7000 built it: The Calais Jungle

governmental contribution to the camp after their complete destruction of the South part.

To talk about a refugee camp as a city inevitably challenges the necessity of permanency in urban settlements. Hardly temporary, camps last on average 17 years. Yet, in the face of urgency or government pressure, shelters are not designed to last. Refugee camps need to be rethought, shelter design needs to be readdressed to confront this reality.

A great number of volunteers took part in the building of the camp. Most were not professionals of the built environment but driven by the desire to help, donated their time to working hand in hand with the Calais community. However, to innovatively respond to the limits of the site, help from architects was required. Irish architect Grainne Hassett, founder of Calais Builds, provided it. Her work was crucial for the camp and its people. She recognised the importance of social spaces for the wellbeing of refugees, and designed for instance a women and children centre and several youth centres. Her work also included the development of a context responsive shelter design. She worked with students to address the limits of the camp: the natural forces with strong winds and vulnerability against floods, the illegality and strict interdiction to build anything permanent while working on a minimum budget.

3 months after its destruction, the Calais Jungle, this urban prototype, must remain a proof of the need for architects in refugee camps. The camp might have been destroyed but the refugee crisis is far from over. Shelters need to be adapted, social spaces provided and architects engaged.

Let’s help restore dignity.