Why is it that so many community centres have become tired and underwhelming places? My project is about a mutual discovery in participation that focuses more on the journey more than the end product, and also places the necessary tools and decision making power within a community. It is about finding the secret nudges and pathways to take in participation that allows us to shift important decisions made from architects to the people, such that we as architects can become better facilitators and mediators in this process.

The project shows not only the potential of participation, but also how architecture is constantly being redefined by what methods or processes architects follow to create spaces or conditions in which people live in every day. I think it’s important for people to be heavily involved in this process not only in making decisions for how something looks, what materials to use, what the purpose of a design is, but also what something will do to change a community from the bottom up. People are capable of making important decisions in this process when they are supported by architects and future architects like you and me.

Student

Hosea Lau

Year

2020-21