Ghuna Akkad BA (Hons) Interior Design
As a designer, I like to look at ongoing global situations and analyse them in order to come up with possible solutions to help improve the quality of people’s lives. I believe that every human deserves peace and comfort in their life, and that good design can help achieve this.
The Refugee Global Crisis is at a high record as conflicts in war-torn countries become more violent and prolonged. One of the challenges refugees face when migrating and settling in a new country is a sense of belonging and connection. In my design, I create spaces that allow people socialise and interact, resulting in people feeling a sense of belongingness in the community.
“Here to say” is a project that tackles the issue of language barriers refugees face when arriving into the country. The space provides interactive activities, which are effective in assisting the learner to organize their thoughts and reflect on their understanding. The space promotes collaborative tasks which foster language development, resulting in learners having to interact easily. Through interaction, involvement, and connection, refugees will gain skills and start communicating gradually.
“SAY café” is a space that is run by refugees in order to be given the opportunity to work and gain experience. The refugees themselves are the waiting staff, cooks, and customer assistants. Local people gather in the café to socialise and interact, which gives the refugees an opportunity to gradually become part of the community. This would be an opportunity for them to increase self-understanding, independence, and self-confidence.
