Speaker
Description
The contribution revolves around the "Borderland Brussels" project (BCUS-VUB, 2020-2022) and further research-by-design explorations (Cosmopolis, 2023-2025) which examine urban borderlands—spaces defined by political, physical, and symbolic borders—through interdisciplinary research in urbanism, anthropology, and criminology. These borderlands, shaped by migration, exclusion, and tension, are vital sites for understanding the challenges faced by marginalized populations and discussing innovative planning for vulnerable groups. The project highlights the need to amplify the voices of these communities in urban planning.
By emphasizing the transactional nature of urban borderlands, where boundaries are not only physical but also social and symbolic, we interpret these spaces as fluid and porous, requiring interdisciplinary methodologies to fully grasp the dynamics of exclusion and precarization. The proposed participatory approach includes a key experimental method, displaying an urban intervention—an installation at the contested Les Brigittines Square (Brussels), designed for interaction and dialogue between different communities. This installation helped reveal social dynamics and offered insights into fostering coexistence in borderlands. The following workshops and research-by-design explorations discuss the findings and potential urban interventions, aiming at finalizing a methodological document with actions for inclusive urban planning.
By focusing on borderlands as sites of both conflict and potential transformation, the project contributes to rethinking urban spaces as inclusive and resilient, prioritizing marginalized voices and proposing urban interventions that enhance coexistence in cities.
| Keywords | Borderlands; Spatial Justice; Social Exclusion; Urban Inequalities; Participatory Urban Planning |
|---|---|
| Best Congress Paper Award | No |
