We have become accustomed to using devices like phones and computers to communicate with one another. These devices allow us to communicate, but they limit the complexity of our interactions. When we move away, the threads that tie us to our homes and families begin to loosen. We leave parts of us behind while carrying others forward, in the hope of creating a new home. We lose our ability to imagine the places we have left. This thesis argues that domestic objects present an opportunity for tethering memories to distant locations and using interiors and lighting as means for maintaining connections.

We propose a personalized design system, in which memory nodes are created throughout distant domestic spaces to further communication. Each node is composed of an object and the space around it. The nodes evoke the possibility of connection at various times of the day, month, and year through sensations that activate memory pathways in the brain. Different nodes may activate simultaneously and interweave with one another, echoing the interrelation of our memories and sensations. The nodes establish connections across time and space, to our memories and loved ones.

The design of the nodes varies depending on the user. To situate memory nodes in spaces, the designer must understand what home means to each user. They must therefore study the configuration of distant domestic spaces and the significant experiences that inhabitants share in those spaces. This process allows the designer to select areas and experiences for evoking connection through three types of memory: sensory, procedural, and episodic.