Can Design Heal? Insights from the LightLife Observation Room
In times of uncertainty and overload, we turn to space for comfort. But what if design could do more than soothe—what if it could truly heal?
This question became the heart of my project, the LightLife Observation Room, an immersive installation created to help people slow down, observe, and reconnect with themselves.
In 2022, I launched this project in London. Inspired by observing sunrises and deepening my meditation practice, this space was designed for one person at a time to enter and immerse themselves in an environment of shifting light and shadow, supported by multi-sensory elements—soft ground textures, forest scents, and a pre-recorded audio guide for mindfulness practice.
The goal was to create a sense of coming home—to oneself, through light and presence. Over 100 people experienced the room, and more than half completed follow-up surveys. Many reported feeling calmer, less stressed, and more emotionally connected, though responses varied regarding the pacing and length of the session.
The key insight I gained was this: to improve our well-being, we must first be aware. Some call this waking up. Living in auto-pilot or fixed mental patterns limits our capacity to experience change, joy, and growth. This project was a reminder that light, when paired with mindfulness, can become a gateway to awareness.
Why Design Should Support Mental Well-Being
Throughout my career, I’ve explored how light stimulates emotions and connects us to our inner states. In my master’s thesis at KTH and in previous workshops — including those involving design philosophy inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach—I guided both children and adults to explore light as a tool for emotional expression. With adults, the workshops often revealed how light could help them release tension and reconnect with buried feelings.
But I wanted to go deeper. Beyond representation or metaphor, I wanted to create spaces where people could observe their present mental condition directly. Not through thinking, but through being. That’s what inspired me to build the LightLife Observation Room.
Through that experience and my continued work in mindfulness education, I’ve come to see that three major issues consistently affect people’s well-being:
Lack of Bodily Awareness – Many people are disconnected from their own physical sensations, living mainly in their heads.
Changing Contexts and Perspectives – When life circumstances shift, so do our perceptions. We must learn to see the essence of our experience, beyond surface conditions.
Emotional Literacy – Few people are taught how to observe and work with their emotions. Design can help facilitate this inner connection.
Curious to see the installation? View images on the LightLife homepage.
👉 Next: Designing for Awareness: 3 Principles for Well-Being in Space
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