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In a symbolic gesture, at the 2016 Venice Biennale, led by the Chilean and Pritzker Prize winner Alejandro Aravena, part of the walls of the German Pavilion built in the Nazi era were demolished to turn it into an open space. More than 48 tons of bricks were removed and the holes in the walls had no doors, so they could not be closed. It was a call to abolish borders and to make Germany a welcoming country for immigrants.
With works from 37 countries, the Biennale in charge of Aravena was developed under the theme "Frontline Report". architects in the daily battle to improve the living conditions of people around the world.
Chancellor Angela Merkel's selfie with a Syrian refugee in September 2015 traveled around the world. "I want to stay in Germany", "I like Germany, good people, good country," said the refugees in an improvised German. The Chancellor smiled and patiently responded to her social demands by visiting a reception camp in Berlin. This iconic image inspired the series entitled Making Heimat. Germany, country of destination. The word "heimat" can be translated by homeland or nation, but the conservatives have reissued it as a tolerant, open, integrative and fluid homeland built from politics, culture and architecture .
Chile is no stranger to this reality. In recent years, he has faced similar situations. For this reason, the German exhibition, which includes personal stories and projects supporting refugees, will be presented at the GAM Cultural Center in March 2019 in Santiago, destination city, exhibition on the phenomenon of immigration organized by the Goethe Institute and the Universities Alberto Hurtado and Adolfo Ibáñez
According to architect Rodrigo Tissi, curator of the Chilean exhibition, the destination city is one that houses immigrants, "this physical space and symbolic that builds the place of those who are strangers. For Tissi, the exhibition is an opportunity to reflect on the spaces of public policy integration: "Our goal is to invite the collective debate, from different fronts, in a context of contingencies. , inclusion, tolerance and diversity. "
" The city of destination – he adds – is this place of experience and friction of all those who are not. Chileans with Chileans, this city is multi in several directions. It is constituted by an immigrant network and support links "brother". Immigrants gain more stability and opportunities when they connect. They find help, support and especially understanding in the sense of their own customs that sometimes do not fit into the culture of destiny.
Architecture and Migrants
The Chilean exhibition will use, as the original German sample, this concept of "destination city" invented by Canadian journalist Doug Saunders and which gives its name to his book Arrival city.
In this text of 2011, Saunders studied the effects of migration in 20 cities such as Rio de Janeiro, London, Paris, Istanbul, Los Angeles or Caracas, and developed eight theses or ways to integrate and to receive refugees. In one of them, "the city of destination is a city in another city", it does not describe the new immigrant neighborhoods of these metropolises as ghettos or marginal camps. On the contrary, they describe them as poles full of energy and optimism that they need architectural projects, schools, paved streets, access to transportation and to improve the quality of life, housing, security and opportunities. He defends the "welcome culture" that has succeeded in Germany.
Another of his theses, the city of arrival is "affordable", is looking for ways to encourage social housing and discourage abusive subleases and in undignified conditions to undocumented immigrants. quotes a study that pointed out that Germany will need 100,000 new homes each year to meet the demand for newcomers.
In the thesis "The city of destination is close to commercial and employment opportunities", Saunders argues that new residents stimulate the economies of the countries that receive them and bring diversity. Parallel to the German exhibition, the Chilean exhibition will include a selection of works by artists, architects and national designers on immigration and integration. in Santiago. Interested persons can apply by email to [email protected]
The exhibition will be accompanied by conversations about the challenges of Chilean architecture facing migration.
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