“The connection to a generous city” An alternative for accommodating newcomers in society
Ties Booisma tiesbooisma@gmail.com
Master Architecture
Academie van Bouwkunst Amsterdam Februari 2025
Committee
Paul Kuipers (mentor)
Lena Knappers
Patrick Roegiers
External Committee
Susana Constantino
Renzo Sgolacchia
“THE PRESENCE OF OTHERS WHO SEE WHAT WE SEE AND HEAR WHAT WE HEAR ASSURES US OF THE REALITY OF THE WORLD AND OURSELVES”
- HANNAH ARENDT -
INTRODUCTION
Asylum applicants must have the opportunity to be full participants in society. Facilitating the right accommodation plays an essential role in this.
The discourse in the Netherlands regarding asylum applicants tends to focus on the problems and negative aspects. While there are great opportunities for the knowledge and qualities of newcomers to flourish. Currently, there is no vision for the accommodation of newcomers. In addition, many problems arise during the asylum procedure due to the manner of accommodating.
With my project, het Statushuis, I offer an alternative for accommodating newcomers in society. The challenge: How can an asylum centre contribute to the possibility of integrating into society, improving the well being of the inhabitants and be an answer to the logistic challenges?
Through embedded research, I was able to properly relate to this assignment and the target group. Conducting interviews and workshops with employees and residents of an asylum centre provided direction for defining the design brief.
Besides that I volunteered at the MS Galaxy (asylum centre) for 3 months and was able to experience up close who lives there, how people live, what the needs are and what motivates them.
With my project, het Statushuis, I offer a utopian alternative for today. Statushuis is a network of proportional accommodations, visible in the city, that besides housing newcomers, is a place for interaction between the residents and the environment. Connecting, both socially and physically, creates collectivity and shapes identity.
Het Statushuis is a livable accommodation that responds to fluctuating asylum requests through a modular system. The corner cast, the connecting vertex, symbolises the essence of the plan. The collective characteristics expressed at both the urban level and in the smallest detail of the plan. The corner cast is reflected in various elements of the building, creating the possibility for the building to breathe and change.
Het Statushuis - ‘the connection to a generous city’
ASSIGNMENT
The current method of accommodating asylum applicants has many problems. The system is broken and a vision on accommodation is missing. As a result, asylum applicants get stuck for long periods in hopeless situations. The residents of asylum centres live in parallel closed worlds where they are in limbo.
The solution is seen in reducing the influx that attempts to solve temporary problems. In my view, it is not the influx that is the cause of the pain, but rather the manner of accommodating.
This is why I want to investigate what residents need during their stay at an asylum centre. Who are the inhabitants and what moves them? Through research, split into analysing the data and humanising the assignment, I want to find out where the challenges and opportunities lie.
The focus of the project is on designing an alternative way of accommodating asylum applicants in the city, particularly Amsterdam. In doing so, I want to sketch a scenario that is both generous and feasible. In other words, it aims for a level of abstraction with a realistic character.
The task I set myself: How can an asylum centre contribute to the possibility of integrating into society, improving the well being of the inhabitants and be an answer to the logistic challenges?
“DE OPVANGCRISIS”
Discourse
Amsterdam and migration
Figures
The discourse goes in all directions and, in my view, consists of a distorted picture of true and false. In newspapers and the news, many reports are devoted to how asylum applicants live in their accommodation. For instance, there are reports about the protests against placing asylum applicants in a neighbourhood or politicians claiming that too many people are wrongly applying for asylum. It is mostly negative and we have a so-called ‘asylum crisis’.
Politics plays a big role in the landscape of asylum. For instance, the government has a duty to grant asylum to people who are entitled to it. And in addition, COA, with government subsidies, organises the accommodation of asylum applicants. These shelters are sober and should not have more quality than social housing. Politics decides how asylum applicants are accommodated and what the standards are for granting asylum. For example, there is a spreading law, which should ensure a better and fairer distribution of the accommodation of asylum applicants across the Netherlands. However, due to xenophobic ideals, there is much aversion to this law.
The current discourse contrasts sharply with how migrants have been dealt with throughout history. Welcoming newcomers into society is of all times. Amsterdam has a rich history of migration. How was this done before? Does the way Amsterdam accommodated 1 million refugee Belgians after WWI give a direction to today’s accommodation problems? Or the way hotels functioned as temporary accommodation and trading houses. Can lessons from the past give direction to the current way of accommodating newcomers?
In contrast to discourse, data provides disinterested insights into asylum policy. Analysing the figures shows, among other things, that there is an increase in the number of asylum applications and the number of people applying for asylum is less than half a percent of the total population of the Netherlands. Over 80% of asylum applications are granted, so they do so with a legitimate reason.
The combination of discourse, history and data show a good picture of the current mode of asylum accommodation. There is not an asylum crisis but a accommodation crisis. The right accommodation is missing and therefore denying opportunities to new migrants.
Discourse
Opvangcrisis
ja,
maar asielcrisis? Er komen juist minder asielzoekers naar ons land
Het kabinet wil deze week de knoop doorhakken: komt er een politiek compromis of wordt er toch een asielcrisis uitgeroepen? Wie naar de huidige cijfers kijkt, ziet dat het lang geleden is dat er zo weinig asielzoekers naar Nederland kwamen.
Keultjes 21 oktober 2024, 03:00
source; Het Parool | 21.10.2024 | Hanneke Keultjes
Sinds vrijdag zit premier Dick Schoof weer om tafel met PVV-leider Geert Wilders en invallend NSC-leider Nicolien van Vroonhoven. De eerste wil – ‘afspraak is afspraak’ – via het staatsnoodrecht de asielcrisis uitroepen, de ander is daar mordicus tegen. Ook in kabinetskringen wordt die omstreden route die het parlement buitenspel zet inmiddels als onbegaanbaar bestempeld. Al was het maar omdat de Eerste Kamer het ongewenst vindt en de verwachting is dat de Raad van State de inzet van het noodrecht afschiet.
Blijf op de hoogte Krijg een melding bij belangrijk nieuws van Het Parool
Intussen schetsen de meest recente asielcijfers niet bepaald het beeld van een acute crisissituatie.
De staat moet per direct de omstandigheden van asielzoekers verbeteren. Het hof wijst
een verzoek om uitstel af
Hoger beroep De staat had verzocht om uitstel van een vonnis van de rechtbank eerder deze maand. Het hof wees dat verzoek af, waardoor de staat per direct werk moet maken van het verbeteren van de situatie in de asielopvang.
MAAK KANS OP EEN WINTER GOODIEBAG
PLAY NOW
source; NRC | 17.10.2022 | Tan Tunali
De Nederlandse staat krijgt geen uitstel om de leefomstandigheden van asielzoekers te verbeteren. Dat heeft het gerechtshof in Den Haag maandag bepaald in een beroepsprocedure die de staat had aangespannen, nadat de rechtbank eerder deze maand had geoordeeld dat de staat en het Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers (COA) niet voldoen aan de Europese eisen voor een menswaardige asielopvang. Een inhoudelijke beoordeling van de procedure volgt in november.
Dat betekent onder meer dat er per direct geen kwetsbare asielzoekers (onder anderen zieken en hoogzwangere vrouwen) in de crisisnoodopvang geplaatst mogen worden en dat vanaf donderdag nog maximaal 55 alleenstaande minderjarige vreemdelingen (amv’ers) in het aanmeldcentrum in Ter Apel mogen verblijven. Op dit moment verblijven daar zo’n driehonderd amv’ers.
‘Belang asielzoekers weegt zwaarder’
Exclusief
Hoe de hardnekkige weerstand van gemeenten tegen het openen van azc’s zich vertaalt in peperdure asielschepen
Het hof stelt dat het belang van de kwetsbare asielzoekers zwaarder weegt dan het belang van de staat. Het hof zal bij de inhoudelijke behandeling van het hoger beroep op 10 november kijken naar de inhoudelijke argumenten van de staat. „Het is geen vergeefse moeite als de staat nu alvast begint met de maatregelen uit te voeren”, aldus het hof. Staatssecretaris Eric van der Burg (Asiel en Migratie, VVD) liet na de aanvankelijke uitspraak van de rechter weten de opdracht niet binnen de gestelde termijnen te kunnen uitvoeren.
Maandag liet Van der Burg (Asiel en Migratie, VVD) via een woordvoerder aan persbureau ANP optekenen „verder [te gaan] met het dag in dag uit keihard werken om de situatie in de asielopvang te verbeteren”.
DE IDEALE START VAN JE DAG
Luister iedere werkdag naar NRC Vandaag. Eén verhaal, elke dag.
LUISTER DE PODCAST
Neem afgelopen maand. In totaal vroegen 4026 mensen asiel aan, zo’n 1000 per week. Dan gaat het om de eerste aanvragen, maar ook om gezinsherenigingen en tweede verzoeken om asiel. Dat lijkt veel, maar het is in werkelijkheid juist heel weinig. De afgelopen vier jaar vroegen er nooit zo weinig mensen asiel in Nederland aan in september. In september 2023 werden 4665 asielaanvragen gedaan, september 2022 waren het er 5374 en in september 2021 stond de teller op 5089, laten cijfers van de Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND) zien.
Nieuwsbrief NRC De Haagse Stemming Volg politiek Den Haag op de voet en word zelf een Haagse ingewijde
gang Etnische Armenen uit de enclave Nagorno-Karabach
Blijf op de hoogte Krijg een melding bij belangrijk nieuws van Het Parool
steken massaal de grens naar Armenië over sinds Azerbeidzjan het gebied eerder deze maand aanviel.
