Bi Xia

I designed three spaces for solitary dining, reading and practising. They will be an alternative way to combat loneliness.

Loneliness is a societal health issue that can affect everyone and companionship shouldn't be the only way to relieve it. We have been educated from a young age to participate in groups, people who prefer to be in solitude are seen as outliers often. All of them are subject to this bias that is implanted in our society and we all internalize it from a very early age.

Also, in the "Designed" world, we usually feel obliged to design socially engaging spaces rather than through improvement of quality in the very experience of being alone.

Solitude has become a negative state that people want to avoid. But it should be a natural, justified and equalized option and it could be an alternative way to eliminate loneliness.

Loneliness is feeling alone and not liking it, it's a feeling.
Solitude is being alone and content, it's a choice.

If you can master solitude. You'll never feel lonely again. We need more space for solitude in the city, also in our lives.

I designed spaces that help people to master solitude.

In 'Grassland' people are free to hide in freestanding flexible cork-rubber partitions. Roaming between them is not easy, the deeper you go, the more undisturbed you get. When you choose a stool, wrap the partition around it by magnetic grain, you can enjoy disconnect and remain in solitude for a period.

'Mountaintop' is a staff less reading place on your way home from work. It is located on the top of an office building near London Bridge underground station. The tunnel is only for one person to choose books and buy. The shallowly marked seats on the mountain ensure the distance and avoid eye contact.

'Caves' is where you practice instruments on your own and you are free to switch between practice alone or performance with other people. The shapes are designed by different instrument reverberations, the glass revolving door shows the occupancy status and the soundproofing cork-rubber shutter provides the flexibility between solitude and performing.