University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses

Space/home: rethinking space in a 2D context

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Space/home: rethinking space in a 2D context

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Content SP ACE/HOME:
RETHINKING SP ACE IN A 2D CONTEXT
by
Jo-lin Hsieh
A Thesis Presented to the
F ACUL TY OF THE USC ROSKI SCHOOL OF AR T AND DESIGN
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
MASTER OF FINE AR TS
DESIGN
May 2023
C o p y r i g h t 2 0 2 3 J o - l i n H s i e h
T ABLE OF CONTENTS
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. iii
Abstract ........................................................................................................................................... iv
Introduction Before an Introduction ................................................................................................ 1
Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 2
Chapter One: Lines Of / In Spaces .................................................................................................. 4
Chapter T wo: Redefining The Definition ........................................................................................ 6
Chapter Three: T o Whom That Lived Here Before Me ................................................................. 12
Chapter Four: “Shared Space” ....................................................................................................... 19
Chapter Five: Bed - Room ............................................................................................................. 21
Chapter Six: The Keys ................................................................................................................... 27
Chapter Seven: Practice ................................................................................................................. 32
7.1 Past Projects That Lead to Where I am Now ............................................................. 32
7.2 This Project and its Documentation ........................................................................... 38
Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 44
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LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1 Decompartmentalize 3D Back to 2D ................................................................................. 1
Figure 2 Image T racing ................................................................................................................... 3
Figure 3 Childhood Home .............................................................................................................. 7
Figure 4 1971 News Paper Clip ..................................................................................................... 12
Figure 5 1972 Raintree Apartment Flyer ....................................................................................... 13
Figure 6 [Pictograph] T imeline ..................................................................................................... 14
Figure 7 {Pictograph] Memories ................................................................................................... 14
Figure 8-1 1 1947 W estinghouse Record Player & Advertisement ........................................... 15-16
Figure 12 “Bedroom” .................................................................................................................... 21
Figure 13-16 Photograph of Bedroom W alls ............................................................................ 22-23
Figure 17 Cap Opener Key ............................................................................................................ 28
Figure 18 Miscellaneous Keys ....................................................................................................... 29
Figure 19-22 [ Microphotography] Keys .................................................................................. 30-31
Figure 23-26 Loitering “on” with “in” Body Screenshots ............................................................ 32
Figure 27-30 I Spotted with My Little Eyes Screenshots ............................................................... 33
Figure 31 Dining T able Digital Drawing ....................................................................................... 35
Figure 32 Flowers from Mother Digital Drawing .......................................................................... 36
Figure 33 Door Knobs Digital Sketches ........................................................................................ 36
Figure 34 Blueprint W all Edges Sketch ......................................................................................... 38
Figure 35 Blueprint W all Surface Sketch ...................................................................................... 39
Figure 36-37 Keys Diagram ........................................................................................................... 41
Figure 38-41 Blueprint Memories ........................................................................................... 42-43
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Abstract
This project was created to understand my space, using design thinking and language to
document the active passing of time in space. Began by examining the structure of my space,
letting the lines, the dents, and the walls define this space. As an illustrator that primarily works
with lines, I have decompartmentalized the three-dimensional space, removed it from its
structure, and redefined it two-dimensionally . Whether it is the slow sinking of the foundation or
the uneven buildup of the paints, you will be surprised how lines in spaces are often not straight.
Through my documentation, this project aims to answer questions like “ What is a space? ” and
“ What can a space be? ” Through that lens, answer my question, “ What is my space? ”
As a designer , I see the human in my surroundings. I am documenting my space and its
details at this very moment, all the way back to when it was first created. Memories are
cumulative; they layer on top of each other like paint. Spaces become vessels that hold onto
memories through their forever -changing details. The humanity these inanimate objects carry
gives them value, and their emotions give us something to miss. The project continues as long as
time progresses; the project is the documentation of time. These diagram-like patterns are the
blueprint of my space. Unlike an architect's blueprints, these are the blueprints of a space’ s
memory .
An architect picks up a deck of blueprints, creating three-dimensional structures from
two-dimensional lines. I walk into the three-dimensional space, documenting the passing of time
and its lingering memories through these two-dimensional lines. They are a collaboration
between two types of designers, and the collaboration is between space and time.
i v
Intr oduction Befor e An Intr oduction
As an MF A Design student, I was taught to think as a designer , and I would tell myself I
had to live life as a designer . How better to live out this maxim than to apply my design thinking
to my living space? W orking with two-dimensional layouts digitally to draw grid lines on every
printed material, the system of thinking in symmetry has influenced my day-to-day life. Whether
a random poster on the street inspires me to rethink space as a two-dimensional being, the term
“live life as a designer” has changed my way of interacting with my surroundings. My
day-to-day life as a designer has programmed me to see the world through a designer ’ s gaze,
which means ensuring every line is at the right angle, and every item placed on my table has its
symmetrical partner to maintain the balance. While having a sharp eye as a designer is essential,
it is a skill that I want to expand on. W orking outside the box, one can say , and for a designer ,
living life outside of a grid system is the goal I made for my current work.
This project tested my boundary by contextualizing and collapsing my knowledge of
what it means for a designer living in a three-dimensional space. Rethinking the importance of
needing symmetry and redefining the need for negative spaces.
Fig. 1
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Intr oduction
One clicker and two keys- that is how many steps it takes for me to go from the outside
world back to my “home.” One clicker to open the gate, one key for the front door , and the last
one for my apartment door . Seven condominium buildings are within the gate; ironically , all the
front doors are accessible using the same key . Three hundred and forty units within the seven
buildings, meaning there are at least three hundred and forty keys that can open my building’ s
door and three keys that can open the door to my home. If you think about it, it takes an
abnormally lar ge amount of courage to trust that your door is what makes your home safe. A
door that can be easily opened.
The planning and thought process that our past generations experienced building their
home is heavily bonded with the process and action of building and owning a house. So as the
generations grow out of this mindset of “building a home,” what do we have left that makes our
spaces unique to us? W ith tall apartment buildings rising up left and right, the convenience of
moving into a furnished apartment takes away the originality of living in a space that represents
oneself. This project attempts to understand and experience the process of turning a space into
what makes me comfortable calling it home. W ith the freedom to explore within my own living
space, I am taking action to point out what comfort and safety mean to me. What little details in
the space can change my perception of it, and how does the history of a space impact the people
that live in it?
In the world of typography , designers dived into the spaces between lines and strokes; the
negative spaces between lines create a balance between characters. Looking around, it isn’ t hard
to see the grid system; every poster , even a building, can be placed within the lines of boxes. Our
world is full of symmetry , lines are supposed to be straight, and the placement of objects should
