Turrbal and Jagera People
Queensland
Brisbane
The Baxter Street Community Pantry is a practice-operated mutual aid project, located in our office courtyard. In the current social and economic climate, anyone listening to their community would know that people are struggling. Our community is not exempt. Located in Fortitude Valley, we have seen the impact of the housing crisis on our local community. The pantry is a small gesture of care.
In its 4 months of operation, the pantry has supplied the local community with over 350kg of food and hygiene products. Designed using mostly recycled materials, and constructed by Deicke Richards staff, the small project has a large impact. Its architectural language is simple and pragmatic; it keeps our supplies cool and dry over summer, and, as the front door to our office, sends a welcoming message to our community and reflects our values as a practice.
Baxter Community Pantry is a shining example of grassroots generosity, providing 24/7 access to essential food and supplies for those in need. This initiative fosters a genuine spirit of community support and kindness above and beyond that of a typical architecture practice. With a small graphic installation, it provides fresh produce, pantry staples, toiletries, and even pet food. The pantry operates on a simple yet powerful principle: 鈥淭ake what you need, leave what you can鈥�. Through its unwavering commitment to helping others, Baxter Community Pantry strengthens local connections and embodies the true essence of social impact. A truly commendable effort that we hope leads by example to the profession and asks us all,鈥淎re we doing enough for the communities we live and practice in?鈥�
Deicke Richards has always been a practice with a strong focus on social impact- it鈥檚 in our DNA. The community pantry has benefitted the way we work by connecting us directly to our local community in a time of great need in the world. The pantry tangibly demonstrates to our team the importance of caring and sharing. It also exemplifies architecture that is not only focused on built form or advocacy, but about direct action. Since its inception the pantry has consistently been emptied and refilled quickly, demonstrating the generosity of our office community and the need that it addresses.