Cocoon

Img 1: Sleep Deprivation is a Public Health Emergency

Premise

Every human body requires a minimum of 7-9 hours of sleep for overall health, well-being, and productivity. But unfortunately, sleeping has become a luxury. 

In fact, so many people aren’t getting enough sleep, that CDC declared it as a public health emergency. 40% of employees experience sleep loss in the US, an overworked Brit doesn’t sleep once a week and the epidemic is so serious in Japan that workers sometimes die due to lack of sleep. Lack of sleep leads to health problems, body fatigue and lack of efficiency.

Modern work schedules often force us to override our normal sleep patterns with more than 43% of workers feeling regularly sleep-deprived. Even if offices mobilize employees to take rest by designing spaces, the perception of sacrificing one’s personal need for benefit of the company is considered monetary rewarding.

 

Img 2: Many businesses look down upon sleeping during office hours because of the image associated with it.

Issue

Beyond the work schedule and commute, people aren't able to take rest during the day because of two reasons. A pre-existent prejudice against sleep in official capacity and also due to lack of designated spaces.

Offices like Google, Nike have introduced sleeping pods for their employees to take a quick nap. But not many people engage with it because sleeping besides being a private activity is looked down upon in office culture. Many business enterprises still don’t encourage employees to rest - deeming it unprofessional.

People also get tired outside the realms of office culture. While one is traveling or engaging in a meeting, a person can easily get exhausted. They either drive back home or try to take a quick nap in an uncomfortable botched bench or just continue with the struggle of keeping their eyes open. We all been there once! The ordeal of finding a place to sleep makes the journey even more tiresome.

 

 

Img 4: Power Napping Studio, Recharj in Washington.

Brief of the competition

With time people have started realizing the importance of mental and emotional health. Sleeping shouldn’t be a luxury that is looked down upon. But more so a necessity that people should be able to exercise.

Designing spaces that can help people access sleep is important in today’s culture. Research shows that a nap of about 20 minutes in the afternoon has a positive effect on attention, vigilance, mood and alertness. It offers rest from the stress of a high pressured work day.

Brief: is to design a meditation and power nap studio for 100 people. While primarily it provides an opportunity for people to nap, at other hours it will act as a medication hub where classes in regards will be held.

 

Objectives

Interior: Designing a spatial environment with tools, design elements which induces sleep and is peaceful

Landmark: The space should be a center point for every person in vicinity to retreat and relax

Universal: The module should be such that it can be replicated anywhere in the world

Scalable: Flexible design to accommodate the changing demands of number of users

The following objectives can be a point of beginning to conceive this design. Participants can assume their own contexts and users before initiating their design process.

 

Programmatic Outline

Design programme has been framed to create a successful commercial model. The primary intent is to provide a space for people to relax. During other hours, it will be a medication center where classes and workshops will be conducted inregards to mental wellbeing.The programme can be moulded, spaces added or subtracted depending on participant’s design.

 

South Korea

South Korea ranks second in the list of countries that gets the least sleep. One of the most sleep-deprived of the world’s developed economies, the workplace culture of rampant overtime and few vacations have resulted in low levels of worker productivity. In lieu, the government is encouraging its workers to take an afternoon nap for up to an hour. The growing popularity of nap cafes indicates the need for solutions for locals, looking for quick fixes to soothe their bodies and minds.

 

Img 6: Overview of district of Yeouido in Seoul

Yeouido, Seoul

Yeouido is an 8.4 square kilometre island sculpted by the Han River in Seoul. Known as the Wall Street of Korea, it is an economic district constituting of several investment enterprises and banks. Additionally, the island holds the National Assembly where the regulations and political decisions of paramount importance to South Korea are conceptualized and framed. The island is known for many offices and centres encouraging a culture of nap cafes. Multiplex cinema chain offers sofas to dozy office workers and Siesta Program runs from 11:30am to 1pm, from Monday through Thursday.

 

Img 7: Site for design intervention

Site Plan

Site is present within the context of a commercial fabric that substitutes hospital, bank on it’s left and restaurants, sauna on it’s right. Present near a parking lot, the participant can design anywhere inside the 600 square meter site.

Site Area: 600sqm | Ground Coverage: 100 sqm | Build Area: 2800 sqm | Coordinates: 37.518708, 126.937718 |

Height restrictions - 60m | SetBack of 2m on all 4 sides