After a rainy summer in the Netherlands we are able to welcome our students in the brightest weather.
So Monday morning 8.45 here we go ! Forst the semster into in which all ( almost) colleauges give a short overview of their courses. Next to that we also unveil the semester assignment.
out of the manual:
"This semester we’ve been asked by COA to help design outside spaces for UAMs (unaccompanied refugee minors). UAMs that are not placed in foster care, are housed together in small scaled housing facilities within a larger asylum centre (AZC). These youngsters (age 14-18) usually share a room with one or two more refugee minors.
Because this means a limited amount of personal space, COA has asked Bucky Lab to help think of outside facilities/spaces where these UAMs can share a space outside.
This year we collaborate with both COA specialists and Office for the New Earth (ONE). ONE has been developing outside spaces for kids since 2018. They are a non-profit organization composed of architects, building engineers and volunteers who have designed and build a dozen similar projects in refugee camps on the edges of Europe (Greece, Cyprus etc.). They will function as experts in the field. Furthermore we will organise a session in which you can ask questions to former UAMs who have a residency permit. During the presentation moments we will be joined by both ONE members as COA experts who will help with feedback based on content and experience.
The goal this semester is to design, detail and build something COA can use within most of their asylum centres. Their facilities are often demounted and moved to a new location. Also COA has a sustainability vision in which circularity and sustainability (both technical and social) plays an important role.
This assignment, ONE will provide an overall construction in which you are expected to design modules to tackle one specific activity. ONE will provide their framework and technical specifications the first week of the semester.
Therefore the object we design must be:
- Modular
- Biobased (if possible) or made from recyclable or renewable materials
- Circular
- Demountable
- Easy to transport to a new location
- Safe
- Must fit within both the context and technical framework of ONE
- Must contribute to social sustainability for AMVs
- Has to incorporate a specific activity for AMVs
Examples of a module could be an outside space where AMV’s can make a private phone call, or smoke, or have a moment to themselves out of the rain. It could also be a space where they can fix their bikes, or where they can meet up and chill. Most of the ideas will come from the interviews with the AMVs the start of this semester, but feel free to come up with your own ideas as well.
We are all excited to see what ideas will be created.
Here a few puctures of Day 1
