A--D -- Ruang2Gather: Tamparuli - A co-design initiative

Ruang2Gather: Tamparuli - A co-design initiative

Tamparuli, Sabah, Malaysia

image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Location: Tamparuli, Sabah, Malaysia

Category: education

Phase: design development

A small local library in Tamparuli, Sabah, East Malaysia is en route to becoming a symbol of what’s possible when communities and shared expertise come together for a well-designed learning space.

Through Ruang2Gather, we are turning this ruang (Malay word for ’space’) into an inclusive, vibrant community hub that reflect the local identity, accessible for all.

Ruang2Gather is starting small with hardwork, scaling up with heartwork.

Project leader: Syaza Suraini

What is still needed to proceed?

Finance: Still 100% of € 2,400

Skills

Stuff

Hands

Support

The project

Updates (6)

What’s needed?

Introduction

In Tamparuli, Sabah, the local library held untapped potential. With limited access to well-designed public learning spaces, locals have to travel one-way for about 1 hour to the state library located at the city centre.

The children, librarians, and parents of this semi-rural town voiced a shared dream: to have a space that is not only accessible, but also reflected who they were and how they learned for who they want to become.

What followed was a participatory process involving 20 community members. Students co-created visuals, librarians opened their space for co-design workshops, and parents pledged time and care.

Supported by the State Library Department and guided by a learning environments designer, the team moved through four phases—from onboarding to listening and imagining to prototyping and now implementing.

With only RM1,300 in hand for realisation, we are at the final mile of turning this space into a beacon of collective agency.

Ruang2Gather: Tamparuli isn’t just about one library—it is aspired to be a replicable model for rural transformation, one rooted in collaboration, commitment, care, and cultural relevance.

Tamparuli Simplified Map

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Impact

From the early phases, Ruang2Gather: Tamparuli is already generating effects. Youth participation has grown, with students contributing ideas and stories for the space. The co-design workshop was hosted in the small library even without LCD screens, making use of makeshift projection screen from white cloths hung between two shelves, showing what’s possible without necessarily needing lavish upgrades. Parent volunteers are more involved than ever, ready to not only make use of the space once it is completed, but voicing out their willingness to be part of the revamp.

The project builds long - term community capacity through:

Spatial literacy – empowering youth and librarians to shape their environment.

Ownership & pride – fostering a sense of belonging and care for public space.

Local replication – inspiring nearby towns to adopt the model through peer sharing.

We aim to scale Ruang2Gather as a design process—not a mere product.

With the State Library’s support, we see potential for other rural districts across Sabah to adopt similar participatory transformations, reducing dependency on large - scale architectural interventions and enabling more equitable access to quality learning environments.

Core team

Ruang2Gather: Tamparuli is led by a collaborative team that brings design expertise, grassroots connection, and community care to the table.

Syaza Suraini – A learning environment designer and researcher focused on equitable access to well - designed learning spaces. Syaza is the founder of Malaysian Learning Spaces (MYLES), a volunteer - led community driven initiative to improve learning spaces in Malaysia.

Laila Razip - Laila initiates and oversees the planning and implementation of Ruang2Gather projects, particularly the one in Tamparuli. Laila is a dedicated mother of two who believes in the need for an exciting and engaging learning environment for her children.

Syaza Sauli - Syaza advocates for a learning environment that is rooted in play - based and nature connectedness.

Dr. Fadzila Aziz - Senior lecturer at Universiti Sains Malaysia focusing on outdoor and children’s learning environments.

Aisyah Ajib - An architect and educator bringing her combined industry and education experience.

Shawn Stanly - Award - winning educator bringing passion for student learning.

Tamparuli Librarians – Custodians of the space and key liaisons for community trust.

Parent Volunteers & Students – Helped shape the design, created visual content, and voiced needs for inclusive learning zones.

So far, we have also secured support and interest from an individual sponsor, Nur Adilla Abd Rahim, the Sabah State Library Department and informal partners such as designers, architects and engineers offering knowledge.

The Ruang2Gather Tamparuli Team

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Image gallery

The three communities involved in improving learning spaces image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Makeshift projection screen between two bookshelves. image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

The discussion room behind the circulation counter is hidden next to the piles of book stocks. image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Participants indicated the chipping paints need to be fixed. image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Air-conditioning unit exposed wiring and patchy window panel. image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Broken ceilings and overall dull interior of the library.

image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Technical drawings

Overview of the zonings proposed for the new library circulation. image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Public Zone - Mini Seminar

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Ideas for the Kids’ Zone

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Semi-public zone

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Private zone

image: Syaza Suraini | © all rights reserved

Help bring our project to life!

Finance: Still 100% of € 2,400 Support

Skills: PR & Marketing Achieved

Skills: Financial advice Support

Skills: Design Support

Stuff: Materials Support

Stuff: Equipment & tools Support

Hands Achieved

4 June 2025

Welcoming Adila Syaherah Onboard: Sparking Youth-Driven Design in Tamparuli

We’re thrilled to onboard Adila Syaherah, an experienced interior designer and educator based in Sabah, to the Ruang2Gather Tamparuli project. In our recent session (see screenshot), we explored how her dual role in the design industry and academia can help strengthen local ownership of the project.

