THE REFUGE

This project was part of a brief focussing on spaces for the 'delinquents' of our society, institutional spaces that taught or re-taught suitable behaviours to the people within them. Students were given the choice on what kind of program they would work on through the semester; a prison, a mausoleum, a design school, a refuge. My refuge project aims to refresh the current model of refuges for women and children facing domestic violence. The site of this project is on Oxford St in Sydney, a major thoroughfare and the main "nightclub strip" of the city, it is a controversial site that has a high crime rate and is not the conventional area to propose the location of a refuge. Inspired by the design of Moriyama House by SANAA, I chose to fragment the typical programs of the refuge to create a labyrinth of hallways and in between spaces. I sought to create a more personal connection between  each person or family in the refuge  and their private dwelling, by cultivating the experience of going from exterior to interior. The experience of being outside, unlocking your front door and going inside and breathing a sigh of relief after a long day. I also designed these spaces with a large focus on options, having the option to be alone but also the option to be involved in the community of the refuge.

This assessment was part of a public exhibition @ Central Park in Sydney between November 2-8, 2015.