Architecture of Arrival – The case of Otto-Röhm-Straße Refugee Housing, Darmstadt

ARCHITECTURE OF ARRIVAL The case of Otto-Rรถhm-Straร e Refugee Housing, Darmstadt

This publication is based on researches and posters from the Exhibition “Architecture of Arrival” that took place at TU Darmstadt, Germany, on 7th June 2017.

Copyright TU Darmstadt 2017 Cover photo: Juan Marín

TU DARMSTADT ARCHITECTURE OF ARRIVAL Edition and coordination Bianca Antunes (Mundus Urbano) Proofreading Dana Mazraani, Julia Mangione, Sadaf Kotwal (Mundus Urbano) Conception and project coordination Anaïs de Keijser, Markus Kip (UrbanGrad) Texts Architecture Dana Mazraani, Hannah Gonzalez Cubity Project Carlos Estevez, Paola Vasconcelos Conclusion Sara Abdelaal Darmstadt policies Markus Kip Foreword Annette Rudolph-Cleff History Taimaa Almashriki, Markus Kip Introduction Anaïs de Keijser, Markus Kip Münster and Stuttgart policies Dana Mazraani, Hannah Gonzalez People/interviews Bilal El-Abbasi, Sophiene Salameh, Taimaa Almashriki Refugee Rights Data Project Sadaf Kotwal Photos Juan Marín Participation in research project: Sara Abdelaal, Anaïs De Keijser, Biljana Stefanovska (UrbanGrad); Nadine Hanske, Mareike Sonntag (M.Sc. student researchers at the Faculty of Architecture)

ARCHI TECTURE OF ARRIVAL

How can we evaluate architecturally the Otto-Rohm housing for up to 924 asylum seekers?

How does it inscribe itself within the broader frameworks of housing and integration policy?

How does this housing settlement compare to other refugee housing in Germany and Europe?

What is the experience of refugees in their temporary home?

The case of Otto-Rรถhm-Straร e Refugee Housing, Darmstadt

TABLE OF CONTENTS FOREWORD. Annette Rudolph-Cleff

INTRODUCTION. Anaïs de Keijser, Markus Kip

HOUSING POLICY IN DARMSTADT. HISTORY. Taimaa Almashriki, Markus Kip

HOUSING POLICY IN DARMSTADT. (DE)CENTRALIZATION.

06 10 14

Markus Kip

18

REFUGEE HOUSING POLICIES. OPINIONS.

24, 46

OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE REFUGGEE HOUSING. ARCHITECTURE. Dana Mazraani, Hannah Gonzalez

OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE REFUGEE HOUSING. PEOPLE. Bilal El-Abbasi, Sophiene Salameh, Taimaa Almashriki

Decentralized housing + integration. Münster + Stuttgart.

Dana Mazraani, Hannah Gonzalez

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTS. CUBITY, FRANKFURT. Carlos Estevez, Paola Vasconcelos

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTS. REFUGEE RIGHTS DATA PROJECT. Sadaf Kotwal

REFLECTIONS Sara Abdelaal

REFERENCES

4

26 34, 38 48 52 58 62 66

5

FOREWORD.

Migration is seen as a megatrend of the future. One third of the world’s population is already on the move and this figure is likely to increase further as a result of population growth, climate change and the intensification of violent conflicts. However, the discussion about migration is a very cautious one. Conversely, the clearly formulated rejection of immigration can mobilise many people in Europe. The danger of right-wing populism and fear of a progressive polarization of society is undisputed. The discussion continues to focus on the first generation of refugees and immigrants, although it is well known that the second and third generations decide on social and economic advancement and emancipation. The lack of counter-models, the lack of forward-looking definitions of integration and the inclusion of the European city in a future-oriented model are obvious in the discussion. The urban is defined by diversity and different values, but how is urbanity defined today in the context of immigration movements?

The risk of social disruptions is high if migration is not seen as a challenge and as an opportunity for social development. These transitional areas - the cities of arrival - are the places where the next great economic and cultural boom or the next big explosion of violence will take place. What ultimately prevails depends on our ability to perceive such developments and our willingness to commit ourselves (Saunders 2013:11) There is certainly no spatial model for successful architectures of arrival, but in Europe, some of the most successful districts for immigrants have emerged in comparison with other parts of the world. The spatial form of these districts may differ, but their functioning and networks are similar. It is obvious that ethnic economics and the step into self-employment can be seen as an opportunity in a social 6

network for migrants and the city. Thus, development tasks of the different districts can be seen, and economic activities and social networks can be recognized as social capital (Sassen 2006).

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Schader-Foundation in Darmstadt and the DAAD for their financial support, which made this thematic debate possible, and I would like to give my special thanks to Dr. Markus Kip, who initiated and organized the “Architectures of Arrival” project. Together with the doctoral students of the graduate school URBANgrad and the students of the international Master’s programme “International Cooperation in Urban Development - Mundus Urbano”, URBANgrad has organized an interdisciplinary workshop and an exhibition. Their team has thus taken the decisive step of driving the discussion forward on how an architecture of arrival can look like at the location of Otto-Röhm-Straße in Darmstadt. The international students’ own experiences arriving in Germany on one the hand, and the new situation for German students dealing with an unknown place in the urban space on the other hand, form the framework of the joint research project. Their intercultural dialogue in the workshop is perhaps the most important result of this workshop - far beyond the beautiful pictures of the exhibition.

On behalf of my colleagues, I would also like to say that we are especially proud of this initiative. Thanks to all participants and all visitors of the exhibition.

Prof. Dr.-Ing. Annette Rudolph-Cleff 7

INTRODUCTION.

In the summer of 2015, Darmstadt, like many other European cities, was faced with the “Summer of Migration.” As of 2016, more than 3,500 refugees lived in Darmstadt, of which 1,769 were in the asylum process. Darmstadt, a city with a housing shortage, was confronted with the acute challenge of housing these new arrivals. The doctoral research colloquium of the Graduate School of Urban Studies (UrbanGRAD) took on the challenge of producing actual and up-to-date research on refugee housing in Darmstadt.

The common interest of this international group of interdisciplinary urban researchers was to understand the intersection of the social and physical dimensions of the municipality’s efforts to provide housing for the asylum-seekers. Our goal was twofold. First, we wanted to add a different perspective to the existing media and social debates surrounding this new situation. In

10

the context of the discourse around a “welcoming culture” (Willkommenskultur), we wanted to investigate what has been done from the viewpoint of a “welcoming architecture” (Willkommensarchitektur), and what that could mean. Second, the collaborative research project intended to allow for research training. While developing the research design, formulating the research questions, and selecting methods of data collection and analysis, the aim was to reflect on those processes and learn about how they could — or should — be done. The basic logic was that of learning by doing.

The first step of the research was to investigate and better understand the housing situation of refugees in Darmstadt and the municipality’s housing strategies. At this point, the refugee housing project in OttoRöhm-Straße stood out to us. At the time, it was under construction and receiving a lot of media coverage

Anaïs De Keijser Program Manager of Mundus Urbano Master and Graduate Student in UrbanGRAD Markus Kip Post-Doctoral Researcher and Coordinator of UrbanGRAD

highlighting existing controversies.

Despite Darmstadt’s official policy of decentralised refugee housing, i.e. the attempt to house asylum-seekers relatively evenly across the city, a temporary housing settlement for up to 924 residents was built on Otto-Röhm-Straße in an industrial area of Darmstadt in December 2016.

