LOLALIK: 監倉變社區中心｜A prison is a community centre
閒置監倉 變成難民的第二個家
數天前，大館獲得聯合國教科文組織亞太區文化遺產保護獎之中，最高級別的卓越獎項，是繼灣仔藍屋在兩年前得獎後，第二個香港歷史建築項目獲得聯合國的認同。大館花了十年時間作活化工程，把前中區警署、中央裁判司署及域多利監獄翻新成藝術館，過程中極力保留建築的原真性，而且在開幕後舉辦不少藝術表演及展覽，當中包括國際級的展覽，以及與社區生活相關的活動，成為各界人士也喜愛的文化地標。
歷史建築活化項目在開幕之後，保育重點就放在展覽與活動上，能夠成為深受市民喜愛的休閒場所，增加社區參與性，才能發揮活化建築的用途。在荷蘭，當地也有不少活化項目變成藝術場所和社區中心，和大館一樣前身也是監獄，現在就變成難民社區中心。
荷蘭曾是全球犯罪率最高的國家之一，然而近十年當地罪案率下降，囚犯數量逐漸減少，不少監獄也陸續關閉，單是2014年在首都阿姆斯特丹便有19座監獄正式關閉。荷蘭政府為免在監獄工作的員工失業，於2015年與挪威政府簽訂合約，將1,000名挪威囚犯送到荷蘭囚禁。
可是，因監獄關閉而導致失業率大幅上升的問題仍未解決，所以荷蘭政府與不少機構也積極尋求轉型方案。鑑於當時荷蘭正面對難民潮的問題，政府在2016年將一個位於阿姆斯特丹的監獄（Bijlmerbajes prison），轉交給善於活化閒置空間的非牟利組織「LOLA」營運，並與鄰近的難民庇護中心合作，把監獄活化成社區中心，為難民提供技能培訓課程，協助他們融入社區。
活化後的監獄命名為LOLALIK，佔地約9萬平方呎，除了提供語言及工作技能課程外，還有不少資源及空間供難民創作，並鼓勵他們自行籌辦活動，部分活動更開放給公眾參與，促進難民與當地人之間的交流，成功將一座監獄，活化成一個促進社區交流的文創中心。
A Prison is a Living Creative Hub For Refugees and Locals
Tai Kwun has won the Award of Excellence of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation this year. This is another project receiving this top honour after the Blue House Cluster. Spanning over ten years, Tai Kwun has revitalised the former Central Police Station Compound, including Central Police Station, Central Magistracy and the Victoria Prison into a unique cultural destination. UNESCO has highlighted the excellence of Tai Kwun in keeping the authenticity and organising remarkable events to reconnect with locals.
LOLALIK in Netherland, with a similar context, has transformed the former abandoned prison into a community space for refugees, helping them to blend in with society.
In the past decades, the crime rate and number of prisoners continued to fall in Netherland. Since 2014, there were over 19 prisons closed down in Amsterdam alone. In response to this, the government tried to reduce the unemployment rate of prison-related job by signing an agreement with Norway government to transfer a thousand Norway prisoners to Netherland. However, the rapid increase in the unemployment rate was still pressing.
The government had to turn to NGOs for alternative solutions. It was 2016 when Netherland was also facing the refugee crisis, the former Bijlmerbajes prison in Amsterdam was turned into a temporary refugee living facility called LOLALIK. It is located and linked next to a refugee centre. It provides a platform for skill-training, network-building and job opportunities, to encourage the refugees making this place their new homes. LOLALIK aims to transform both in-and-outside of the building by repainting most of the walls. Most of the space is open to the public, where locals and refugees are welcome to enjoy and recreate community bonding.
Photo: LOLALIK
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