nesting |
STEP by STEP
STEP 1
Community Planning
The starting point.
After nearly six hours of travel we finally arrived to Orosháza to begin the community planning process with the members of the local youth municipality. Don’t really know who was more excited we or them, but for sure all of us was curious what could come out from this date.
We started with the basics. Everyone received a green and a pink scarf and asked to place them all around according what they like and dislike at their club.
Colour coding:
pink – something we should change
green – something I really like
The results were great! They were guiding us through their loved and not much loved places, introduced the ugly green of the fences, the rusty rail, the empty ground, the super comfy bean bags, the lonely plants, the tiny but magic kitchen and the nostalgic seats from the old cinema as well. Slowly we started to understand what’s happening at their club.
Then stepped to the next level! It was time to dream a bit, and make an ultimate wish list – What functions are missing from this place? What would you like to do in your place, what you cannot do now? The list was wild and practical in the same time with the special need of a garden lake till a parking rank for the bikes.
During the planning process it’s important to have wild and crazy ideas even if we cannot realise all of them! At the next step of the planning process – when in small groups they make quick sketches of how to organize these new objects at the space – helps to make priorities to all of us. The plans were clear and bright and gave us enough munitions to start to prepare the first plans for them.
After nearly six hours of travel we finally arrived to Orosháza to begin the community planning process with the members of the local youth municipality. Don’t really know who was more excited we or them, but for sure all of us was curious what could come out from this date.
We started with the basics. Everyone received a green and a pink scarf and asked to place them all around according what they like and dislike at their club.
Colour coding:
pink – something we should change
green – something I really like
The results were great! They were guiding us through their loved and not much loved places, introduced the ugly green of the fences, the rusty rail, the empty ground, the super comfy bean bags, the lonely plants, the tiny but magic kitchen and the nostalgic seats from the old cinema as well. Slowly we started to understand what’s happening at their club.
Then stepped to the next level! It was time to dream a bit, and make an ultimate wish list – What functions are missing from this place? What would you like to do in your place, what you cannot do now? The list was wild and practical in the same time with the special need of a garden lake till a parking rank for the bikes.
During the planning process it’s important to have wild and crazy ideas even if we cannot realise all of them! At the next step of the planning process – when in small groups they make quick sketches of how to organize these new objects at the space – helps to make priorities to all of us. The plans were clear and bright and gave us enough munitions to start to prepare the first plans for them.
We have one week now, to discuss, chat, explore, draw, share, comment, summarize, redraw and send our plans how we would reshape the community spaces of the youth municipality of Orosháza.
STEP 2
The first plans
And here we are, ready with the first general plans.
Right after a busy week, while we were sharing thousands of inspirational photos among us, finally we came out with the plans.
The area has been separated into three main fields:
- front yard / this became our community area
- back yard / this became the playground
- main room
The front yard
At the front yard the plan is to build a pallet wall which could gave space for a vertical herb garden, a preparation table, a blackboard and a screen for garden movie nights. It was a strong wish to create a place where they can have some grill party, therefore at the middle of this yard we designed a multifunctional grill with seats.
There are two trees in this yard, both received important role at the plans. One of them became a stand of a hammock, the other ensure shadow for the stage where people can sit, lay down, play or watch movies.
There were two more functions we wanted to cover with the plans - a proper stand to lock the bikes and a shelter where they could hide a bit the not too elegant trash bin.
There are two trees in this yard, both received important role at the plans. One of them became a stand of a hammock, the other ensure shadow for the stage where people can sit, lay down, play or watch movies.
There were two more functions we wanted to cover with the plans - a proper stand to lock the bikes and a shelter where they could hide a bit the not too elegant trash bin.
The back yard
The playground would gave space for all kind of out-door games we can create by wood. Just some examples here:
The main room
At the main room the most important task is to give some color - orange, black and green - creative message boards, where the member of the municipality could plan their activities and keep their memories in an organized way and find space for the giant bean bags.
and now... we are waiting... waiting for the feedbacks from the youth!
Step 3
Show your priorities
February flied away so fast, and we were again on the way to Orosháza , to sit down face-to-face with the youth, and check the plans. To make priorities is not the easiest moment of the process. Everyone – even the architects - has some favourite elements what they would love to see at the end, but this needs to be a group decision which could cause some tensions everywhere.
The limits:
It would be great to build everything they were dreaming, and we were planning, but we are limited in every way: time, human resources and money of course. So according the prior counting, we can build 4 maximum 5 objects and could have time and energy to work with around the same amount of handy craft elements.
The method:
We made groups of 3 and each group received the same amount of money from the really old school board game – Gazdálkodj okosan!. The groups had 15 minutes to discuss among themselves which are the members personal priorities and try to make a group decision how to spend their money on the objects. 15 minutes later we met again, and round by round they put down some money on their favs, without explaining the amount they’d put. When every group run out of their cash, we counted the bets, and put the objects in an order which represents the group priorities. Then we started a very much needed open discussion about the result, where they can ask each other and argue. After this, each team had the chance to replace their money if they find it reasonable. The order of the objects dramatically changes…
Let’s see which the finalists are:
And we have repeated this with the handy craft elements as well, where the finalists are:
And at the end everyone has at least one fond object which will be build/created during the training.
The limits:
It would be great to build everything they were dreaming, and we were planning, but we are limited in every way: time, human resources and money of course. So according the prior counting, we can build 4 maximum 5 objects and could have time and energy to work with around the same amount of handy craft elements.
The method:
We made groups of 3 and each group received the same amount of money from the really old school board game – Gazdálkodj okosan!. The groups had 15 minutes to discuss among themselves which are the members personal priorities and try to make a group decision how to spend their money on the objects. 15 minutes later we met again, and round by round they put down some money on their favs, without explaining the amount they’d put. When every group run out of their cash, we counted the bets, and put the objects in an order which represents the group priorities. Then we started a very much needed open discussion about the result, where they can ask each other and argue. After this, each team had the chance to replace their money if they find it reasonable. The order of the objects dramatically changes…
Let’s see which the finalists are:
- THE WALL
- THE DECK
- THE BIKE LOCKER
- THE DESK
- THE GRILL
And we have repeated this with the handy craft elements as well, where the finalists are:
- THE WHITE BOARD
- THE PLANNER
- THE PATCHWORK BLANKET
- THE HOPSCOTH
- THE FRAMES
- THE TIC-TAC
- THE CACTUSES
And at the end everyone has at least one fond object which will be build/created during the training.
STEP 4
The Force Awakens
The loveliest moment, when the community planning process indicates new initiatives, surprising effects and community actions. Actually not the size of the action counts - although in this case, it was really something big - but how THE FORCE AWAKENS.
So as painting is not the part of the project, but was mentioned several times as a need, youngsters decided to clean up the place, and paint the walls by themselves.
Their leader feels proud, I am overall impressed!
Step 5
Let's get start it
After the long treasure hunting - while Zsuzsi was collecting stones, bricks, old frames and even old windows for the building - we were ready to start with a bunch of smiley hardworking youth workers, volunteers and of course with the local youth. Find out what's happened with us during this week by checking the Gallery!