A modular system for the sharing and distribution of surplus food and toiletries helps those in need in a historic LA community and cultural hub. Image: EYRC
"The project is a thoughtfully designed modular system for the sharing, display, and distribution of surplus grocery items, but perhaps its greatest strength is that it provides the perfect participatory ‘blank canvas’ or framework for the community to engage, adapt and customize.”
AIA Small Project Awards Jury, American Institute of Architects, Washington, DC
This year’s AIA Small Project entries were delineated by either a maximum square footage or budget. The Community Fridge was one of five winners in the lowest-cost category of “up to $250,000”—an amount still vastly surpassing the structure’s $1,700 construction cost.
In the early months of the pandemic, EYRC’s Design Justice Committee worked with organizers from Los Angeles Community Fridges (LACF) to create a structure that could protect and expand storage for an existing neighborhood fridge located at the heart of LA's Leimert Park, outside Hot and Cool Café on Degnan Boulevard.
Give, and it will be given to you
In prior months, organizers occasionally had to turn down donations due to lack of space. Working closely with LACF organizers, the team devised a structure that would protect goods and appliances from the elements and provide an additional 85 square feet of storage for dry goods and toiletries. The project was an exercise in conceptualizing growth and scalability systems for a grassroots community initiative that would uplift rather than quash its open, DIY ethos.
By fulfilling a genuine and existing need, the project was not only celebrated by residents but actively cared for and maintained.
The new structure debuted in 2021, after an efficient four-week fabrication process, to early acclaim. By fulfilling a genuine and existing need, the project was not only celebrated by residents but actively cared for and maintained. Within days of installation, local artists painted its plywood beams and shelves in vibrant colors, gradually covering the entire structure.
Later that year, the Community Fridge received a San Francisco Design Week Award and an Editors' Pick for the AN Best of Design Awards.
Sharing the design plans
A companion booklet for the Community Fridge with a full list of supplies, material cost breakdown, and three modular sizing options is now available to download from designer EYRC’s site, here. The estimated labor time for the largest option is 60 hours for a team of 3-4.
The Community Fridge storage structure is intended as a public resource, and a major goal shared across collaborators was to create a replicable model across different neighborhoods.