28 SEPTEMBER 2023
Ook blijft het totale aantal asielzoekers achter bij de prognose over 2024, zoals het ministerie dat in april bekendmaakte. Toen werd uitgegaan van een totaal aantal asielaanvragen van net geen 70.000. Tot en met september vroegen 34.711 mensen asiel aan in Nederland. De kans dat er in drie maanden tijd nog 35.000 mensen naar Nederland zouden komen, is nihil.
source; NRC | 29.07.2022 | Martin Kuiper & Romy van der Poel
Dit voorjaar vond de gemeente dat het welletjes was. De
ZAAK NEGREIRA
Onderzoek
Meest gelezen
Eric van der Burg staat de pers te woord op het Binnenhof in Den Haag. Foto Lex van Lieshout/ANP
Hanneke
Asielzoekers uit het volle aanmeldcentrum van het COA in Ter Apel komen aan bij een tijdelijke opvang. Beeld MARCEL J. DE JONG/ANP
NOS Nieuws • Donderdag 10 augustus, 13:08
Slechts kwart van crisisnoodopvang voor asielzoekers wordt permanent
Gemeenten houden nog steeds 5000 slaapplekken in de noodopvang beschikbaar voor asielzoekers, terwijl die opvang eigenlijk de verantwoordelijkheid is van het Rijk. Het is het werk van het COA, het Centraal Orgaan opvang asielzoekers.
Vorig jaar aan het begin van de zomer vroeg het Rijk, in de persoon van staatssecretaris Van der Burg, de gemeenten tijdelijk om hulp bij het regelen van 11.000 extra opvangplekken, nadat honderden migranten bij het aanmeldcentrum in Ter Apel in de openlucht hadden moeten slapen. De 25 burgemeesters van het Veiligheidsberaad spraken toen al snel met Van der Burg af dat die noodplekken alleen bedoeld waren voor korte tijd, omdat ze vaak niet aan de basiseisen voldoen.
Het plan was dat het COA van de gemeenten en zou aanpassen, maar dat blijkt vaak niet mogelijk. De deadline voor de overname werd steeds verschoven. Nu blijkt dat van de 72 noodlocaties die bij gemeenten in beheer waren, er maar 16 geschikt zijn om omgebouwd te worden tot permanente opvanglocatie. Dat is nog geen kwart.
Aantal alleenreizende kinderen in Ter Apel en noodopvang stijgt
Noodlocaties en opvangplekken
Het afgelopen jaar hadden gemeenten na een dringend verzoek van het kabinet op een bepaald moment 72 noodopvanglocaties gerealiseerd.
Een aantal daarvan, meestal congreshallen en sportzalen, is inmiddels gesloten, omdat ze niet geschikt waren voor langere opvang.
Asielopvang Momenteel verblijven 1.884 onbegeleide kinderen in de noodopvang. Unicef noemt de toename zorgelijk en maant de Tweede Kamer om de Spreidingswet in behandeling te nemen.
Zeven locaties zijn, zoals de bedoeling was, overgenomen door het COA en negen locaties zitten nog in het overnameproces. Over drie locaties lopen nog gesprekken.
Casper van der Veen 6 september 2023 Leestijd 1 minuut
De rest van de ongeveer 5000 slaapplekken blijft in beheer van gemeenten, blijkt uit cijfers die de NOS heeft opgevraagd bij het COA. Volgens het COA geeft een aantal gemeenten er de voorkeur aan om de crisisnoodopvang in eigen beheer te houden. Ze vallen nu onder de regeling Tijdelijke Gemeentelijke Opvang (TGO). Een deel daarvan sluit de komende maanden alsnog.
Naast deze 5000 TGO-plekken, zijn er ook nog ruim 1000 plekken in hotels en logeerplekken bij mensen thuis voor statushouders; die opvangplekken vallen ook niet onder de capaciteit van het COA.
Voor een permanente locatie zijn niet alleen goede slaapplekken nodig, maar ook voorzieningen zoals zorg en onderwijs. Omdat er nog steeds meer asielzoekers zijn dan opvangplekken zien gemeenten zich gedwongen om locaties die niet aan de eisen voldoen open te houden. Die willen ze niet sluiten, omdat de asielzoekers dan nergens anders naartoe kunnen.
Groot gebrek aan privacy
De noodplekken in gemeenten zijn in korte tijd opgezet in locaties als gymzalen en congreshallen. Mensen slapen daar in stapelbedden in grote ruimtes, afgescheiden door bijvoorbeeld een dun wandje of gordijn. Keuken en badkamer moeten vaak gedeeld worden met tientallen anderen. Er een groot gebrek aan privacy.
Een minderjarige vluchteling bij het opvangcentrum van het COA in Ter Apel. Foto Eva Plevier/ANP
De kwaliteit van de opvang is op sommige crisisnoodopvanglocaties ver onder de maat, concludeerden de en al. Zo was de veiligheid van kinderen in het geding en bestonden er risico's voor de gezondheid. Voor asielzoekers op de noodlocaties duurt deze situatie inmiddels al een jaar, wat voor velen mentaal zwaar is.
rechter meerdere inspecties
Het aantal alleenreizende kinderen dat in Ter Apel en in de noodopvang verblijft, neemt snel toe. Momenteel zijn er meer dan 180 onbegeleide minderjarigen in Ter Apel en 1.844 in de Nederlandse noodopvang. Dat meldt Unicef woensdag op basis van nieuwe cijfers van het Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers (COA), stichting Nidos en het ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid.
In de steek gelaten "Het stelt ontzettend teleur dat gemeenten en het COA nu in de modder staan en er iets van proberen te maken, maar door de landelijke politiek in de steek worden gelaten", zegt Martijn van der Linden van Vluchtelingenwerk in het NOS Radio 1 Journaal. Door de val van het kabinet worden er geen nieuwe besluiten genomen en is het onduidelijk wat er gebeurt met de , die gemeenten moet verplichten om een aantal asielzoekers op te nemen; lang niet alle gemeenten doen dat.
Er is een stevige toename: op 12 juni verbleven nog bijna 1.500 alleenreizende minderjarige vluchtelingen in de noodopvang, begin juli waren dat er al bijna 1.600. De laatste tellingen dateren van ruim een week geleden.
Overheid moet opvang verbeteren
spreidingswet
Volgens Vluchtelingenwerk maak het niet zoveel uit wie de opvang regelt. "Er zijn permanente locaties nodig", benadrukt Van der Linden. Wel verschilt de kwaliteit erg per locatie, ziet Vluchtelingenwerk. "Op sommige locaties, ook gemeentelijke locaties, gaat het best goed. Daar worden activiteiten georganiseerd en bewoners voelen zich gehoord."
De toename baart Unicef zorgen. „Hoe goed deze kinderen worden begeleid en geholpen verschilt per locatie en is erg onduidelijk, wat zeer zorgelijk is”, aldus directeur van Unicef Nederland Suzanne Laszlo. „Deze kinderen zijn extra kwetsbaar en hebben meteen goede begeleiding en veilige opvang nodig. Ze vallen door de druk op de asielopvang tussen wal en schip, met alle mogelijke gevolgen van dien”. Dat terwijl de rechtbank vorig jaar nog oordeelde dat de overheid de kwaliteit van de opvang voor alleenreizende kinderen moet verbeteren. In totaal verblijven nu 3.969 kinderen in de noodopvang - dat gaat dan om zowel onbegeleide als begeleide minderjarigen.
Veiligheidsberaad stopt 1 juli met coördinatie noodopvang: 'Bal ligt in Den Haag'
Vier inspecties slaan alarm: ontwikkeling asielkinderen nog steeds in gevaar
Unicef schrijft dat een deel van deze groep door de te krappe capaciteit bij het COA of bij stichting Nidos, die de voogdijtaak uitvoert voor alleenstaande minderjarige vluchtelingen, „nauwelijks of geen begeleiding” krijgt. De organisatie meldt dat al maandenlang alle beschikbare bedden voor onbegeleide kinderen bezet waren. „Eerdere signalen van Nidos aan het kabinet om de capaciteit snel uit te breiden zijn op niets uitgelopen”, schrijft
‘Hoe langer je ons in onzekerheid laat, hoe lastiger het is’, zegt de 17-jarige Syrische asielzoeker
Asielopvang Opnieuw dreigde deze week een tekort aan bedden in Ter Apel. Op een bedrijventerrein in Amsterdam-Zuidoost vinden zowel jongeren als volwassenen tijdelijk opvang.
BZ4X BUSINESS FLEX
Na 24 maanden opzegbaar Stel samen
Meest gelezen
anders: ‘Praten met de politie
Vijftien maanden geleden zag de zeventienjarige Ali zijn ouders voor het laatst. Hij ontvluchtte Syrië en kwam acht maanden geleden in Nederland aan. Eerst in Ter Apel, daarna Zwolle, Amsterdam-Noord, Amsterdam-West. Uiteindelijk belandde hij op de plek waar hij nu drie maanden woont en van waaruit hij nu vertelt: de opvang voor alleenstaande minderjarige asielzoekers in Amsterdam-Zuidoost.
Ali, gekleed in een zwarte jas, een grijze rugzak over zijn schouders en een rode koptelefoon om zijn nek, is enthousiast over zijn huidige woonplaats. „Het is fijn hier, we leven als een familie”, zegt hij staand in de deuropening, wijzend naar de binnenplaats die voor hem ligt. Tientallen jongens voetballen, sjoelen, kletsen en rennen achter elkaar aan. Een enkeling staat te bellen in een hoekje. Ali spreekt aardig Nederlands, al gaat hij halverwege het gesprek over op Engels, dat hij beter spreekt. „We spreken niet allemaal dezelfde taal, maar we vinden wel manieren om met elkaar in verbinding te komen.”
Luister naar 09:04
Vier kinderen over leven in een azc: ‘Mijn leven hier is tijdverspilling. Elke dag verloopt hetzelfde’
In Beeld De leefomstandigheden in de gezinslocaties van azc’s zijn schadelijk voor kinderen. Fotograaf Mona van den Berg portretteerde twee gezinnen. „Ik leef zonder toekomst.”
