Object Play Scape

Object Play Scape

Raya Krishna Sai

This spatial exploration within interior design aims to instigate a re-engagement with material culture, transcending the perception of objects as static, anthropocentric commodities towards a nuanced understanding of them as dynamic “things”—relational processes characterized by constant material flux and profound embeddedness within ecological and social networks.

This perspective is informed by a site analysis of a seemingly artificial substation in Glasgow, where an initial apprehension of a discrete “Cabinet of Curiosities” yielded to an on-site recognition of seamless coexistence with its natural surroundings, thereby challenging traditional binaries of artificial/natural and object/thing. The study advocates for a non-anthropocentric view acknowledging the interobjectivity of entities and drawing parallels with naturally occurring formations.

Confronting the prevailing “disposal culture” as a manifestation of the anthropocentric crisis within our interconnected hyperobject, this project proposes a spatial inquiry to facilitate a renewed understanding of the material realm, returning to a foundational mode of learning exemplified by a toddler’s innate exploratory engagement with the domestic environment.

This is realized through an experimental “Object Play Scape” designed to encourage adults to “relearn” material culture by layering the concepts of Piaget’s first three stages of cognitive development with Froebel’s educational “Gifts,” which cultivate early learning through material interaction. The design envisions elements within a carefully curated interior space functioning as “gifts in space,” guiding a progression through three stages of cognitive reasoning : from concrete to abstract. This progression is facilitated by playful interaction, sensory immersion, and the reinterpretation of object permanence, symbolic thought, imaginative play, and language, and the embodied experience of the body space object.

By emphasizing affordances, deconstructing conventional object perceptions, reinstilling material intelligence, and nurturing embodied experiences through recontextualized familiar domestic objects, the ultimate objective is to generate a deeper appreciation for the genesis, transience, and inherent agency of the material world, thereby promoting more mindful and sustainable practices in response to contemporary ‘disposal culture’ challenges.

Proposal: Re-engaging with Material Culture like a Toddler

Concept:

Rooted in Miller’s (2010) ‘second nature’ concept from ‘Stuff,’ which asserts that material culture actively shapes us through embedded objects and habitual interactions, this proposal envisions an experimental space-object designed to dismantle conventional material relationships. Mirroring the toddler’s sensory-driven exploration and developmental learning, the space-object will eliminate traditional furnishings and finishes, curating an environment of raw sensory input and process-oriented engagement.
The goal is to facilitate a ‘relearning’ of material culture, shifting away from object-as-product and towards object-as-process and affordance, mirroring the foundational learning experiences of toddlerhood.

Expected Outcomes:

A deeper understanding of the processes involved in creating and using objects.
A heightened awareness of the affordances of materials.
A shift in perspective from object-as-product to object-as-process.
Increased critical thinking about consumption and material culture. Greater empathy for the objects that surround us.

Dewey’s experiential learning and Vygotsky’s social learning enrich Piaget’s stages by explaining how and with whom cognitive development progresses. Doing and reflecting (Dewey) and interacting with more knowledgeable others (Vygotsky) drive a child through Piaget’s sensorimotor, preoperational, concrete, and formal operational phases.

Spatial Approach: A space that progresses through the experience of Piaget’s four stages based in concrete to abstract reasoning by unfolding the material world and culture within a domestic space-object. (Wadsworth, 1971)

Froebel’s concrete ‘Gifts’ enable hands-on exploration, fostering spatial reasoning and pattern recognition, which directly support the developmental progression from concrete manipulation to abstract thought, as outlined by Piaget.

Initially, I delineated the stages using three distinct colors, a common intuitive approach. Inspired subsequently by the Reversible Destiny Lofts-Mitaka in Mitaka, Japan, and their emphasis on active spaces, I envisioned the area with bright colors. Architects Arakawa and Gins, prominent figures in the Reversible Loft movement, explicitly employed vibrant color palettes in their designs to challenge and stimulate the senses, aiming to create an environment that keeps both mind and body alert and engaged (Reversibledestiny.org, 2022). Furthermore, the selection of primary colors—red, blue, and yellow—in this design relates to early childhood visual perception. Since toddlers typically perceive red first and readily recognize contrasting colors, I selected blue and yellow to create a primarily contrasting palette.

My proposal sought to confront disposal culture by addressing a growing dismissal of objects and the material realm, with which we inherently identify. To provoke a re-engagement with the material world, I employed the concept of relearning, specifically the progression from concrete to abstract reasoning, the foundational way in which we evolve our understanding of the material world. This approach aimed to nurture deeper relations with both the tangible and intangible, foregrounding the importance of material intelligence and material flux. This was achieved through the curation of atmosphere, expressed through massing, colour, materials, and dramatic spotlighting. This design proposal represents an initial step towards building a relationship with objects, and engaging in a dialogue with them through the medium of interior design.

As humans, we culturally construct objects as extensions of ourselves, a process that can paradoxically lead to alienation and objectification. This phenomenon, occurring within the broader context of the hyperobject of the mesh, necessitates a reassessment of our place as we move towards a post-anthropocene. Consequently, speculating on the potential consequences of our current relationship with the material world is crucial.

My initial focus on overconsumption, influenced by Miller’s analysis of consumption and its consequences, evolved into a recognition of its deep cultural embeddedness and underlying rationale. This led to a proposed postscript advocating for interventions at the production stage to mitigate pollution, ensure fairness, and promote public education regarding product lifecycles. (Miller, 2012)

Further exploration of this trajectory could encompass circular economy frameworks and regenerative approaches to the material world. However, I contend that acknowledging our fundamental relationship with objects is a necessary precursor; we are unlikely to act until we cultivate care. Interior design, as a discipline, possesses the capacity to render these significan issues tangible, operating at a visceral level. In this project, I attempted to understand materials through the principles of process, play, and affordance within a spatial context.