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balance each other from left to right. As a designer , when I first step foot into this space that I am
about to call home for however long my stay is this time, it is hard not to look into every line and
stroke that are of f-centered and crooked. At the time, with full excitement, I could not decide
whether or not what I was seeing were aspects of flaws or characteristics of this seventy-years
old building.
Fig.2
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Chapter One: Lines Of / In Spaces
What is the baseline of a space? What will be the end results when trying to
decompartmentalize the concept of space? Before becoming a designer , before I ever learned the
terminology of design, I was taught to observe my surroundings through shapes and lines.
According to designer Barbara Silverstein, the three essential elements of art are: texture, line,
and shape.
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Such a simple concept can be incorporated into first graders’ curriculum, yet these
fundamentals are easily overlooked. W e get caught up in the endless feeding of information that
it gets hard to stop and appreciate the essential elements of what we see, where lines make
shapes and texture creates depth. Looking at these parallel lines facing me without the shape they
create, minimized and compressed the idea of being in space from three-dimensional to
two-dimensional. One would say that it completely took away what makes a space, but I would
like to ar gue that it redefines what makes a space, “The Space.” The quality of the paint no
longer defines them, the decoration on the walls, or the furniture one can put in it. This choice of
observation eliminates the hierarchy that spaces are forced to be under when one shops for
houses and apartments. The lines, these combinations of vertical and horizontal lines, are the
baseline to creating endless possibilities to emer ge my artistic expression. The lines are the
baseline, then the shapes, then the textures.
Strong vertical and horizontal lines in a space can create a sense of stability .
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Put in its
simplest term when looking at the space one is in. Understandably , one will feel safer knowing
the pillars supporting the roof above them are as straight as possible, creating the maximum
support for the heavy concrete that supports not only our weight but everything we put into the
space. The reason why so many rental spaces paint their walls white, the lighter color creates
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“ E l e m e n t s o f D e s i g n P a r t 1 : L i n e , ” H a t c h I n t e r i o r D e s i g n
1
S i l v e r s t e i n , B a r b a r a . “ R e c y c l e d R u b b i n g s : a S t u d y o f T h r e e D e s i g n E l e m e n t s . ”
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elongated ef fects on the spaces in between and makes it feel lar ger; the same applies to why
windows are demandable features when shopping for a space. The illusion of seeing the outside
blurs our conception of how big the space is; therefore, when compared to the same amount of
square feet, spaces with more natural lighting are always in favor .
“Phenomenology views space as the product of an individual body moving and sensing
its way through the environment, social constructionism sees it instead as a kind of social
morphology , the result of social behaviors and economic forces.”
3
There are many dif ferent
discussions to define what a “space” is; to artists and designers, space is an area created by lines.
Space is the within, around, and between of an artwork.
4
How about the idea that objects ceased
to exist when not observed?
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In that case, when one is in a space, set space will never possess the
physical logic to exist fully because of its three-dimensional quality . When combining two
perspectives when asking the question, “What is a space?” perhaps the deconstruction of
dimensions is the only way to fully understand and reserve the idea of being inside a space.
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A E i n s t e i n , B P q d o l s k y , a n d N R o s e n , D e s c r i p t i o n o f P h y s i c a l R e a l i t y p . 7 7 7
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A r t i n c o n t e x t , “ S p a c e i n A r t - a L o o k a t t h e D e f i n i t i o n o f S p a c e i n A r t , ”
3
L U C K , C H A D . “ A n x i e t i e s o f O w n e r s h i p ” p . 3 9 - 4 0
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Chapter T wo: Redefining The Definition
The current working class generation understandably possesses a very dif ferent ideology
regarding the definition of success. The relationship between stages of life and one’ s age has
shifted drastically from the past generation. As the average age of new mothers went from 24.9
in 2000 to 26.3 in 2014 and just hit 30 years old in 2022.
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Along with this rise in age, our
generation's priorities, and short-term goals have also changed. Now more than ever , people are
willing to invest money into experiences and self-investment instead of owning a house.
Furthermore, the concept of growing up in the same town and choosing work based on location
has completely changed after the Covid pandemic, when most jobs discovered their potential in
working remotely . But since the concept of home can no longer be defined by the physicality of a
house, what is a home? There are also multiple major events that our generation witnessed
growing up that redefined our confidence in what was once seen as the “goal in life.” After
experiencing events such as the stock market crashing on multiple occasions and how one’ s
employment stopped directly reflecting their education level, many had shifted into achieving
short-term goals instead of chasing this one ultimate trophy of owning a house.
Leaving home at the age of 18, the image that popped into my head changed consistently
when I said, “Let's go home.” The home was T aiwan; home was the apartment that my mother
purchased when I was four and spent twenty years paying of f, but what is home now? Is it the
apartment that I live in right now? It has the same floor plan as the rest of the units in the
building. What makes that MY home? Is it even logical to try to re-establish my once definition
of home? Or should I focus on creating a new narrative considering my new location, lifestyle,
mental health, and many more dif ferences compared to when I was in T aiwan? I choose the
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T . J . M a t h e w s a n d B r a d y E H a m i l t o n , “ M e a n A g e o f M o t h e r s I s o n t h e R i s e : U n i t e d S t a t e s , 2 0 0 0 – 2 0 1 4 , ”
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latter , and with this project, I am slowly writing down a new rule book of what defines home.
Because without a doubt, I will always find belonging where my family is. Apart from “home,”
will always be the apartment I grew up in T aiwan, but again, I see the importance of building an
extension and growing back that sense of belonging where I am physically .
I was born in 1997, and when I was born, my parents had purchased a condo fifty
minutes from my grandparents’ home. My grandfather is a civil engineer , and his father built the
apartment complex they live in this day . Our family has a deep relationship with their physical
environment. My grandfather built the pool in the backyard of their old house, and my
grandmother planted all the trees in the backyard. During childhood, I never had to worry about
my living situation and safety , my memories of my childhood home are faint since I only lived
there until the age of two when my parents decided to get a divorce. I can only remember short
clips of what had happened at my “first home” by looking at photographs of me in that space.
Fig.3
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After her divorce, my mother worked very hard as a single mother . W e moved back to my
grandparent’ s apartment, which has stayed the same for as long as I can remember . The dining
room layout, the bedrooms, and even the flooring have stayed the same since they moved in
decades ago. My mother and I moved to an apartment right across the street from my
grandparents, and their place had become where I went every day after school to wait for my
mother to get of f from work. In some sense, the sense of security and safety is bound to whether
I’ve established a routine around it. Before I moved out of the apartment to go to college, I took
the same route to school. The same school that I attended from kinder garten till I graduated high
school. Shocking to most, I have spent thirteen years of my academic life in the same place.
Though it might not be a common shared experience, my life before college can be summed up
by a small map with three or four routes. I was happy and content knowing that I recognized
every store and corner and turn. I knew my neighbors and the small fruit vendor downstairs that
opened every day with fresh fruits in his truck. Even that truck has been parked there for at least
ten years in the same spot. Looking back, my life was just a tiny circle, but it was big enough for
me, and I felt safe. W ell, everything changed when I moved out to attend college. Like many
teenagers, moving out for college was the first time I left home; on top of that, I was now living
alone in a foreign country .
I no longer take the same route to school; school is no longer in the same building, and
the classrooms I’ve been going to for thirteen years are dif ferent. I remember my first walk
around the campus and thinking that USC’ s campus is so big. Finding classrooms is in and of
itself a task. Every day going to school, I see new faces, making me unsurprisingly anxious. That
was when I realized I needed to put extra ef fort into establishing new routines.
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Since the beginning of 2020–a time coincident with the onset of the novel Coronavirus
(COVID-19)--the definition of what needs to be in a home space has changed drastically . W ith
59% of US workers stating that they are working remotely , the percentage of workers that