Gijsbert van Es 11 augustus 2023 Leestijd 5 minuten
Aankomst bij een tijdelijk verblijf voor asielzoekers in Amsterdam-Zuidoost. Foto Freek van den Bergh
Naar school en sportclub
De plek waar zij opgroeien, heeft een veilig neutrale benaming: gezinslocaties. Maar achter dit woord gaan kale, zelfs kille feiten schuil. Op vijf plekken in Nederland verblijven 330 minderjarige kinderen, in een honderdtal gezinnen, samen met hun ouders en 270 kinderen die hier 18-plus zijn geworden.
Hun ouders zijn, zoals dat heet, uitgeprocedeerde vluchtelingen. Het betekent dat de IND (Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst) hun asielaanvraag heeft afgewezen. Asieladvocaten hebben hiertegen beroep aangetekend. De gezinnen zijn in afwachting van een rechterlijke uitspraak. Gemiddeld duurt dit wachten ruim anderhalf jaar. Procedures die al (ruim) vijf jaar voortduren, zijn geen
Hilda van der Vlag, COA-locatiemanager in Zuidoost, ziet de kinderen „tot rust komen” in haar opvang. Hoelang de minderjarigen hier verblijven in afwachting van een beslissing van de Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst (IND), wisselt sterk. Sommigen zijn na een maand weg, anderen wachten er wel anderhalf jaar. In de tussentijd gaan ze in Amsterdam naar school, worden sommigen lid van een sportclub, koken ze samen, maken ze muziek met de instrumenten die de opvang heeft, nemen ze af en toe de metro naar het centrum.
Verreweg de meeste jongeren die hier wonen, zegt Van der Vlag, krijgen uiteindelijk een verblijfsstatus. Wel zag ze de gemiddelde wachttijd oplopen. Vorig jaar besloot het kabinet de
Lees ook:
Meest gelezen Asielzoekers
Advertentie
TOYOTA
Mijn nieuws Podcasts Digitale krant
Nieuws
Foto Mona van den Berg
THE ASYLUM CENTRE IS A PARALLEL, CLOSED WORLD
RESIDENT
Amsterdam and migration
Amsterdam has a long history of migration. Since the 17th century, migrants have come to Amsterdam for economic reasons. Scattered across the city used to be several hotels nearby docking places for boats. Apart from being a shelter, these hotels also functioned as social places in the city where people met and traded. Lloyd Hotel, for instance, was once built as a migrant accommodation. Migrants arrived here by boat and could stay temporarily at the Lloyd Hotel. In the hotel, trade took place between migrants and traders from Amsterdam.
Later on, migrant workers came to Amsterdam to work in the ports. For instance, a complex was made at NDSM at the time for Turkish migrants, residential Ataturk. Sites like this were built by employers and by doing so provided solid housing for newcomers.
Around WWI, there were also numerous developments in the city to accommodate refugee people. 1 million Belgians fled towards the Netherlands and Amsterdam built 3 refugee villages, Obelt, Disteldorp and Vogeldorp, for this reason. These were built in a short time with the aim of temporarily accommodating people who had fled. The wooden houses were designed and built with such quality that two of these villages still exist today. By now, Disteldorp and Vogeldorp are protected city sites and permanent parts of Amsterdam.
Around ‘t IJ were locations where boats docked and moored with migrants. The Suez pier (now the Stenen hoofd), for instance, was a place where boats left for America. The coming and going of newcomers is part of the essence of Amsterdam. You could argue without migration, Amsterdam could never have become the prosperous and diverse city it is today.
The way Amsterdam has been generous to newcomers in the past is proof that migration is an enrichment for the city. The way newcomers had access to work, social contacts, good housing and were treated with equal standards is inspiring for the future.
war in former Yugoslavia.
Germany tightens asylum policy, surrounding countries experience increase in asylum applications. Turmoil in Afghanistan, Iraq and war in Kosovo.
Less people from Afgha inhabitants of former and former Yugoslavia protection in the Neth
FLUCTUATING ASYLUM APPLICANTS
Over the last 32 years, it can be seen that asylum applications in the Netherlands fluctuate according to world events. For instance, there are increases in applications when there are uncertainties such as war and political changes.
Since 2013, the IND also registers the share of family reunifications of total asylum applications.
Fluctuation in asylum applications pe 2013, family reunification refugee ar
source: Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
anistan, Soviet Republic are looking for herlands.
Escalating violence in Somalia and Iraq.
Chaos and civil war in Syria. And in ‘14 and ’15, a remarkable number of Eritreans arrive.
Global travel restriction due to corona outbreak.
er year for the past 32 years. Since re counted separately.
source; Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
Figures
Besides following discourse and delving into Amsterdam’s migration history, data gives a good picture of the asylum situation. IND, VWN and COA collect data from the asylum procedure in recent years.
The figures provide, for example, insights into the number of applications for asylum, the number of asylum centres in the Netherlands with the number of residents, the costs of the various centres and the corresponding method of predicting & responding, and the number of positive decisions sometimes resulting in family reunification.
TOTAL NUMBER OF RESIDENTS IN ASYLUM CENTRES
The number of asylum applicants residing in a COA location From 1998 to 2013, the number of inflows and outflows
tracked source: Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
The number of asylum applicants residing in a COA location. From 1998 to 2013, the number of inflows and outflows was tracked.
source; Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
average of 268 residents per accommodation
FLUCTUATING NUMBER OF ACCOMMODATIONS COA
COA's numbers of accommodation fluctuate constantly. COA sells locations when there are less asylum applicants and develops locations when the influx increases.
source: Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
COA’s numbers of accommodation fluctuate constantly. COA sells locations when there are less asylum applicants and develops locations when the influx increases.
source; Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
In Amsterdam, there are currently 4000-5000 asylum applicants living in 11 different accommodations. 1 of these asylum centres is a regular accommodation, at Willinklaan. The other 10 asylum centres are emergency shelters in places such as an old hostel, a cruise ship or an vacant building.
source; Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
ents
asiel aanvraag 1
asiel aanvraag 1
asiel aanvraag 1
rust periode
asiel aanvraag 1
rust periode
rust periode
asylum application rest period
asiel aanvraag 1
start algemene asielprocedure 2
start algemene asielprocedure 2
rust periode
start algemene asielprocedure 2
rust periode
start algemene asielprocedure 2
start algemene asielprocedure 2
wettelijke deadline beslissing moment voor een aanvraag ingebreken stelling in gebreken stelling deadline
wettelijke deadline beslissing moment voor een aanvraag ingebreken stelling in gebreken stelling deadline
wettelijke deadline beslissing moment voor een aanvraag ingebreken stelling in gebreken stelling deadline
bron: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
wettelijke deadline beslissing moment voor een aanvraag ingebreken stelling in gebreken stelling deadline
bron: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
wettelijke deadline beslissing moment voor een aanvraag ingebreken stelling in gebreken stelling deadline
start of general asylum procedure legal deadline decision moment default deadline
bron: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
bron: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
bron: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
first hearing second hearing 1 2
first hearing second hearing 1 2
months 0 6 15
IND timeframe asylum procedure 2022
IND timeframe asylum procedure reality 2024
1
1
source: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst 6 months 0 6 15
asylum application 1 start of general asylum procedure 2 rest period legal deadline decision moment default deadline
TIMEFRAME ASYLUM PROCEDURE
A number of steps are required before officially obtaining asylum. The maximum duration of going through this procedure is set by law at 6 months. During this period, the application takes place, a first hearing and a second hearing and the applicant receives a decision on whether or not to grant asylum.
In 2024, the government decided to extend the legal 6 months by 9 months, bringing the official maximum duration of the asylum procedure to 15 months. The reason is that waiting periods are increasing and IND needs more time.
In practice, there are situations where asylum applicants have to wait even longer than 15 months before their asylum application is decided.
source; Immigratie en
PREDICTION & BUDGET COA
Four times a year, the Ministry of Justice and Security makes a prediction about the number of asylum applications that will come. COA receives money based on this prediction to arrange accommodation for the asylum applicants.
source; Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst
4x a year
Four times a year, the Ministry of Justice and Security makes a prediction about the number of asylum applications that will come COA receives money based on this prediction to arrange accommodation for the asylum applicants.
source: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
accommodation (crisis) Emergency accommodation
accommodation (crisis) Emergency accommodation
COSTS OF ACCOMMODATION
average cost of accommodating a registered resident at a regular accommodation in 2022 100 and accommodating a resident at an emergency (crisis) accommodation is €53.400 on a e are the costs of housing, healthcare, living expenses and staff costs.
age cost of accommodating a registered resident at a regular accommodation in 2022 is and accommodating a resident at an emergency (crisis) accommodation is €53.400 on aver e the costs of housing, healthcare, living expenses and staff costs.
Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
aal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
The average cost of accommodating a registered resident at a regular accommodation in 2022 is €27.100 and accommodating a resident at an emergency (crisis) accommodation is €53.400 on average. These are the costs of housing, healthcare, living expenses and staff costs.
source; Centraal Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
1 Asylum applicants arrive at a COA location 2 They stay there during their asylum procedure
3. During their stay in an AZC, IND processes asylum applications. IND has the capacity to process an average of 1.850 asylum applications per month (22.200 per year ).
source: Immigratie- en Naturalisatiedienst
1 Het aantal asielzoekers die een asielaanvraag doet kan veranderen t.o.v de prognose van Ministerie van Justitie en Veiligheid 2 Wanneer de toestroom hoger is dan gedacht moet COA op zoek naar noodopvanglocaties, hierbij geholpen door het rijk en de gemeentes 3 Omdat de instroom hoger is dan gedacht heeft IND meer asielaanvragen te behandelen waardoor de wachttijden langer worden en daarmee ook de doorstroom Dit betekend dat COA meer asielzoekers moet opvangen voor langere tijd
1. Asylum applicants arrive at a COA location.
2. They stay there during their asylum procedure.
3. During their stay in an AZC, IND processes asylum applications. IND has the capacity to process an average of 1.850 asylum applications per month (22.200 per year).
source; Immigratie en Naturalisatiedienst
MISMATCH PREDICTION
1. The number of asylum applicants applying for asylum may change compared to the prediction of Ministry of Justice and Security.