The apparent gap between the policy of decentralisation and the actual concentration of refugee housing sparked our attention. We were curious about the processes that led to the municipality’s decision to construct a single project, which aimed to provide new houses for such a high number of people in an industrial area — a federal legislation introduced in 2015 to facilitate housing construction for refugees in industrial areas requires that such settlements need to be demolished within ten years. Our decision was to go straight to the field to see for ourselves what this

project looked like and to speak with some of the people involved in the construction process.

Despite the institutions in the area, the most prominent of which is the municipal waste incinerator, but also include a large hardware store, a logistics company, a carpenters’ workshop, car and trailer dealerships, and a mosque, the streets surrounding the housing complex were nearly desolate. One of us immediately wondered about how this area would feel at night, particularly for female residents. It took almost ten minutes from our bus stop, and the closest residential neighborhood, to walk through the area to finally get to the settlement. Among the advantages of the location, it is to be noted that the city center of Darmstadt is only a 25 minute walk away. There are several supermarkets, a social center and a fitness club in walking distance. Nevertheless, once we entered the industrial area, we felt as

11

if we had left the city. The polemics about overburdening the neighborhood with the settlement of the expected asylum-seekers seemed absurd, since we couldn’t see any neighbourhood worth speaking of.

We would like to express our gratitude to the participants in the seven expert interviews we held with people responsible for the construction, design, and management of the project. Once asylum seekers started moving into the project, we also sought their perspectives through interviews.

We greatly appreciate their time and openness to participating in the research project. Due to our limited capacities and time, we could not ensure meaningful participation by the the residents in the research project, in spite of the interviews and field visits we conducted. To us, this goal remains essential for any research on the topic that seeks 12

to have a practical impact on the refugee situation in Europe.

To share and discuss our preliminary findings, the decision was made to organize an exhibition based on the research in June 2017. This decision led to the enlargement of the team.

At this point, nine students from the Mundus Urbano master program at the Faculty of Architecture decided to join the team. Despite being brought into the project less than 4 weeks prior to the planned exhibition, the students managed to contribute impressive work that ended up constituting the bulk of the exhibition.

The exhibition entitled “Architectures of Arrival. The case of OttoRöhm-Straße Refugee Housing in Darmstadt” featured posters presenting the research findings of the UrbanGRAD team. At its opening reception on June 7th, 2017, residents, city officials, and architects were in-

vited for a discussion on the possibilities of a “welcoming architecture” (“Willkommensarchitektur”) for refugees in Darmstadt. More concretely, we asked: How can we architecturally evaluate the Otto-Röhm-Straße housing project?

How does it meet the needs of its residents?

How does it inscribe itself within the broader frameworks of housing and integration policy?

How does this housing settlement compare to other refugee housing in Germany and Europe?

What is the experience of refugees in their temporary home?

The current publication is a collection of the posters presented at that exhibition, thus providing an overview of the research that has been conducted since the start of this collaborative research project. This publication also includes a summary

of the discussion that was held at the opening reception.

This exhibition would not have been possible without the support of the DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) and the “Freunde der Technischen Universitat zu Darmstadt.”

That being said, we hope that what is presented here can spark further interest and discussions, and that our reflections can shed light on lessons learned in similar refugee housing development projects. This is not the end of the research, but rather the current state of an ongoing investigation.

We hope that this research can contribute to thinking about the housing of refugees in terms of inclusion, participation, and spaces of dignity for those who have just arrived. We, as urban professionals and academics, have a responsibility to think about how we can create good places and spaces for all members of our society.

13

HOUSING POLICY IN DARMSTADT. HISTORY. THE RESEARCH QUESTION

ARRIVAL AND HOUSING

This study aims to investigate the gap between a contested collective housing project in Darmstadt and the city’s official policy of decentralized housing.

Asylum-seekers arriving in Germany are distributed to the Länder (the german states), in accordance to the “Königsteiner Schlüssel” - a formula that determines how many asylum seekers are to be addmitted by each federal state. The formula is based on tax revenues (2/3 of the evaluation share) and the population (1/3 of the share of the State).

For a city that is welcoming 3500 refugees today, this project - that can house up to 924 asylum seekers - is an unusual case of highly concentrated housing.

The study first examines how asylum-seekers are housed in Germany at a municipal level in general. Then, it focuses on the case of Darmstadt in particular, based on interviews with local officials, architects and planners.

14

After a temporary residency in the “Erstaufnahmeeinrichtungen” (first housing units) of the federal states (“Länder”), asylum-seekers can move to municipalities and districts (“Kommunen”). From then on, housing, integration and the provision with basic services becomes responsibility of the Kommunen.

Taimaa Almashriki Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student Markus Kip Post-Doctoral Researcher and Coordinator of UrbanGRAD

Summer of Migration: Municipal Challenges Generally, German cities apply a policy of decentralized housing with regards to asylum-seekers’ accommodation strategy. However, in 2015, an unexpectedly high numbers of asylum seekers flocking to Germany drove several municipalities to implement concentrated and collective housing options.

Municipal administrations were faced with three challenges (Schammann and Kühn 2017): 1. To create municipal housing options for asylum-seekers 2. To acquire or build cheap housing for persons who are granted asylum; 3. To meet the housing needs of other socially disadvantaged groups equitably and prevent social envy.

The housing crisis in German cities exacerbates these challenges. Fore-

casts in early 2017, by the Federal Ministry responsible for housing and urban development (BMUB) see the need for the creation of at least 350,000 new housing units annually (Rettich 2016).

This implies that the number of housing units being built in Germany on a yearly basis is short by 100,000.

The financial situation at the municipal level makes it difficult to make generous offers in cash-strapped cities and regions. In the case of asylum-seekers, municipalities receive € 670 per month per person from the federal level to account for housing, basic necessities and health-provision. Political scientists Dietrich Thränhardt and Karin Weis (2016), however, estimate that on average, this only covers two-thirds of the costs.

15

WHERE THE REFUGEES IN DARMSTADT ARE First home

First home

Otto-Röhm-Strasse

Hasstrasse, 7 49

since 1/7/2016

Nationalities of the asylum seekers in Darmstadt

since 1/12/2016

924

IRAQIS 10%

First home Neuwiesenweg, 2 64

since 1/6/2016

SYRIANS 38%

AFGHANS 22%

First home Bismarckstrasse, 15 34

OTHERS 30%

First home/Villa Tann An der Posch, 2 50

since 1/10/2016

Kelley Barracks Escholbrückerstrasse

First home

300

Donnersbergring, 86 112

until 31/8/2016

First home Maximum number of persons Unaccompanied minors Beginning/end of operation

Schiebelhutweg, 31 146

75

First home Jerffersonsiedlung, 7 75 723

Data from 26/4/2016 Source: “Darmstadt bleibt weltoffen” http://darmstadt-bleibt-weltoffen.de/ new/aktuelles/ (map from mapz.com)

3,450 refugees with different places of residence live in Darmstadt; 1,815 of them are asylum seekers; 429 are children; Two-thirds are male; 224 are unaccompanied minor foreigners. (official data: 26.04.2016)

TIMELINE of OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE housing project Dec 2015

March 2016

April 2016

Dec 2016

Agreement between the city of Darmstadt and Dreßler to collective housing for asylum seekers on Otto-RohmStrasse

Submission of building permit

Beginning of construction works

Handover to municipality and first residents moving in

17

HOUSING POLICY IN DARMSTADT. (DE)CENTRALIZATION. Decentralized vs. collective housing Decentralized housing, as understood in our research, refers to accommodating refugees in (private) housing units that should be as dispersed as possible over the urban area with reasonable access to basic infrastructure. There are few federal stipulations regarding the housing conditions for asylum-seekers, none of which regulates the size or location of the dwelling. A minimum of about 6 to 7 sqm per person and a location that allows for access to urban areas and live are required in most “Länder” (Schammann and Kühn 2017: 12).