Adila will be leading a series of design workshops, starting with students from a nearby school. The aim? To not only refine and develop the design ideas for the library, but to nurture young design talent within the community — planting seeds for long-term, locally-driven impact.

29 May 2025

Goal reached: Skills - PR & Marketing

Nurilly Rania is coming in to provide support in social media content creation and reaching out to potential sponsors. We will be discussing strategies to further collaborate and expand our reach about the project.

29 May 2025

New supporter: Nurilly Rania binti Jusly

Nurilly Rania is a Sabah-based educator passionate in access to quality education especially in underserved areas. "During my time as a practicum teacher in a rural school in Tawau, I have successfully secured RM3,000 funding from FELDA Foundation to restore their dilapidated language lab. Moreover, I also have experiences as the Sponsorship Coordinator where I coordinated a fundraising event for a volunteer program in providing English Classes with the stateless youths in Kampung Teluk Layang."

28 May 2025

Another € 0 raised

Adila Syaherah is coming in to provide youth mentorship as a Sabah-based interior designer and lecturer at Sabah Institute of Arts. We are currently discussing ways to further collaborate and bridge between students from the institute as well as the school children.

28 May 2025

Goal reached: hands

28 May 2025

New supporter: Adila Syaherah

Adila Syaherah — an architectural educator and interior designer currently based in Sabah.

"I’m truly inspired by this initiative and would love to support the “Hand” category as an experienced designer. I’m particularly passionate about mentoring youth and guiding community-based implementation, especially in underserved areas. I believe in empowering local talent through design education and practical engagement."

Help bring our project to life!

Finance: Still 100% of € 2,400 Support

Skills: PR & Marketing Achieved

Skills: Financial advice Support

Skills: Design Support

Stuff: Materials Support

Stuff: Equipment & tools Support

Hands Achieved

Where are we now: We’ve completed Phases 1–3, including participant onboarding, co-design workshops, and presentation of the conceptual design.

For Phase 4, the visual concept has been presented to the librarians with the presence of a representative from the Sabah State Library HQ. They are eager to implement this idea as soon as they can.

We currently have RM3,000 in funding from an individual sponsor, and a committed team, led by Syaza Suraini (Learning Environments Designer), and Laila Razip (Community Engagement Manager).

We’ve identified three nearby schools ready to volunteer students. We need additional money/in-kind fund, local design & build mentors to guide the community in the implementation phase.

An indication of our team’s capacity:

25% funding already raised

70% expertise already found

10% materials / equipment already found

40% builders already found

Finance: € 2,400

A similar community co-design project to turn underutilised classrooms into a learning hub in Perak was completed with RM20,000 funding for the community secured by the lead teacher, Shawn Stanly. Tamparuli’s estimated cost is slightly lower (RM12,000 or €2400) due to stronger community involvement and existing furniture available.

We aim to grow our current RM1,300 (€260) incentive into RM5,000 (€1000), provided the library leads a successful local crowdfunding campaign to fund the rest of the project. With matching support, this project can be fully realised by the community, for the community, ensuring that it remains sustainable, replicable, and not reliant on external funding alone.

Mini seminar setup 500

Individual study booths 300

Paint and wallpaper 300

Tools and Materials for Minor Repairs 160

Signage and wayfinding 80

Relocation works of interior spaces 260

Project Coordination and logistics

200 Custom cabinetry for Kids’ Section

600 Skills: PR & Marketing, Financial advice, Design

Design

While we have the initial design ready, we are looking for local builders or tukang, and experienced design mentors—especially from or in Sabah—who can guide youth volunteers in bringing the new library design to life.

PR & Marketing

We also welcome partners who can contribute in-kind materials, equipment, or logistical support (e.g. transport, carpentry tools). Hence, PR & marketing guidance would be vital to amplify community-led crowdfunding. Potential partners will help cultivate a culture of co-ownership and skill-building—offering not just a physical upgrade, but a long-lasting model of community-driven placemaking that can be scaled across rural libraries in Malaysia.

Stuff: Materials, Equipment & tools

Paint supplies (rollers, brushes, scrapers) – For repainting and wall touch-ups and mural drawings by students.

Vinyl flooring and adhesives – To refresh worn floor areas affordably.

Projector or large screen monitor – For mini-seminars and digital programming.

Writable surface panels or paint – To enable interactive learning areas.

Supply partners will be acknowledged in promotional materials, and the project can serve as a model showroom for their products in educational environments.

Hands

We have local youth (students from 3 schools nearby) to participate in painting, basic carpentry, and setup.

We are looking for:

Experienced designers or builders (preferably based in Sabah) – To mentor the youth and guide the implementation safely and skillfully.

This initiative empowers youth with hands-on experience in community-building, while strengthening intergenerational collaboration. It promotes practical learning and pride in transforming their local library.

Students were part of the projects from the get go.

image: Laila Razip | © all rights reserved

Help bring our project to life!

Finance: Still 100% of € 2,400 Support

Skills: PR & Marketing Achieved

Skills: Financial advice Support

Skills: Design Support

Stuff: Materials Support

Stuff: Equipment & tools Support

Hands Achieved

Supporters

Location