2. If the influx is higher than expected, COA has to look for emergency accommodation, assisted by the state and municipalities.
3. Because the influx is higher than expected, IND has more asylum applications to process, which means longer waiting times and consequently a lower flow. This means that COA has to accommodate more asylum seekers for a longer period of time.
BOREDOM
Asylum applicants spend a lot of time in AZC isolated from the city. They stay on the outskirts of the city where there is a lot of loneliness and hopelessness. Because asylum applicants are also limited during their asylum procedure, there is also a lot of boredom and stagnation in their development.
Asielzoekers spenderen veel tijd in AZC geïsoleerd zijn van de stad. Ze verblijven aan de randen van de stad waar veel eenzaamheid en uitzichtloosheid Doordat asielzoekers ook weining mogen tijdens hun asielprocedure is er verveling en staan mensen stil in hun ontwikkeling.
Tijdens de asielprocedure worden asielzoekers regelmatig overgeplaatst naar andere locaties . Dit zorgt ervoor dat asielzoekers in onrust leven en zich niet kunnen wortelen. Na het verkrijgen van een positieve beschikking moeten asielzoekers een voorkeurs gemeente opgeven om vervolgens het azc te verruilen voor een tijdelijke woning.
MANY TRANSFERS
During the asylum procedure, asylum applicants are frequently transferred to other locations. This causes anxiety and gives difficulties for asylum applicants to root them selves. After gaining a positive decision, asylum applicants have to give up a preferred municipality where they move to a temporary place to live.
ASYLUM APPLICATION
In 2022, 35.535 people applied for asylum in the Netherlands. They did so at the IND’s application centres in Schiphol (by plane or boat) and Ter Apel (by land).
source; Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
In 2022 vroegen 35.535 mensen asiel aan in Nederland Dit deden ze bij de aanmeldcentra van de IND in Schiphol (per vliegtuig of boot) en Ter Apel (over land). bron: Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
10.925
FAMILY REUNIFICATION
In 2022, there were 10.925 family reunification refugee’s in the Netherlands (0.4 family members per refugee). The registration of the refugee’s is done at the center in Zevenaar.
source; Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
In 2022 waren er 10.925 nareizigers die herenigd werden als gezin in Nederland (0,4 gezinslid per vluchteling) De aanmelding van de nareizigers wordt gedaan bij het nareisloket in Zevenaar bron: Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
Ter Apel
Schiphol
Zevenaar
Schiphol
In 2022 zijn er 15.180 asielaanvragen positief beoordeeld met een verblijfsvergunning. Dit is 87,2% van het totaal behandelde aanvragen dat jaar . Aielzoekers kunnen zich registreren in de BRP straat in Budel.
bron: Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
POSITIVE DECISION ON RESIDENCE PERMIT
In 2022, 15.180 asylum applications were positively judged with a residence permit. This is 87.2% of the total applications processed that year. Asylum applicants can register in the BRP street in Budel.
source; Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
Budel
HUMANISE
Interviews
Workshop
Volunteering
Besides analysing the data and following the discourse, it is very important for me to approach the assignment from the human point of view. I want to know who the residents of an asylum centre are, what is going on in the asylum applicant’s life and what the community is about. Besides being curious about the target group, I would like to see an asylum centre from the inside. This way, I hope to get a sense of the living conditions, the daily activities and an insight into the organisations involved.
I ‘humanised’ the task in three different ways. I conducted interviews with residents of an asylum centre and professionals from supporting organisations. I contacted the professionals through the organisations and I approached the residents around the asylum centre.
I also invited the same residents to a workshop. Holding the workshop, I asked 4 participants to join me in thinking about the current and future way of accommodating asylum applicants. By doing so, I want to give context and direction to my design brief.
Finally, I worked in an asylum centre for three months to understand from my own experience what goes on in an asylum centre. I wanted to get a sense of the spaces, the needs and the mutual relationships between the residents. In addition, I felt the need to be valuable to asylum applicants in a way that allowed me to contribute.
There are dormitory rooms in the heart of the boat without daylight and dormitory rooms on the facade with windows, without the possibility of opening them. Both rooms are about 20 m2 in size. We share the rooms with one other person
It is difficult because we spend a lot of time in our room and that results in a health problem and stagnation in our development. We are healthy guys who studied in Europe. Now I notice that the knowledge of my English is getting worse and my knowledge of my study is getting less as long as I wait.
Majd asylum applicant
For me, it feels like they are keeping me in prison. I was in an AZC in Rijswijk, where I had my own room and we had a living room where we would have activities.
Fareed
We can meet in the restaurant, here we can get food 3 times a day, which by the way is very bad. Regularly there are food poisonings among the asylum applicants. But the restaurant is just for eating, once this runs out you are not allowed to stay here.
We spend most of the day in our room with a roommate. Or we go outside and take the bus to the city, spending our day there. But that is not easy given the distance to the city and the limited bus times.
The MS Galaxy boat has now been there for more than a year. The flow of asylum applicants, the transfers, is significant. Many asylum applicants come and go on the boat, they are continuously transferred to other locations because there are more prospects there for whatever reason.
Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland does not operate at all locations. This is because COA does not have room for a VWN office at every location in the Netherlands. Therefore, asylum applicants do not receive help from our organisation at these locations.
Asylum applicants who help us as translators do this partly to counter boredom. They are engaged and in doing so they help other asylum applicants.
Elora
Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
What I understand from our translators, who live on this boat, is that there is a great need for a quiet space and a level of privacy. There are many people staying on this boat, but there is nowhere to retreat quietly alone.
Activities are organised for the residents to counter boredom. These include kickboxing lessons. Klabu also organises football matches in Westerpark, where asylum applicants get together with people from the community.
We get the leftovers from the property market, the remaining vacant buildings that are not interesting for developers. This is where we try to build an asylum centre as best we can according to our PvE. Realising the PvE in an existing building is difficult. When the neighbourhood knows that an asylum centre is coming, people anticipate accordingly. People get bonded to an azc over time, I see that all around me.
COA sells buildings as soon as the inflow decreases, so that no costs are incurred for a building that is empty. As soon as the influx increases, COA starts looking for new locations again. Sometimes it happens that a few years later we construct an asylum centre in a building we sold before. It is constantly purchasing and selling off.
A buffer building which you let ‘sleep’ is more economical than purchasing and selling buildings
Hennii
Vastgoedregisseur/Architect COA
An azc can also fill many gaps in society. For example, the mayor of Ter Apel once lobbied politicians to build an IND centre, an azc and a prison in Ter Apel, so that there would be more jobs for citizens. In the meantime, there are also examples of schools that can stay open.
It is important to locate an azc were people are, so that there are meetups. At the refugee café, people from the neighbourhood come and meet asylum applicants. Several contacts have been made in this way and there have been also donations from the neighbourhood to the asylum centre.
“A GOOD ACCOMMODATION WILL LEAD TO LESS FRUSTRATION IN THE ASYLUM PROCEDURE”
- MAJD -
Workshop
Participants:
Fareed
Kosai
Majd
Tarek
Fareed, Kosai, Majd and Tarek live in a COA emergency accommodation. They stay in the western port area on a cruise boat, the MS Galaxy.
I invited them to brainstorm together about the spaces and location of their current accommodation and what a new accommodation might look like. They have the experience of living in an asylum centre and thereby have a different perspective from mine.
I prepared four assignments with which I want to start conversations and thoughts on this topic.
ASSIGNMENT 1 THEIR AMSTERDAM
Amsterdam is a city of many people. A city with many cultures living together. A city created by migration. A city where everyone finds their way and where there are all kinds of places that are known to some and unknown to others.
What routes do you take through the city and where do you go? What would be your ideal location for an asylum centre in the city? What places do you visit in the city? Which place in the city do you like and which don’t?
Fareed:
- I like to go to the Indische Buurt because of the good food, Tigris and Eufraat. Don’t want to live there because there are too many Arabic people.
- Westerpark is a nice place to relax and recreate.
- Omar’s house, nice place to stay, not many refugees and spacious.
Kosai:
- Mezrab, storytelling bar with a lot of internationals and young people. I often go there to join a jam session and listen to stories.
- Looking for green and quiet places in the city by the water, like Wertheim Park and Bilderdijk Park. No refugees here.
- I like going to the Leidseplein because of the young people, there is interaction and meeting people - Het wereldhuis
Majd:
- The Basic fit, to exercise - Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland
- Like to go to the market, like Ten Kate market
Tarek:
- I take the train to work in Alkmaar every day
- OLVG West is a place I go to every two weeks because of healthcare.
Common:
- The boat is far away from everything, so it’s hard to go anywhere without a bike. But we like to go out when the weather is nice.
- Supermarkets like jumbo, Action and AH
- Dam Square is the first place we visited when we stayed in Amsterdam. The most famous place.
ASSIGNMENT 2
What is the current situation of the asylum centre. The boat as an asylum centre? What are possibilities and limitations of this boat? What does an asylum centre look like? How do people live here and what kind of spaces does/doesn’t has an asylum centre? What is your favourite place in the asylum centre? What is the biggest problem of living in an asylum centre? What would you change first in the space you have now? What space do you miss most in the current asylum centre? What spaces/activities would you like to have private and what would you like to share?
Good features:
- You have a bathroom + shower in your own room
- It’s international, good to socialise with other people and culture. Except the Dutch, not much interaction with them.