According to a survey among municipal officials conducted by DESI (Institut für Demokratische Entwicklung und Soziale Integration) in 2016, 90.7% viewed decentralized housing for asylum-seekers as “important” or “very important” (Gesemann and Roth 2016).

18

Arguments for decentralized housing: Most experts and municipal officials in Germany consider decentralized housing to be the preferable alternative over collective housing (Schammann and Kühn 2017: 11). Experts argue that it allows for a better quality of life and supports the process of integration (Wendel 2014; Köhnke 2014; Flüchtlingsrat Brandenburg 2016; DIakonie 2014). Empirical studies show that interethnic contact fosters a favourable attitude towards the minority and counteracts discrimination (Friedrichs 2016).

Moreover, experts calculate that it is also the cheaper option (Aumüller et al 2015).

Arguments in favour of collective housing for refugees: include a better accessibility for social services and the creation of a safe space (Schammann and Kühn 2017: 11; Aumüller et al 2015: 35-38).

Markus Kip Post-Doctoral Researcher and Coordinator of UrbanGRAD

MIGRANT COMMUNITIES vs. GHETTOS Some Germans fear the creation of ghettoes. Recent proposals (like the one by vice-chancellor Sigmar Gabriel of the SPD) tried to renew the so-called “Residenzpflicht” (limited movement rights for asylum-seekers) to prevent the creation of concentrated migrant areas.

Sociologist Walter Siebel (2016) contends that the talk of ghettos and “parallel societies” in Germany is empirically unjustified and is a dangerous exaggeration, since it stigmatizes certain areas.

Doug Saunders, urban researcher, defends the integrative role of migrant communities: “Researches show that the formation of ethnically concentrated settlement neighborhoods generally aids and accelerates, rather than hinders, the process of integration. Refugees are equally reliant on physical proximity as an integration and adjustment tool” (Saunders 2016: 26). Friedrich

Heckmann, co-director of the European Forum for Migration Studies, agrees: “Being able to operate in a familiar language and culture when ‘abroad’ helps reduce the stress of having to adapt to new conditions” (Heckmann 2016: 62).

While advocating for the creation of migrant communities, Saunders, however, also urges municipalities to support them with public funds:

“The immigrant-integration process takes place faster, more successfully, and with less risk of social isolation and failure if these communities are provided with institutions that are not just as good as but actually superior to, those provided to established middle-class residents. A one-time investment in great institutions for the Arrival City will not only prevent far more expensive future costs of social failure, but will repay the investment many times over” (Saunders 2016: 30).

19

“Architecture has the potential to make a great impact on these Arrival Cities since well-designed buildings will encourage German households to establish themselves alongside migrant households, and migrants will not be subject to discrimination on account of their poor-quality housing.”

Jürgen Friedrichs, sociologist (2016: 82)

The Situation in Darmstadt: Finding a location For the first (approx.) 500 asylum-seekers, rental accommodations could be found in the city of Darmstadt until about 2015. By the end 2015, however, the forecasts by the Land Hesse foresaw that Darmstadt was to receive 1,000 new asylum-seekers each quarter in 2016.

Former army barracks were opened and made available for housing, in addition to hotel rooms that were rented at high costs. Hotels and barracks, however, soon were considered to be inappropriate to house families or disabled people. Hotels, in particular, allowed for very little privacy and did not include kitchen facilities. The alternative of converting older buildings was considered, but not found to be feasible.

In an interview, the refugee affairs coordinator, Sylvia Klett, claims that the city investigated “every tiny square centimeter” in terms of its 20

potential to house refugees. In late 2015, municipal officials realized that under the given time-pressure from the influx of arrivals, there was no other option but to construct a new collective housing settlement.

Klett explains: “We knew, decentralized options were exhausted, i.e. we have reserved all apartments that were owned by the municipality for refugees to the extent possible, while balancing the interests of other structurally disadvantaged groups.

The free housing market has been exhausted. There were no further existing buildings, that could have been converted. There was simply no other way, but to think in terms of container or tent settlements or collective housing options.”

Klett views the decision for this collective refugee housing option as a “compromise”, and further: “Of course, we wish it would be different. This is not a good solution.

But it is definitely better than a tent or container settlement.”

“The aim is to integrate the people in the neighborhood such that they can access regular support offers.”

Sylvia Klett, coordinator of refugee affairs in Darmstadt

Otto-Röhm-StraSSe HOUSING AND INTEGRATION STRATEGIES According to Jürgen Romig, the urban planning of the refugee housing was “not about sociological ideas or integration measures. It was quite simply about creating housing, that could be removed eventually, but meaningful for a longer period of housing, warm, with water and toilets. As close as possible to the city center and nearby infrastructure.”

In March 2017, and in spite of the development of this collective housing settlement, the chief of the department of social affairs (Sozialdezernentin), Barbara Akdeniz recently responded to a minor enquiry in the municipal parliament that “for Darmstadt the decentralized housing of refugees remains the highest priority“.

Akdeniz’s department had long emphasized the importance for residents to become integrated in surrounding neighborhoods. Sylvia Klett, coordinator of refugee affairs

in Darmstadt, claims that it is important to create incentives to help move people outside of the settlement.

“It was thus never the idea to provide a daycare center on the site or some other social institution. The aim is to integrate the people in the neighborhood such that they can access regular support offers.

That is also to my understanding why there are only two common rooms in the settlement. That is sparing, that is little. But with the goal: people should go out.”

Once the asylum-seekers of the OttoRöhm-Straße settlement are granted asylum, the municipal officers hope that they find accommodation elsewhere in the city. Sylvia Klett realizes that it is difficult on a tight market for rental apartments to find a suitable apartment. “It is extremely challenging to find a dwelling here in Darmstadt and for refugees it is surely the most difficult.”

21

REFUGEE HOUSING POLICIES. OPINIONS. “It was thus never the idea to provide a daycare center on the site or some other social institution. The aim is to integrate the people in the neighborhood such that they can access regular support offers, but that no special services are provided to them. People should go out of the settlement.”

Sylvia Klett (Coordinator of Refugee Affairs, City of Darmstadt) “Immigrants who have some chance of becoming established and legal permanent residents, or eventually citizens, will focus their energies and investments in the community around them. Conversely, an unclear path can encourage migrants to make tentative, short-term investment decisions.”

Doug Saunders (Urban researcher, London and Toronto)

“Anyone living in Stuttgart is a Stuttgarter.”

Wolfgang Schuster (Mayor of Stuttgart 1997-2013) “Of course, we wish [the housing situation] it would be different. This is not a good solution. But it is definitely better than a tent or container settlement.”

