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#NTUDEGREESHOW Spotlight: Christian Martin

Our latest Spotlight piece features BA (Hons) Graphic Design student Christian Martin

    From Eden, Christian Martin, BA (Hons) Graphic Design 2019.
    From Eden, Christian Martin, BA (Hons) Graphic Design 2019.

    In the run-up to the Art and Design Degree Show, we will be sharing a series of student projects from across the 26 participating courses through #NTUDEGREESHOW Spotlights.

    Eden

    The weight of mental health leaves many people nervous about leaving their comfort zone. Particularly in a work, school, or public setting, there is a need for a platform which allows both of these environments to co-exist. With emerging technology, the opportunity to use virtual reality to alter your immediate environment could have a very beneficial impact on your mental health. These services within the NHS have waiting lists that can be longer than a year, so the ability to develop personal coping mechanisms during this waiting period, as well as gaining more personal knowledge of your own health, is incredibly necessary.

    My project is called Eden, an app which originated as a way of making any space more accessible to those who suffer with their mental health The key aspects of the concept are that the app allows you to create, discover and customise virtual comfort spaces, as well as access spaces which are more targeted towards support. If you are feeling overwhelmed for any reason, you can now remove yourself temporarily from that environment and be back with your family, your friends, or maybe your favourite view from your holiday to France. An autistic child who may live in a cared-for facility could now be with their parent in a way that would not have been possible before.

    From Eden, Christian Martin, BA (Hons) Graphic Design 2019.
    From Eden, Christian Martin, BA (Hons) Graphic Design 2019.

    With feedback from potential users and mental health professionals, I focused a large part of my development towards user experience design (UX). As anyone can suffer with their mental health, it was important to me that the interaction with the app considered all types of users. The small UX decisions that I made along the journey of the project are, for me, what makes it special. I was passionate about creating a truly unique experience, understanding and reflecting the user’s needs within the interface, which includes fluid colour schemes, responsive results and rating systems. All of these features are collected as data which can allow parents, carers or the users themselves to better understand what works for them.

    The hope for this concept is to give people in all areas of mental health the strength and confidence to regain control of their environment. Rather than escapism, this concept is about empowering often forgotten members of society to know that they can be, do and achieve anything with this platform of support.

    Christian Martin

    Find out more about the BA (Hons) Graphic Design Degree Show here.

    Published on 27 May 2019
    • Subject area: Art and design
    • Category: Current students; School of Art & Design