Reactivating the community
This project is about giving Fochriw a global character and connection by repopulating it with refugees from all over the world.
“Rural communities need to truly engage with today’s society in order to survive and prevent extinction. Their desire to reach out and connect with the rest of the world could be inspired by mixing cultures from across the planet, making rural communities feel part of something bigger and encouraging honest engagement. Usually those mixings take place in urban areas, enhancing their global and connected character. The same idea can be applied to rural places making them more present and active communities.
Through residential and civic architecture that respects all cultural identities and celebrates their union, this social vision can come to reality. It is hoped that spatial change in the rural community will stimulate communal change as well, encouraging it and accommodating it. The spatial change has the form of a re-energized ‘heart’ of the village which provides spaces and opportunities for people with different experiences to collaborate.”
Contact info:
Eleni Vlataki
elenivlat@gmail.com
My proposal is to get 75 people in total coming from Syria, South Sudan and Somalia to stay in Fochriw, making a 6% of its population, covering the gap of 10 years population loss. People of all ages will be repopulating Fochriw, creating a new cultural grid.
The scheme need to highlight the activities and events happening at the same time. The desired result is a hub of activity, where communication and engagement are encouraged. This axonometric shows the concept of activity in the 2 levels of the scheme.
The main entrance had to be inviting and to hint all the different buildings and activities happening.
The roof plan shows the variety of roof types for the different buildings. The scheme has a residential and a public part, which are mentioned as well. The public part is the focus of the project and will form the new heart of the village.
The architecture and traditions of all cultures (Welsh, South Sudanese, Syrian, Somali) influenced architectural decisions. Multiculturalism was expressed through the choice of materials, colours and geometry, and a global architecture that you cannot quite place where it’s from, yet it feel familiar, was the desired result.