Bad features:
- Small claustrophobic rooms, some bedrooms have no windows
- All windows are closed, no fresh air
- Crowded with many people
- Very isolated from the city, it is an industrial area
- Very little interaction with the city
- Cold area far away from the city, slippery roads because of the wind and cold
- No greenery in the area
- We miss opportunities to read books and be able to cook for ourselves
- No quiet places on the boat. If I want to sleep I go crazy
- We don’t have a chair now. We can’t sit anywhere, only in the common areas
Wishes:
- It would be nice if we could easily meet refugees from other COA locations
- AZC Rijswijk was such a nice place in terms of accessibility, location, facilities and rooms
- The rooms should be larger and have a window that can be opened
Living in an asylum centre means dealing with different personalities, bad mental stress and less respect.
What does a modular asylum centre look like? How many people live there? Which rooms do you want to have, which ones do you want to share and which ones are private? Is it open or closed to other people? And why is one space next to another?
What needs do you have when staying in an asylum centre? What is your biggest wish in terms of interior space? What does an ideal asylum centre look like to you? What space/activity do you miss most from your culture in terms of living? What space would you like to have where?
cluster single units
cluster single units
cluster single units
cluster single units
We collectively defined the number of people in the asylum centre at 50-100 people
Silence room
Single units women
Healthcare
Single units man
Gym for man next to the gym for women, connected
At the heart the restaurant and shared kitchen
Family units next to single units for women. free spaces between modules
Single units men
Sports recreation on top of children’s playground
Cinema and music opposite quiet rooms and between men and families
Supermarket and outlet combined, shop area
- Silent areas are important
- Now there is no music room, a space where you can listen and also make music. This is a nice distraction
- Play area for children is important. For kids, it should be isolated and next to family units
- Should be a more permanent solution, people stay here for 2 years. So 18m2 (small container) can be for 2 people, but with more privacy
- Cooking space and restaurant is most important for us. So that should be in the centre. The centre will be the common space. Where all the people come together
- A supermarket near the residents, you need a lot and it’s also nice to be able to go to a market. There are different ingredients compared to the supermarket
- Silent area next to the library. Distant from the market and children’s playground. Quiet places up high, far from the street. Less people.
- Lots of space in between, people can meet. People from outside can come in
- Individual units are clustered. Individual units can be anywhere, but men and women separated. Women’s units are next to family units.
The container is very interesting, people have their own space. If you imagine living here for 2 years, it is very nice!
ASSIGNMENT 4
CAPTURE WHAT INSPIRES AND EMPOWERS YOU
Capture your dreams! Show what inspires you, what makes you happy and what touches you. Where would you like to live, who do you want to be, where do you want to go?
“A good accommodation will lead to less frustration in the asylum procedure and family reunification > more time for the government/IND to decide.”
“If we use every little square meter, we will have a business case.”
“If it is a nice place, I want to stay there after receiving my permit”
“You have to think about building a community, not a camp. Think about building a community, then the government will say, this is your home.”
“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DESIGN A BUILDING BUT YOU HAVE TO THINK ABOUT BUILDING A COMMUNITY”
- FAREED -
MS GALAXY - (CRISIS) NOODOPVANGLOCATIE
The cost of emergency accommodation on the boat the MS Galaxy, located in Amsterdam’s western harbour area, is higher than the average. For the rent of the location, the boat and the staff, 110.000 euros are spent per day.
source; Het Parool
The cost of emergency accommodation on the boat the harbour area, is higher than the average. For the r 110.000 euros are spent per day.
source: Centraal
e MS Galaxy, located in Amsterdam's western rent of the location, the boat and the staff, cy accommodation A L A X Y
Volunteering
VWN acts in the interests of an asylum applicant. In addition, VWN helps them establish a new existence in the Netherlands. On the MS Galaxy, VWN supports the client during the asylum procedure and helps with all legal questions. In doing so, VWN also helps with the application for family reunification. The procedure that starts after getting a positive decision and therefore a 5-year residence permit. The family reunification procedure is complicated and is not supported with a lawyer, this is why VWN has an active role during the procedure.
I applied to become a volunteer with Vluchtelingenwerk Nederland (VWN). I did this because I wanted to engage with my graduation topic. What does the life of an asylum seeker look like in an asylum centre? I also wanted to do my bit and be useful to asylum applicants who are in a hopeless situation. Through VWN, I got the chance to work as a volunteer on the cruise ship MS Galaxy for 3 months. Here I worked as a supportive legal assistant every Wednesday.
The cruise ship is isolated in the western port area against the A10 ring road. I cycled from the Spaarndammer neighbourhood through industry and along highways to get to the cruise ship. Arriving at the ship, I parked my bike outside the gates and walked through security (by showing my entrance ticket) over a pontoon into the ship’s cargo hold. This is the entrance everyone has to take to get into the boat.
Here I had to sign in at the beginning of the day and sign out at the end of the day, so that it could keep track of how many people were on the ship, in case there were any emergencies. The cargo hold is the third floor of the ship, which was where cars were parked during a cruise trip. Using the staircase and the lift, I went from the 3rd floor to the 10th floor, where VWN’s office is located.
The VWN office was formerly a disco, which is why our office had bar stools, a bar and a light and sound system. In addition, there was a large roof terrace, ‘Sundeck’, which could only be used by VWN employees and crew of the ship. Remarkably, translators (asylum applicants who volunteer for VWN) were not allowed to use the deck.
When I arrived around 9am, clients were often waiting at the door until it opened at 10am for the consultation hour. Clients can drop by Monday to Thursday from 10-12h during VWN’s consultation hours. So this was my first task on Wednesdays, holding consultation hours. There were three desks where clients could ask questions to a VWN staff member supported by an translator.
Using a laptop, we had access to the client’s files, although this required them to show their ‘yellow card’ showing the file number.
During this consultation hour, you will be a supportive or sometimes a listening ear to the problems a client is experiencing. This can range from confirming the documents received to contacting the client’s lawyer about the asylum procedure. Sometimes there are also cases that are so complicated that we invite the client to talk to us in the afternoon and take more time for this client. At the end of the consultation hour, I often had a handful of actions that I would start working on after lunch.
Around 12h30, VWN’s office closed and we had lunch together in the ship’s restaurant. Between 12h and 13h was the moment when everyone present on the boat could have lunch in the restaurant. This was a running buffet which consisted of warmed-up food produced elsewhere. The menu varied daily,
with a lot of repetition. It often consisted of Lebanese flatbread, boiled potatoes or rice, a piece of meat, humus, yoghurt, kaiser sandwiches with slices of cheese and dry lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. It was a simple and plain lunch which reminded me very much of the kind of food you get on the plane. Around 13h, COA security came to remind us that the restaurant was closing and we had to start to finish.
Over lunch, I got a good impression of what life is like at an asylum centre. We walked from the 10th floor to 6th floor, where the restaurant was, and back again. Through the library, some closed bars, the small supermarket where stamping was done and a hairdresser’s you got to the restaurant. On this route, you came across many asylum applicants. The scenes I saw ranged from praying in a corner to working behind a laptop and from smoking on the outside deck to playing chess in the corridors. It became clear how many people live in a limited space and how little privacy there is on the ship.
After lunch, I often worked on my actions that I had collected during consultation hours. I also had appointments with clients to conduct a family reunification intake or make an authorisation. These appointments always took a bit more time where I had a lot of one-to-one contact with clients. Here, translators helped translate from English to Arabic.
It was beautiful and at the same time difficult to see how clients looked forward to the milestones of an asylum procedure. They lived from application hearing to detailed hearing and from the detailed hearing to the positive decision. Some clients were delighted and optimistic when they heard that they had received a positive decision and could now start applying for family reunification. However, this positive feeling was often crushed when they learned that this process could also take years.
I have been amazed at clients’ persistence. They are able to deliver complicated document to the IND when these documents are often not easily available. Being able to arrange these documents from a distance, have them translated and afterwards make sure they get to the right places is admirable. Leaving aside the fact that many documents are not easily available in countries where there is war or other turmoil. Thereby, the persistence is even more impressive because they are often traumatised and live in hopelessly depressed conditions.
I have learnt that asylum applicants possess a lot of ambition, perseverance, tolerance and courage. They are people who can do a lot but are allowed very little. This is an shame and the unexploited talent asylum applicants carry with them should be visible to society.
6 December - shift 1
Conducted consultations and attended E-learnings on the asylum procedure, Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the family reunification procedure.
13 december – shift 2
Conducting & working on consultation and attending family reunification intake.
3 january – shift 3
Conducting & working on consultation. This was the first time consultation hour after the Christmas shutdown, so very busy.
Case study 1:
Husband and wife from Moldova speaking Russian. Communication via Russian translator on the phone. We did this in a separate room under the supervision of COA guards. They had just arrived in NL after being in Germany and also having a pending asylum procedure there. They left that country because the asylum procedure was taking so long and so they were looking for a refuge very different. We informed them about the Dublin procedure, which means they are going to be sent back to the country where they first applied for asylum. They fled Moldova for medical (asthma, diabetes and tinnitus) reasons and are trying to get treatment in the Netherlands. Life on the boat is hard for them because cooking is done for the clients, but which does not fit within the client’s diet given their diabetes symptoms. I felt a lot of delusion and hopelessness.
The clients suffered from being in an asylum centre like this one, given the limited fresh air, little daylight and type of food. Thereby, the woman needs rest given her tinnitus symptoms, such rest and privacy cannot be found on the ship.
17 january – shift 4
Conducting & working on consultation.
