A Feminist Factory of Integration
The Feminist Factory of Integration works to act as a valuable third space, bridging the gap between newcomers and locals to forge a new collective identity. It does this with its Welfare and Learning Clinic, offering advice and educational courses; World Kitchen, teaching the recipes of diverse cuisines from the backgrounds of the local community members; Community Restaurant, staffed by locals and newcomers and Great Hall, a flexible space that can host a lively market, exhibitions and conventions.
Feminism to me is about providing equal opportunity and recognising the infrastructures that regulate life in the UK are flawed and affect individuals differently based on race, gender, sexuality, class and even migration status. My project looks at the contested Immigration system through this lens and aims to provide a third space that is free from hostility and danger.
Drawing on my own experiences as an immigrant and interviewing others I have learnt more about the unknown struggles they face and how so many fall through the gaps in a system that is meant to help them. Establishing the Factory means creating a hub for human interaction and thus the forging of a new collective identity through the exchange of cultures and recipes. I have come to understand that in this current political climate it is important to embrace my immigrant identity and amplify our experiences to combat negative stereotypes and instigate change.
Although the Factory deviates from the aims of Le Corbusier’s Radiant City, one attribute has been maintained throughout the project development: the repeatability of the Factory. Every community would have its own Factory of Integration, however they will not be monotonous and identical but radically unique and bespoke to the needs of the community it represents.
