Objects intended as elements in interior spaces generally do a great job of meeting the standard criteria of form and function, but they can do more. By becoming something other than what they normally are, common elements can change a viewer's response to the space itself. This subtle but unexpected expression by an object impacts the viewer on many levels, heightening awareness and changing the viewer's cognitive interpretation of the space itself. This document examines the activation of space through objects capable of responding to a viewer's presence, using as a focus a light fixture that uses motion sensors to trigger sequential lighting responses in different locations, which move from low to high activity states. This object and its changing states are designed to engage viewers and provoke interaction. Such a reaction fundamentally reshapes the space the light fixture inhabits by actively transforming it into a playfully experiential environment.

Magister Artium (Development Studies) - MA(DVS) / This thesis seeks to answer the research question, if and how youth-oriented empowerment trainings like the one of the Chrysalis Academy are able to contribute positively to the social integration of ‘youth-at-risk’. The theoretical framework as the basis for the empirical field research includes the key concepts ‘youth-at-risk’, ‘socialization/social integration’, empowerment and resiliency. Using socialization theories, Gidden’s sociological structuration theory and Amartya Sen’s approach of development as freedom, the researcher assesses the Chrysalis Academy’s empowerment training as an alternative socialization process that aims at developing ‘youth-at-risk’ into self-aware, resilient and integrated role models with expanded choices. The research methodology utilized is the case study, combining different quantitative and qualitative research methods as participant observation, questionnaires, face-to-face interviews as well as focus group interviews to evaluate the long-term impact of the empowerment training from the graduates’ perspective. The outcomes of the data collection and analysis confirm the hypothesis that the Chrysalis Academy’s empowerment training has a positive effect on integrating young people ‘atrisk’,also through the higher level of resiliency that enables them to cope better with their challenging environments. To sum up, the Chrysalis Academy presents a good practice example for empowering ‘youth-at-risk’, however, it still needs to improve its aftercare program for the graduates to achieve sustainable success.14. November 2008