Introducing a new application for communities with 2000+ ecobricks: modular, interactive, open spaces. Our installation, in the center of the Urban Social Forum, served as a place for participants to mingle, read, chit-chat, prepare their presentations, check their phones and most of all... play!</h3
The banners around the space served to invite participants to make the space their own and to inform about ecobricks, about GoBrik, about modules, and about the Open Space philosophy. Participants were able to arrange the modules as needed-- either to sit with friends, or to play and make new ones.
Two months ago, I was sitting in a Starbucks, when I was struck with the thought "We need to make ecobricks as cool, as funky, and as clean as this Starbucks". One of the essential concepts of the ecobrick movement afterall is to transcend the concept of 'trash' all together. I've written about this extensively. It is also the main reason why we don't use the word 'trash' on our site and we clean and dry our plastic before putting it into a bottle.
What would more redeem the concept of 'trash' plastic, than to put it to use in mall, an airport, a main street-- just like a Starbuck Cafe? And, just like a cafe, wouldn't it be awesome if the ecobricks could serve as a spot for folks to sit, to lounge, to chat, and to work? It occured to me, that indeed, ecobrick modules would be perfect for creating such a space, a space potentially even cooler than a Starbucks.
And thus, over a quiet cup of coffee, the idea for Ecobrick Open Spaces was born!
Shortly afterwards, we were invited to present ecobricks at the 2019 Urban Social Forum in Solo, Indonesia. All they wanted from us was a talk. I realized however, that this was the perfect opportunity to try out the ecobrick Open Space concept. With the help of our GEA Ecobrick Trainer network, we were able to mobilize about 150 modules (over 500 ecobricks!) for the forum. The folks at the forum were enormously supportive as they realize the awesomeness of the idea (their motto afterall is 'another city is possible'). They helped us transport the modules from Jogja, to print our info banners, and cover our hotel while there.
A big thanks to our Jogja trainers, to JPSM, to Ibu Sufi and Mbak Ina for personally lending us their modules. Thanks to Marimas for sending their modules and attending our talk. Thanks to Pak Har for the help pulling it off.
As you can see in the photos and the video, the concept for the Open Space is simple, yet pretty revolutionary: an interactive social space that can be built up, taken down, and built up again by visitors. Unlike a Starbucks with its nailed down tables and fixed couches, the space is already create. Visitors are just that, visitors. The Open Space however changes all that. The visitor becomes the participant, the creators, the curator of her own experience. Oh... and that funky space? Its all made with plastic (once known as trash, but now very much cool!).
