has a hard time leaving her house, she will also require her own private outdoor space which is why I have added an extension to the side of the house creating a closed-off side yard where she and her dog are able to relax and enjoy nature.Nature and increased exposure to sunlight have been proven to reduce stress, generating more positive emotions and creating calmness and ease of living which is why the concept of this design is to bring as much connectivity to nature and natural light as possible within the home. As the outdoor space is limited, I have achieved this goal further by incorporating as many windows as possible to draw in maximum natural lighting during the day, while still maintaining the privacy of the indoor spaces which is why I decided to mainly use clerestory windows paired with 12 feet high walls so no one is able to see in from the outside. In addition to the windows, I have added different feature walls with floor-to-ceiling mirrors so the light is able to reflect around the space while creating the illusion of a larger interior. My client works remotely as a freelance writer and author which is one of her deepest passions. This job allows her to escape her hard reality and live in new ones that she gets to create herself. This is why a large office and library space was crucial in this design as this is where she will be spending the majority of her days. Leading off of her office is one location where she will have access to her side yard, which also allows her to break into a new reality by stepping away from her work into a more relaxed environment. This side yard is enclosed by a 9-foot high fence which is low enough that it does not block any of the clerestory windows, however, it is high enough to still maintain privacy so I was able to give the office floor-to-ceiling windows, giving access to as much natural light as possible and allowing the space to feel more open. I also made the interior wall of the office leading into the main space of the house completely glass to allow that light to flood inside.