Mae Welty

Industrial Design, 2022

The Wright Connection Coworking Hub is located in downtown Dayton, Ohio, on a vacant lot that is the former home of the Wright Cycle Company. The busy street front location produces various forms of noise pollution typically found in urban settings.The final concept for the living moss wall is intended to manage sound in the area by using natural sound absorption elements. Moss stood out as a sound absorption technique due to its strong visual impact and low maintenance properties. The grid-like design emulates farmland from an aerial view, as an homage to the Wright Brothers contributions to aviation. The hollow recesses in the structure work to trap sound waves, preventing them from bouncing between the brick walls surrounding the space. Research shows that noise distractions are a common complaint among workers in office spaces, therefore the design aims to improve the auditory experience of working communally in an urban outdoor space.

Mae Welty is a fourth year industrial design student with an interest in wearable products, accessory design, and trend research. Mae is passionate about designing for sensory impact, which stems from a fascination with tactile experiences and the sense of touch. During the senior thesis project, Mae discovered the opportunity to design for the auditory experience through research about sound management.