Wrapping Up the NOVELL Workshop Series
The NOVELL Redesign project has reached a key milestone: wrapping up our series of blue-sky thinking workshops. These workshops marked the beginning of the NOVELL Project and have provided a fantastic springboard for the next stages.
We conducted four workshops in total, all of which were designed to challenge preconceived notions about what a rehabilitation space should be. We tackled complex questions about flexibility of space, integrating with the community, feeling a sense of belonging, and how to balance risk and reward. We’re now analysing the data from the workshops which will go on to shape the next stages of the design process.
Running a workshop series during a pandemic was certainly a challenge, but also an opportunity. Hosting virtual workshops enabled us to engage with a range of people across Australia and New Zealand. It was great to engage with people from such a wide variety of backgrounds, and to bring together stroke survivors, clinicians, and architects/designers to reimagine the future of rehabilitation environments - the NOVELL co-researchers who participated in the workshops are acknowledged at the end of this blog post.
NOVELL co-researcher and workshop participant, Brooke, had this to say:
"I have experienced rehabilitation as a stroke survivor on and off for almost 30 years now. In the past, my time in rehabilitation has left me feeling confused, battling to understand how the whole process works as I don’t feel I have been a part of the goal-making process etc. and I have just been expected to do as I’m told. When I have questioned peoples' thinking or knowledge I have been viewed as being non-compliant. The NOVELL Redesign Project gives me hope that together we can create a new model of rehabilitation - a place that I would love to go to, I would like to explore, be involved in and I hope it could be a place where survivors help survivors to gain a better life."
Natalie/Sarah from the Architecture Firm STH, a NOVELL Project partner, added:
“The NOVELL project workshops provided a fantastic opportunity to connect with a diverse group of people to rethink rehabilitation. We are excited to be partnered with the NOVELL project through this journey as we explore architectural solutions to create the ‘ideal’ rehabilitation service that could be realised into a built outcome in the future!”
A short time-lapse of the activity in one of our workshops
The workshop series could not have been possible without all of our fantastic co-researchers:
Julie Bernhardt, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, NOVELL Redesign team
Sarah-May Blaschke PhD, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, NOVELL Redesign team
Jannette Blennerhassett, Austin Health
Nick Boulter, Arup
Kylie Bower, Princess Alexandra Hospital
Finn Butler, Maynard
Lilian B Carvalho, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health
Julie Davey
Aaron Davis, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, NOVELL Redesign team
Sarah D’Souza, Edith Cowan University
Kevin English
Dr Natalie Fini, The University of Melbourne
Paul Fink
Emma Gee
Associate Professor Jan A Golembiewski PhD, Psychological Design
Sam Harvey, CRE Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation
Nano Langenheim
Natasha Lannin, Monash University
Sarah Lewandowski, Silver Thomas Hanley (STH)
Ruby Lipson-Smith, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, NOVELL Redesign team
Rob Luxford, Vivid Wayfinding
Dominic Martens, Silver Thomas Hanley (STH)
Rob McGauran
Leanne Muns, Bendigo Health
Clare Newton, Melbourne School of Design, The University of Melbourne
Brooke Parsons, Stroke Survivor/ Consumer Consultant
Julia Paxino, The University of Melbourne
Luis Pflaumer, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, NOVELL Redesign team
Natalie Pitt, Silver Thomas Hanley (STH)
Adam Pustola, Lyons
Alyce Raine, Stroke survivor and Allied Health Assistant
Caleb Rixon, genyus network
Belinda Seale, Haptic Space
Ciara Shiggins, Centre of Research Excellence in Aphasia Recovery and Rehabilitation
Martin Tomko, Melbourne School of Engineering, The University of Melbourne
Michael Walker, VHHSBA
Steven Wells, Austin Health
Marcus White, Swinburne University, NOVELL Redesign team
Ms Alice Williams, Director Equity Trustees
Heidi Zeeman, Griffith University, NOVELL Redesign team