Sylvia Klett (Coordinator of Refugee Affairs, City of Darmstadt)

24

“According to forecasts by the BMUB, the government ministry responsible for housing and urban development, at least 350,000 new housing units will be needed annually; roughly 100,000 more than are currently completed per year in Germany. The immigration crisis has exacerbated the housing issue. Yet it also offers an unparalleled opportunity to give social housing policy a new impetus and to discard old ballast.”

Stefan Rettich (Professor for Urban Design, University of Kassel) “I sleep with my brother in the room. Instead of making the kitchen so big and wasting space, the bedrooms could have been larger. In the end, you stay longer in your room than in the kitchen.”

(Resident of Otto-Röhm-Strass housing) “The development was not about sociological ideas or integration measures. It was quite simply about creating housing that could be removed eventually, but that makes sense for a longer period of housing, warm, with water and toilets.”

Architect Jürgen Romig

25

OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE REFUGGEE HOUSING. ARCHITECTURE. The Project

INDUSTRIAL AREA

In response to the housing shortage in Darmstadt, particularly in the case of asylum seekers, Dreßler Bau GmbH construction company has put forth 2 types of housing typologies, composed of 3 to 4 floors each.

The site is located in an industrial area of Darmstadt; about 40 minutes by foot from centre. Its surroundings include include a waste incineration plant (EAD), a building supply store, a mosque, and a car dealer.

The typologies were developed while addressing the following question: How to get the fastest and cheapest housing units while meeting modern living requirements?

To establish a perspective on the situation in Darmstadt, the research for the architecural perspectives relied on newspaper reviews and interviews with people involved in the project: the coordinator of refugee affairs in Darmstadt (Mrs. Sylvia Klett); Dreßler, the owner and builder of the project; the project coordinator of the construction (Mrs. Ira Hummel) of the municipal real estate company (Eigenbetrieb Immobilienmanagement Darmstadt).

26

In 2015, a change in the Building Law (Baugesetz) made it possible to house asylum-seekers in industrial areas for a maximum of ten years.

Ira Hummel, project coordinator, explains that in order to receive a permit for construction, a report had to be drafted indicating all infrastructure and services surrounding the site (pharmacies, stores, a Saturday flea market, clubs), insuring some level of connectivity and that the project is not built in an isolated industrial area.

Dreßler took initiative to present the concept of a refugee housing settlement to the municipality.

Dana Mazraani Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student Hannah Gonzalez Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student

Daily life in the refugee housing on OttoRĂśhm-Strasse (photos: Juan MarĂ­n)

section

site plan

27

After ten years (in 2026), the official plan is to demolish the site due to the regulations of the Building Law. Architect Romig, however, speculates: “We don’t know what kind of developments will happen at the legislative level. No one is going to show up there with diggers to demolish after ten years simply based on legal authorization – if, in fact, housing was needed at this location. Never.”

Fast Dwelling

THE BUILDING PROCESS

Dreßler had already worked with prefabricated elements to build housing and had developed a concept of “Fast Dwelling” (Schnelles Wohnen) which the company hoped could sell well in the context of rising housing demand for refugees.

The municipality made the deal with Dreßler who remains the owner of the site and rents the site and the buildings to the city of Darmstadt for ten years. According to Dreßler, Darmstadt could have asked for housing that would have legally accommodated far more than 1,000 persons on the site, but the municipality didn’t want to go beyond the “magical number” of 1,000.

“It is a fast way to create space to live in and in high quality. It is quite an ordinary apartment. Not at a huge standard, but it looks great, when you enter it. At least on the same standard as social housing. And it is built within only three months”, explains architect Jürgen Romig.

Dreßler considers the concept sustainable to the extent that it is possible to convert the housing at low costs, for example, to student housing.

28

Construction site of Otto-Röhm-Strasse (photo credit: Dressler)

The industrial neighborhood at Otto-RöhmStrasse (photo credit: Anaïs De Keijser)

29

The project does not respond to the most recent energy regulations, although they are significantly better than emergency residences in residential containers, says Peter Littauer, one of the three managing directors of DreÃ&#x;ler Bau GmbH.

GROUND PLAN APARTMENTS GROUND FLOOR (TYPE PLAN) GROUND PLAN APARTMENTS

GROUND FLOOR (ACCESSIBLE APARTMENTS) GROUND PLAN WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE APARTMENTS GROUND PLAN WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE APARTMENTS

GROUND FLOOR (OFFICE AND COMMUNITY USE) GROUND PLAN 30 OFFICE AND COMMUNITY USE

GROUND PLAN OFFICE AND COMMUNITY GROUND PLAN OFFICE AND COMMUNITY

MATERIALS CHOSEN

PUBLIC RESPONSE

Prototypes were made before the final construction - they were built with prefabricated wall panels, which are supplied from the Dreßler precast unit in Stockstadt, and allowed a construction time of 3,5 weeks for the prototypes. The wall panels consist of three layers: a concrete slab as a base frame, an outer covering and a 16 cm thick inner insulation. Colored wall elements cover the facades.

Once the building plans became public, two neighbors brought lawsuits to prevent the implementation of the plan.

To save time and money, the use of noise-insulating screen was omitted. The latter, as well as balconies, will be added at a later stage.

Whereas the buildings are a step up from emergency residential containers, they do not meet the most recent regulations for emergency situations.

One business feared that children from the refugee site could throw stones across the fence on the parking cars. The other was concerned about the noise from the settlement such that noisereduction barrier had to be set up – reinforced by larger blinds put up by the neighbor. The party “Alternative for Germany” (AfD) brought a suit against the site.

The party saw this concentration of refugees as impossible for the neighborhood to integrate and necessarily leading to a social problem area.

The party used the housing development as a local mobilizing ground for their general critique against the federal policies towards refugees. The AfD encountered resistance by all other political parties. Eventually, all of the lawsuits were not acceded by the courts.

31

OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE REFUGEE HOUSING. PEOPLE. What was the first impression of the refugees from the newly built accommodation? How do the residents experience their temporary “home”? What are their feeling towards the accommodation?

Do they feel like part of society? Do they have social contacts outside the accommodation? What are their feelings towards the city?

Questions were directed to five male Syrians, from 22 to 28 years old, living in the refugee housing on Otto-Röhm-Strasse.

On the right, a view from the Otto-RöhmStrasse Housing with some Somali families sun bathing; on the left, Ahmad, one of the interviewed refugees (credits: Bilal El-Abbasi)

34

Bilal El-Abbasi Architect; master student at TU Darmstadt

Encountering + living in Darmstadt Take a closer look. The People. This contribution shall give an introduction of Darmstadt’s refugees after the so called summer of migration.

At the end of 2016, accommodation located between Otto-Röhm-Strasse and Sensfelderweg was established for around 1,000 refugees. This

study shall examine two aspects: 1) An overview of how the refugees live and experience their temporary “home”.

2) What their contact and encounter with the city and society looks like.

About the Study Central and essential factors in the research are the cohabitation and community feeling in the accommodation, the daily routine of refugees, their social contacts, difficulties and opportunities and all-round satisfaction. The second part of the study focuses on the relationship between the refugees and the city/society.

Richard Sennett describes the city in his book “The Uses of Disorder” as “[...] a form of settlement [...] which makes the encounter of strangers

more likely.” How do these encounters with the local people look like?

This research gives an overview of the experiences of the refugees and asylum seekers in the housing at Otto-Röhm-Strasse. The aim is to capture the subjective perception, the motivation and individual experiences of the refugees, in order to gain a better understanding of how the refugees “see the world”. Moreover, we wanted to correct the phenomenon of the “unknown” refugee and give them a face.

