At IDEA Design Hub, we believe art is a powerful catalyst for positive change. Our mission is to make art education accessible and inspiring, empowering communities across London. We envision a future where every child develops their creativity while helping to build vibrant, inclusive spaces: an ambition that drives all our community projects.
Our projects go beyond creative activities; they transform local environments and uplift the people within them. By involving children in the design and making process, we nurture ownership, confidence, and pride. As they contribute to real projects, they gain valuable skills, build connections, and grow into active, engaged members of their community.
We also believe that success in art education should benefit everyone. Our affordable, high-quality classes help fund local initiatives: from supporting schools to enhancing public spaces and creating a sustainable cycle where creativity fuels social impact.
TOGETHER, WE CAN TURN ART INTO
A POWERFUL FORCE FOR COMMUNITY TRANSFORMATION.
ECO-FRIENDLY
SENSORY GARDEN
ECO-FRIENDLY
SENSORY GARDEN
Greenside Primary School, Hammersmith and Fulham, London, UK
Co-creating an Inclusive Sensory Garden is a collaborative project aimed at establishing a welcoming, sensory-rich community space that promotes inclusion and connection. Partnering with local schools and neurodiverse groups, we aim to design a garden that caters to diverse needs while encouraging collaboration and hands-on involvement.
The garden will feature sensory elements such as textured pathways, fragrant and pollinator-friendly plants, calming water features, and interactive installations. These features will create a therapeutic environment that promotes relaxation, creativity, and well-being while also supporting biodiversity and sustainability. By incorporating eco-friendly practices like upcycled materials, rainwater harvesting, and composting systems, the project also highlights environmental stewardship.
Key activities include collaborative workshops on garden design, community planting days, and educational sessions about the role of sensory spaces and sustainable gardening. These activities provide hands-on learning opportunities for participants, especially neurodiverse individuals, while fostering awareness of inclusivity and shared ownership of the space.
By engaging neurodiverse groups, students, and community members in co-creation, this project will not only provide a space for sensory enrichment but also serve as a model for inclusive and environmentally sustainable community spaces.
CHILDREN'S VOICES ON HS2
CHILDREN'S VOICES ON HS2
Old Oak Primary School
Hammersmith and Fulham, London, UK
Participation workshop co-organised with Old Oak Primary School, UK, and the Academy of Architecture, Amsterdam University of the Arts.
On 25–26 March 2024, IDEA Design Hub CIC organised an impactful community initiative titled “Gathering Children’s Voices in Study Areas Affected by HS2 Construction.” The project engaged local children to better understand their perspectives and concerns about how the HS2 construction was affecting their learning environments.
Through a series of interactive workshops and discussions, children were given a platform to share their experiences, ideas, and suggestions. The initiative aimed to ensure that young voices were heard and considered in ongoing developments, fostering a sense of inclusion while advocating for their educational needs during this period of change.
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE LIBRARY
BUILDING A SUSTAINABLE
FUTURE LIBRARY
Sheperd's Bush Library,
Sheperd's Bush, London, UK
In the summer of 2023, IDEA Design Hub CIC organised a special event at Shepherd’s Bush Library titled “Building a Sustainable Future Library.” This initiative featured a workshop designed for children aged 5–12, alongside an engaging exhibition titled “Our Future Sustainable Library.”
The workshop aimed to inspire young minds to think creatively about sustainability and the future of their library. Through fun and interactive activities, such as upcycling materials to build a library bench, children explored concepts of environmental stewardship and resource efficiency.
The accompanying exhibition showcased innovative ideas and projects focused on creating a sustainable library, encouraging both children and their families to envision a greener, more resilient community space. This event highlighted IDEA Design Hub CIC’s commitment to involving young people in meaningful conversations about sustainability and community development.
YOUTH OUTREACH
YOUTH OUTREACH
Hong Kong
Operated by Youth Outreach, Hangout is a 24-hour drop-in centre that offers teenagers a dynamic platform known as the “Youth Culture Base”, a unique and innovative cultural space. Through training activities such as skateboarding, e-sports, and street dance, the centre supports young people in building confidence, developing skills, and finding positive outlets for self-expression. Importantly, it also plays a preventative role by engaging high-risk youth and steering them away from negative pathways.
In 2014, Hangout’s on-site skateboarding coach, Cheung Hang Tat (Tat Tat), proposed forming a youth skateboarding team. To support this vision and improve the skatepark’s facilities and environment, Youth Outreach partnered with IDEA and Swire
Properties’ Community Ambassador programme to launch the “YO BRO! SKATE4GOOD” initiative. The programme brought together 30 young skateboarders and volunteers to renovate and transform the skatepark into a vibrant new hangout space.
The participants took great pride in their contributions, gaining a strong sense of ownership and achievement through the project.
MORSE PARK
MORSE PARK
In Hong Kong, older adults are often perceived primarily as care recipients. However, when provided with meaningful opportunities, they can play a valuable role in shaping their communities. This was demonstrated through a co-design project at Morse Park in 2017, which brought together 18 senior citizens and a team of designers to collaboratively develop public furniture suited to both children and older users.
Hong Kong
Through a series of participatory workshops, the group generated design ideas that responded to the needs of different age groups. The resulting furniture, characterised by its streamlined, aerodynamic form, was not only visually appealing but also designed to encourage interaction and usability.
Led by designers Robert Wong, Rosalia Leung, Chiling Cho, and Gwyneth Chan, the project highlights the potential of inclusive design processes to engage older adults as active contributors, fostering intergenerational connection and enhancing the quality of public spaces.