PLAY & CONNECTION SPACES

"How do we intertwine people, place and nature to create a place for memory, experience and growth?"

Let's ask nature...

UWCSEA DOVER MOVES TO TENGAH!

UWCSEA Dover will be relocating to Tengah in 2032, creating an opportunity to reimagine how a campus can serve both people and the planet. Your challenge is to design one specific area of the new campus (stated below) so that it strengthens community connections and deepens our relationship with nature.

Your design must draw on biomimicry—learning from and applying strategies found in the natural world as a way to achieve both sustainability and a sense of belonging. Think about how your space can bring people together, nurture wellbeing, and reduce environmental impact, while taking inspiration from how living systems solve problems.

Site specific information such as location, size, etc are linked below.

VIEW SITE-SPECIFIC INFO HERE

"Historically, we have designed buildings and structures to resist nature - to keep it out. We don't consider how we blend, how we embrace and coexist. We’re the only species that does this. We need to look at building in a new way, not look at it in an old way with new materials or processes.

There is no such thing as waste in nature - no such this as unemployment. Everything has a job."

Q.How can we redesign spaces for personal connection that also connect us with nature, letting nature in, not out. How do we harness and utilise nature's ability to communicate and cocoon, giving it a job....?

CHALLENGE-SPECIFIC STATEMENT

Students need spaces to play, relax, and connect. In tropical weather, these must stay safe, fun, and usable year-round. These spaces connect people -could they also connect us with nature?

Your challenge: to design outdoor or indoor spaces that invite play, movement, and peer connection while being inclusive for all ages and abilities.

YOUR DESIGN SHOULD

Encourage imaginative, active, and social play.
Provide shaded, safe, and inclusive environments.
Integrate natural elements (rocks, trees, water) to spark curiosity.
Support biodiversity by attracting birds, insects, or plants
Adapt for different group sizes and types of play.
Use eco-friendly, durable materials.

"How do we design sustainable spaces for us to connect with one another as well as nature?"

POSSIBLE RESEARCH STARTING POINTS

AskNature:Spider webs (flexible but strong), forest ecosystems (diversity of play niches), ant colonies (connection networks).
Inspiration: coral reefs (multi-level play), beaver dams (interactive environments).

UN SDG LINKS: [3] Good Health & Well-Being + [11] Sustainable Cities & Communities