35

NARRATIVE INTERVIEW The narrative interview is used as a qualitative research method. It focuses on establishing and maintaining longer narrative periods without further interventions by the interviewer. The narrative interview shows a high degree of personal orientation and the lowest degree of external structuring.

The interviewee can report, comment and explain freely. The perception, the action and the experiences must be developed “on spot”, thus one gets authentic and accurate statements (Heistinger 2017).

The interviews for this study were conducted with guidelines, which have a certain structuring level, so the interviewee can control the conversation to a certain degree, but the interviewer directs the conversation flow. The guideline guarantees a structured and logical composition with a high level of detail.

Five interviews were conducted with male Syrians from 22 to 28 years old. The interviewers asked for anonymously, except for one, Ahmad. Because of it, we call our interviewees A, B, C, D, and E.

STORIES FROM OTTO-RÖHM-STRASSE AREA. When the industrial area, which the housing is located in, was discussed, all the interviewees agreed that it is not suitable to house refugees.

They feel isolated to some degree and, foremost, unwanted. However, the interviewees mentioned that when it comes to grocery shopping the area has options to offer.

36

COHABITATION.

IMPRESSIONS.

A described the other members as family. However, like in families, they still argue about things.

A escribed the housing as a prison, mentioning the security guards patrolling the area.

C, however, prefers to live isolated and rather dislikes living in cohabitation.

C likes the housing, however, complained about privacy issues.

B adds that because they have known each other for a long time, only minor arguments occur.

D used to live with his family back home. He needed to adapt to the new living situation and continues by saying that he is lucky to have good mates.

E says that he’s simply satisfied with the situation.

When it comes to cooking and eating, all the interviewees told us that they rarely cook or eat together. The main reasons were different time schedules. However, the interesting fact is, that all of them do like their newly built kitchen. Their only complaint was the size of the freezer.

B agreed and added that one is with the wrong society/people, thus, not helping with the process of integration.

D does not like to live in dense environments.

E disliked the outer image of the housing, however, after a few days he seemed to “like it� because his overall living condition improved.

Almost with no objection, all the interviewees agreed on this point: they do not feel as part of society. The main reasons for that feeling is simply because no one is capable of speaking German fluently. Other reasons stated are the location of the camp and its isolation and the fact that they are unemployed.

37

OTTO-RĂ–HM-STRASSE REFUGEE HOUSING. PEOPLE. memories, dreams, realities: RESIDENTS OF OTTO-RĂ–HM-STRASSE, DARMSTADT

Afghanistan - Germany 4,900 km Syria - Germany 3,700 km

Iraq - Germany 4,200 km

This part of the project was conceptualized as an attempt to stimulate others to see refugees not as a number, a policy issue or as a report on TV, but rather to understand their journeys, and learn about their lives, memories, dreams and realities. It aims at presenting them as they wish to be identified.

The information was collected through interviews over a week in May 2017, aimed at initiating happy memories of their countries, their 38

love stories and their aspirations not only to instigate others to perceive them differently, but also to encourage them to reconnect with themselves.

Interviewees were asked to present an item or a photograph of a place that is dear to their heart. However, most failed to present an item as they had to leave everything behind, given the nature of the journey they had to take.

Sophiene Salameh Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student Taimaa Almashriki Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student

Khaled Naeim, Syria Khaled Naeim, 29, was born in Al-Swida, Syria. He is the youngest of four children (two girls and two boys). After graduating high school, Khaled got into the interior design business through a friend.

In 2007, he was offered a contract by acquaintances in the UAE where he spent the next five years working at a carpentry.

Khaled plans to settle back home in Syria in the future and start his own business there.

Item or picture chosen: A picture of his daughter Tala. (photo: Juan MarĂ­n)

(photo: personal archive)

In 2014, Khaled met his wife Ghadeer when he was visiting his family in Syria. They got engaged and the wedding cerimony was set for 23 May 2015. However, due to the conflict in Syria, Khaled couldn’t attend his own wedding and was only reunited with his wife two days later.

Their love story was crowned by a baby girl called Tala on born March 17, 2016. To this day, Khaled has not yet met his daughter as she and his wife are still in Syria.

Khaled arrived in Germany on 29 Oct 2015.

39

MOHAMAD KORA MUSTAFA, SYRIA Mohamad Kora Mustafa, 38, was born in Idleb, Syria. He is the eldest of ten children (7 girls and 3 boys). His dad died when he was 4 years old. He came to Germany in 2015 with his wife of almost three years, Ayah.

reach their school. Weather conditions were no obstacle to them; rain or shine, they never skipped a class.

For 6 years during his secondary school education, Mohamad and his friends had to walk 4 km to

Item or Picture chosen: A picture of his favorite car, the one he owned before coming to Germany.

Mohamad graduated from the University of Aleppo in 2005 and worked as a lawyer in Syria prior to the conflict.He is the first person in his hometown Mash-had Ruhin to earn a university degree.

(photo: Juan Marín)

40

(photo: personal archive)

Every year on the first day of the holy month of Ramadan the whole family would gather at his late father’s home for Iftar (the evening meal that breaks each day’s fast during Ramadan). They would practice the same ritual for many other occasions and celebrations.

(photo: Juan MarĂ­n)

(photo: personal archive)

RAMIN ALIMI, AFGHANISTAN Ramin Alimi, 23, was born in Kapisa, Afghanistan. He is the third of five children (two girls and three boys). His father was killed by the Taliban 15 years ago. Ramin graduated from high school right before fleeing the country with his family.

He was planning on getting a engineering degree in the construction field. Today, Ramin and one of his sisters are planning to pursue their education and are applying to universities in Darmstadt, including the TU Darmstadt. amin now plans to study mechanical engineering.

His older brother holds a bachelor degree in Management and plans to earn a Master’s degree in Germany.

During a year his spent in Delhi, India, on his way to Europe, Ramin learned two new languages and speaks them fluently: English and Urdu. He used to accompany friends and family members that went to Delhi for visits, and ended knowing the city very well.

In Afghanistan, in his free time, Ramini played football with his friends almost on a daily basis. On Fridays, which was his only day off, together with his friends, he would go to Qargha, a reservoir west of Kabul, for a swim, a picnic or just to enjoy the nice weather: a place that is always sunny.

Item or picture chosen: A picture of Qargha, his weekend getaway.

41

KAHERA NAJIM ABDALLAH, IRAQ Kahera Najim Abdallah, 43, was born in Baghdad, Iraq. She is the second of five children (three girls and two boys). She has been married to Abbas - an electrical engineer - for 22 years and together they have five children. The youngest, who was born in Germany, is a 1 year old baby girl named Angela Merkel.

In late 2014, Kahera moved to Syria with her family to flee the conflict in Iraq. She remained in Syria for 6 years and studied alternative medicine over a span of five years.

Kahera received a certificate just in time to flee yet another conflict, this time in Syria, in 2013.

She spoke about memories of when she was between the ages of three to six, and lived at her grandmother’s house in the city of Samarra, Iraq.

She remembers accompanying family members around different places of the city. “I was the happiest child in the world. My wishes 42

were always granted”.

A few years later, while living at her parents’ home, in Baghdad, Kahera recounts that her and her friends would buy some candy, chips and juice before going to watch the Thursday night movie - movie theaters in Baghdad only operated on Thursdays, showing solely state-selected films.