expressed a preference for working remotely increased from 60% in 2020 to 76%.
Understandably , since location is no longer limited to participating in a particular job, many
choose to relocate to reduce their living costs or be closer to their families. It is fair to say that
since 2020 people are starting to demonstrate a very dif ferent attitude towards what should be
included in their home space and what are considered necessities.
As a designer , I am very familiar with mood /inspiration boards. A collection of materials
that can be used as the starting point for your project, pieces of the puzzle that one can use to see
the whole image. I have started to realize that the idea of a mood board is also important to how
comfortable I am with my living environment and whether or not it fits my vision of “home.”
While attending school in Seattle, I shared an apartment with three roommates; even
though we each had our own room, the shared space always remained undecorated. Perhaps it
was because we had dif ferent definitions of what makes a home. It is also the same reason I
always stayed in my room, even though there was a television and entertainment devices in the
living room. I always felt more comfortable in my own space, even though, at that time, my
definition of the sense of ownership of space was rather blurry .
Later , when I moved to Los Angeles, it was the first time in my life that I got to live
alone, with my two cats, of course true, but no less, alone. For the first three months, I was still
living as I was used to, staying in my bedroom and leaving the living room and balcony more or
less untouched. It wasn’ t until the spring of 2022, almost seven months after moving into my
current one-bedroom condo, that I started putting up paintings and decorations in the “common
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area.” Starting to piece my mood board for my home together , and the more I worked on it, the
clearer I could see and feel the completion of belonging through the space.
Slowly but surely , I started going to the living room more often. After putting out a
lounge chair on my balcony and putting my garden together , I started going to my balcony daily
to start my morning. Having moved four times in the past five years has made me step back
when thinking about what makes a room “your room.” Before this, the main consideration when
purchasing furniture was the price because if I moved again, I could minimize the loss if I
couldn’ t take a certain item with me to the new apartment. Furniture or items were never
acquired for aesthetic or personal preferences because of the uncertainty of the next living space
that they will be moved into. Because of the uncertainty of how long one will live in a space,
having a “dream room” is something most people are willing to compromise. Having to sign the
lease every 12 months makes my home nothing more than a room where I sleep and spend my
day of f from school pre-pandemic. The more I think about it now , the more I recognize that I
didn’ t try to establish any relationship with the spaces I have lived in. Now , as I am typing, I am
sitting in front of my drawing on the wall, and there are artworks everywhere in the condo. Some
are mine, and some are from artists that I enjoy . Blankets and pillows are on the floor because I
enjoy sitting on the floor when working, and small things like where I put my pillow make this
room mold more and more into what my brain considers a home.
This project started of f as a tool for me to find comfort in the environment in which I live.
But I was missing one important element all along. It is not how I grew familiar with the walls or
how they grew to protect me. All this time, it should be about making a space for myself. How
can I strengthen the sense of security where I live? It should not matter where and when; it is
always about what I do to build that sense of security and my actions to contribute to my mental
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health. So, with these thoughts in mind, I began my design journey and made an ef fort to make
my condo MY SP ACE . This might seem odd to others because I am a strange individual, but the
more I look around, the more I see myself in these cracks and crevices. The more ef fort I put into
my space, the louder I hear it sing its melody back to me.
What do lines mean to a designer? Negative spaces are something that has always been
the center of the discussion during a critique. Spaces between lines can act as an amplifier in
design terms, this is because the lack of space draws attention to where the lines are located.
Design factors such as proximity can work in favor of a designer directing the viewer ’ s eye to
where they want them to see. By reformulating three-dimensional spaces into a two-dimensional
design, it takes away the reinforcement of the importance of negative spaces.
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Breaking rules of
what defines the hierarchy of what is important when eyes first meet its objects. T aking away the
“square feet” that matter so much when looking at a space eliminates everything in between- the
decor , the aesthetics, and the materialistic importance that takes the attention away from what
should be first appreciated when looking at a space. Its vertical and horizontal structure. In literal
terms, what actually holds up a building and allows whatever lives within to exist?
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L U C K , C H A D . “ A n x i e t i e s o f O w n e r s h i p ” p . 3 9 - 4 0
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Chapter Thr ee: T o Whom That Lived Her e Befor e Me
T o my knowledge, this condo, this space, and this whole community was originally built
as a set for Hollywood films. Previously known as MGM’ s Lot 3, here many iconic moments in
Hollywood film history were made.
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It wasn’ t until later that the compounds we live in started
getting built around them. This condominium was built in 1972. That is 50 years of accumulated
history on the flooring I am standing on. How crazy is that?
As expected, buildings were not built the same as they are now . The walls are thinner ,
and the same is true of the flooring. My neighbors around me are mostly a lot older than me;
some have lived here since the building was built. Forty-plus years in the same space! That
concept truly amazes me as someone in her twenties who has moved around a lot in the past
years. How did they establish their home? And the thought that instruments and artifacts in their
possession are as old as the building is a utopian concept to me.
Fig.4
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D o n n i e N o r d e n , “ L e o t h e L i o n , ” P h a n t o m o f t h e B a c k l o t s
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Fig.5
One of my next-door neighbors, Becky , has lived here for forty-three years. She calls the
unit her starter condo, saying it was always her dream to own a condo and have a hardwood
dining set in it. “That was over forty years ago,” she said while pointing at the hardwood dining
set. She was excited when I shared my plan for this project with her . Her starter condo, in some
ways, is a time capsule frozen of what she, in her mid-twenties, envisioned a dream home look
like. That same table that got delivered the same day she moved into this unit; despite multiple
modifications that she had done to the unit throughout her years of stay , the table had stayed the
same. In her words, that hardwood dining set represents her and her journey of getting this
condo. The table has been with her throughout the years of her owning this condo, making this
unit so special to her . I can still hear the excitement in her voice when she explains to me the
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importance this space holds for her . It is not only a milestone for her but an actual reassurance of
her achievement . Now in her seventies and owning multiple properties, she still spent most of
her time in this space. Perhaps it is because this space represents her first moment of success, but
I’d like to think it is because it has been with her for so long. As an entity , the apartment grows
old with Becky . One by one, she pointed at dif ferent decor and furniture in her space, with clear
memories noting the time and events when she got each of them from. T o my surprise, residents
like Becky are not in the minority . There are quite a few older residents that I got to meet that
have been here for over half of their lives, and the majority of them have items in their space
that, like the dining sets, grew old with them.
Fig.6 Fig.7
People often see time as linear , thus explaining the term “timeline,” but do memories
trace back chronologically? Seeing pictures taken decades apart placed next to each other on
Becky’ s wall tells me otherwise. The photographs on Becky’ s wall had made their own timeline,
not chronologically , but a line formed by memories that only make sense to Becky , who holds
the memories. What fascinated me with this short interview is how dif ferent events hold
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significantly dif ferent amounts of weight to a person. W ith some events, one can barely
remember where and when. For some, one can almost relive that moment when telling the stories
behind an image with such details that don’ t add value to the story but to the storyteller . Circling
back to the timeline definition- “a line that shows the time and the order in which events have
happened”
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. Looking back seems pretty distant from how memories and time interact. Instead of
drawing a horizontal line with dots highlighting “special events” that one remembers (Fig.6 ), to
me, it looks more like a collage of images, sounds, scents, and sensations that intertwine with
each other . Perhaps how humans store memories look more like the photo wall in Becky’ s living
room than what we are used to seeing in history textbooks. The intersectionality of one’ s
experiences magnifies certain events and certain triggers, and what we choose to remember can
live in the form of a photo wall in the living room.
Fig.8 Fig.9
