Exhibition - Therapeutic outside spaces for refugee kids

In 2023 the Bucky Lab, a building tech master studio from the TU Delft, has been invited to collaborate with COA. COA  (Central Agency for the reception of Asylum Seekers) is an agency which operates with a severe lack of manpower under high time pressure, while they house a vulnerable target group. They have sought a collaboration with the TU Delft to explore better thought-out designs within their centres, more sustainable in both the technical and the social aspect. The Bucky Lab operates as thinktank for COA, providing solutions and designs that can be put into practice almost immediately, ánd can have a direct impact on the living conditions of asylum seekers in the Netherlands.

This semester they’ve been asked by COA to help design outside spaces for UAMs (unaccompanied refugee minors). UAMs that are not placed in foster care, are housed together in small scaled housing facilities within a larger asylum centre (AZC). These youngsters (age 14-18) usually share a room with one or two more refugee minors. Because this means a limited amount of personal space, COA has asked Bucky Lab to help think of outside facilities/spaces where these UAMs can share a space outside. This exhibition shows the result of the past 6 months of student work, for example bike workshops, chill spaces or a place to cook and come together.