CAMP Diary 2022 - Michal Larysz

Michal Larysz CAMP Report

This is my diary during the CAMP Project which took a place in Athens, Greece – (10.04.2022-17.04.2022) Community, Architecture, Association, Participation.

An investigation of Exarcheia into the refugees' aspects gave the understanding of Migration and Association within the Community and a lovely Participation atmosphere!

Day 1 - 10/04/2022 (Sunday) Inspect the heart of Athens - Exarchia.

On the first day, we had a meeting with an introduction of the 4 groups. There took place just a brief explanation for the following day and a talk that took us to a few different teams. I appreciate the fact that tutors put participants with different backgrounds together, to make our experience even more interesting. During that time, I feel excited and focused to use my time as much as I can – also a little bit hungry for a new experience with CAMP! Every team has a local guide who helps us to understand the city and provides us with the best places (not only those well-known to locals). Alina – was a Greek part of our group and we got along with her very quickly.

I was very glad that the people in my team have dissimilar points of view and we are from contrasting parts of the world. It was our first day together, which was focused on acquainting with each other – but honestly, I have learned a lot about the site and Architecture thinking during long conversations during the dinner. As a person, who makes notes every time, that day I also made a plan for the whole week and established some goals that I want to develop in the next few days. I find it beneficial and fascinating to regularly look at my plan, changing regularly as the days go by. I am very open to others, so I decided to have a quick talk with everyone who was taking a part in CAMP. I got various stories from teachers, Ph.D. students, architects, filmmakers, and locals – all of them with passion and initiative.

Nobody was sure that day what would be an income for our week’s work – but it gives me an understanding that an appreciable project doesn’t need to have a specific draw on the first day. It was a valuable lesson for me and I strongly believe that made this day unique for all of us.

Day 2 - 11/04/2022 (Monday) Following the lines.

On the second day, we started investigating the town with a focus on the Exarcheia area. We begin our day with breakfast talk - what we should do on this day.

After a quick but concise conversation, we jump straight away into researching the Exarcheia. We were doing mapping, which let me understand the location of key places and their importance in the history of Athens. We began in Strefi Hill, which is next to our hotel and we were heading to Victoria Square getting more and more details about the refugees and Athens on the way. In my group were Simone, Wally, Fabiane, and Alina and we were shown complete distinct skills and ways of thinking. It lets us record the place in many different ways that we find during a first walk through Exarcheia. I was making a quick sketch, making notes, and taking pictures.

We got a lot of information from Alina, who told us the story during our walk. It was just one day – but for me, there was a lot of fresh information in my diary, much more understanding of the Economical and Political situation in Athens and the city layout, which is so unique for a person who grew up in the countryside in a central European country. I find it very useful to talk with other groups in the Mediterranean College after the first part of the day. It gives me an understanding that other teams (because of the various backgrounds) investigate the same place but record this incomplete variant way. I have learned that it is not a key who is in your cluster, but the vital part is how we can combine our skills and way of thinking – then we can achieve great results and do the training with research in a great way.

Day 3 – 12/04/2022 (Tuesday) Refugees in the neighbourhood.

After getting feedback from the previous day, we feel more confident and passionate about our tasks. We started investigating the area on the neighbour scale.

While I was sitting in the cafe during our lunch break I met some refugees, communities which came to Athens looking for a better future. We got some information and key advice in regards to the previous days from our coordinators, who know local areas very well.

I managed to do a quick chat with them and find out some interesting facts which turned out to be major to our research. As we realised, Athens was some kind of gateway for immigrants, who are coming mainly from Iraq, Iran, Syria, Afghanistan, and some African countries. I have spoken with them and they told me that they are from Ukraine and came to Athens just for 2 weeks around 20 years ago. Due to the migration problems, they haven’t managed to go further and decided to stay in Greece until now. We were talking in Russian because then I was able to understand more facts that they wanted to underline, but it is also a foreign language for me. That time many things clarified for me because

I started thinking about Athens as the heart of Europe to which many nations came over the years. I have begun looking at the Migration aspects on the other side – not only refugees from African and Near East countries but also as a significant aspect of the migration between European Countries. Since then, I have been looking for information regarding the Political and Economical aspects and recording facts from locals.

Day 4 – 13/04/2022 (Wednesday) Streets lead to the Mediterranean College.

On this day we started to focus on particular buildings in the Exarcheia Area. We found many interesting places and especially buildings for the incomers– squats. Focusing on those locations, put me in the position of considering – how those squats were created, why they are in those places, and what happened to them after the elections. I was searching for the answers more and more, investigating the area with my group.

