Local Labs

Local Lab is a new workshop format introduced into the Culture Animation specialisation syllabus in 2015. The workshops are held beyond the University walls, in one of Warsaw districts and envisage the cooperation of students with residents and representatives of local social and culture institutions.

The Local Labs are aimed at establishing a student working group which undertakes, among others, participatory research, creative social consultations, and together with the residents designs and executes ideas for interactions in public space and collaborations.

Wierzbno

The first Local Lab was held in the Mokotów district of Warsaw. The Workshop was held in close collaboration with the Moje Wierzbno Partnership and used the premises of “Mokotowo” Club run by the Partnership for the project activities. The Workshop leader was dr Zofia Dworakowska.

One of the events organised by the Workshop participants was “Malczak – The Bazaar of Memories” (28 June 2016) in Malczewskiego street. In reference to the abandoned tradition of street vendors in the district, the students encouraged the residents and pedestrians to swap their memories of the Wierzbno district past for apples and herbs. More about the project: here.

The collected memories were written down and recorded and were all presented in September 2016 at an exhibition held at the Mokotowo Club. More about the project here.

Link to the Mokotowski targ wspomnień [Mokotów Bazaar of Memories] programme broadcast on the Polish radio here.

Time: Feburary-September 2016

Venue: Warsaw, Wierzbno

Partners: Moje Wierzbno Partnership, BORIS Association

Różycki Bazaar

The venue of the second Local Lab was the Stara Praga area in Praga Północ district. The workshop leaders were architects of mech.build: Jan Dowgiałło and Anna Zawadzka whose work evolves around the intertwining topics of architecture, art, nature and science. They construct buildings and experiment in the spirit of sustainable development using natural or recycles materials and environment-friendly solutions.

The Lab participants carried out prototyping research of a new place for the locals to meet and spend free time at the Różycki Bazaar and carried out two location-based games at the premises of the Bazaar. More about the project: here.

The final event was held during the Open Ząbkowska festival owing to financing received from the Revitalization Programme of Right-Bank Warsaw until 2020.