In 2015 I embarked on a journey to design an orphanage in my home country Sudan. I received a list of needs from the management that includes additional rooms , kitchen, laundry room and playground. However, when I conducted my own research I found out that half of the babies admitted to the orphanage die within the first week of their arrival mainly due to the condition of their abandonment. Illegitimate pregnancy or pregnancy outside of wedlock is considered a crime in Sudan punishable by flocking or stoning to death resulting in a widespread phenomena of child abandonment. It was impossible to find the relinquishing mothers so in order to understand the experience of abandonment I seek to put myself in her place by abandoning things of value to me. this resulted in a series of groundbreaking performances that led to the stakeholders revisiting the brief and a new mother and child village is now considered as the alternative solution. nevertheless my mission to continue designing until no space is needed, making the “Community” the ultimate space.
Performances can be viewed here:
https://theorphanageofthings.wordpress.com/
Publications:
http://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/etd/3831/
Aligning design with community needs 