Along our journey, we discuss how to focus also on graffiti. A view of graffiti on every possible surface in the city hits me – because I have never considered the graffiti aspects on such a huge scale.

Thankfully, after the first part of the day a conference in the Mediterranean College with special guests: Xristos (Caritas Hellas) and Martha Giannokopulou & Annika Grafweg made those topics a little bit clearer for me.

I remember this important fact that stuck in my memory for a long time: before the election in Greece on 7 July 2019 Athens had more than 20 squats for the refugees, but after the elections, they left only 3 for them. This fact provides us to visit those locations with our guide Alina and include them in our outcome. I find the presentation at the Mediterranean College to be one of the most valuable and interesting hours during my whole week with CAMP. I got a lot of locations, and organisations which I should visit in Athens and that was a day which helped me a lot. I understand that we got a lot of records from the previous day, but I did not put myself in spots like squats – and we should try to investigate it further.

Day 5 - 14/04/2022 (Thursday) Initation to Tsamatsou.

On Thursday, after agreeing the plan for this day during breakfast, I came up with an idea to split up our group and try to experience Exarcheia alone. Then we were able to focus individually on things that were unputdownable for each of us and after discussion in college. This day became one of the most exciting and fruitful for me. I went to Tsamathou, to visit 3 of the main sites which I knew about from yesterday’s chat with the guests. Alina helped me to go there and communicate with the locals. The first place was „Kipaki” – a little garden where we were going to have our exhibition on the final day.

On this street, a few years ago was a murder of a young boy which involve a riot. Citizens were taking the stones from the gardens and throwing them at the police. I appreciate that those citizens have decided to share this story with me because I find it real and touching. Next to that place is “El-Chef” which is an independent organisation that cooks for the settlers and homeless inhabitants. I have managed to go in and do a quick interview which really helped me to understand the idea of this training. We were discussing refugees’ influence on Athens and their engagement. On the same street is also an independent help centre where foreigners can take Greek lessons for free. This experience helped me to organise my thoughts and information from the previous days. Spending time with people, who are newcomers and also with those who are helping them was unforgettable. It was a great way of learning about other people’s lives and how they deal with their problems. I consider this time as outside-of-the-box thinking, which I was not aware of before.

Day 6 – 15/04/2022 (Friday) The German triangle in Greece.

The day before the exhibition we finished taking the culture records from Exarcheia streets. One of the most interesting types of records was graffiti. They were on every possible surface – on walls, ground, trees, ceilings, fences, and other places where normally street art shouldn’t be expected.

We were finding them in many weird locations, but the meaning and type of graffiti was a principal factor to consider.

The graffiti refers to politics, economics, refugees, foreigners, and visitors and also to other things which matter in Athens’ life.

During our conversation at Mediterranean College a few days before we were discussing the location of Exarcheia. I would like to mention the city layout and the history which makes Athens special.

Many years ago, the German architects came to Athens and changed the locations of the main building which formed the triangle. As we can see in my sketch, this patent refers to the other points in the town. This solution refers to the traffic jams as well, which happen frequently there. What is more, the placement of buildings in this way helps a lot to identify the main roads and choose the right direction – which is valuable for locals and foreigners. This was a thing, which impressed me a lot and showed that the city through architecture could have been developed in many ways. Citizens do not need to be aware of this solution which has been made before, but it still works and helps people to find a route to a city centre.

Day 7 – 16/04/2022 (Sunday) CAMP Experience.

On the last day, we had our exhibition time – which I find really exciting. I really enjoyed sharing my thoughts during this whole wonderful experience with other groups and pedestrians who were just crossing the street and decided to stop for a bit (and a glass of orange juice...). All of us had great ideas and each team prepared something divergent to show to the public and the others: a movie, collaborative drawing, architecture model and even a place where you could drink some orange juice for free! Obviously taking part in a whole exhibition was a great experience for me. It was vital – but especially interaction with others and sharing my thoughts with people who, just like me, have a vision and adore what they do. That was the key part for me which really taught me a lot.

As only one undergraduate student (1st year) I didn’t feel behind ever for a moment. What is more, I feel really into this project and every hour was very inspirational for me. It also gave me a lot of confidence and being a part of such a great time was a pleasure to do my part and bring some fresh ideas. I strongly believe that this experience was unique for all of us, but for me it just helped me to put my thoughts on the right track and improve my mindset along the way. I got really nice friendships and the whole atmosphere made a massive effort on the final outcome. I am really grateful for the organisation and for carrying about us for a whole time. This week gives me a lot of willingness to do the next steps in my architecture journey and also to show my confidence in the following projects.