Case study 1:
Man wants to bring his family here (wife + 8 children). For family reunification, clients have to submit documents to IND, through VWN, that show that there is a relationship between the client and the family. If they are people outside the direct family, there must be a provable relationship of dependency. Documents are, passport, id, passport photo, birth certificate, marriage certificate, family book. If there are no documents available then the client has to arrange this through a lawyer in Syria. This happens a lot because people have lost their documents (understandably). The documents must be translated by an official translator into English. After that, clients send the documents to VWN, where we hold an intake with the client. In this meeting, we check the documents together, ask the marriage questions and the client signs a declaration/ authorisation. We send this total intake to IND, which then processes the application, after which IND sends a letter within 4 weeks in which the client must send the original documents to IND by registered mail. Once this
procedure is approved, an MVV (“authorisation for temporary stay”) is issued. Temporary travel documents are then made available at the relevant Dutch embassy where the family can come to collect the documents. This allows the post-travel continuation by coming to the Netherlands by plane. This client has consulted with his family that the posttravel documents can be picked up in Tehran at the Dutch embassy. This means that the woman with eight children has to travel from Syria to Tehran and can get on a plane there towards the Netherlands.
24 january – shift 5
Conducting & working on consultation, family reunification intake held and assistance in arranging power to attorney.
Power to attorney is a document by which a person (in this case, the father of the family) gives permission to another person (in this case, the mother of the family) to travel with his children within Turkey. A law in Turkey requires that the mother needs permission from the father to travel with her children in Turkey. This is the case when family reunification is approved and the woman can come to the Netherlands with the family. This document is a letter in which he gives permission. He must have this signed by an official of the municipality (at the city counter in Amsterdam). Then he has to have this document stamped at the court with an apostille. This means that the Dutch document is an internationally accepted document. The client has to arrange and pay for all this himself (about 50 euros in total). Next, the document must reach the mother so that she can travel with her children through Turkey.
Case study 1:
Family reunification done for a Pakistani man and his wife. Marriage certificate and marriage certificate were missing as these were burnt in the their house by a group. The wife was not accepted by the community and was not part of the district where they lived. This made the application for the family reunification very complicated.
Case study 2:
A woman (woman x) is staying with her mother (mother Y) in the asylum centre. Mother Y has recently received a positive decision, which means she may stay in the Netherlands for 5 years and apply for family reunification. Daughter X is still awaiting the IND’s decision. Mother Y wants to apply for family reunification for her 4 children in Syria (daughter x’s siblings). In addition, she also wants to do so for her granddaughter (daughter of daughter x). The granddaughter is looked after by daughter x’s siblings. However, the granddaughter is not part of mother Y’s family. For this reason, only mother Y’s children can travel afterwards and the granddaughter (2 years old) has to stay behind alone. Daughter X, after receiving a positive decision, may also apply for family reunification for her little daughter. However, this is not yet certain and in doing so, her 2-year-old daughter cannot be left alone in Syria. This is an exceptional case that came up during consultation hours. The clients asked us for help and we called in advice from specialised lawyers in this field.
Today is a stormy day, you can feel the boat going back and forth and the howling wind can be heard inside. On the quay, a long way along the highway, people
walk with their backs towards the entrance of the boat as the wind cuts into their faces. At this isolated spot on ‘t ij, the cutting wind is very present.
31 january – shift 6
Conducting & working on consultation, many people apply for family reunification because of the many hearing IND on the boat. Made a family reunion application. And made two power to attorney authorisations.
Once a client receives a positive decision from the IND, the client is entitled to apply for family reunification. The deadline for applying for family reunification is 3 months after the day the client receives a positive decision. VWN assists the client in applying for family reunification by checking the documents and filling in the marriage questions. The client then authorises VWN to upload the documents to the IND for the purpose of applying for family reunification. Clients have to submit these documents to VWN via email as a pdf. This is not so easy because the documents have to be scanned by the clients themselves and cannot be larger than 8mb. I have been in telephone contact with the IND and several lawyers because clients are not informed or have questions regarding their decision. Clients are assigned a lawyer who accompanies them 2 or 3 times during the asylum procedure. This involves preparations for the hearing. Some lawyers are more involved than others. This is why VWN has occasional contact to point this out to lawyers. Sometimes it also concerns other matters such as defaults, changing a lawyer (costs for the client).
7 february – shift 7
Conducting & working on
consultation and family reunification intake.
Case study 1:
A client visited during consultation hours because he is waiting for the IND’s decision and has still not heard anything. The client had his detailed hearing in September and has still not heard anything from the IND 5 months later. The client has now been in the asylum procedure for 22 months, which is extremely long. He has already filed a notice of default through his lawyer (requesting a decision within two weeks, after the official decision period has expired). As a result of the visit during consultation hours, we contacted IND Utrecht (where the client had his detailed interview) to raise this issue. A week later, the client received his positive decision from IND and indicated that he was going to apply for family reunification.
There was commotion during the consultation hour today: A client became angry and aggressive towards VWN staff following the refusal to translate by in the translator. The client became angry and irritated by the responses he received from VWN. This resulted in abusive language that made the translator refuse to translate.
Because of this, the client became angry and aggressive upon which VWN staff and COA security guards removed the client from the room. This was an intense moment because here it became clear what desperation and hopelessness can do to clients living in an asylum centre.
22 february – shift 8
Conducting & working on consultation and family reunification (woman + 3 children) intake.
Case study 1:
A client indicated that he lost his positive status after 3 days because the IND reopened his case. The client became a victim of human trafficking in Italy, so he did not want to follow his asylum procedure in Italy (which is required by the Dublin agreement). Because the client became a victim of human trafficking and exploitation, he fled Italy and arrived in the Netherlands via Germany, France and Spain. Because the client has been to several countries and also applied for asylum in Italy, the IND is considering not granting asylum after all because he needs to do so elsewhere. VWN contacted the lawyer because the client is not well informed about the case. VWN requested the lawyer to inform the client.
My last shift and also the last shift of a regular VWN employee. For this reason, we organised a farewell party where all VWN employees said goodbye to us. It was a very warm farewell in which I got to know some of the translators better and also gained insight into their stories. One of the translators paints in his room. He does this on canvases he buys from his pocket money from COA. His room is full of paintings that he paints on the floor, there is not enough space to do this on the wall. Besides, there is no place on the boat for him to do this otherwise. When I asked if he is also allowed to draw on the walls or modify things on the interior of his room, he responded with a laugh; ‘no, someone was recently transferred to another asylum centre because he had hung things on the wall and remodeled his room, which is not allowed by COA’. It is impressive how much courage asylum applicants have, given the unknown future they face when they leave their homeland. Whether it is wars, victims of violence or not being the person you are because of your sexuality, in many situations I have encountered the positivity and ambition that radiates from people.
DESIGN BRIEF
The research, both data and participatory studies, guides the project’s design brief. The research shows that asylum accommodation in its current manner limits residents and is problematic for proper housing. Summed up, four conclusions can be made; they are;
1. Long procedures in hopeless circumstances.
The waiting period for obtaining a decision on the asylum application is 15 months and in some exceptions even longer. This is due to the mismatch of the prognosis resulting in insecure situations where hopelessness is present
2. Expensive ad hoc solutions without vision.
Purchasing and selling property delays the way asylum applicants are accommodated. Thereby, it costs a lot of money and creates many emergency shelters that do not comply with regulations and are twice as expensive as regular shelters.
3. Overcrowded generic mass accommodations.
As asylum applications fluctuate, current accommodation becomes overcrowded. This is also linked to the inability to respond adequately in the form of new accommodation. This creates large accommodation in which no distinction is made between the needs of residents. These locations lack privacy and ownership.
4. No opportunities to be rooted in and interact with society. Asylum centres are currently situated on the edges of society. The physical distance is a barrier to interaction. This restricts residents and creates hopelessness and boredom. Finally, closing and opening locations results in many transfers during the asylum procedure. This prevents residents from investing in social contacts and denies the opportunity to establish rooted relationships.
The design brief for an alternative way of housing asylum applicants, het Statushuis, consists of formulating a building methodology that allows fluctuation. A modular system that can respond to the influx. The system must be able to ‘breathe’ and be efficient in its form because of the logistical challenge.
In addition, this assignment requires a livability programme that suits the target group and establishes a connection with society.
Finally, the right location plays an important role in enabling residents to interact with the city. A accommodation that fits proportionally into the context. This creates a network of locations spread across the city that make asylum applicants visible and therefore loved.
PROGRAMME OF LIVABILITY
The programme of livability is the standard of every Statushuis. This chapter describes what the programme of requirements is. Here, livability is an important aspect, which is missing in the current manner in many cases. Unlike the current programme of requirements, this programme says nothing about square meters but rather about the people. How to live in an accommodation, together as a community.
The programme touches on both the functionality of spaces and how the building should work. The programme sketchily shows how this is done. The programme is a framework within which each Statushuis has a sense of freedom for its own interpretation.
IN SOCIETY
The location is essential for the opportunity to interact with the city. Asylum applicants and residents of Amsterdam should be able to see and meet each other to start awareness and integration in this way.
CHOICE IN HOUSING UNIT
Everyone is unique. Because of this, asylum applicants should be able to choose what kind of housing unit you would like to stay in. Alone, separate together, shared, family, etc.
A mix of residential units to accommodate the differences
between residents. Protected residence with appropriate space between public and private. This can be achieved, for instance, by creating a public plinth with the residential units above. This distance creates safety, privacy and security for the residents.
MODULARITY
Modularity offers possibilities for fast, efficient, adaptable and expandable construction. It allows variation within a certain pattern.
VARIATION
Within housing units, there should be a level of freedom to make adjustments to provide the need. Interaction vs. safety for example.
PROGRAMME TO SUPPORT RESIDENTS
For each location there is room for COA and VWN to support newcomers during the procedure, essential. COA manages and owns the building. VWN supports the resident during the asylum procedure. Together with the residents, the two organisations form a triangular partnership that is needed in every Statushuis. The functions are for the benefit of the residents but are also focused on the neighbourhood.
Each Statushuis has a public function that contributes to the neighbourhood. This makes this space the connection to the neighbourhood. It is a place where residents and neighbours can come together and interact. The space
is visible from the public domain, reducing the threshold. Think of functions such as a library, community kitchen, storytelling cafe, jam room, a market or a workshop.
