Work submitted for the competition
"Best Diploma in Interiors".
The subject of the thesis is the author's design of the interior of a café, the aesthetic form of which is inspired by the concept of panopticism (according to Michel Foucault's thought) and refers to the idea of transparency of architecture and observation of individuals. I was encouraged to choose the theme by current global trends, such as artificial intelligence, dynamic technological development, but also the topic of the right to privacy. These manifest themselves in the use of surveillance, equipped with facial recognition algorithms, or the collection of information about the user by electronic devices.
technical illustrations
© Paulina Czarnocka
The use of the concept of panopticism in interior design allows for creative experimentation with form, materials and functional layout, leading to a space that is not only aesthetically pleasing and ergonomic, but also provokes the opening of an important discussion on the balance between security and privacy and individual freedom. Referring to the original theory of panopticism and its architectural form, the design should appeal to penitentiary aesthetics. However, when designing the stylistic profile of the interior, I decided to build on the existing fabric of "Cedet". I used glass, concrete, metal - because these are the elements that connect and blur the boundaries between the interior and exterior of the iconic building. As a result, I combined penitentiary aesthetics with iconic Warsaw modernism according to Zbigniew Ihnatowicz and Jerzy Romanski.
visualization
© Paulina Czarnocka
Every element of the premises' interior is meant to provoke and provoke reflection. The microcement covering the floor of the premises, the decorative plaster alternating with mirrored panels on the walls, the bathroom hiding behind a Venetian mirror - are recognizable features of this interior that have their uses. The tables and bar tops, with their rounded shapes, finished with a silver rim and a massive cylindrical leg, deliberately immobilized, seem to "grow" out of the floor, so as to deepen the customers' feeling of lack of control. The tables are juxtaposed with black fabric-covered chairs from manufacturer Bonaldo - model Venere, and the tabletops are complemented by Plopp, Inox Zięta stools.
visualization
© Paulina Czarnocka
In the central part of the premises is a rectangular-shaped bar with rounded corners. The idea for its location and form was taken from the original panoptic theory, where a guard tower is located in the center of the prison. In order to achieve a visual effect symbolizing the tower, above the working top of the bar its shape was repeated in a steel structure, topped with a glass form. Surrounding the structure is an artfully finished recess in the ceiling, complete with LED lighting to highlight key elements of the interior.
visualization
© Paulina Czarnocka
The blank wall behind the bar was used as a "screen" to project the image of consumers. The projected image is taken from a micro-camera placed in a steel pole located in the center of the bar, then - live - sent to a projector hidden in the bar's steel structure. The image is black and white and slightly "blurred", thanks to "motion blur" and "echo" effects. Open-source software with the openCV library can be used for multimedia projection - the interactive system recognizes the human figure and processes the image seen on the wall. Displaying the image of customers approaching the checkout, a restroom with a Venetian mirror effect, mirrored panels or the inability to interfere with the interior can evoke extreme emotions and interest in them - ideally, the coveted question "why?".
visualization
© Paulina Czarnocka
The topic of my thesis and its experimental nature proves that an interior designer has at his disposal a number of design solutions through which he is able to influence the emotions and behavior of the audience, and can use them in response to growing social problems - such as the aspect of privacy in public spaces - forcing users to think about the limits of power, social control and individual freedom.
Paulina Czarnocka
Illustrations: © Author