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“ T i m e l i n e , ” T I M E L I N E | d e f i n i t i o n i n t h e C a m b r i d g e E n g l i s h D i c t i o n a r y
1 5
Fig.10 Fig.1 1
A few items came with the condo when I moved in, owned by the previous owner . A bed
with a broken bed frame, some drawers, a kitchen table that expands, and an oddly oversized
couch. T o this day , I still struggle to answer how they got into the unit because it was a struggle
to take it out. Out of everything the previous owner had left behind, one item generated so many
emotions in me– an old record player/ radio. Upon some research, I learned that this specific
model of the record player was made in 1947, a 1947 W estinghouse record player . W ell kept, it
even has a custom-made glass cover on top of it. I can imagine it being the invention of its time
since that was when commercial radios were first introduced to the public. What a fantastic piece
of history , I thought to myself. Even with its broken stylus, I can envision it serving many nights
of music and dancing. I can tell that it has been where it is for a very long time, from the dents on
the flooring and four slightly dented circles created by the legs of the record player . Moving to a
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new state, a new city , is something else, but knowing that I just moved into a space where
someone once put so much ef fort into making a home is a first for me. I somehow didn’ t know
how to react to this foreign emotion, part guilt, part excitement, knowing that I would have to
destroy what one once called a “home” while building my own “home.”
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I knew nothing about this previous owner . I know he passed away before living in this
unit for years, and his spouse was the one selling it. This is the first time in my moving-around
lifestyle that I’ve taken over a unit that another person “owned,” as before, management
companies with a strict moving-out policy rented out all my living spaces. Rules demand
residents remove their belongings as they move out entirely , and the cleaning crew intends to
make the space look like it has never been lived in before. Brand new , I assume, presuming that
the traces of a stranger who had once lived there serves discomfort. Therefore, this is the first
time I get to try to know a space with what was left behind. Surprising myself even, I was so
curious about this previous owner . What was he like? Why the record player? The bathroom
toilet and sink are disproportionately lower . W as he a shorter man that loved music? W as he a
musician? I had many questions, some that I got answers for and some that will live with me in
my imagination.
Most of my neighbors are in their late 70s, 80s, and even 90s. After talking to some of
them, I learned that this previous owner was a music lover , tall, and very nice to his neighbors.
He moved out shortly before the end of his life as he was fighting brain cancer . He had a
long-term girlfriend he married not long before his passing. Larry was his name. Larry was the
previous owner of unit 216.
It somehow served me some comfort knowing that he was a good man, well-liked by the
community . And with these snippets of information, I developed more trust in this space. It
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L U C K , C H A D . “ A n x i e t i e s o f O w n e r s h i p ” p . 1 4 4
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doesn't seem as distant as when I moved in, even the day before I learned the stories. The dents
on the floor make sense now; he had lived here for thirty-plus years. I can still see clips of this
stranger ’ s home even with the fresh paint. As the building will live for a long time, I wonder who
will be the next person claiming ownership of this space. How will the layers of paint pass down
memories? W ill I make a present of my short years of living here compared to the long life of
this building? This gave me a new perspective on what space means and even more questions
about the progressive city plan of making all the buildings taller and sending more people into
the city . What will happen to this condominium? Or even do memories last as the structure itself
collapses?
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Chapter Four: “Shar ed Space”
In Seattle or Los Angeles, because of high rent prices and overpopulation, renting a room
instead of a whole apartment has become an option for many management companies and
landlords. Renting a room means the rest of the apartment facilities, such as the living room,
kitchen, and restrooms; all the spaces outside the resident’ s room are considered shared spaces.
For many people, that makes renting apartments with friends easier as all the payments go
directly to the company , and bills are automatically split according to the number of renters in
the unit. T o others, it might mean moving into a space and spending however long the lease time
is with strangers. Outside of apartment rental, sharing a living space is also very common in a
college setting where most freshmen live on campus in dorms.
As mentioned before, the definition of cohabitation has changed drastically along with
the generation’ s desire to own spaces. The generational gaps between the current working class
and their elders can be traced back to the evolution of the so-called “American dream”. How the
idea of success has changed throughout the timeline of history . W ith the development of the mass
production system and the promotion of mass consumption, the goal and definition of success
had shifted for most people from being self-suf ficient to the endless chase of ownership. Whether
it is for materialistic goods, knowledge, or even experiences; because of the promotion of
consumerism and individualism, our now working generation no longer considers creating a
self-suf ficient household as the ultimate goal of success.
1 1
What impacts cohabitation, such as
marriage less sought after without the desire for economic partnership, individualism has pushed
people into investing in themselves in ways such as education and experiences before investing
in a marital bond.
1 2
People want to travel and experience the world and their potential before
1 2
K r i s t e n W a l s h , “ N o w U K n o w : W h y M i l l e n n i a l s R e f u s e t o G e t M a r r i e d , ”
1 1
M a r s h a l l , R . “ R e s t o r i n g t h e A m e r i c a n D r e a m ” , p 2 5 7 - 2 5 8
1 9
settling down; what comes with that lifestyle is the lack of interest in investing in a permanent
space.
Understanding a space's elasticity can bring out a lar ger conversation about sharing space
agreeably and with justice. Perhaps this is where my insecurity came from the blurred line
between ownership and occupied spaces. “I s cohabitation a condition of being next-to, or one of
being in-together?”
1 3
It is impossible to establish true security while living under the shadow of
the invisible hierarchy between the renter and the owner , whether a person or a management
company . The stress and anxiety of trying to occupy an occupied space have resulted in a major
disconnect between me and the various apartments I lived in.
Over the five years of my residency in Seattle, I’ve never really intended to understand or
establish my space. Instead of trying to compromise and find common ground in our style and
what we want in a space, my three roommates and I decided to keep it to the minimum. The
living room had some basic furniture like a couch and a table. I would like to believe the sense of
anxiety and uneasiness I experienced was shared by my roommates, not that we are not good
friends. Still, the hesitation in claiming spaces seemed to be the barrier that made us all choose to
stay in our own rooms rather than shared spaces.
The usage of the word “share” makes it seem like the action of giving up privacy and
ownership is voluntary and preferred. In some ways, it is a choice and a preference based on how
our generation’ s priority has changed. In reality , it is a conscious compromise that most people
have made to adjust to this consumer -based society . It is not that privacy is treasured less now ,
but the sacrifice we made to gain the fast information we desire and crave.
1 3
P i e r c e , J . ( 2 0 2 2 ) . H o w C a n W e S h a r e S p a c e ?
2 0
Chapter Five: Bed - Room
Fig.12
I live in a one-bedroom condo, but I always joke that I have two bedrooms because my
bed is inside my walk-in closet. The closet space is just big enough to put in a full-size bed. As
expected, many people might ask why . Why isn’ t your bed in your actual bedroom next to the
window like a normal person's? So much of feeling safe is about trust. T rusting the environment,
trusting the 24hr security , and even trusting the lock on your door that can protect you from
2 1
malicious intentions. For Los Angeles alone, with 13,496 reported cases of home invasions
recorded in 2020, and if put into numbers, all I can think about is how blinded and naive one has
to be to have so much trust to sleep soundly at night.
Fig.13 Fig.14
2 2
Fig.15 Fig.16
Kamara is a Greek word meaning any space dedicated to resting. W ith that
understanding, isn’ t any room that can fulfill one’ s wish to rest considered a “Bedroom”?
“Before the bedroom, there was the room; before that, almost nothing.”
1 4
So much into a living
space’ s layout depends on how an agent or a company can commercialize it. When touring my
current living space, my uncle pointed out why this 738 square feet condo is only sectioned out
to be a one-bedroom because of the year of this building. In contrast, apartments built in recent
years will section and promote this space as two-bedroom. What is considered a “good deal” is,
in fact, a reflection of how our generation is expected to compromise our space for other people
to capitalize on it.
1 4
P e r r o t , M i c h e l l e , a n d L a u r e n E l k i n . T h e B e d r o o m : A n I n t i m a t e H i s t o r y . p 3 4
2 3
In 2021, I walked upon a man who broke into my bedroom through my window . He was
standing before me, holding the jewelry box he had taken from my closet. My apartment was on
the first floor . The apartment complex is gated, with fences and cameras facing the courtyard
