Design Interior Environment to Improve Well-Being of an Esports Athlete

Zhang, Yiyu

Thesis (M.F.A.) – Interior Design

Savannah College of Art and Design -- Department of Interior Design

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“The fun aspect of video games attract the young generation as an entertainment activity and many regard it as their hobby. As the gaming industry flourished in 2000s, video games earned a place in the sports field called electronic sports (eSports). The newly rising career allowed eSports athletes to transform their passion into an official and recognizable profession. Unlike hobbists, a trained professional player has higher levels of gaming knowledge, skills, strategies, and tactics (Kelly et al., 2021). Video games shift focus from enjoyment to competitive achievement. Young male adults dominate the eSports athletes' demographic. They are vulnerable to physical deficits and mental health issues from excessive use of computers (Giakoni-Ramírez et al., 2022). The negative impact of the video gaming career began to emerge with numerous issues related to eSports athletes' well-being, especially concerning matters of social engagement, work development, shifting lifestyles, career challenges, and health concerns. An individual's well-being strongly connects with indoor living quality (Allen & Macomber, 2020). Esports athletes are indoor-based jobs that require full-time attention to the virtual universe (Banyai et al., 2019). However, immersion in the virtual world slowly influences eSports athletes to lose focus on real-life matters and physical surroundings. There is a breakdown in perception of reality that can induce harm if players do not pay attention to the surrounding physical environment. Thus, this research study aims to investigate the interior design body of knowledge and conduct research to discover how an interior environment can maximize the indoor experience using theories of place attachment and a sense of belonging to support eSports activities and well-being for its e-athletes. This research employed qualitative and quantitative methods, including questionnaires, interviews, observations, and case studies. The analysis of a mixed method approach has acknowledged the following key findings for user needs: small social circles, hobby pursuit career, high self-esteem, the importance of team cohesion, neglected health concerns, high unemployment rate, and lack of connection with reality. The connection of these essential findings and design implications has led to the idea of co-playing, which is an inviting "home" that facilitates individual enhancement, social engagement, and establishes eSports culture. Looking at a broader impact, young generations in the gaming industry give rise to many new possibilities. However, video games can be intractable in leading vulnerable adolescents in the wrong direction. Therefore, this study contributes to interior design and eSport fields in presenting the significance of interior design interventions in creating a positive environment for better well-being and a healthy future for eSports athletes. –Abstract

Keywords: Esports, Esports athlete, video game, interior design, wellbeing, socialization, health, career, lifestyle, self-esteem.

Savannah, Georgia : Savannah College of Art and Design

2023-05

2 online resources: 1 PDF (Thesis, 103 pages, color illustrations, graphs) + 1 PDF (Studio component, 1 page, color illustrations)