Master's Thesis AR · Winter Semester 2022/23 · Ginnya Pryscilla / Prayudi Sudiarto

Papela was a hamlet until it became an independent village in 2016. Since then, the village has received financial support from the local government to gradually improve its infrastructure. Key priorities have included upgrading housing conditions, expanding access to clean water and healthcare facilities, and improving road infrastructure to ensure better accessibility, particularly in emergency situations.

The village consists of the four sub-villages of Tanjung Pasir, Tasisu, Anlaso, and Manulalulean. Around 2,200 people live in Papela, approximately 83% of whom depend on fishing as their primary source of income. The remaining population is mainly engaged in agriculture and livestock farming, although the dry and infertile soils provide only limited conditions for agricultural production. Educational attainment remained low for many years. Until 2005, many fishermen left school after completing primary education and entered the fishing industry directly. Since 2010, educational levels have gradually improved. The majority of the population is Muslim, while a Protestant minority also lives in the village. Although Papela has no clinic or hospital, each sub-village operates an informal health centre focusing primarily on maternal and child healthcare.

In response to these local challenges, the thesis examined examples of other fishing communities that have successfully established more sustainable development pathways. The study demonstrated that non-governmental organisations can play an important role by promoting sustainable fishing practices, providing training opportunities, and supporting alternative sources of income. It also highlighted the importance of involving local community leaders in disseminating knowledge and encouraging community participation.

The thesis identified three key fields of action for Papela's future development: education, gender equality, and alternative livelihoods. While formal education often plays a limited role in fishing communities, informal learning offers significant potential. At the same time, creating additional income opportunities for women can contribute substantially to improving household resilience. As fishing provides an inherently unstable source of income, alternative livelihood opportunities become increasingly important.

Against this background, the thesis developed an architectural concept for a network of community spaces. These spaces function as places for informal learning, skills development, and social interaction while also providing marketplaces for small-scale businesses and shared working environments. Observations, interviews, documentation of everyday life, and focus group discussions with fishermen and their families informed the design process and ensured that the proposed interventions responded to local needs.

Building on these findings, the thesis developed an architectural strategy for a network of community spaces that combines informal learning, capacity building, and social interaction. The programme includes learning environments, workspaces, recreational areas, sports facilities, and small-scale reforestation initiatives. Based on simple, locally adaptable construction methods and resource-efficient building principles, the design responds to the climatic conditions and locally available materials of the region.