where my window was facing. Y et the break-in still happened. The police did nothing, and the
most the apartment management could do was apologize and of fer to move me to a higher floor .
Moving from apartment 1 12 to apartment 405. Same building, yet somehow the higher altitude
provided some extra safety . A month later , I saw a new family move into apartment 1 12, where I
had to face the predator . I still wonder whether or not the management disclosed the prior
break-in to the new family , or worse if there had been previous break-ins. Since the incident, I
have struggled to fall asleep beside a window . Maybe it is the street light outside that flickers
from time to time; maybe it is the distant barking from some upset dog, but sleeping has stopped
being an “end of the day” relaxation activity; instead, it is another task I stressfully struggle to
perform.
Lar ge windows have always been desirable when purchasing a house. W indows let
natural lights brighten the room and make the space appear more prominent. Replacing and
resizing the windows of a house of fers one of the highest ROI percentages among home
renovation projects at an estimated 85 percent.
1 5
Ironically , the said lar ge windows were also
why my ex-housemate and I decided on the apartment that later on traumatized me. If you pay
attention when walking in the city , most of the windows in apartments have their blinds shut, as
people demand privacy nowadays. The irony between letting the outside world into your space
and keeping your privacy out of public sight fascinates me. When looking at products designed
solely for that purpose, privacy stickers, blinds, window tints, and curtains, one can find
thousands of products that defeat the purpose of wanting lar ge windows. Like many others, I am
1 5
C a s s i e M o r i e n , “ C a l c u l a t i n g t h e R e t u r n o n Y o u r W i n d o w I n v e s t m e n t , ”
2 4
also desperately trying to find a way to fulfill the two polar opposite desires somehow . My
solution is to put my bed somewhere furthest away from the window , as the window itself is such
a self-conflicting invention. A solid piece of material that protects humans physically yet exposes
their privacy . This little box makes me feel safe, though. The piece “What is the one light that
lights up the room?” always makes me giggle when I look at it. As some sort of inside joke to
myself and my friends, my “room” literally only has one light. One lightbulb still sometimes
flickers, but because of how small my bedroom space is, it is enough to light up the entire space.
As a female who identified as a female living in a female body , I see my vessel as a
representation of vulnerability . As growing up, women are more accustomed to institutional and
cultural systems to be resilient. T o not speak up when facing pain and to struggle with their
self-identification with power instead of fighting the power of the outside world.
1 6
Growing up
in an Asian household, I was always taught and told to be “ladylike,” somehow indicating that
screaming and speaking out is something I should not do. The transition into womanhood played
a big part in the decision I made when making this decision to build my own safe nest. Sadly ,
unlike most shows, I must say that the realization and change into independence did not happen
overnight, and for me to come out strong and confident. Perhaps I will never be as strong and
confident as my childhood self would like, but I am glad to say I have found a middle ground
where I can decide with enough self-understanding to live in peace. Maybe this nuance between
a bedroom and a room for bed is my discovery of safety in a society of masculinity .
Growing up in the same apartment in T aiwan means my bedroom still looks like a
10-year -old’ s bedroom. W ith wall drawings and a Playmobil castle on the top of my cabinet.
Growing up, I always wanted to decorate my room however I wanted, but it was never the
priority . W ith busy school schedules and after -school activities, this desire has sadly stayed as it
16
G r e e n b e r g , D a y a n d A n g e l a C a l a b r e s e B a r t o n . " " f o r G i r l s t o F e e l S a f e " p 9
2 5
is today . As I was writing this thesis, I slowly realized that making a home of my space was in
my hands. I decided to take down all the built-in shelves in the space that resemble their old
function- a closet. I removed the hanger rack and the shelving units, patched the holes, and
repainted the walls. I put some fake vines on the ceiling, and after that, I was lying in my bed
looking up at the ceiling. It looked beautiful; as I showed pictures of my newly decorated “room”
and got comments saying it looked like MY room, I realized I am and should have always been
building my own safe space. Not relying on time or what is around me but taking the initiative to
make my space comfortable; taking action is an act of learning to love my space and myself.
2 6
Chapter Six: The Keys
As I mentioned in the previous entries, I have reasons to be concerned about my security .
All locks can be picked, and all doors can be opened; to trust that a set of keys grants you
exclusivity to space sounds utopian at best and delusional at worst. The last step of moving out
of a rental space is to turn in the key to give away access to the space you are no longer entitled.
The transition of ownership of space often comes with changing the lock, which permanently
rewrites the code to open the space. Giving someone a set of your house key underlines an
immense amount of trust and gives them access to the space and the sense of security you have
worked so hard to rebuild.
As a designer , a lot comes across my mind when I look at a key; it needs to be in an
appropriate size so it can be stored with other keys, it needs to be in the correct shape, it needs to
work with the corresponding lock, and on top of that, it needs to be one of its kind that can only
be used with that specific lock. If only can a key be as complicated and unique as a person’ s
fingerprint for it to be one of a kind indeed. But the truth is, machines that copy keys are in every
supermarket, and in my case, I will never know how many copies there are out there. Being so
used to getting handed a set of keys during a move-in, the idea of changing the lock never
crossed my mind. When I first stepped foot into this space and was so carried away by the
artifacts left behind, I completely for got about what one might debate is the most significant item
that the previous owner Larry had left behind- the access to this space. I’d like to imagine him
locking the door for the last time and me using the same set of keys, opening it, and stepping into
the space, introducing myself as the new owner of this condo.
2 7
Initially , I only had two sets of keys, which I gave a set to my friend to put away as
emer gency access. It wasn’ t until I got to talk to my next-door neighbor Becky that I realized that
there are multiple copies in her possession from Larry , again, for emer gencies.
Fig.17
When Becky handed me this key , she told me it was custom-made for Larry because of
his love for craft beer . The top of the key was made to be a cap opener , and the keychain hole is
moved to the side. I was surprised that, to this day , I still get to learn more about this person that
I have never met in real life.
The humanity in design captured these moments, the minor adjustments in an everyday
object that most people will overlook in a heartbeat. Y et, that little detail tells so much about who
we are. It adds brushstrokes to our personality and gives depth to caring for another person.
2 8
Fig.18
In addition to the cap opener key is a ring of miscellaneous keys- mailboxes, the old front
door , and some I might need help finding the matching lock for . The one key that stands out the
most is the Honda car key . Becky chuckled when she told me it belonged to Larry’ s beat-up
Honda that no longer works, most likely taken apart or in the landfill now .
It is part of a designer ’ s job to overthink, imagine, and fill in the blanks. What value does
a key hold when it can no longer serve its purpose? Is a key still a key if the lock it was created
to use on ceased to exist anymore? T o that, I would like to revisit my journey with this project.
Many may not understand the reason behind my documentation of the walls, the paint, and the
space since walls can be repainted, and even buildings can be torn down. I am documenting my
space and its details at this very moment, all the way back to when it was first created. Memories
are cumulative; they layer on top of each other like paint. The humanity in design makes people
remember because there are humans in it. W ith humans come feelings and emotions and all those
2 9
fascinating details that are being captured by space. Spatial memories will then live quietly and
subconsciously far past you and me. So what makes the Honda car key without the car? It
becomes a representation of the car , an artifact that holds onto those memories. It becomes a
vessel that documents all the mileage on the road, the good memories, and the bad. The key
doesn’ t speak; the walls don’ t talk, but they hold onto memories through its forever -changing
details. The humanity these inanimate objects carry gives them value, and the emotions they
carry give us something to miss. A retired car key might just be a piece of metal, but it can also
be a prism reflecting pieces of its owner ’ s life.
Fig.19
3 0
Fig.20 Fig.21
Fig.22
3 1
Chapter Seven: Practice
7.1 Past Pr ojects That Lead to Wher e I Am Now
This project has taken multiple turns for me to find the ideal practice to perform this
project. The progression of my projects starts with the exploration of self and, through that,
transforms to the exploration of the space beyond me and now , spaces around me. This project is
a creation of many smaller projects, and my choice is to continue my dedicated approach to
creating art.
Fig.23 Fig.24
Fig.25 Fig.26
Loitering “on” with “in” Body is a videography project I created in 2018 that I considered the
foundation of many of my future projects. I used this project to bring back the body’ s
self-awareness and respect the idea that one needs to understand and live in peace with one’ s
vessel, in other words, the body as a space, to be mentally equipped to explore the space beyond
