A Kemang Revival: The Self Care Community Centre by Space Available

11 tons of locally-recycled plastic waste have been reimagined into a striking building that sprawls along the Kemang Raya street front. This is the Self Care Community Centre by Space Available Jakarta, a design store that goes beyond the traditional retail destination, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the unique spaces, showcases and experiences found within.

The Self Care Community Centre (SCCC) is impossible to miss. Its façade, an angular block of blue and white panels, stands more like a giant art installation juxtaposed against Jakarta's tree-lined concrete streets and high-rise skyline.

The building is perhaps the perfect calling card for Space Available, a contemporary design studio globally recognised for their avant-garde approach to circular design, crafting unique products like turntables fashioned out of recycled CDs, sofas made from mycelium (fungi) to upcycled cotton clothing.

Whilst the SCCC puts these products on display, the centre transcends the regular retail space: it is comprised of a gallery, recycling and upcycling labs, reading and listening library, meditation room and medicinal restaurant-bar. "This project is about redefining what a physical space can offer in today’s world,” says Space Available founder, Dan Mitchell. “The SCCC isn’t just about selling products; it’s about creating an ecosystem of cultural wellbeing in service of community."

Designed by Mitchell, together with architects, Andika Wahyu, Sidarta and Sandaja, SCCC was designed to quite literally make 'space available' for people to engage and connect, with an array of workshops, community events and creative programs unfolding inside from meditation sessions to rolling art exhibitions or learning more about circular design. Working with Chef Andika Baintara of A3000 (Oyster Dealer, Zero Inn), Self Care Community Centre's food and beverage services will also be a central offering, serving mindful coffee and tea experiences to medicinal mushrooms and more.

A key part of SCCC's mission is also to be part of Kemang's revival, to attract creative and community-minded residents back to these leafy neighbourhood streets, once the beating heart of South Jakarta.

Open daily from 7am to 10pm.

Jl. Kemang Raya No. 8B–9, Jakarta Selatan
@space_available_jakarta
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