The Right to Withdraw: Soft Boundaries and Material Refuge in the Workplace

Author

• Zhihao (Sky) XingFollow

Date of Award

Spring 5-22-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Design (MDes) in Interior Studies / Adaptive Reuse

Department

Interior Architecture

First Advisor

Markus Berger

Second Advisor

Leeland McPhail

Third Advisor

Jamie Uretsky

Abstract

Traditionally, architecture has provided physical protection through solid structures and defined boundaries, while modern interior spaces have evolved further to serve function, efficiency, and the operational needs of society. These include open-plan offices, art school studios, and other public spaces like libraries. Although physical rigidity and operational efficiency have been well served by the modern built environment, the psychological experiences of those within it remain largely overlooked - a lack of privacy, emotional support, and space for emotional withdrawal.

This research explores why contemporary workplaces often expose individuals to sensory overload and why people often retreat to stairwells, restrooms, or corridors when experiencing stress or emotional discomfort. What features of these in-between spaces can help inform the design of future office spaces? Through recording life scenarios, analyzing film clips, and conducting interviews, it examines human behavior and how its impact, exploring how to create workspaces that provide a sense of security and privacy while allowing individuals to maintain their individuality and emotional state. Drawing on material experiments with waste wool fiber — a remainder material whose acoustic, structural, and optical properties can be calibrated to modulate sound, visibility, and enclosure — this research proposes a design intervention that translates the protective qualities of in-between spaces into an inhabitable object within the workplace. This study offers a perspective for rethinking the workplace and advocates attention to the physical and emotional boundaries in shared environments on a more holistic level.

Recommended Citation

Xing, Zhihao (Sky), "The Right to Withdraw: Soft Boundaries and Material Refuge in the Workplace" (2026). Masters Theses. 1612.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/masterstheses/1612

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.