This was my final fourth year project at Massey University. I spent the first semester studying the history of women's sexual health and the second semester turning that research into a design. The Sex + centre is the product of that design research.
SEX + (plus) is the Sex Positive Education Centre and Clinic.
Sexual health and therefore activity has been considered a taboo subject; something to be hidden away and not talked about. This design endeavors to change this by making the topic of sexual health visible, encouraging socialisation and empowerment through education and choice.
This takes place in the waiting room, looking at how the experience of waiting can be turned into an active, educational and visible one.
Through this research project I have looked at furniture orientation, design, user experience, feminist theory and my own experiences of sexual health and waiting. I chose and considered these design aspects to create a space that encourages a holistic view of sex and sexual health, looking not just at the body, but what the body and mind need whilst waiting.
SEX + is a space where you choose your own journey, without being governed by fear or stigma; A place to learn and grow, with the help of others, while waiting.
Sexual health and therefore activity has been considered a taboo subject; something to be hidden away and not talked about. This design endeavors to change this by making the topic of sexual health visible, encouraging socialisation and empowerment through education and choice.
This takes place in the waiting room, looking at how the experience of waiting can be turned into an active, educational and visible one.
Through this research project I have looked at furniture orientation, design, user experience, feminist theory and my own experiences of sexual health and waiting. I chose and considered these design aspects to create a space that encourages a holistic view of sex and sexual health, looking not just at the body, but what the body and mind need whilst waiting.
SEX + is a space where you choose your own journey, without being governed by fear or stigma; A place to learn and grow, with the help of others, while waiting.
For my final product I focused on the experiences of 4 personas in video (videos below). I looked at what their individual needs are and how the space could accommodate them. These videos were displayed on a website so people could choose which video they would like. The url is https://emibulkley.wixsite.com/mysite.
I also made a booklet to accompany the videos to further explain the project (photos also below).
I also made a booklet to accompany the videos to further explain the project (photos also below).
The photo on the left is a visualization of the outside of the centre at the corner of Cuba st and Ghuznee st in Wellington.
The photo in the middle is a booklet I made for the final presentation to go along with the videos to further explain the background to the project. The pages of the book are below the videos below.
The photo on the right is how the final exhibition was shown, with a banner poster, website with the videos and the booklet.
These are the videos that I made following the different personas:
In them I tried to convey the atmosphere of the space and how it could be used to support different needs while waiting.
While exploring waiting furniture was a huge part of my process. I was interested in how furniture could be arranged to either, encourage social interaction or discourage it. I waiting rooms today people sit next to each other trying to not to look at anyone. what if we were encouraged not just to look but to talk to the people beside us?
These are the pages to the booklet I made of the exhibition to explain the project further.
