Artist Biography
My name is Jessica DiMarzio and I am from Goffstown, New Hampshire. I have studied interior architecture at Endicott College for the past three years. My freshman year I declared myself as a biology major with a pre-vet track, but after longly considering the hardships that would come with it, I tried to think of a way I could still make an impact and help people. That led me down the path of interior architecture where I can make a difference in peoples’ lives and create experiences for them while still being able to apply my love of science in a new way. I have a passion for designing spaces that are aesthetically pleasing and functional at the same time. I enjoy creating designs influenced by the benefits that nature can provide for users as well as helping the environment by being sustainable. In the future I hope to work in residential design and work my way to flipping homes. Outside of design, I have a passion for animals, especially my dogs. I love getting outside and spending time by the water and with my friends.
Thesis Abstract
Coming Home is a rehabilitation center for veterans. Veterans often return home from serving in the military to face challenges such as physical and mental health issues, lack of support system and accessible resources, and an absence of shelter and housing. Veterans also face a negative stigma around getting the help that they need as they are trained to be strong and independent. While there are current resources available to veterans now such as Veteran Affairs hospitals and housing resources, they are often providing minimum requirement healthcare and are overfilled for housing. Coming Home is unlike the existing resources because of its alternative approach to providing accessible resources all under one roof.
Coming Home uses three main design strategies to help combat the gaps in resources accessible to veterans. The first is biodesign which is the process of integrating biological systems into architectural design. The second is biomimicry which is a form of design that mimics strategies from nature. The last strategy is biophilia, the theory that humans have a tendency to want to connect with nature and living things. When applying these strategies to design, there is evidence that shows they provide several benefits to the users in the space including lowering stress, anxiety, heart rate, and blood pressure, as well as improving cognitive function, sleep, mental health, and recovery rates. The design redefines what resources should look like for veterans steering away from that negative stigma through its welcoming and comfortable color palette, nature inspired rooms, and variety of offered programming.