Changing perspectives: alternative border realities
Publicerad
Författare
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
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Sammanfattning
Till’s (2009) statement “Architecture is political. Full Stop.”
(p.124), lays down the theoretical groundwork for this thesis.
Challenging the proclaimed political inability of architectural
practice, this work takes a strong political positioning against
the current deterrent migration politics of the European Union
(hereinafter EU) and the agency of architecture within.
This thesis explores a design approach which enables a
speculative visualisation of the discussed social political
spectrum of alternative EU external land border realities. It
opposes the spatial dimensions of the current border reality, to
these defined alternatives with a focus on migration perspectives.
The right to asylum is protected by international and European
legislation. Nevertheless, border countries’ national sovereignty
is instrumentalized against migrants and their rights to
prevent them from reaching the EU’s territory. This manifests
in inhumane fortifications along the border lines and even
leads to illegal ‘push backs’. A fortified EU effectively denies
refugees their right to seek asylum which results in irregular
migration with high fatality rates. The current situation violates
the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU and must be
confronted beyond the political discourse. Amongst others,
the legislative opposition, consulting political foundations and
human rights organisations are pushing for a paradigm shift in
EU migration politics. Assorting migration as inevitable, they
develop sustainable strategies for a humane approach. Facing
this societal challenge, architects and urban designers must
finally commit to their social responsibility, being the ones
planning the very spaces which directly or indirectly cause harm
and death for migrants.
This thesis portrays multiple perspectives on migration
politics out of a spatial point of view. The first chapter seeks
to analyse and visually portray the current inhumane border
situation, through detailed mapping of ‘Fortress Europe’ down
to its constructional elements. The second chapter depicts
spatial interpretations of alternative realities, based on varying
perspectives in the internal social political spectrum and
stakeholders with external migration experience. These visions
are developed through graphical transcription of interviews with
relevant people to ensure that the outcome reflects the views of
affected social groups.
By contrasting the reality to its alternatives, this thesis aims
to provoke discussions around the role of the architect in the
challenging of current EU migration politics. Therefore this
work becomes a discursive object in itself.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Political Architecture, Speculative Design, Alternative RealityEuropean Borders, Migration,