INTRODUCTION

In the Mediterranean geography, the Greek islands are located on the Aegean Sea. The presence of the location holds a very important point surrounding the continent of Asia Minor. Due to its significant positions within the Greek islands Lesbos, Samos, Kos, Leros, Kalymnos and Rhodes have seen many unsettling historical repetitions of different settlements from past to present day. The accumulation of historical traces that the settlements have left behind had an out bursting effect with the start of the Syrian civil war. As the conflict erupted on the 15th of March 2011, not long after many Syrian civilians started migrating to Greece, mainly the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Kos, Leros, Kalymnos and Rhodes (Leadbeater, 2016) by sea or land, travelling through Turkey. In desperation for a life safe from war, many settled across the islands living in temporary tents on small or large camps facilitated by the government of Hellenic Republic (Greece) as well as the United Nations (Greece | Global Focus, 2022).

Thesis article named Colonization of Island by Humans: A Bibliographical Perspective(1987), authors William F. Keegan and Jared M Diamond make points on why there is an interest in political nature of colonization of islands. Furthermore, they investigate a broader outcome of issues reflected on island populations. This then play an influence on Island architecture and the cultural clash combined from the different civilisations. Keegan and Diamond create a theory which they have written:

‘‘Islands are often viewed as ‘laboratories’ for the study of cultural and ecological process’’

(Keegan and Diamond, 1987)

This presents an idea that the nature of an island is seen very much different than of a city or a country on mainland, the effect of this is displayed with architectural traces from many civilisations which temporarily existed. On the other hand, the idea of tidal effect (tidal force) which scientifically means a gravitational effect or force where the gravitational fields of two or more celestial bodies collide, creating a pull-on effect on the tides. However, in this thesis it is a metaphor based on the migration of people, to the islands for generations and the architecture that comes along with the tidal effect. The metaphor of the ‘tidal effect’ and how islands viewed as ‘laboratories’ by William F. Keegan and Jared M Diamond, demonstrate how Lesbos, Samos, Kos, Leros, Kalymnos and Rhodes became the space for refugee camps and allowed thousand to settle into temporary tents in already existing communities. 09

Subsequently, the temporary camps that were provided for the refugees from a large scale to a smaller scale is a starting point for the scheme of impermanence and the idea of historical repetition around the islands.

In this thesis will be breaking my theory into four chapters to present a journey of island architecture and refugee camps. A very precise and detailed analysis of conditions and temporary architecture of the tents through various articles. This thesis will examine Mória refugee camp (Lesbos) which was built in January of 2013 and was running until 2020 until its closure as it was burned down. As well as to present how different media outlets presented the idea of impermanence in such a negative concept. This study will solely be based on facts and figures supported by data and given examples by media outlets, as well as interviews of the refugees through different sources to grasp the idea of their harsh conditions.

With chapter one (Journey to Present Day), two (Better Life) and three (Permanence and Impermanence) Chapter three especially will study temporariness the most. The idea ‘Permanence and Impermanence’ will compose rather metaphorical ideas of the camps being impermanent, despite this how the camps could also be the opposite of impermanence which is permanence due to of the location of the camps. Islands having smaller communities than those on mainland, this results in everything being more visible. With all the collated information from three chapters, I shall be able to move on to the last chapter ‘Traces of the Past’. The last chapter will commence personal theories supported by different sources to present the idea that something from the past, which was equally violent and problematic, are now attractions that are left for us to visit or even have a holiday at. However, Mória Camp and many more are presented as foisted and raw which many people tend to avoid. This will unpack the previously mentioned idea the experimentation of island (islands being described as laboratories). The experimentation in where the island is seen as ‘seasonally inhabited’. Compared with the current refugee crises and outline clearly the historical context of the islands of Lesbos, Samos, Kos, Leros, Kalymnos and Rhodes to then significantly and metaphorically if the islands are seasonally inhabited places and if this can be shown through impermanent architecture and rather more permanent architecture.

Nevertheless, the thesis will display a concrete study of the refugee and migrants and the architecture that comes with it and how the Syrian Civil war crises draws the conclusion of a bigger picture. How the crises unveil what starts off with factual argument to then conclude with a metaphorical idea.