At the beginning of the movie projection they always ate the candies, then it was time for some chips and just by the end of the movie they would drink the juice. Every Thursday they repeated their tradition.

Kahera wants her children to have a proper education, either in Germany, or back home.

ALAA FARES HUSSEN, SYRIA Alaa Fares Hussen, 22, was born in Al-Qamischli, Syria. She is the eldest of four children (two girls and two boys).

Due to the conflict in Syria, she had to drop out of school just after completing 7th grade and move to the Iraqi Kurdistan. There, she fell in love with Amir, and sortly after, they got married. In 2015, they came to Germany - she was pregnant at the time. Today, Alla and Amir have a ten month old baby boy named Timaf - which means “he who has thirst for his country”.

Alaa’s memories of Syria are mostly of her playing with her friends af-

ter school, on holidays, special occasions and Eid (religious holidays celebrated by Muslims worldwide after the holy month of Ramadan and after Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Mecca).

Every Friday, after a family lunch, the whole family would gather at her uncle’s house and together with her cousins they would go to the park and play. The park was also the place where she played with her friends after school. Some of the games they used to play are jumping rope, pooleh and 7 hajarat (stones).

Alla’s father was a carpenter and her mother used to make handicrafts from home. They still live in Iraqi Kurdistan, with her brothers and sister.

Item or picture chosen: Her wedding/engagment ring.

(photos: Juan Marín)

43

REFUGEE HOUSING POLICIES. OPINIONS. “So, our first impression was that the accommodation seemed like a prison. They want to suggest that you are not imprisoned, but you are.”

“I spend three-quarters of my time in my room. Only when I have something important to do I go out of the room.”

“My personal contact with the outside world is only through the language school, otherwise I spend my remaining time in my apartment. But if I had work or friends, I would spend more time outside.”

“If society doesn’t want anything from me, I will stay at home.

I simply don’t have the courage to make contact with people.”

“You see the camp. It consists of buildings and some smaller green areas, a long path and two exits. There is no place that has the quality of a recreational space.”

46

“In the hotel we lived in the middle of society. Around us was the city. We are now in an isolated area, without larger residential areas.”

“When speaking about the location, it is pretty good. Although we are far from the center of the city, we have a mall nearby and the Luisencentre can be reached in less than 20 minutes on foot. By bike everything is possible.”

“Living in cohabitation is not for me. I just do not like it, but now we are somehow forced to live together. We have no right of decision. When I am forced to live in a community (...) I like to isolate myself.”

“We barely have relationships with the other apartments.

There are only a few people with whom we meet every two or three days. But in general, everyone is in isolation for himself.”

“As you can see, we share the kitchen among five. In principle, everyone cooks for himself and everyone also eats alone. And everyone does his own dishes. When it comes to cleaning, we have created a cleaning plan.” **The quotes are from the interviews with Syrians male refugees, from 22 to 28 years old. They asked to remain anonymous.

47

Decentralized housing + integration.

Münster + Stuttgart.

Refugee Housing in Münster The Coordinating Office for Immigration and Intercultural Affairs (Koordinierungsstelle für Migration und Interkulturelle Angelegenheiten in Münster) was established in 1999. In 2001, the city of Münster rejected the temporary, camplike refugee housing models of the period and embraced an approach that improved living standards while helping normalize the settlement experience for everyone, turning strangers into neighbors.

As of January 2016, there were approximately 70 refugee facilities existing in the city.

This process has been incorporated into their guiding concept of public participation and the following entities had been consulted: local institutions such as political parties, the city’s administration, integration commission, welfare organizations, associations, and seniors’ representatives.

The integration policy aims to prevent segregation and to successfully integrate refugees into urban society.

Münster Location: North Rhine – Westphalia Population: 310,000+ Stuttgart Location: Baden-Wurttemberg Population: 623,000+ (City)

48

Dana Mazraani Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student Hannah Gonzalez Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student

The high quality of the residential accommodation attracted the attention of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), who praised the M端nster model.

Key elements are: - Each center does not host more than 50 persons; - Medium-density building; - Housing units have a maximum of 8 persons;

- Own kitchen and bath/toilet (large-scale sanitary facilities are avoided); - Kindergartens, schools, and sports associations are accessible on foot; - Intact neighborhoods.

On the top, the Hiltrup Meesenstiege Housing (photo source: Stadt M端nster) and on the bottom, the Albachten Housing, M端nster (photo source: Stadt M端nster)

49

Refugees welcome the “Stuttgart Way” Stuttgart follows the so-called “Stuttgart Way”, which is a special strategy characterized by various overlapping measures: refugees are housed in the suburbs, in all districts where possible, and live in newly built accommodation as well as rented or city-owned properties.

Wherever possible, mass accommodation is avoided. This involves decentralised placement in the urban districts: never more than 250 people at one location. By the end of November 2015, 6,231 refugees were living in 94 shelters in 21 Stuttgart districts.

2001: Stuttgart City Council adopted the Pact for Integration, anchoring its new policy framework in a strong multi-sector coalition that brought together public, private and civil sectors;

2003: the Stuttgart Pact for Integration gained national and international recognition when the city was awarded the ‘Cities for Peace Prize’ by UNESCO; 2004: the European Council recognized Stuttgart’s approach as the standard for best practice when it adopted the key points of the pact as its official policy on integration.

Palotti House, Stuttgart On the site of the St. Vincent Pallotti church in Stuttgart-Birkach, the housing estate realizes a new neighborhood with eight buildings, a housing for mixed circles of society, especially for families, but also across generations for people of all age groups. For the first time, the integration of housing models for refugees with networking into the community is also being implemented.

50

15 architectural offices from Germany were invited to participate on the neighborhood design - the winner was Schwarz and Jacobi Architekten, with Wolfgang Blank, landscape architect.

In total, about 65 properties are being built, complemented by housing for asylum seekers, housing for refugees with housing rights and housing for students.

Perspective view and floor plan of the Palotti House, in Stuttgart (images credit: Makingheimat.de)

51

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTS. CUBITY, FRANKFURT. STUDENT HOUSE: POSSIBILITY FOR INTEGRATION The Project “Cubity; Plus-Energy and Modular Future Student Living” was developed by students at the TU Darmstadt as an entry for the Solar Decathlon 2014 competition for a student dormitory proposal.

In 2016, it was built in Frankfurt am Main, as a fast, modular and sustainable way to provide housing for students. It opened in December 2016.

There are 12 rooms for students.

Three spots were reserved for refugee students, but the registration process for a refugee student to enter the university is still a big challenge.

For its fast and modular way of construction, the authors believe Cubity could be replicated as a refugee camp housing model.

LIVING IN A COMMUNITY The concept of Cubity strives for an optimization of the private rooms and a maximization of the communal area. The communal space consists of a cooking zone, a loft and a terrace.

52

The concept of “a village in a house” guarantees a retreat for the students, with private rooms but also provides common spaces to share moments, opinions and cultures - a space that can be compared with a democratic urban square.

Carlos Estevez Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student Paola Vasconcelos Architect and urban planner, Mundus Urbano master student

(photo: Paola Vasconcelos)

https://cubity.de

DIAGRAM: THE CUBES

53

ARCHITECTURAL CONCEPT The design concept is based on two spatial elements consisting of an overall area of 16 m x 16 m: a communal hall and six individually used cubes consisting of two stacked units for 12 students.

