Sophie Brown (She/her )
Hello, I’m Sophie, an interior designer from Edinburgh. My recent work has focused on person-centred spaces. I am particularly interested in understanding the needs of the people that will inhabit the spaces that I create through related research and how I as the designer can create considered and dedicated spaces for specific groups. I look to achieve this through careful consideration of materiality/ layout/ form and also attention to the finer details. I understand the importance that these elements provide in creating the overall atmosphere and feeling within a space and how this can have an emotional and physical effect on the intended users. For my final year project, I created a mental health and wellbeing centre with a focus on providing a positive and optimistic experience.
WAVE mental health and wellbeing centre
W A V E
MENTAL HEALTH AND WELLBEING CENTRE
WAVE Centre aims to provide a dedicated space for mental health and well-being which can be accessed from the street without a referral. The focus is on preventative mental health care and providing space and activities for people to take part in to maintain and aid general good mental health and wellbeing.
The site is accessible to the city and community and is located on the edge of the river Clyde with lovely views from most floors over the river and the treescape that lines it.
The centre boasts a double-height yoga and meditation studio in which classes run, a creative floor for painting, creativity and art therapy workshops and a designated therapy floor – accomodating group therapy, private therapy and counselling with the main therapy service being CBT (cognitive behavioural therapy) – a talking therapy that can help you manage your problems by changing the way you think and behave.
W a v e also offers a cafe space with seating over two floors and a library wall providing lots of books and self-help resources. The space can offer a retreat and safe place away from the business of everyday life. The environment is positive, supportive and welcoming. A place where people can take responsibility for their own mental health and wellbeing.
Concept
; waves are a constant movement of energy. Sometimes this energy can be calming and soothing, but other times it evokes enormous power and strength. Therefore, it also symbolizes power, vigor, and might force. It talks about the power and energy within us.
This also symbolizes the ebbing and flowing of life and how sometimes we need some help to get through the tough times.
“You can’t stop the waves but you can learn to surf”
| Jon Kabat Zinn
We cannot stop difficult moments coming up in our lives but with the right knowledge, support and tools we are able to manage them a bit better.
The W A V E centre is a person-centered space that has been designed with the experience of the user as the main focus. This has been achieved through the creation of an appropriate, easy-to-navigate layout, carefully selected materials that make the space calming and comfortable to spend time in, and an overall positive and uplifting atmosphere.
The centre intends to provide a welcoming, supportive and positive environment for people to access to prioritize and manage their own mental health and wellbeing, and importantly be a space designated to this that feels considered and reflective of the services and optimistic spaces that it provides.
First floor - library/lounge
