Social’ zone is designed for students by students and is where everyone goes to meet new people, get to know each other or meet up with friends. Each individual has their own unique way of socialising, for example, personality wise, introvert, ambivert or extrovert and, more physically, through their body language; looker, listener and toucher — this design circles around the idea of diversity in social methods. The word 'Connect' and the idea of connections largely influences the design. This word summarises what social interaction is all about and how in one way or another when we are around each other we connect. The space aims to accommodate the fact that everyone socialises in different ways, it integrates everyone in a comfortable atmosphere where they all feel socially accepted. The designer, Siba Sahabi played an integral role in the initial inspiration of the design. In her 'Persona' project, she makes blue wooden masks that show how digital self- representation is not always accurate to who we are. The layers of the masks influenced the three different floor heights. The varying levels being utilised for different types of social interaction. The colour blue is present throughout the project, a link to Sahabi's Persona project, as it is the most common colour associated with social media. In addition to Siba Sahabi, Lily Reich greatly influenced the project, many of her designs explore varying social areas, including screens and private areas in tactile materials and finishes, much like the ones used in our CO-mmunity. The varied types of seating represent the different ways in which people socialise, and the mirrors on the roof create the idea of self-reflection, showing our true selves, not our online facades.
