MVRDV has partnered with KLABU, a social enterprise based in Amsterdam, to design a modular, multi-functional clubhouse aimed at supporting refugees. This collaboration, which began in 2022, is founded on the belief that sports can play a pivotal role in helping individuals rebuild their lives, fostering joy, pride, and hope. KLABU's initiative involves constructing clubhouses within refugee camps, settlements, and urban areas, where they serve as community hubs offering access to sports equipment, activities, and connectivity through Wi-Fi and TV broadcasts.
Currently in its third iteration, the clubhouse design is soon to be installed at the Azraq refugee camp in Jordan, which accommodates around 41,000 Syrian refugees. This follows the successful deployment of previous clubhouses in locations such as the Waraotuma shelter in Boa Vista, Brazil, supporting Venezuelan indigenous people, and the M'bera refugee camp in Mauritania, which shelters 100,000 Malian refugees. Each design phase incorporates feedback from KLABU, the fabrication entity TCHAI, and the managers of the clubhouses to ensure that the final product meets the needs of its users. The use of a modified ISO dry shipping container as the structure's foundation offers significant advantages in terms of durability, security, and ease of transportation.
The modular clubhouse serves as a scalable model that can be replicated across various locations, addressing the needs of a global population of over 120 million forcibly displaced individuals. The stand-alone structure not only provides quick access to sports activities but also fosters social interaction and connection within these communities. The clubhouse is visually striking, clad in a vibrant orange exterior, contrasting with the sky-blue interior that accommodates compact, adaptable installations. The "open side" design enhances accessibility and visibility, featuring large windows, a canopy for shade, and a television screen, further extending its use to various community events and activities.
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Empowering Children Through Public Spaces in Lebanon: In Conversation with CatalyticActionOn the roof, solar panels provide renewable energy for multiple electric charging points and wireless internet connectivity. The shipping container's robustness is essential for withstanding the diverse climates encountered in refugee camps, ensuring the structure's longevity and effectiveness regardless of location. Emphasizing simplicity and versatility, MVRDV has created a clubhouse that can be easily assembled, disassembled, and transported, thereby enhancing its adaptability to different refugee situations.
Sometimes the most powerful design comes from the simplest concept. Taking a shipping container, ordinarily the most mundane, everyday object, and transforming it into a bright, multi-functional clubhouse providing sports opportunities for refugees has been a deeply rewarding challenge. For all of us at MVRDV, to have played a part in enhancing the meaningful impact KLABU has on vulnerable communities is humbling. We will continue to work with KLABU on new iterations of the clubhouse to help support the needs of refugees. - Gideon Maasland, director at MVRDV
KLABU envisions expanding this model to over 50 locations within the next decade, establishing a global network of vibrant spaces where refugees can connect and thrive. With seven clubhouses already operational and more than 36,000 members engaged in activities, the project's growth is fueled by generous contributions from partners, including MVRDV, who support KLABU's mission voluntarily. This underscored a larger trend of architects working towards social equity, through participatory processes, designing low-tech solutions for disadvantaged communities, or organizing to help those affected by disasters.
