FORTH RESEARCH + DESIGN
FORTH is a Research and Design Workshop that explores and expresses the stories of communities.
About FORTH
FORTH is a research and design workshop that explores the stories of communities - any community - be it a federation representing professional and cultural interests, a multigenerational clan, a collection of like-minded individuals, or simply a communal space.
Everyone has a story to tell and each plays a crucial part in shaping the greater narrative. We understand this interaction and our work is founded on this consciousness, rethinking the modes and attitudes of engaging our environment and fellow humans.
Our expertise lies in interweaving a fervent and well researched script with an eloquent and thought-provoking design, so that both become sensorially inseparable.
FORTH seeks to bring positive change to society and social perceptions.
One project at a time.
Principles
Not-for-Profit
Our founding philosophy is not-for-profit. We know how difficult it is for communities to fund their dreams. Embarking on the journey of telling your community’s story shouldn’t be something with an unreasonable price tag. Like you, we believe in the community spirit, and the desire to showcase the wondrously disparate stories that make up your community.
So how does it work? We pay fair fees and salaries for our project team and required specialists, and the costs of operations – that’s about it. FORTH does not levy profits, mark-up or receive commission from suppliers, builders or contractors.
We believe in the community’s dreams, and that’s why we are doing it.
Community Oriented
From heritage galleries to resource centres, civic spaces to residences, we approach each site and project as unique realms that must interact privately, publicly, sometimes provocatively, and always positively with the desired communities and their neighbours.
Research Driven
FORTH is research driven and the Scientific Method is our modus operandi. Every project starts at the library or archives, with copious amount of fact finding, reading and interviews with other specialists. Research is both inspiration and source of our idea-generation and storytelling.
Solution Seeking
There's a solution for every scenario. We specialise in generating ideas that accommodate the multitude of variables, continuously seeking the perfect fit. Nothing thrills us more than learning and working with new and existing communities, and creating something neither party could have accomplished on their own.
Fun & Meaningful
A pre-requisite for all our work - every project must be engaging for all our stakeholders, otherwise there is little point in embarking on the journey. Our projects are experiential & exploratory sojourns for both our patrons and ourselves.
Services
The FORTH Project Team is adaptive and collaborative. Because each project is original and different from another, we work closely with specialised collaborators engaged for their specific scope AND duration of work. This ensures that a realistic fee, and the project stays resource-efficient. In other words, you get the right advice and performance at the right stages; and you pocket the savings from their limited but dedicated time.
FORTH provides the following core services:
Architectural Design / Curatorial & Gallery Development / Education & Programme Development / Graphics & Illustration / Project Management / Research & Content Scripting
FORTH also provides consultancy through close collaboration with specialist partners:
ArchitecturalConservation / Artifacts Conservation & Management