The technical and architectural design aims at reducing energy con-

sumption whilst maximizing energy gain of the building. The cubes offer a minimized private space of approximately 7 m2 including a small sanitary module. All shared spaces, such as the kitchen and living areas, are integral to the hall, which occupies a central position.

ROOF WITH SOLAR ENERGY (PHOTOVOLTAICS)

CONSTRUCTION

WOOD AND STEEL STAIRS TRANSLUCID POLYCARBONATE TWIN-WALL FACADE

CLEAR VISUAL ELEMENTS IN FACADE

PRIVATE CUBES

BAR SUBSTRUCTURE WITH FLOOR SURFACE

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION

54

section

1st floor

GROUND floor

55

ALTERNATIVE PROJECTS. REFUGEE RIGHTS DATA PROJECT. THE PURSUIT OF FILLING INFORMATION GAPS The Refugee Rights Data Project (RRDP) is a UK-based nongovernmental human rights organization. The initiative, founded

by Marta Welander, a doctoral researcher at the University of Westminster, recognized that the political debate surrounding refugees and displaced people lacked reliable data on the conditions of camps and its dwellers. The organization’s team of researchers conducts independent field studies with the aim to fill these information gaps.

RRDP seeks to “provide influencers and policymakers with a powerful tool that will enable them to identify problem areas and work towards formulating a sustainable response to the humanitarian crisis” (RRDP 2016). Second, it hopes that its research will better inform the public debate in a more nuanced 58

and non-polarizing manner, as opposed to the hostile and prejudiced nature it has had since the beginning of the crisis.

The RRDP has investigated extensively on refugees and their experiences in France’s Calais and Dunkirk camps, in Germany’s housing and emergency shelters and in Greece’s squats and community centers. It has produced over 12 reports detailing their findings on conditions of men, women, and children. The reports provide crucial information regarding their nationalities, level of education, marital status, age, and living environments.

Furthermore, they give a better insight on the dwellers’ journeys to and in Europe, allowing to voice their opinions, concerns, apprehensions along with their hopes and dreams.

Sadaf Kotwal Environmental Sciences, Mundus Urbano master student

Source: Refugee Rights Data Project (RRDP) Beginning of Calais Camp evictions in March 2016 (photo credit: Amirah Breen/Creative Commons)

Of a sample size of 213, 72% of respondents in Calais have been in Europe for a time period of 6 months to more than 2 years. Of those respondants, 88.9% wish to go to the UK for asylum. The report also cited that 33% of respondents did not want to stay in France because they felt unsafe.

59

Learn more about the Refugee Rights Data Project’s research on www.refugeerights.org.uk/ reports. The RRDP is also active on social media such as Twitter (@RefugeeData) and Facebook.

Refugee Housing in Berlin In December 2016 and January 2017, RRDP and Friedenskreis Syrien (Peace Circle Syria) conducted a qualitative study assessing emergency shelters, community housing and information centres across Berlin (Refugee Rights Europe 2017).

It recounts experiences of 390 asylum seekers shedding light on education, housing, and welfare. The report highlights both the German government’s attempts to meet the needs of a large number of refugees, and the significant challenges that impede the process to this day.

On average, asylum seekers have been in Germany for 13.7 months prior to receiving residency. For over 80% of respondents, Germany was their intended destination, and despite the lengthy process, the same proportion of respondents do not regret their decision. Many fear not being reunited with family particularly after the government’s new regulations that slow down 60

family reunification. Concerns for safety from theft and in house violence were expressed as a main source of distress– “a phenomenon exacerbated by tensions, post-traumatic stress and the difficulty of the asylum process.”

Racist street harassment was the reality for 17.1% of respondents. However, as opposed to the Calais camp, 90% of respondents had not experienced police violence in Germany.

The overall situation in Berlin has been successful in spite of the concerns raised. The system is dependent on voluntary networks in which refugees can access official services such as integration courses. Nevertheless, if the German government wishes to meet human rights standards, it needs to improve on access to information, safety, and the quickening of the asylum and family reunification processes.

61

Reflections from the Exhibition.

Among those who attended the oppening of the exhibition at the Faculty of Architecture, TU Darmstadt, on June 7, 2017, were Darmstadt’s coordinator of refugee affairs, the coordinator of the OttoRöhm-Strasse refugee housing project, the managing directors from Dressler GmbH Bau, professors and graduate students from TU Darmstadt, and guests.

The debate revolved mainly around two points: the lessons learned from the Otto-RöhmStrasse refugee housing research and the questions that could be considered for future research and investigations.

The discussion on the field research limitations and the challenges in data collection process, showed that some asylum seekers were more opened to talk about their impressions than others. Gender seemed to play a key role, as it proved in some cases to be culturally inappropriate for male students 62

to interview female residents.

A large contrast could also be observed between asylum seekers’ interactions with students and with officials: they were more reluctant to share opinions about housing with officials, fearing it might jeopardize their asylum process.

One interesting aspect of the discussion is that many of the residents found that the common spaces (i.e. the kitchen) should be smaller and the bedrooms larger, a point that should be taken into consideration for future planning.

Another issue relevant to the architectural aspect of the housing is the consideration of gender in the planning process. Since there were many single male travelers who were accommodated together in “single male travelers’ apartments,” it raised the question of whether there were any single female travelers, and how they were accommodated.

Several observations were made when looking at Darmstadt in

Sara Abdelaal Architect; master degree from TU Berlin in urban management; PhD candidate at TU Darmstadt

comparison with other German cities during the discussion. It was pointed out that Münster (one of the cases presented in the exhibition) is different from Darmstadt in that there is more available land for the municipality to expand residential neighborhoods. Contrastingly, in Darmstadt, as explained by the officials, the municipality does not have alternatives to the industrial areas of the city for refugee housing, in addition to suffering from increasing housing demand. In Stuttgart (another praised example) the situation might be similar in terms of the housing market. This point was discussed in the context of how far the municipality of Darmstadttookseriousthechallenge of implementing decentralized housing and integration policies.

As an established fact, the number of asylum seekers that each federal state is obliged to accommodate is based on their yearly population growth and tax income, termed “Königsteiner Schlüssel” (Breckner,

Ingrid 2015). The question that follows is whether and how the ideal of decentralized housing could be realized on the local level.

Given the housing challenges that Germany is facing, especially in Darmstadt, it remains unclear if there is an opportunity to transition the Otto-Röhm-Strasse project from use as refugee housing to student dorms after the 10 year period (the maximum period of time asylumseekers can be accommodated on industrial land, based on the 2015 building law amendments).

Nevertheless, this option should be considered in relation to the risk of opening industrial areas for temporary residential purposes.

This has the potential to be taken advantage of by other actors such as hotel and real estate companies maximize their access to land in tight housing markets.

Further observation of the situation leads to the question of how resilient Germany is to adapt to

63

these new challenges and sudden demographic changes in a fairly short period of time. There is a need for more efficiency when starting the integration process of the new arrivals. Inextricably, there is a need to find sustainable solutions for housing not only for asylum-seekers but also for other groups seeking lower-income and affordable housing without encroaching on industrial land.

Furthermore, this necessitates introducing architecturally feasible solutions that support social

integration, as well as a degree of resilience in urban governance.

