Slow down and take a breather at NTU’s Hygge

by Derek Rodriguez

If you asked five Danes what Hygge (pronounced “hue-gah”) means, you’d probably get five different explanations. In the same way, a trip to NTU’s Hygge is a little different for everyone.

The first steps to Hygge are easy; just climb to Level 5 of Lee Wee Nam Library. The next few are slightly trickier. Can you leave your anxieties with your shoes at the door as you step inside? Perhaps not, but that’s where Hygge comes in. The 3,390 sq ft area aims to provide a safe space for not just your body, but all your senses to escape to.

Much of the space in the softly-lit room is occupied by “A Familiar Forest”. Created by NTU grad Zen Teh, this year-long multisensory installation is a reimagination of a forest at night and comprises 34 images of local greenery hung from the ceiling, forest sounds and natural scents. Sensors placed around the room prompt the release of these scents and sounds to lull you into a spot of stillness.

NTU alumna Zen Teh (left) replicates the ambience of a forest at Hygge, NTU’s new relaxation space. Her multi-sensory exhibition features aromatic scents by scientist Dr Ching Jianhong (right).

More reasons to relax are at a little corner of Hygge called the Nook, where bean bags invite you to stay for a while and lean back with a paperback from a carefully curated shelf of wellbeing books. In the pipeline are programmes, such as talks and workshops, on mental wellness.

If you haven’t guessed by now, Hygge, a Danish and Norwegian word, is all about creating a warm atmosphere that engenders feelings of contentment and wellbeing. Bring it on!

This story was published in the Jan-Mar 2021 issue of HEY!. To read it and other stories from this issue in print, click here.