Transcript
Moses’ design for the ‘Sora Refugee Centre’ aims to “restore the self-worth of refugees” through a structural facility and complimentary app, “supporting their first steps in building a new life for their family.” This responds to a hypothetical brief from ‘Amir’, to create a space “that fosters a safe, welcoming environment for refugees. [Amir’s] vision is to create a space that does not discriminate [against] anyone, offering respite and dignity to those rebuilding their lives… [insisting] that the building's aesthetics reflect sophistication and care—symbolizing value, not charity. “
Moses’ response seeks to use architectural choices, community-focused programming and an informative app to combine support and safety, with connection between refugees and local residents in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD (situated at 420 St Kilda Road – a site with strong transport links and access to services, employment and recreation opportunities). Further design criteria include sustainability, cultural appropriateness, aesthetic appeal, multilingual support and information and inclusivity. Constraints include cost, cultural sensitivity, and security. He identifies existing research that cites cost of living, racism and empowerment as key concerns for refugees in Australia.
Being mindful of the privilege and responsibility of speaking to a mother and son who arrived in Australia by boat 8 years previously (and who remain in an uncertain limbo as their permanent resident visa is considered). Moses used sensitive, open-ended questions to understand their experience of moving to Australia and what could have been better.
Moses’ accompanying folio records the various concept designs for both structural facility and app, followed by SWOT analysis to identify the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of each component. Following evaluation, Moses settled on a final architectural design, which he constructed with doweling (stained in a warm brown tone), balsa wood and faux foliage. It takes the form of a multi-level cylindrical structure consisting of separate and shared areas. A bird’s eye view reveals its horseshoe-shaped footprint, with curving, covered walkways connecting each branch. The walls are created with dowels set flush to each other to create a ribbed effect. The vertical positioning of these dowls emphasizes the building’s capitalisation of vertical space (a key consideration to enable high-density housing). Some of the walls encompass multiple storeys, blurring the divide between levels. Lighting the architectural model from different angles replicates the changing shading and tones of the building throughout the day. The walkways are hemmed with wooden railings and faux foliage features on each of the model’s circular terraces to further soften the almost undulating effect created by the building’s flowing design.
Moses’ folio also documents the development of the accompanying app through wireframes and an interface flow chart. The latter maps out the contents covered in the app, which include information on the various private and shared areas of Sora Refugee Centre, as well as guides to events and support (from legal aid, mental health and mentorships). A log-in page enables the app to present a personalised welcome and experience for users. Moses deployed colour theory to settle on a palette of Obsidian black, Forest green, Ember Clay orange, Apricot, Sand and White Chocolate. The design of the app’s features echoes the curves of the building itself, and the recurring photographic image of a vibrant orange and yellow-flowered shrub, combines soft curves with the Ember Clay and Apricot colour palette.
