Urban inclusion … concerns us all!
In the 2015/2016 winter semester, students of the Master’s degree programme in Architecture focused on the current refugee issue within the context of their Urban Design and Sustainable Urban Development courses. The students were asked to establish the spatial and infrastructure potential of the city of Graz for accommodating refugees, and the strategies pursued in this context, taking into account numerous different stakeholders.
Urban inclusion as an opportunity
“The imperative of social inclusion has been satisfied when all individuals are accepted by society in their individuality and have the opportunity to fully participate and partake in it. Differences and deviations are consciously perceived in the context of social inclusion, but are limited in their importance or even eliminated.” (translation from German Wikipedia page)
Anke Strittmatter and Thomas Lettner, who teach at the FH JOANNEUM Institute of Architecture & Project Management, define urban inclusion as the urban manifestation of the above approach. Currently this is particularly relevant, although not exclusively, for the accommodation of refugees.
Images from the exhibition
Urban inclusion is also understood as an opportunity to improve the potential of existing spaces for a better quality environment for all citizens. In particular, this applies to public spaces and publicly accessible facilities which are to be considered largely free from consumption.