2 Finding the
coffeeshop
to begin
COFFEESHOP AS SHARED COMMONS
Every coffeeshop is different. Good coffeeshops for community building usually have vital stakeholders who sustain neighbourly relations. This could be a hawker who provides affordable food or a runner who pulls out the chair for an elder with walking aid.
LEARNING FROM COMMUNITIES
Student volunteers learn to observe the small environmental traits that make a coffeeshop a conducive place for gathering and building communities.
COMMUNITY BUILDING BEYOND WALLS
Coffeeshop communities are transboundary while many social services are limited by service boundaries of their precincts. It is not unusual to meet seniors who travel extensively to their childhood coffeeshops on a weekly basis even after they have moved to other neighbourhoods.
Many seniors continue to travel extensively to frequent their favourite coffeeshops in neighbourhoods where they grew up even after they have moved to other precincts. Many factors explain why a coffeeshop remains a critical public commons.Windy and well-ventilated public spaces provide respite for residents who may be living in small, crammed flats.Runners as caregivers support seniors with walking aids.
The draw of good local cuisines cannot be understated in the food-loving culture of Singapore.Social interaction gathers residents over shared food and entertainment.
Illustrations by Erin Nashira
Site study of a coffeeshop in Ang Mo Kio
The coffeeshop offers a well-ventilated space that acts as a second living room for many residents, especially those who live in smaller apartments. Runners sometimes play the role of caregivers supporting seniors with walking aids so they feel comfortable to sit in the coffeeshop all day. Good food and social interaction are also key factors to the convivial public commons.