HOME-COOKING
Asylum applicants should be able to decide for themselves what, when and with whom they want to eat. This offers a level of freedom and independence.
PRIVACY
When living together in a building, privacy is an issue. Privacy is essential for tranquility and the ability to reflect. For this reason, there should be spaces where asylum applicants can rest, pray or just be by themselves.
TRANSPARENT SAFETY
The building should open up to the city, stimulating interaction and encounters. In addition, safety and security are important for the asylum applicant. The building is the link between private and public.
Residents should have a safe and secure entrance. This includes storage for residents’ bikes. Building access encourages interaction but must provide security for the resident.
INTELLECTUAL CHALLENGE
Residents should have opportunities to develop through books and other media in addition to courses. The building should provide a place for learning and study to stimulate intellectual development.
OUTDOOR SPACES AND PUBLIC SPACES
Public green spaces can encourage social interactions and contribute to a pleasant living environment. Besides this taking care of green spaces results also in ownership and responsibility.
Visit to Turning Tables
LOCATIONS
The choice of the location of the Statushuizen is guided by a number of conditions. The starting point is that the locations are proportional in the context. This means no large-scale accommodation that do not fit the context in terms of scale.
By scattering smaller locations, a network of Statushuizen is created in the city. The aim is to make asylum applicants visible and situate in society.
In addition, the input from the workshop, together with the interviews, provides a number of principles for defining the locations. Mapping the various functions in the city creates search areas within which the Statushuizen can fit. Within these search areas, empty plots, open spaces or missing urban development are incentives for locating a Statushuis. With this method, 17 potential locations are possible which forms the network of the Statushuizen.
A total of 96.000 places are needed in the Netherlands by 2025, according to the Ministry of Justice and Security’s estimate. Based on population numbers and how wealthy a municipality is, each municipality will consider how many places to make available. This approach is laid down in the law. According to the formula below, an indication of the number of available required places in the municipality can be calculated.
(SES-WOA+1) * iGEM/iNL = Wf
BO * Wf/TWf = Iv
SES-WOA = Sociaal Economische Status Welvaart-, Opleiding- en Arbeidsscore
iGEM = aantal inwoners gemeente
iNL = aantal inwoners Nederland
Wf = wegingsfactor per gemeente
TWf = totale wegingsfactor alle gemeente
BO = capaciteitsbehoefte
Iv = indicatieve verdeling voor de gemeente zijn er komend jaar in Nederland 96.000 plekken nodig, volgens de schatting van Justitie en Veiligheid . Op basis van inwoneraantal en hoe rijk een gemeente gemeente gekeken hoeveel plekken ze beschikbaar moeten maken. Deze aanpak wordt spreidingswet. Volgens bovenstaande formule kan een indicatie berekend wordt van benodigde plekken in de gemeente . Orgaan opvang Asielzoekers
(-0,1+1) * 821752/16940000 = 0,04
96000 * 0,04/0,86 = 4447
Volgens de spreidingswet moet Amsterdam in 2025 4447 asielzoekers huisvesten. Dit is ongeveer 10% meer dan het huidige aantal in Amsterdam
SPREIDINGSWET > AMSTERDAM
According to the law, in Amsterdam, 4447 asylum applicants must be housed by 2025. This is about 10% more than the current number of asylum applicants living in Amsterdam.
Spreading > assimilate to the city in proportional relation to its surroundings
Easily accessible by public transport to expand habitat
Public activities and functions nearby (market, sports, library)
Missing link in urban planning > complete a site
Connect to the neighbourhood > both functional and link to context
Recreational green space in or nearby location
Empty plots, public green spaces, corners > fits in context
Parks provide a place for rest and recreation. It is also a place where interaction arises between various people from the city.
“I
go every day to my work by train.”
The freedom to travel from city to city is very important. Making public transport accessible provides opportunities to expand one’s world of living and interact with others more easily.
“Like
to go to the market because of the nice food.”
CONNECTING AND IDENTIFYING AT MARKETS
Markets are places where food is central and recognition occurs. Affordable food from different cultures can be found at markets.
Locations such as het wereldhuis, VWN headquarters, story cafes, voluntary organisations, sports initiatives and ngo’s are frequently visited places. Such places have an important role in the lives of asylum applicants.
Public sports venues in the city provide an opportunity to stay physically and mentally healthy. This is a low-key way of interacting and being in shape.
RELIGIOUS BUILDINGS AS A VEHICLE FOR INTERACTION
Religious buildings offer opportunity to become part of communities in the city.
“Silent
area’s and a library is what we need.”
opportunities.
Spreading > assimilate to the city in proportional relation to its surroundings
Easily accessible by public transport to expand habitat
Public activities and functions nearby (market, sports, library)
Missing link in urban planning > complete a site
Connect to the neighbourhood > both functional and link to context
Recreational green space in or nearby location
Empty plots, public green spaces, corners > fits in context
S t e n e n hoofd
Mra c a n t i laan Mie d o o r np lein
a n p l a n tsoen
W i b a u tp ark
er i k s p
Wib aut p a r k
THE BOX
The choice of building methodology is based on a number of aspects. With the varying influx of asylum applicants, it is important that the building methodology can accommodate fluctuation. This creates awareness in society of the changing influx. When it becomes visible that a Statushuis is altered, this can be directly linked to the changing influx. The fluctuating fact also introduces a logistical character. The building method must be able to change quickly and efficiently and therefore meet logistical challenges.
The adaptability of the building requires a clear system in which elements can change. Differences between residents and functions must be visible and changeable. This is why a modular system is chosen.
The pragmatism of the asylum procedure must be interrupted and the connection with society established. Collectivity and connecting is the strength of a box. It is interconnected and together it forms a solid framework. This is why the 20foot container is the starting point of the modular Statushuis. This element has the properties that matter for making a “breathable” building that can change efficiently and quickly. The box makes it possible to create a permanent building with a temporary appearance. This means a building that is and will remain there but has temporary forms because of its fluctuating aspect.
The form is a translation of efficiency, repetition, logistics, movement and trade.
founded by Malcom McLean in 1955 for the benefit of world trade
Constructive aspects that form the strength of the container
STABILITY
The piled sheets provide stiffness and closure
Corner casts at the corners, the connecting vertices what shows collectivity
TRANSPORT
Smart details in design for moving containeruntis (lifting and moving)
STRATEGIC OPENINGS IN THE BOX
Opening the pragmatic box so that livable elements can be added
INSULATION
Add insulation to the interior sides and floor. This will preserve its fair appearance and makes the unit useful.
Dijkstraat
Houtmankade
Bredius
Marnixplantsoen
Bos en Lommerplanstoen
Jan Pieter Heijestraat
Meidoornplein
Marcantilaan
THE ANNEX
The box provides the framework of the building, however, the livable aspect is missing. With the introduction of the annex, the extra space attached to the box, functions can be added that provide a variety of uses. The annex is the additional element that makes the empty containers livable and generates spaces.
The design is based on the box. This means that the collective aspect, making the connection, is manifested in the corners, the corner cast. This creates an interaction of the box and the annex, where one element cannot work without the other.
The annex is the counterpart of the pragmatic box. This is expressed in use and the contrasting materialisation. The wooden element consists of beams and plywood that are joined with crafty corner details to form a
robust annex. The warm wooden appearance has curved shapes, inspired by the shape of the corner cast, which soften the rectangular pragmatic box. The perception of space changes and provides comfort.
The space, 1.2 meters wide, added to the box can be arranged with different functions. Based on the previous research, the annex has suitable functions to match the right demand. The annex also provides space for making stairs and the technical installations of the building.
Finally, the finishing of the annex provides a modular grid. Two boxes with an annex in between share the same dimensions as the length of a single box. This creates freedom in the direction of applying these elements. Which leads to a modular system in which variety and change are possible.
MODULARITY SERVING FREEDOM OF REPETITION
The annex uses the strength, stability, connective and logistic properties of the box. In doing so, the size is useful for a modular building.
COLLECTIVITY BETWEEN THE BOX AND THE ANNEX
The connection between the annex and the box provides opportunities for livable housing units. It additionally creates freedom in the grid of repetition.
LIVABILITY IN THE ANNEX
The annex houses functions needed for a livable accommodation. In addition, they are connections to other units and serve as a routing.
MODULAR AXES
With the introduction of the annex, the system becomes modular. With the modular aspect, possibilities also arise in terms of vertical movement in the core of the element. For example a lift or a shaft.
A02door
A05seat
A08kitchen
A01bathroom
A04entrance
A03balcony
A07bunkbed
A06entrance
A09bed
A12planter A11bed
A13closet
corner detail with the corner cast
corner detail with the corner cast
connection between annexes
connection between annex and the box
plywoodseat
douglasfirtop
plywoodinterior
plywood
shaft with sewer lines, water pipes, ventilation ducts and drainpipes
corner cast connected to wooden beams
fir beam
insulated annex ceiling
douglas fir kitchen top
plywood interior
water drainage kitchen connected to shaft
insulated facade with aged wooden planks
douglas
container ceiling - inside
container floor - outside
insulated
hidden ventilation duct
plywood interior
douglas fir seat
insulated
douglas fir window frame - tilting
insulated annex floor
STATUSHUIS
Jan Pieter Heijestraat
Formulating the programme of livability, choosing the sites and defining the building methodology are the components to the design of the Statushuis . For the design of the Statushuis, the location chosen is on Jan Pieter Heijestraat.
The site is an empty corner plot of a building block that has not been used for more than 15 years. The urban development around the site is part of the 19th century ring. The district is characterised by five-layer building blocks with mostly commercial space in the plinth. The plot is located on a corner of Jan Pieter Heijestraat (a bustling shopping street) and Borgerstraat (a quiet residential street).
