Tourism — Leisure and pleasure
Tourism is one of the world’s fastest-growing industries and a major foreign exchange and employment generation for many countries. It is one of the most remarkable economic and social phenomena. The word‘ tour’ is derived from the Latin word tornus, meaning ‘a tool for making a circle’. Tourism may be defined as the movement of the people from their normal place of residence to another place, for a minimum period, for the sole purpose of leisure and pleasure.
When people visit these spaces, they try to get in touch with the place they are visiting. Many times they are only able to experience things only through shopping and vendors. But in order to connect more deeply with the context, there is a need for a way how these tourists will be able to experience the process behind the products and understand the context more deeply.
How can this need for connection be established through tourism?
Local arts and craft
The answer to this question lies with the local people, where natural abundance is one of the many reasons why tourism is the backbone of the people.
The majority of their income is coming from the tourists that visit this place and want to experience it.
Adding to it there is more along with the views and the vistas; it is the people who have equipped themselves with one of the finest arts and crafts of their culture. These crafts are in demand overall in the world.
Let that be the delicately embroidered mats or the masks that hang overall in this place. There is a lot that these people have to offer in terms of arts and crafts.
The materials they use for such creations are all local and made from naturally available resources, which is one of the most major features of these creations.
Brief of the Competition
Overall in such places, the creation of crafts is solely a major source of income for the people that reside there.
How can we create a different connection be which won’t just offer the tourist a space to experience but also that empower the artisans and craftsmen?
What architectural intervention will help in creating a space that will transcend the perception held towards arts and crafts?
Brief: The aim of this challenge is to design a community center, which can be used as a workshop to practice, learn and teach the arts and crafts of their own land.
Space is also supposed to act as a gathering space where they are learning, teaching, and creating monetizable arts and crafts together.
Design Objectives
•Multi-functional: The spaces of the design must be flexible and adaptable to multiple functions and public events.
•Aesthetics: Locally available materials and techniques must be used to create a landmark structure for the community.
•Balance: The aesthetics and functionality must be balanced to create an efficient design.
•Harmony: The design must establish some harmony or connection with the surroundings while having outstanding features.
•Context: The design must respond to the (existing) site conditions. The wider socio-cultural, economic and environmental settings are to be considered in the design approach.
Site
Lautoka, Fiji
Fiji is a country and archipelago in the South Pacific Ocean. It consists of some 300 islands and 540 islets scattered over about 1,000,000 square miles. It is known for its varied terrain, natural habitat, and culture.
The multicultural population of the country makes for a rich heritage and landscape of art and handicrafts. Techniques of pottery, weaving and carving are indigenous to the region and the promotion of the local techniques is necessary in today’s times.
The site is located in Lautoka, near an urban settlement. The site is surrounded by green open fields and adjacent neighborhoods housed by residential and commercial clusters. Main roads connect the site effectively across the major parts of the city.
•Site Area: 12,000 sq.m
•Height limit: G+ 1
•FAR (Floor Area Ratio): 0.5
•Ground Coverage: 30%
•Coordinates: 17°39'48.9"S 177°24'42.9"E
Area Program
Space ideas: Workshop spaces 60% — Gathering spaces 20% — Exhibition/showcasing spaces 20%
- Workshops
- Open workshop spaces
- Courtyards
- Storage spaces
- Exhibition halls
- Common gathering areas
- Kitchen space
- Shops
- Washrooms
- Cleaning spaces
Other ancillary spaces can be added as per the participants.
Originally published at https://uni.xyz.
