ARCH 509, Section 4

Criptographies is an online Special Topics Seminar that develops design strategies and representational systems that explore both real spaces and virtual platforms to empower students in navigating mental health resources and to help de-stress. Eustress motivates synthesis, cognitive-flow, and productivity; however, stress erodes an ability to focus, reduces opportunity, and threatens a sense of well-being. The quality of mental health is triggered and conditioned by dynamic stressors. Work-related stress is compounded when individual effort is overcome by systemic demands, and by the failure of civic institutions to deliver actionable resources. The CoVid-19 global pandemic, inconsistency of factual reporting, and physical distancing are overwhelmingly stressful; but, also provide an opportunity to innovate modes of social proximity that construct a deeper, more just, and equitable sense of well-being. Extreme socio-political conditions demand extreme responses. Criptographies simultaneously disrupts static, oppressive, institutional objects, by occupying the bio-psycho-social imaginary – vividly.