aerial view of wittenburg_ gradual insertion of special social zones
Recent global migration waves have fueled intense debates worldwide. Migration is of all ages however, and comes in many varieties – nomadic, circulatory, refugee, settler, temporary, and many more. Instead of perceiving it as a problem, being open to various types of migration could be highly beneficial to both newly arrived migrants as well as Amsterdam itself. Current policies for integration of asylum seekers in the Netherlands imply long waiting times, during which applicants are denied to work and have no access to social urban dynamics. Bureaucratic procedures result in many lost opportunities while Amsterdam is growing and in need for diverse talents and backgrounds.
In response to these debates, FABRICations + bureau LADA, in collaboration with René Boer http://www.reneboer.net, aim to create a Special Social Zone in Amsterdam where, through experimental policies and speculative design, a space of arrival for migrants could be carved out, spurring interaction between the newcomers and the current inhabitants. As part of the international social housing festival 2017, this research has taken the Wittenburg area in Amsterdam as a case study.
wittenburg chambres aereal view
The outcome is a social zone where migrants have special permissions to operate and actively participate in the urban socio-economic environment. Within the zone, the new socio-spatial elements would be densifying the existing tissue, connecting to and enriching existing programs. spatial frames, able to be gradually filled in by their users, stimulate new forms of co-living and co-working.
site plan _ plan des chambres
Equipped with the right political and architectural infrastructure, Wittenburg could become a unique welcoming ‘red carpet’ for Amsterdam’s new arrivals. An openly accessible area for experimentation where self-building and new social policies result in new forms of collective, affordable housing and shared working environments. Empowering asylum seekers to make their waiting time more meaningful for themselves and for the city, allowing undocumented refugees to access housing and work opportunities, allowing companies, universities and institutions to provide opportunities for newcomers beyond existing restrictions, stimulating each arrival to let their talents blossom, for their own and the city’s benefit.
building pier_product facility for self construction materials collection and distribution
cloister garden _ multifaith prayer room
learning chambre connection to A. Turning School
wittenburg street view 2021