3 2
the space of self. Back then, the class was given the topic of creating videography with only one
open concept to work on - go loiter . It seemed silly to me, as how can I truly experience and
enjoy the discovery of my neighborhood if I feel uncomfortable in my own body? It is like
describing what one sees while wearing fogged-up goggles.
The film is my loiter around the space that is my body . While this next project, created at
the beginning of the Coronavirus pandemic, is my attempt to loiter through the tiny window in
my apartment. The only window that broke the space restriction, and I stayed in during
lockdown. The usage of loitering transformed my body's physicality into my mind's imagination
through limited stimulations.
Fig.27 Fig.28
Fig.29 Fig.30
3 3
At this point in my creative journey with space has slowly expanded and started
considering time as a factor when thinking about space. The pandemic altered the definition of
time, with the stillness and limited access to space the passing of time seems to also slow down.
I started journaling with drawings. The drawings were done during dif ferent periods of time
during the four months of lockdown in Seattle. Since the window is my only connection to the
outside world, I made an ef fort to use this resource, or some may say lack of resources, as
inspiration. On days, I sit in front of my desk facing the window , open my iPad and start
sketching down which part of the window sparks my attention that day . Sometimes it is one
window , and sometimes the highway appeared less busy due to the COVID lockdown. This is
why the sky is in a dif ferent color in some drawings, and the same tree was documented during
dif ferent stages of seasons. This project also lit up the curiosity bubble in my brain about the
relationships between a space and its owners and space sharers. Since I was drawing what I saw
through the window , I witnessed dif ferent stages of possession of these spaces. People moved in
and out of the spaces while separated by the window , and I started to gain interest in learning the
relationship between strangers and the space. I could document space based on time, and that is
when I asked, “Do spaces remember?”
Do spaces r emember? Because we humans remember spaces. I still remember fractured
details of the apartment I lived in for a short period till I was two years old. In a naive way , I
wish for that relationship to be reciprocated. I want the space to r emember me.
Ironically , I was more curious and consumed with what was outside that little box instead
of looking in at the space I was in. As for now , three years have passed since I moved out of the
room where the project was done. W ithout much documentation, I can only faintly recall the
details of the room, which is disappointing because that is the space I’ve spent two years in,
where I got my first cat, where so many stories have happened. But now it is just another space
3 4
rented out to someone who will never know what happened there. That is also why I promised to
document everything when I moved into this space.
As an illustrator , I started drawing little details of the space, some documenting the
memories in the space, some as a way to manifest what I wanted the space to look like. From a
full dining table that is too big for this current space (fig. ) to a bouquet, my mother sent me for
my birthday to a collection of dif ferent types of doorknobs that the space came with.
Fig.31
3 5
Fig.32
Fig.33
3 6
These images, while pleasant to look at, still felt like they were missing something.
During the thesis review , many debated why they could not accurately represent my study of the
space. First, why I chose to document my space in this technique; for me, spaces are
complicated, and coming from living in dif ferent commercialized apartment buildings, I was
drawn to the history of this condo. A big part of my art and design practice is the time spent on
the specific project and the relationship between my art and me. The intimacy marries through
time and becomes precious to the maker . As I am leading the project in another direction, I
realize why reusing my old practice method didn’ t work on this project. It was my failure to
identify the subject of this project. It is the space, this space. It is working on top of something
already built and respecting its history . I needed to break the habit of observing and using that
observation as “Inspiration.”
As a working graphic designer , I pride myself on the ability to listen and create based on
the stories I hear . W e are taught to identify the audience and to produce for set audiences. The
process of graphic design is like finding analogies for words when writing poetry . Y ou started
with something simple: a phrase, a sentence, or even just a word that represents an emotion. W ith
that, the designer ’ s job is to collect other useful information, such as who the clients are and what
the product is. Once a designer has presented a project or problem, they are responsible for
accurately and creatively creating from that. W e created a mood board with color , words,
elements, and anything to help a designer piece together the vision. In other words, there is
always a baseline, a purpose, and an end goal. But that is not where this project weighs on the
scale. I am not her e to take but to learn . The challenge is how I can visually document the
process of learning. More importantly , how can I approach this project with a new method of
design thinking that is not goal-oriented but experience-oriented ?
3 7
7.2 This Pr oject and its Documentation
This might be funny , but how do you interview an inanimate object? T o take it up a
notch, the object doesn’ t even move! No one can be prepared for that type of client. The
beginning of this project contained a lot of sitting and staring at the blank wall. Slowly but
surely , I realized that something marked as not interactive doesn’ t mean it doesn’ t respond. It just
responds dif ferently . In this case, the space responds to the passing of time through the
imperfection of paint and the slightly not leveled walls. The equivalent of the layers of paint
piling up on the wall is almost like a tree’ s girdling. It responds to the switches of ownership and
time.
Fig.34
3 8
Like an interviewer taking notes and jogging down words, I started documenting these
imperfections or my space’ s responses.
The documentation pr ocess is listed below:
1. T aking pictures of findings in the space upon observation.
2. Identify the cause. (W ell, create a story for the cause)
3. Importing images to iPad and opening images in Procreate.
4. T racing the image.
5. Importing sketches into Photoshop.
6. Group the sketches based on the scenario, location, or assumptions identified in Step 2.
Fig.35
3 9
W ithout a label, it is hard to tell where these cricket dots and lines came from. Spaces
speak in a muted language, but they also carry human stresses. “They say you die twice. One
time you stop breathing and a second time, a bit later , when somebody says your name for the
last time” - Bansky
1 7
. As someone struggling with mental health, this quote never served its
significance to me. Being in someone’ s mind. Living alongside a human’ s desire, gluttony , and
opinions of you doesn’ t seem like a pleasant way of living; ironically , misrepresenting my
character is one of my biggest fears. But what if my name is spoken in that muted language?
That gentle, faded response. That idea doesn’ t seem bad at all. It will also explain my emotional
reaction when I learned about Larry , the condo's previous owner . This space we share surpasses
the dimension of time, and the space we can remember allows us to revisit the past. Like the
existence of memorial locations, the reason why people preserve locations where significant
historical events happened. W e freeze the space in a timeline to remember , to be reminded.
Perhaps that is the reason why I decided to become a designer . When I was young, I
remember feeling ashamed that I had no desire to change the world while being able to point out
th e misconduct. I was never a loud person, and I never wanted the spotlight. But if you ask me
now , being mindful designers, we respond to problems. Not shouting but like a layer of paint,
much quieter . I create it so that there won’ t be a moment when someone will say my name the
last time. This building, this space, and my creation will live long past me and whispers my
name, which suits my liking much more.
1 7
B a n s k y
4 0
Fig.36
Fig.37
4 1
I am a designer; I see the human in my surroundings. This project will be ongoing as long
as time continues to progress; this project is the documentation of time. These diagram-like
patterns are the blueprint of my space. Unlike an architect's blueprints, these are the blueprints to
a space’ s memory . An architect picks up a deck of blueprints, creating three-dimensional
structures from two-dimensional lines. I walk into the three-dimensional space, documenting the
passing of time and lingering memories into these two-dimensional lines. They are a
collaboration between two types of designers, and the collaboration is between space and time.
Fig.38
Fig.39
4 2
Fig.40
Fig.41
4 3
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2. COVID-19 Pandemic Continues T o Reshape W ork in America | Pew Research Center
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October 13, 2022, https://dictionary .cambridge.or g/us/dictionary/english/timeline .
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https://phantomofthebacklots.com/ .
9. LUCK, CHAD. “Anxieties of Ownership: Debt, Entitlement, and the Plantation
Romance.” In The Body of Property: Antebellum American Fiction and the
Phenomenology of Possession, 138–87. Fordham University Press, 2014.
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12. Pierce, Joseph. “How Can W e Share Space? Ontologies of Spatial Pluralism in Lefebvre,
Butler , and Massey .” Space and culture 25, no. 1 (2022): 20–32.
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W ork and Occupations, 33(3), 257–262.
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Butler , and Massey . Space and Culture, 25(1), 20–32.
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%20from%20such%20an%20investment.
4 5

