Oase

Supervisors get the necessary tools in the spaces to make their clients laugh, to stimulate senses, to challenge them or to bring them to rest. In this design, the focus lays on the aesthetic and the specific needs of the client, and accessibility takes on a new dimension. A cosy atmosphere and a beautiful perception are at least as important for people with physical or mental disabilities as for people without disabilities. Within the Oase there are three zones: the experi- ence oase, the play oase and the silent oase. In the experience oase clients are working with physical and digital play tools. The play oase provides a real music stage for the clients with decor, music and other attributes. The silent oase has to bring clients their rest with four intimate cocoons that each have a different colour and atmosphere. Social sustainability is the most important angle. In the GielsBos people with disabilities live in compounds. The GielsBos and a lot of supervisors let them build their own lives: sometimes autono- mous, honourable, inclusive, open and participatory. Oase endorses this vision completely and has been created because of the expertise of Baileul Ontwer- pbureau in ‘experience design’ by combining the experience of a multidisciplinary team of activity supervisors, the general director, a technical and organisational representative. Focus was on expe- riences with clients. It became a very warm, intense collaboration with many dialogues, experiments and perception studies, which resulted in a widely supported design.

In a later stage a contractor and a multimedia specialist joined the team. During the realisation stage, they took care of all the materials, construc- tions, control systems and multimedia were imple- mented firmly, hygienically and aesthetically. The oases are considered as a service for the internal or external clients and family or supervisors can book these spaces. The working methods and re- alisations are innovative to the sector. An important part of this project has been paid by fundraising. The negotiations with all the parties were important to reach an agreement and to have a supported design in the end.