When was the last time you truly noticed your surroundings? In transient cities like Vancouver, disconnection often feels pervasive. Many of us feel closer to celebrities on social media than to the people passing by, leaving urban life strangely isolating. Yet fleeting moments—a patch of wild greenery, sunlight breaking through buildings, or rain shimmering across reflective surfaces—remind us of something enduring: our shared humanity. My project responds to this sense of urban solitude by designing spaces that cultivate connection with the immediate environment. By integrating sunlight and rain as active design elements, it creates moments of surprise and sensory engagement. The interplay of natural light and water invites reflection, sparks interaction, and interrupts the monotony of city life. Ultimately, the project seeks to transform urban spaces into places of belonging—where people can rediscover a sense of connection to their surroundings amid both the hustle and the stillness of the city.
