4. Community Centre in Indonesia

4. The First Community Centre

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Our latest pro bono project is a proposed Community Centre located in Riau, Indonesia. It is our first social endavour in Sumatra and it is also an interesting opportunity for us. The project calls for a communal social space for a small village, with a focus on utilising ecologically friendly recycled building materials. The materials selected are building blocks made of upcycled plastic and panels crafted from recycled plastic items.

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The project is particularly challenging as there are no precedents for such initiatives in the region. Our design intent is to keep the build form simple and allow for community participation during construction. We hope that by doing so, the community will take ownership of the space and ultimately prolong its impact and lifespan.

Design with Recycled Materials

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Overall, our design approach is to provide sustainable and cost-effective solutions that can be scaled and replicated across other communities. Despite being a pro bono social project, our team of designers conducted various experiments to enhance the design. We believe that a limited budget should not result in a utilitarian-looking project. Instead, it provides us with the opportunity and freedom to innovate.

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For instance, we explored on how the recycled plastic panels could be put together creatively to form sunshading screens, furniture and even roofing sheets. There is truly nothing more gratifying than seeing the profound impact that our humble built spaces have on both the beneficiaries and givers. We find joy in working on social projects and are constantly inspired to take the lead in the realm of giving.