COMMUNITY CENTER IN SUN TIN WAI ESTATE
Nowadays, neighborhood relationship becomes a minor role of a community. Although neighbors have the shortest distance with your living space, they have the lowest priority in your heart. But can you imagine that who can give you a helping hand immediately when you get trouble at home? Who can always talk with you face to face when you feel depression after a day of work? When you are not live with your family or friends, finding your neighbor is the most convenient way to share your excitement and distress instantly. Then what is the first step to meet your neighbors in the small community?
The two main tasks of this project are building up the relationship among the local residents and attracting more people to come here so the atmosphere of this estate would become lively and positive.
The design concept uses common interest to gather people. So the zonings depend on the interests of residents instead of facilities. There are five zones and most of them have two parts: resource area and chatting area. These two areas can show strong interconnection by the design language. The design language comes from the characteristics of thread. Ambiguous space division is created by thread.
Sun Tin Wai Estate is a public estate located in Sha Tin with more than 30 years history. One fifth of residents who live in this estate are 65 years old or above.Good neighborhood relationship is important to elderly because most of them live alone or with only their spouse.
The site of this project is an underused market. Since the rental price of the market is high, only several stalls is still in operation. There are two secondary schools and some social facilities in the estate area.
Interest or hobby of the residents is the first concern of the zoning because it is the most direct channel to start conversation between people. People have similar interest would come to the same area and do different kinds of activities--either in group or individual. For those who enjoy their interest individually may be attracted by the group activities. They would join the group and meet friends.
This chart analyzes the spatial qualities that are required in different zones of the community center.
Most of the resources in reading zone and music zone are collected from the local residents which can recall the memory of people. There are many public events which are about sharing, including travel experience, personal story or opinions about some social issues. Organizers promote activities through Facebook. Therefore, those public events can attract more people to come here and share their joy with the residents of this estate and those who have similar interest.
There are five zones altogether and most of them have two parts: resource area and chatting area. These two areas can show strong interconnection by the design language. The design language comes from the characteristics of thread. Ambiguous space division is created by thread.
The past 30 years local soap operas, Hong Kong and foreign movies would be played in here. People can feel free to share their opinions while they are watching the DVDs.
It is an area for people to share their own opinions on different issues. It is also a multi-function room for organizing some sharing events.
People can find different resources, like books and decorations, which are come from the local residents. This area also provides spaces for some spontaneous organizations to hold events. Sun Tin Wai Estate can be activated by those events.