Sabina invites you to pause and reflect
How can a space help you step away from the pace of everyday life? That question is at the heart of the graduation project by Sabina Reitsma, a student in the bachelor's programme Associate Degree Interior Design at ArtEZ Academy for Art & Design Zwolle. Through her design, she explores how architecture can encourage calm, focus and self-reflection.
Designing for slowing down
For her graduation project, Sabina selected a largely vacant building in Zwolle. Within the existing structure, she designed a new space while preserving the character of the building. She found inspiration in chapels: places where light, form and silence naturally invite reflection.
She translated these qualities into her design. Visitors enter the space via a gently sloping ramp. Above them, coloured daylight filters through a glass dome. Together, movement, light and silence create a different way of experiencing the space.
'I want to create a sense of slowing down, so that you naturally turn your attention inwards.'
A space free from distractions
Sabina sees her design as a place where people can step away from the constant flow of stimuli. A place to think, slow down and become more aware of the present moment.
By introducing a new spatial element into an existing building, she demonstrates how interior design can shape the way people experience a place. Her graduation project explores how the built environment can create room for introspection.