SELECTED PAPERS
IDENTITY AND SPACE Collaborative Developments for Inclusive Cities
Zsรณfia Glatz Bence Komlรณsi Architecture for Refugees Zurich / Switzerland
Keywords City, Identity, Inclusivity, Migration, Space
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ABSTRACT The exclusivity and the current spatial, economic and social segregation of cities are alarming. New strategies are needed to develop welcoming and inclusive structures where all the different interest groups are included in the short- and long-term developments. Stakeholders from marginalized social groups such as migrants and refugees have no voice and power to be heard and therefore cannot participate in the decision making processes. For inclusion, everybody should find their own space and identity in the city, in the society. Welcoming cities and societies have to recognize the value of migration and start including the experience and knowledge of newcomers. Spaces for equality have to be built where everybody will find their identity; the importance of diversity has to be recognized; and future cities have to be developed together. Equality-
based decision making processes inthe problem definition-, solution development-, implementation- and maintenance phases have to be established where everybody - not only the privileged - has their voice. It would bring more understanding and acceptance into the societies. Spaces and built structures should be implemented by the users or they should have a flexible political-, economic- and cultural framework that allows itself to be modified. Private-, community- and public spaces which represent and serve the needs of all citizens can be developed in collaborative processes and the marginalized groups can mostly be represented by non-governmental organizations. The built environment has a huge influence on the identity of the users and the identity could and should also have an influence on the built environment. For a healthy well-being,
