Hotspots
In 2015, the European Commission decided to implement a new Hotspot approach to “assist frontline Member States which are facing disproportionate migratory pressures at the EU’s external borders.” In 2016 there were five hotspots in Greece and four in Italy.
The Hotspots were established to swiftly identify, register and fingerprint migrants, and to support the implementation of relocation and returns. Many of the arrivals had been rescued at sea, then brought to the nearest Hotspot where they were supposed to stay “as short as possible” (2016) but where they often ended up spending days or weeks.
The In Transit Studio visited the Leros hotspot just days before it was planned to open in March 2016. Shortly after the opening, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Doctors Without Borders (MSF), the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and other relief groups suspended their activities in the hotspots due to what they considered to be “an unfair and inhumane system”.
Leros Hotspot
Assessment report of the Leros Hotspot, March 2016: "The ground in the camp is covered entirely by impervious surfaces, such as asphalt and concrete. There are no shaded areas apart from the outdoor area where everyone waits for their turn to file. With temperatures reaching the 40s (Celsius) the hotspot certainly lives up to its name. Prefabricated sleeping units are arranged in a military grid with one open space (created by the absence of pre-fabs) at the center of the site. Fences with razor wire mark the site boundaries."
A new Hotspot Typology
As a response to the exiting lay-out the camp, the project showcase a different design that aims to improve the physical and social conditions by carefully looking at the following aspects: Security; human saftey; accommodation; connections; privacy; ventilation; and culture.
The main vocabulary of the architecture is based on the vault and column principle. This allows for spatial variations, and the principle will be developed as a module system that can be pre-fabricated and modified according to shifting needs.