Abstract (if available)

Abstract This project was created to understand my space, using design thinking and language to document the active passing of time in space. Began by examining the structure of my space, letting the lines, the dents, and the walls define this space. As an illustrator that primarily works with lines, I have decompartmentalized the three-dimensional space, removed it from its structure, and redefined it two-dimensionally. Whether it is the slow sinking of the foundation or the uneven buildup of the paints, you will be surprised how lines in spaces are often not straight. Through my documentation, this project aims to answer questions like “What is a space? ” and “What can a space be? ” Through that lens, answer my question, “What is my space? ”
As a designer, I see the human in my surroundings. I am documenting my space and its details at this very moment, all the way back to when it was first created. Memories are cumulative; they layer on top of each other like paint. Spaces become vessels that hold onto memories through their forever-changing details. The humanity these inanimate objects carry gives them value, and their emotions give us something to miss. The project continues as long as time progresses; the project is the documentation of time. These diagram-like patterns are the blueprint of my space. Unlike an architect's blueprints, these are the blueprints of a space’s memory.
An architect picks up a deck of blueprints, creating three-dimensional structures from two-dimensional lines. I walk into the three-dimensional space, documenting the passing of time and its lingering memories through these two-dimensional lines. They are a collaboration between two types of designers, and the collaboration is between space and time.

