This social design project asked us to design a space of opportunity for asylum seekers which would also help the integration process through participation and empowerment. We were introduced to staff from the charity organisation Southwark Day Centre for Asylum Seekers (SDCAS) which holds weekly workshops and advice sessions out of St Mary Newington Church located in Kennignton, London. Aiming to gather people from different backgrounds, we are addressing the elemental theme: Food. Unlike the other two centres that SDCAS use, St Mary Newington doesn’t have a kitchen so the charity cannot offer the free shared lunches here that they would like to. As individuals we came up proposals for portable kitchens which had to be transportable/mobile to adapt to different situations. It had to pack away or be closed during mass, open up and be functional for use during shared lunches, and also pack down to be moved out of the church (considering doorways) and into a Luton van so that it could also be used elsewhere, potentially as a business oppotunity for people once they have been granted refugee status. By considering nationalities and cultural background we pushed the conventional boundaries and explored the opportunities and activities this particular social space could generate to enhance the sense of belonging for Asylum seekers. This portable / nomadic Kitchen could also be a pilot programme for future alternatives.

8-GON
Tatiana Garcia

Cellule Kitchen
Aysha Farhana

(Don’t) Play With Your Food
Beth Hooper

Foldable Kitchen!
Ayca M. Aydin

Memories Decorator
Yuan Shiqi aka Kit

Shift, Halt, Eat
Senuri Peththawadu

The Ciborium Kitchen
Himani Harikrishna Ravuri

The Eco Kitchen
Ed Chelsea Rimando