Identity Reclaimed: a platform for displaced voices
Architecture should respond to the displacement of individuals - whether voluntary or forced - by providing safe spaces of visibility, empowerment, and integration. They have a right not just to shelter but to build a sense of belonging through interaction, connection, and a sense of empowerment. This project aims to challenge the systemic inequalities of existing refugee systems to offer a holistic, human-centred alternative - one built on shared growth and mutual respect.
Aligning with the &rchitecture position, the hub emphasises the importance of people-centred design and environmental responsibility. It is grounded in reciprocity and representation. Instead of temporary homes and surface-level aid, it offers a place where refugees can take control of their environment, express their stories, and contribute meaningfully through non-monetary exchanges and placemaking. Materiality and construction techniques are rooted in the principles of the circular economy with an emphasis on designing for disassembly and a circular economy; facades are built up with reclaimed materials from around the site and the structure is pre-fabricated and modular for ease of construction.
By highlighting the temporality and permanence in a refugees’ journey, their lived experiences are made visible, and their identities are celebrated.
