Synergetic integration of refugee and host communities

Anna University

Project idea

BACKGROUND:
Due to ongoing wars, economic crises and safety issues, people all over the world are forced to seek refuge in countries that provide them, and every year the numbers increase. The resilience of refugees and the host environment is crucial in uncertain times like these. Refugees face trauma, abuse, lack of security, discrimination, financial difficulties, and deprival of basic needs, ambitions and their sense of belonging among many others. While worldwide displacement is a major concern, the role of hosting is played by only a few countries worldwide, and the host countries, already on the verge of economic crisis, undergo more imbalance in their resources due to excess strain, which creates a gap between both the communities. As both concerns are inevitable, there rises a need for a long-term sustainable solution to provide for both communities, without overpowering either, to create a socially cohesive society. Imbalanced growth will lead to other issues. Thus arises the need for a resilient and balanced environment between the host communities (Tamil Nadu) and the refugee communities (Sri Lanka). Host communities present in the peri-urban regions are reluctant to share their resources as they don’t have proper access. Right now, the Tamil Nadu government (Hosting state) has proposed several housing projects and schemes for the Sri Lankan refugees as part of the renamed ‘Sri Lankan rehabilitation camps’. The research analyses the issues and challenges faced by refugee and host communities, the prevalent issues in both communities and the ones risen due to partial physical and economic integration. The investigation highlighted the implementation of policies, their reach and exploitation, and their adverse negative effects on both communities; actual needs, and reality. The inferences from the research and study and the methodologies applied were used to detect barriers and frame the incremental system which consisted of a combination of macro-level (urban) and micro-level (architectural) interventions.

IDEA:
‘Can synergetic integration of refugee and host communities, be the answer for a socially cohesive society?’
The thesis argues that every stakeholder involved looks at refugee communities as temporary settlements, which are partially integrated with the host communities. The failure to conceptualize the refugee settlements as long-term growing settlements has led to a strain on resources and negative social coherence. Lack of developmental vision has led to dependent refugee systems and social issues among communities. The thesis provides evidence that emergency relief response is the necessary first step in a larger response plan and it is necessary for a synergetic integration at different levels for a positively socially cohesive society, before and after repatriation. The shortcomings of lack of integration (Current scenario) are highlighted, leading to the gap between the communities. It is acknowledged that integration will raise challenges. But the thesis outlines the framework for synergetic integration as an incremental development plan with stakeholders’ participation, which would improve the livelihoods of both communities.

Project description

SCOPE:
The main objectives and motivation behind the thesis are to contribute to the upliftment of host and refugee communities by proposing a system of micro-level interventions that contribute at a macro level. To contribute to this, the thesis has the following more specific objectives.
- To enhance knowledge about the existence and influence of refugee
communities and explore the concept of integration through different
lenses
- To provide an in-depth understanding of the present qualitative and
quantitative conditions of both communities
- To understand the influence of various stakeholders and their influences
- To understand the limitations offered by the political and legal influences
- To understand the concept of place attachment
- To use the research outcomes, to create interventions that break barriers, thereby creating resilient and socially cohesive communities

LIMITATIONS:
Any changes proposed towards the refugee communities are highly sensitive and can receive resistance. The implementation and its outcomes are directly influenced by the number of stakeholders involved. During the research and interviews, it was found that there is a need for an overall change is needed for positive growth and architectural design alone cannot provide an answer.

Technical information

Concrete framework with exposed brickwork. The roof consistes of a MS steel framework with clay tiles and a RCC gutter. The materials have been chosen based on the concept of place attachment, to allow the communities to interact in a place which feels familiar to them. The structures will also be built by the communities to induce the feeling of owning the space and also as a method to break barriers and allow interaction.