CREATIVES

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plot abc

Building a community public space during a pandemic as well as a military coup in Yangon is definitely the most ambitious project I’ve ever worked on. This project aims to empower the local community, create a safe space for gathering and recreation during a difficult time.

Initiated by the local community, the project is converting a 0.4-acre wasteland into a community recreational public space. This small urban space used to be filled with bushes, wild grasses, and rubbish, there were many complaints of drug use and violence. The community started to speak up for their own rights and organized themselves to find a sustainable solution that can not only benefit the neighborhood but also act as a pilot project for Yangon. After 2 years of work, the project received funding from, DesignTrust in Hong Kong, CSR programs of local Myanmar companies, as well as from a crowdfunding campaign. The goal is to create a self-sustained multifunctional community public space which will include a Chin Lone court, a Zayat (community gathering space), an Urban Community Farm, and a Multi-functional sports field that can also serve as a space for cultural and community events. Even though the project is now completely dependent on funds from the donors, we are designing the project to be self-sustained in the near future. The project’s governance, operation, and programming are all designed to create opportunities to maximize the community’s participation.

The design is inspired by Myanmar’s traditional bamboo scaffolding construction technique. This national intangible heritage is slowly disappearing and being replaced with steel structures. The point is to showcase through a real-world project in the center of the city the possibilities that bamboo holds within the construction industry, as an ecological material with a really low carbon footprint. Using modern bamboo treatment techniques, we are able to build large-scale long-lasting structures, safe for public use.

People who took part in the project:
raphaël ascoli; ko zin; nyan linn aung; françois le pivain; kristof crolla; kathy khine; antonio f. duarte; aung naing win; ma pwint; ronald wang; u maung pu; ko moe kyaw; ko kyaw swar win; ko kyar gyi
ko khin mg than; myo min; aye mya; pwint myet thwel; myat phyu phyu; sak khine htun; myo myat min; su wai kyaw; ei kyi phyu thant; may thu shane; yincho thin; atome stone

For more information about the project, please visit:
https://www.blue-temple.com/project/plot-abc

Phase 1 completed stage

Chin lone court (Myanmar traditional sport)

Zayat (senio resting area)

Chin lone court during construction

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