The OBSERVE tool is not simply an introspective exercise; it is a transformative tool that guides learners through a process of awareness and responsibility toward the spaces they inhabit. Its purpose is to activate a deep, personal sense of dwelling, bringing to the surface memories, preferences, emotions, and desires related to the experience of space.
In the framework of the WellHome training program, this tool is designed for individuals who, once trained, will be actively involved in the renovation or redesign of environments. Drawing from their own lived experience, learners are invited to explore what makes them feel welcomed, protected, and inspired. This individual process is not only personal but also serves as a starting point for developing empathy toward others. The goal is precisely this: to stimulate the ability to listen to and inhabit oneself, so as to be able to design welcoming spaces for people with different needs and vulnerabilities.
Through written or visual self-narration, learners confront their own vulnerabilities and resources, activating a process of identification that will influence how they approach spatial design for others. Individual experience thus becomes a driver of empathy, and empathy, in turn, becomes a design criterion.
Operationally, the insights gathered through this tool can be used to:
- Select color palettes that correspond to specific emotional states (calm, energy, comfort, orientation);
- Design atmospheres and functions consistent with the experiences and needs of the people for whom the space is intended;
- Define materials, textures, and spatial layouts that convey care, dignity, and beauty in every environment.
The tool promotes co-creative design, where the designer does not position themselves as an external technician but as a conscious inhabitant capable of connecting with others based on their own experience.
In this sense, the OBSERVE tool serves as a bridge between interiority and physical space, between the self and the collective, between what one feels and what one can generate to support the well-being of others. A space designed in this way is not only functional: it is alive, empathetic, and human.
Made with love by Wellhome team
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Education and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA). Neither the European Union nor EACEA can be held responsible for them.
