About
Rhea is a multidisciplinary, award-winning visual communicator with over three years of experience across brand identity and strategy, publication design and motion graphics.
She specialises in shaping brand identities through thoughtful, scalable design systems, translating ideas and research into clear visual languages that work across platforms.
She loves trying new things in design, stepping outside her comfort zone, learning new tools, and expanding how she think.
Designing with Empathy is a small step towards a future where ageing does not take away a person's experiences, curiosity or desire to contribute. It simply asks us to design experiences where those qualities can continue to thrive.
Designing with Empathy
How might we design age-friendly systems that activate community spaces and empower seniors to remain active participants in public life in India by 2050?
Loneliness is one of the quieter challenges of ageing, with many Indian seniors experiencing isolation even within their own homes.
As traditional family and community support systems change, there is a growing need for 'third spaces' where seniors can feel safe, connected and valued.
With India's ageing population expected to double by 2050, when one in five citizens will be over 60, this research explores how empathy-led design can help activate community spaces as places for meaningful connection.
It develops three principles to empower seniors to remain active participants in public life.
Research methodology and theoretical framework
From the very beginning, this project has been rooted in the belief that we should design with seniors, not for them.
The HCD (Hear, Create, Develop) framework by IDEO helped ground the process in this approach, ensuring that seniors were not simply the recipients of a designed solution, but active contributors to its development.
As part of this commitment, I volunteered at an Active Ageing Centre for five months, allowing me to build meaningful relationships with seniors and gain a deeper understanding of their everyday experiences.
This ongoing engagement, alongside fieldwork, interviews, workshops and surveys, allowed their experiences, needs and aspirations to continually shape the direction of the project, ensuring that the framework emerged from lived experiences rather than assumptions.
Masturah Maidin
Ly Du Khanh Han
Sam Li
Pann Lim
