SPACE OF DIALOGUE
THESIS:
An intensive life in a city and constant interaction between its citizens contributes to the fact that we are less likely want to know our neighbours as today we tend to see our homes as a safe place where we can escape from additional communications. This can be seeing as a dangerous tendency as then the reaction to changes that are happening in a neighbourhood (good or bad) is slower.
So, how can we define and create healthy relationships in a neighbourhood ?
The notion Genuine Dialogue is taken as a metaphor to define a way to establish healthy relationships between people in a neighbourhood.
Genuine Dialogue can be described as a process that holds differences together. Genuine Dialogue contains not only of a verbal communication. What is more important - it is a process where its participants are becoming aware of the “others”, that they are different, and as a consequence they consider the “others” as the persons they are. Genuine dialogue requires an interhuman “social” sphere in which person meets person.
To find a process , object or a space that can represent the idea of Genuine Dialogue (or in other words an interhuman (a social ) sphere) was a focus of this project.
Research brought the project into a local supermarket (as the most commonly visited site in our neighbourhoods), where was proposed a system of communal cooking. With this project I show that nowadays realities have changed and the classical community centers do not perform the functions assigned to them.
The communal cooking system is based on real projects and events that are already happening in Oosterparkwijk neighbourhood but are scattered around the area.
The design of community kitchen in a supermarket is based on the interviews done with supermarket managers (Jumbo).
Community Kitchen
Cash desk and
entrance
Information
stand
SUPERMARKET
A place of the Community Kitchen in a supermarket was carefully chosen.
It has to be visible and communicated well with the supermarket customers as well as some restrictions like temperature, smell or technical communications has to be taken into account.
So, It is placed next to the window and between the bakery and cash desks.
Information stand plays an important role in the organisation of the Community Kitchen agenda.
People can place an announcement about their event, questions, leave event booklets, get an information about coming events, reserve kitchen for your own event and etc.
Side, facing a supermarket .
It tells about regular and occasional events.
Side facing bakery.
Here people can leave a detailed information about their projects/events.
Side facing cash desk/exit.
Here should be placed a screen, where people can have a look at the agenda, add their own event and get more information about Community Kitchen itself .
Side facing kitchen area.
A charcoal board that can be used while cooking event to make notes.
Bellow you can see a simulation of the use of the Community kitchen information stand screen.
The value of the project is that it unites and benefits different parties. The main of them so far are: neighbourhood residents, non-profit/government organisations and the supermarket itself.
Public/state/non-profit organisations are already using ''food'' and ''cooking'' as a tool to connect people in a neighbourhood. They are in need in a permanent space and also a communication channel that can reach a wide audience.
Supermarket also have programs aiming to support locals and related to food and cooking. Having such a project like Community kitchen in a supermarket can help to get more clients and become closer to a neighbourhood itself.
Neighbourhood residents by seeing each other (passive participants) and cooking together (active participants) can make stronger connections between each other and prevent neighbourhood from harmful changes. It also allows new residents to get to know their new neighbours quicker .
PROJECT PARTNERS
