2024 Senior Exhibition Artists

Brianna Wetherbee

Concentration: Art + Design: Interior Architecture + Design

About Brianna Wetherbee

Brianna Wetherbee is a graduating senior of the Interior Architecture + Design program here at the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. Her undergraduate career started at Bridgewater State University studying Psychology, however, she found herself wanting a bigger impact on others and her environment. During her time as a student, Brianna became fond of research and her work reflects the idea that every design needs to refer back to the beginning, back to the data.

Statement

My senior thesis focuses on the conversion of a historic building into a co-working office, giving the building a ‘new lease on life’. This comes in response to the rise of freelancing and the increasing need for third spaces, which are places for social interaction and connection outside of home and the workplace.

It was important to utilize an existing space for both sustainability purposes and for “culture-contact,” which is the idea that we do not exist in isolation from one another, but as an everchanging mix. Existing buildings also reflect the community that surrounds it and thus become integral to people’s lives.

This thesis provides evidence that human-centered approaches can coexist with and even improve business. The main take-away: Invest in people.