Based on the challenges this research faced during the data collection phase (i.e. the search for similar studies on the topic of housing refugees in Germany), the group understands that there is a need for in-depth research on recently built refugee housing projects across the country.

This study is needed not only from an architectural point of view, but also regarding planning processes and the role of key stakeholders involved, from federal and local government officials to civil society.

Architecture of Arrival Exhibition in TU Darmstadt.

Below, part of the researchers’ team (photos: João Maluf)

64

65

REFERENCES.

PAGE 18 (DE)CENTRALIZATION Aumüller, Jutta; Daphi, Priska; Biesenkamp, Celine 2015: Die Aufnahme von Flüchtlingen in den Bundesländern und Kommunen: Behördliche Praxis und zivilgesellschaftliches Engagement, Stuttgart, pp. 45-48

Diakonie Deutschland 2014: Positionen zur Aufnahme, Wohnraumversorgung und Unterbringung von Flüchtlingen, Diakonie Texte 7 (2014), Berlin Flüchtlingsrat Brandenburg 2016: Stellungnahme für die Anhörung am 10.

Februar 2016 zum Landesaufnahmegesetz, Gesetzesentwurf der Landesregierung, Drs. 6/3080, http://www.fluechtlingsrat-brandenburg.de/ wp-content/ uploads/2016/02/Stellungnahme_Fluechtlingsrat_LAufnG.pdf (29.7.2016) Friedrichs, Jürgen 2016: The Arrival City and the Integration of Migrants, in: Cachola Schmal, Peter; Elser, Oliver; Scheuermann, Anna 2016: Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country, Ostfildern, p. 82

Köhnke, Jochen 2014: Kreative politische Konzepte der Flüchtlingsaufnahme in Münster, WISO direkt, Bonn, http://library.fes.de/pdf-files/ wiso/10949.pdf (29.7.2016) Heckmann, Friedrich 2016: Interview, in: Cachola Schmal, Peter et al. Making Heimat, p. 62 Saunders, Doug 2016: “Arriving on the Edge: Migrant Districts and the Architecture of Inclusion”. In: Cachola Schmal, Peter et al. Making Heimat, p. 26 Schammann, Hannes; Kühn, Boris 2017: Kommunale Flüchtlingspolitik in Deutschland, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (Hrsg.): gute gesellschaft – soziale demokratie # 2017 plus, Bonn, p. 12/13

Siebel, Walter 2016: Immigrant neighborhoods: An Essential Step Towards Integration in: Cachola Schmal, Peter et al. Making Heimat, p. 222

Wendel, Kai 2014: Unterbringung von Flüchtlingen in Deutschland: Regelungen und Praxis der Bundesländer im Vergleich, Frankfurt/Main

PAGE 26 (ARCHITECTURE)

Cheap accommodations for refugees. Main Echo 15/6/2016. In: http://www. main-echo.de/ueberregional/wirtschaft/art4208,4132433

66

PAGE 34 (PEOPLE) Heistinger, Andrea: Qualitative Interview. Ein Leitfaden zu Vorbereitung und Durchführung inklusive einiger theoretischer Anmerkungen, online: https://www.uibk.ac.at/iezw/mitarbeiterinnen/senior-lecturer/bernd_lederer/downloads/durchfuehrung_von_qualitativen_interviews_uniwien.pdf (06.05.2017) Rosenthal, Gabriele ; Loch, Ulrike: Das Narrative Interview. In: Schaeffer, Doris (Ed.) ; Müller-Mundt, Gabriele(Ed.): Qualitative Gesundheits- und Pflegeforschung. Bern u.a. : Huber, 2002. - ISBN 3-456-83890-5, pp. 221-232. URN: http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-57670 Selle, Klaus 2016: Europäische Stadt im Wandel? In: http://www.pt.rwthaachen.de/files/dokumente/Veranstaltungen/Sonstiges/161019_kln_europ_ stadt.pdf (03.05.2017)

PAGE 48 (MÜNSTER + STUTTGART)

“Breaking Ground: City Solutions to Refugee Housing from Cleveland and Münster”. 2016. Cities of Migration. http://citiesofmigration.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Refugee-Housing-PPT_June-30.pdf.

“Country Research Report – Germany”. 2011. European Forum for Migration Studies (EFMS). http://www.efms.uni-bamberg.de/pdf/Country%20Research%20Report%20-%20Germany.pdf.

Kimmelman, Michael. 2015. “Stuttgart Struggles to House the Migrants it Embraces”.

NY Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2015/10/07/world/europe/stuttgart-embraces-migrants-and-the-challenge-of-housing-them.html?_r=2.

“Making Heimat. Germany, Arrival Country – Palotti House, Stuttgart”. 2015.

Making Heimat. http://www.makingheimat.de/en/refugee-housing-projects/ database/haus-fuer-flchtlinge-stuttgart.

“Mission Statement Immigration and Integration in Münster”. 2008. Stadt Münster. http://www.stadt-muenster.de/fileadmin/user_upload/stadt-muenster/v_zuwanderung/pdf/migrationsleitbild_englisch.pdf.

“Refugee Housing in the City of Münster”. 2016. Cities of Migration. http:// citiesofmigration.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/Refugee-Housing-in-Cityof-Muenster.pdf.

67

“The Stuttgart Pact for Integration: The Power of Planning”. 2009. Cities of Migration. http://citiesofmigration.ca/good_idea/the-stuttgart-pact-for-integration-the-power-of-planning/.

“The Stuttgart Way”. 2017. Landeshauptstadt Stuttgart. https://www.stuttgart. de/fluechtlinge/stuttgarter-weg.

“Wohnquartier St. Vinzenz Pallotti in Stuttgart-Birkach Architektenwettbewerb Siedlungswerk Entschieden”. 2015. Siedlungswerk. https://www. siedlungswerk.de/wettbewerb/wohnquartier-st-vinzenz-pallotti-in-stuttgart-birkach-architektenwettbewerb-siedlungswerk-entschieden

PAGE 58 (REFUGEE RIGHTS DATA PROJECT)

Guillard, Anne. “Refugees start to gather in Calais again.” The Guardian. April 2, 2017. Accessed on May 30, 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/ apr/02/refugees-gather-calais-camp-unaccompanied-children#img-2 Mustafa, Samir and Marta Welander. “Six Months Onwards: Filling information gaps relating to children and young adults in Northern France following the demolition of the Calais camps.” Refugee Rights Data Project. (2017) p.1-33.

URL: http://refugeerights.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/RRDP_SixMonthsOn.pdf Refugee Rights Europe. 2017. “Starting Over: Filling information gaps relating torefugees and asylum seekers in emergency shelters and community housing in Berlin.” Accessed online March 20, 2018. http://refugeerights.org.uk/ wp-content/uploads/2017/03/RRDP_StartingOver.pdf

PAGE 62 (REFLECTIONS) Breckner,Ingrid 2015: Refugees in German Cities: Local responsibilities and universal access under conditions of protest and inclusive actions in the civil society. RC21 International Conference on “The Ideal City: between myth and reality. Representations, policies, contradictions and challenges for tomorrow’s urban life” Urbino (Italy) 27 -29 August 2015. Session A 3, http://www. rc21.org/en/conferences/urbino2015/

68

69

ARCHI TEC TURE OF ARRIVAL

This publication is based on researches and posters from the Exhibition “Architecture of Arrival” that took place at TU Darmstadt, Germany, on 7th June 2017.

Copyright TU Darmstadt 2017