For the design of the Statushuis, it is important that it relates to the context and connects proportionally to its surroundings. Features such as access, programming and massing are a guideline for correctly connecting to the context with the Statushuis.
The block consists of apartments accessed from the stairways at the street. On the inside of the block are the balconies and gardens of the houses. Shops are located in the plinth of Jan Pieter Heijenstraat. The corner plot connects to two closed end facades.
The Statushuis on the Jan Pieter Heijenstraat is a possible configuration for this location. As a result, the design is a proof of concept for other locations and the way the building works.
public space with a public plinth
A function as a connection to the neighbourhood Programme to support residents
COURTYARD
COMMUNITY KITCHEN COA & VWN
Safe entrance for residents
Shared spaces for the residents
various living units
STAIRWAY > CONNECTION TO THE CONTEXT
KITCHEN, SILENCE ROOM & MULTIFAITH SPACE
SINGLE, DOUBLE & FAMILY
UNITS
This is the schematic representation of functions projected on the site at the Jan Pieter Heijenstraat. The functions are positioned in such a manner that public programme is at ground level and private programme is on the upper floors. Between public and private is a floor of shared spaces for residents. This makes the distance to ground level the gradient from private to public. The mass of the building completes the building block and connects with the context.
A COMMUNITY KITCHEN AS A CONNECTION TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD
The shared function should provide a gathering spot between the residents of het Statushuis and the neighbourhood. Oriented on the street, on the corner and in the plinth. It is important that spaciousness allows for diverse uses.
The Statushuis on Jan Pieter Heijestraat will have a community kitchen. This is a place where residents and neighbours come together to cook and eat. The universal language of food connects people and lowers the threshold for interaction. This makes the building not only a accommodation for asylum applicants but also a room for the neighbourhood.
The community kitchen is accessed from the street through double doors. The 345 square metre space is double high to house its public character. The facade of the community kitchen incorporates various function such as benches, tables, planters and kitchen to define its use.
The entrances for residential units above are positioned at the backside of the community kitchen. This physically separates the community kitchen from the residents’ entrances, however, the visual connection is there. Via the window frames in the stairwells, there are glimpses of the community kitchen.
COA AND VWN ARE THE SUPPORTING FUNCTIONS
The functions which are essential for newcomers during the asylum procedure are COA and VWN. These have a fixed location in each Statushuis. COA takes care of the management of the building, the safety of the residents and is the contact person for the neighbourhood. VWN is the essential legal help for the residents during the asylum procedure and also their companion for personal assistance.
The location of the functions is in the plinth next to the passages towards the courtyard. This makes the functions both visible to the neighbourhood and easily accessible to residents.
COA is positioned on the Jan Pieter Heijestraat and VWN on the Borgerstraat. This distinction is related to the characters of the public streets.
The spaces of the supporting functions, COA and VWN, are accessible from the public street. In front of the entrance to these spaces is a encroachment zone that distances them from the public sidewalk and shifts the building line from the surrounding buildings and the community kitchen. This gesture shows that
the functions are in support of the residents, where the community kitchen is focused on the neighbourhood.
The space, like the community kitchen, is double-height and has window frames that allow visual contact between the space and the entrances of the residential units. Upstairs is a separate space where consultation hours can take place and personal conversations can be held.
PASSAGE TOWARDS THE COURTYARD BETWEEN VWN AND THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN - SOUTH
The entrance for the residents is sheltered and accessible via the public courtyard. The stairway accesses are inspired by the context with the difference that they are not directly accessible from the street. In the courtyard, there is also the possibility to store the residents’ bikes.
The 5 different stairways provide parcellating of residents. This creates access to about 6 residential units per stairway, which also share spaces on the second floor. An additional quality is that target groups can be separated on grounds of, for instance, gender, culture, family composition or religion.
ENTRANCE TOWARDS THE STAIRWAYS OF THE UNITS
On the second floor, above the public plinth are the shared spaces for residents. The shared spaces are accessed via the stairways, so there is an opportunity to connect with other residents when they return home. The shared spaces, resulting from the workshop research, are silence rooms, multifaith rooms, shared kitchens and a study spaces.
The floor of the shared spaces also functions as a transition between public and private. This gives the upper dwellings a physical distance from public street life and thereby security.
second floor 1:200
The upper floors are assigned to residential units. Single, double and family units alternate in the building (depending on the influx). The arrangement of the residential units incorporates visibility, functions and adequate daylight. In doing so, there is “air” in the building to encourage sufficient interaction between residents and their surroundings. Living on the top floor also offers safety, rest and privacy from the city.
The different residential units have a variety of configurations that fit within the modular grid. In doing so, there is a difference in housing to suit the diversity of residents.
The designed 3-story housing is harmonised with the mass of the context. The fluctuation that arises can manifest itself in raising or lowering these floors, with a maximum of two extra layers compared to the context. In this way, the building remains proportional in its surroundings and by providing openings, the scale can be related.
PASSAGE TOWARDS THE COURTYARD BETWEEN THE COMMUNITY KITCHEN AND COA - EAST
SINGLE UNIT - 28 SQUARE METERS 1:50
FROM A UNIT
BUILDING SCENARIO
The building methodology allows the building to change according to the fluctuating influx. Linking vertices ensures that logistical challenges are feasible. In addition, the vertices are also the elements to which a box can be moved.
The scenario shows that all elements in the building can be coupled on site. Thereby, the building’s technology is housed in the shafts created between the elements. Both the building and the foundation are coupled in the same way.
The scenrio shows a method for increasing and decreasing the size of the building according to changes in asylum applications.
The ground level consists of foundation piles with corner casts. These foundations are set in a grid, which allows easy connection of the elements. Composite floor slabs with corner cast elements are placed on top of the foundation piles. The foundation and floor slabs are connected via the corner casts.
The floor slabs serve as interior floors. These are wooden elements with plywood panels as a finish that bring a warm livable atmosphere. They have different type sizes that allow the floor to fit within the grid. The paving of the ground level runs in front, between and around the building, providing access to the building entrances, to the bicycle storage and to the courtyard.
The plinth of the building has a permanent character. This means that the spaces in the plinth are necessary for a good livable accommodation as well as a function for social interaction.
This part of the building does not change in appearance, because of its permanent status, and therefore has a facade that does not jump.
The spaces created between the annexes and the containers are used as shafts. There are alternating 1120x1120 mm shafts in the grid of the building. These shafts house the water pipes, ventilation ducts, sewage and rainwater. The shafts can be connected from the annexes.
Above the shared spaces will be the residential units spread over several floors. With its size and number of residents, the building fits proportionally into the context. However, through the container and annexes, it is a livable modular building which can respond to the influx of newcomers. This means that the fluctuating residential floor can grow or shrink according to the number of people applying for asylum.
When the inflow increases, additional floors can be made on the 3 residential floors. This way, the building can accommodate more people and thereby respond to the higher influx. The extra floors are proportional to the context and to accommodate people proportionally, housing units will have to be added across several locations.
Responding to the higher or lower influx will go per floor. This will avoid a constant change in the building. Increasing the capacity of the building is done by placing residential units. This means it is a container with linked annexes.
If the inflow decreases and thus fewer people live in the accommodation, it is also possible to scale down. This means that the building can shrink and so a floor comes off. Residential units and the stairway to the top floor can be removed by crane. The units are stored and can be used when the inflow increases again. In this way, containers and annexes can be reused in the different buildings and forms.
UTOPIA TODAY
My graduation project has given me many new insights on how to interact with newcomers in society. People who flee their country do so with good reason and mostly pain in their hearts.
In my view, the Netherlands should be welcoming to newcomers who want to start a new life. For this reason, it is important to offer good and equal opportunities to asylum applicants and allow them to participate in society. The majority of asylum applications are granted, which is why it is important not to put people in limbo but to let them develop in the structures of society from the very beginning.
With the design of the Statushuis, I am trying to outline a feasible alternative to how asylum applicants are accommodated and do have opportunities to flourish in their new environment. It is an utopian way of thinking, which does not mean it is naive or unrealistic. My aim is to offer an alternative that is actually possible in the near future. The architecture I developed for the Statushuis allows the utopia I envision to be realised today. It is a new language that introduces a different context and thereby becomes visible and recognisable. It has been my wish to offer a feasible scenario with a utopian character where there is no taboo on newcomers but rather where qualities become visible. The
Statushuis can therefore become a permanent part of society and be a vision of what works for COA.
The lessons of my graduation showed me the power of interaction, openness, community and honesty. For me, this is the core of my graduation and fundamental to the Statushuis.
I am grateful for the people I have met, wise lessons from the community and support from those around me to bring this project to blossom.
My special thanks go to: Fareed, Majd, Kosai, Qusai, Tarek and Omar who I have had the privilege to meet in the AZC and gave me direction for designing the Statushuis. Elora, Marras, Nicky and Jan from whom I learnt a lot while working as a volunteer at VWN. My studio companions who have inspired me on a daily basis. My family and friends who offered support and helped me reflect during the process. Paul, Lena and Patrick who as a committee have inspired me and provided me with essential critiques. Finally, I would like to thank Emma, Lidwien, Bert and Charlie for the love and support I have felt in pursuing my goals.
Het Statushuis: in my reality, this utopia can exist.
INSPIRATION
OASE 106. Reflections on architecture with Hannah Arendt.
Shorto, R. (2014). Amsterdam. A history of the world’s most liberal city.
Luce Beeckmans, Alessandra Gola, Ashika Singh, Hilde Heynen. (2022). Making Home(s) in Displacement.
Arnon Grunberg. (2023). De vluchteling, de grenswacht en de rijke Jood.
Lena Knappers. (2022). Opening Cities.
Hein de Haas. (2023). Hoe migratie echt werkt
Crimson Architectural Historians. (2019). A City of Comings and Goings
Rodaan Al Galidi (2016). Hoe ik talent voor het leven kreeg.