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Asset Metadata

Creator Hsieh, Jo-lin (author)

Core Title Space/home: rethinking space in a 2D context

School Roski School of Art and Design

Degree Master of Fine Arts

Degree Program Design

Degree Conferral Date 2023-05

Publication Date 05/08/2023

Defense Date 05/05/2023

Publisher University of Southern California (original), University of Southern California. Libraries (digital)

Tag Architecture,design,design theory,design thinking,graphic design,Illustration,OAI-PMH Harvest,space,spatial memory

Format theses (aat)

Language English

Contributor Electronically uploaded by the author (provenance)

Advisor Wojciak, Ewa (committee chair), Burruss, Laurie (committee member), Campbell, Andrew (committee member), Ellenburg, Jason (committee member)

Creator Email jolinhsi@usc.edu,jolynnhsieh@gmail.com

Permanent Link (DOI) https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-oUC113102922

Unique identifier UC113102922

Identifier etd-HsiehJolin-11795.pdf (filename)

Legacy Identifier etd-HsiehJolin-11795

Document Type Thesis

Format theses (aat)

Rights Hsieh, Jo-lin

Internet Media Type application/pdf

Type texts

Source 20230508-usctheses-batch-1039 (batch), University of Southern California (contributing entity), University of Southern California Dissertations and Theses (collection)

Access Conditions The author retains rights to his/her dissertation, thesis or other graduate work according to U.S. copyright law. Electronic access is being provided by the USC Libraries in agreement with the author, as the original true and official version of the work, but does not grant the reader permission to use the work if the desired use is covered by copyright. It is the author, as rights holder, who must provide use permission if such use is covered by copyright.

Repository Name University of Southern California Digital Library

Repository Location USC Digital Library, University of Southern California, University Park Campus MC 2810, 3434 South Grand Avenue, 2nd Floor, Los Angeles, California 90089-2810, USA

Repository Email cisadmin@lib.usc.edu