FABRICA

by Maria Bahrim

Fabrica is an educational facility for teenagers, located in Margate. It includes two institutions, one is the Fabrica Learning Lab and the other is the Community Youth Centre. The Learning Lab encompasses a school of textile design and production which offers a 12-month learning programme, where students can learn by using machine rooms, studios, and other work spaces. The youth centre provides local teenagers with a library, basketball court and workshop spaces. The bold design of the façade is an expression of the students’ desire to be considered in the local political discourse as the local funds have been directed towards the construction or rehabilitation of touristic areas such as the seafront and the Old Town. The needs of younger local people have been neglected, leading the only college in town being ranked among the worst in the country.