While there are many community-focused hubs out there, not all are designed and run with the best interest of the community in mind. Kristeen James, a student at the Design Institute of Australia, attempts to think through this predicament with The Termitarium, a community kitchen, and hub that embraces "diversity, collaboration, and exchange" at the core of its design. The project was awarded the Australian Interior Graduate of the Year and the Madeline Lester Award.
The community-focused hub was deeply informed, "by the topography and Indigenous lore of the Glass House Mountains." The location is significant for local Indigenous people who gather there. Throughout her work, Kristeen James aspires to include pillars of sustainability, as well as contextual and culturally sensitive methods, at the forefront.
Sensitive Community-Focused Hubs
The Termitarium by Kristeen James Emphasizes “Essential Values”
Trend Themes
1. Community-centered Design - Designing community-focused hubs with sustainability, sensitivity to cultural context, and diversity at the core.
2. Indigenous-inspired Design - Incorporating Indigenous lore and topography in the design of community hubs, creating spaces that are significant and culturally sensitive.
3. Collaborative Community Spaces - Creating community kitchens and hubs that encourage collaboration, exchange, and diversity.
Industry Implications
1. Hospitality - Creating sustainable, sensitive, and diverse community kitchens that can serve as a model for the hospitality industry.
2. Design - Incorporating cultural context and sustainability in community-centered design projects like the Termitarium.
3. Social Services - Designing community-focused hubs that can serve as models for social service providers to more effectively serve diverse communities.