From Containers to youth environment
The harbourfront in the city of Holbæk is to host a new social environment to accommodate activities for the city’s youth. Four shipping containers will create the framework for social gatherings, sport activities and creative workshops, run by the local youth club, the municipality and the youth themselves.
The containers have been in use for different events already but this project’s goal was to create a more permanent space for young people to meet up and hang out by the waterfront or in the shade of the adjustable roof that can be put up to cover the space between the containers.

Youth-driven design for inclusive spaces
arki_labs tasks have been to engage the youth in the project in order to create a sense of ownership and belonging to the new space.
Through the spring and summer of 2022 arki_lab has been facilitating arki_nopoly workshops, feedback loops and building workshops with the youth, the youth club and members of the municipality.
Firstly, we have given space to 8th and 9th graders to articulate their ideas and wishes for a new youth environment through games of arki_nopoly. Secondly, we have created designs based on all the input from our arki_nopoly sessions. These were presented at different schools in Holbæk where the pupils could vote for their favorite design and give feedback on choice of furniture and materials. From this we have created final designs. Thirdly, we invited the city and especially its youth to participate in two weekends where we set out to build, paint, and decorate proposals that were made throughout the design process.

In the end we have co-created a space that is open for involvement, changes and renewal over time and we have manifested this place in the concrete wishes of those who are to use it.