CONCEPT

REFUGEE CAMP FOR THE FIRST WORLD CITIZENS
Project by the FIRST WORLD CAMP

Refugee Camp for the First World Citizens takes the camp as a biopolitical paradigm for the contemporary West. The camp is a state of exception, a state of emergency upon which the entire political and legal system of the First World is built. The camp is always a parallel system, literally a 'para'-system, an exterritorialized site, where the usual legal system does not apply. And yet, exactly as such, it is a place or even a non-place which the regular legal system can turn to any time.

Project Refugee camps for the first world citizens is based on a hypotethical situation (political, social, war, security, natural catastrophy …) in which the citizens of highly developed countries (mainly western) would be forced to leave their country and look for a temporary home in another country.

There was no refugee camp in the post WWII history, which would be created in advance, planned before the extreme situation happened. Some refugee camps were created almost 40 years ago and they still exist.
Refugee camps are improvized urban and architectonic solutions, with a strong signature of temporariness. Improvisation and temporariness generate permanent tensions and problems in relation between local environment and people on one side and refugees on the other side. The environment reacts negatively on temporary urban interventions.

We ask ourselves simple question: is it possible to build temporary living situation, which would enable refugees decent life even in forced conditions as it is their own. We are interested in developing camp situation which would upgrade temporariness with long term, special way of integration of refugees into new environment.

Project Refugee camps for the first world citizens is long term conceptual and research project, which involves architectural, political, cultural, media and artistic dimensions.

REALIZATION

Poltical aspects – anticipation of catastrophy

In every pragmatic political functioning (realpolitik) it is contained certain philosophy and interpretation of reality. Most of contemporary politics is based on apocaliptic understanding of reality and it main feature is production of paranoia, threatening and fear. To quote marshal Tito, »let's live as there will be hundred years of peace and let's prepare as if tomorrow will start the war«. Following this line of understanding reality, we shall create refugee camps in case of future possible catastrophy. Pragmatic dimensions of refugee camps for citizens of the first world are as follows:

- camps will be ready for refugees
- investment in safety of your citizens
- spreading of strategical interests in the areas of refugee camps

Architectural aspects – temporaneity of architectual objects

There are two main features related to exhisting refugee camps: temporaneity and isolation. Because of general humanitarian attitude that refugees should return to their homes as soon as possible, refugee camps are understood as temporary architectural constructions. Consequently, temporaneity means very bad quality of life in thus constructions.
Isolation of camps is recommended by UNHCR in order to avoid possible tensions between refugees and local population. Our intention is to respect both features but approach them in a way that it enables decent quality of life and perspective of the territory.

- policentric structure (virtual public space, local interactive TV, satelite connections with outside world …)
- ecological infrastructure – wind energy
- biodegradable materials

Environmental aspects

Refugee camps are often considered as producers of waste and devastation. As mentioned above, we shall develop environment friendly (biodegradable) materials. We shall avoid use of any radiating technology.

Cultural aspects – steps in integration with the local environment

Although the intention with every refugee crisis is to return refugees as soon as possible to their homes, many of them stay for longer time in camps and some of them never return to their homes. Staying longer in a foreign environment immediatelly reinforces question of relationship with local population. Therefor, it is important to develop strategies of cultural and other interaction between refugees and local population. We shall establish several strategies which would make possible future integration of refugees into local environment. These strategies will be focused on learning language, cultural habits, history, popular culture etc.

Economical aspects – how to create an independent economical structure

One of the biggest problem for refugees is their total dependence on outside help. In order to reduce dependence on humatiranian help and also in order to reduce boredom and feeling of being useless it is necessary to establish economy of refugee camps. We are aware that in every refugee camp there are parallel, black economies, based od smuggling, prostitution and other illegal activities. We shall elaborate economy which will keep camp isolated from local environment in the level necessary to reduce possible tensions. This economy will be strongly networked and mainly based on new information and communication technologies.

1. present economy
- surveillance cameras who nobody normally monitors
- monitoring of satellite images
2. future economy
- once refugees left, the land gets higher value, existing infrastructure can be used for local use or left to self degradation
3. local economy
- chance for local economy to invest (different scenarios)
4. global economy – long distance economy
- phone operators – AOL, shopping, sex phones

Religious aspect

In order to develop tolerance and understandings among religions we shall construct multiconfessional space for encountering different religions, beliefs and disbeliefs. This means one space on cca 10.000 refugees with possibilities of different religious iconography and interior design

Medicine and health

The refugee camp shall provide full medical service with particular attention on psychological help.

TRANSITION PERIOD

The question often raised is what shall we do with camps if highly developed countries won't be attacked or before they will be attacked. There are many directions in which it is possible to think about transition status of the camps:

- camp for refugees from another countries
- asylum for violented women and children
- museum of refugee camps
- laboratory for architectural and urbanistic research
- center for artistic interdisciplinary research
- tourist atraction
- olympic village during the Olympic Games
- (…)

FINANCING

Part of the project, beside financing it development, is also a research of possible financing of the building refugee camps. There are several ways of financing of refugee camps. Here are some hints of advantages and disadvantages of particular way of financing. The ideal way of financing would be the combination of private, local public and global public money.

Private money: compromises, imposed social structure, corporate demands
Local public money: waiting, uncertainty, low budget, bureaucratic demands, equal rights
Global public money: very long time of negotiations

TIMELINE

In 2004 we shall make detailed architectural plan and project for the refugee camp on the chosen location in Slovenia. The project will elaborate all above mentioned features and it will be a case study for all future applications.
The project will be presented and documented with the exhibition (Social Capital, group exhibition, New York, May)