About Pause pod
The starting point of my project is an analysis of isolation and how that can be divided into the perception of isolation and into social isolation. The focus of the thesis will be on the latter aspect and how this affects the mind and body. My interest in this topic started after a few weeks spent in isolation from other people due to the Covid-19 pandemic affecting the world in 2020. Now we find ourselves isolated from our groups of friends, colleagues and family, but thanks to the development of technology, even if we are far apart, we can keep in touch, through calls, messages and video calls. What would happen if all our connections stopped and we found ourselves completely alone ? My research question is: As human beings, can we detach from people, disconnect from our things and stop interacting with our devices just to avoid being by ourselves and our thoughts ? The thesis will have as its main focus a few cases of extreme isolation, whether the subjects were isolated as a lifestyle choice, voluntarily for experimental studies or through enforced isolation. I want to create a new type of space where it is possible to spend a long or short period of time based on the individual being willing to spend time alone, in a space without sunlight but with artificial light, which will eliminate the individual's perception of time.
When I started my research into isolation, my main goal was to look for a positive aspect of solitude, and I came across the research performed by Long and Averill in their article Solitude: An Exploration of Benefits of Being Alone, which examined the advantages of intentional solitude. The article emphasises the fact that reducing interaction between people and their environment and limiting the use of devices and other stimulation can have major benefits, but only when the time spent in solitude is deliberately chosen by the individual. The four benefits listed are: freedom, creativity, intimacy and spirituality. The title of my project is 'About Pause'. The Pause Pod itself was created through the concept of reducing interaction between people and their environment, and reducing stimulation from the outside world. The idea is to take the negative association that we have with solitude and integrate this state of complete isolation into our lives. My intention is to create a place where an individual can unplug from the busy and frenetic time that we are living in, whenever they feel the need to do so. I want to be able to put together all the positive aspects of being isolated and bored and take ad-vantage of them, and maybe even benefit from them.
