This project explores the connection between communities, trying to create a new interaction between a group of people.

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Intro

EbbsLAB

This project is in cooperation with the Ebbsfleet government and EDC (Ebbsfleet Development Corporation) to explore "How might we empower community members to initiate new social connections with other community members?".

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Starting point

Background

Ebbsfleet is a small city around London, 17 minutes away from London by train. Ebbsfleet is a garden city under construction, with a clear boundary between the old and new towns. The current problems encountered by the community are: the single type of activities, the lack of young participants, and the maintenance cost of the activities is not sustainable.

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Field research

Interview

After collecting 17 interview data, we conducted a Synthesis map analysis and summarized the seven insights with the highest priority.

Behaviour analysis

We followed the local residents and participated in their community activities. Analyze their social status and needs from it.

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Reframe HMW

Final insight

HOW MIGHT WE empower young people to initiate new social connections through creativity?

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Intervention

Ebbslab is a Fablab (i.e. fabrication laboratory) intended to empower people to create and make. Although Ebbslab is a fabrication space, it is first and foremost intended to be a versatile environment to be used in a variety of ways depending on the community's goals and desires. This could involve making Ebbslab a work or learning space, a skills academy, a relaxation space, or anything in between.

Ebbslab also intends to provide spaces that can be led and designed by the community, for example, to make communal spaces or edible gardens.

To encourage collaboration, Ebbslab has a board for people to write their ideas and contact information down. This means if someone is interested in working with you or learning about your idea, they can just get in touch with you.

Why Fablab?

RESOURCES
Institutions such as Fab Academy provide mini curriculums and diplomas to learn how to use Fablab tools to acquire technical skills and for rapid prototyping.

Fab Academy also provides guidelines on how to set up a Fablab every step of the way

INSPIRATION, NETWORK & KNOWLEDGE SHARING
Sharing of knowledge between Fablabs enables the thriving of each individual Fablab’s local community. Having Everyone’s Warehouse, the largest Fablab in the UK, only 45 min by car from Ebbsfleet is a huge opportunity for the local community to learn and get inspiration to help structure their own Fablab the way they want.

Ebbslab also intends to provide spaces that can be led and designed by the community, for example, to make communal spaces or edible gardens.

The resident gallery is a key public scene setting. We propose a new service process based on local conditions. Using the Resident gallery as the starting point, the originally unrelated community members are connected through the use of Fablab. Make new social connections by having them work on the same project at the same time in the same space.