A World of a Thousand Independent Regions: Confronting the Ever-Increasing Refugee Problem

Based on Pattern 1 "Independent Regions" in the book A Pattern Language by Alexander et al. (1977), we investigate a fundamental socio-spatial alternative for reorganizing our world, countries, and metropolitan regions. When put into the context of large worldwide problems, such as climate change, nuclear danger, pandemics, overpopulation, and refugee crises, the innovative idea of "independent regions" presents itself as a promising alternative to the current imbalance of few large and dominant countries in contrast to a wide majority of smaller and medium-sized countries. Working on the development of a refugee pattern language (RPL), this alternative can help to solve larger worldwide problems including the human-made refugee problem. In RPL pattern "3.2 A World of Independent Regions," we explore this bottom-up alternative based on fundamental principles with an ideal population size for governing itself democratically and equity among regions in a world community. Other considerations include the potential to reduce the root problem of refugee creation of big countries vs. small counties, in cooperation with independent regions, and world regions. Updating this concept involves considering suggestions and new ideas that might make the outcome richer in overlaps, assembly, and scope. The relevance and vision of this concept and pattern are probably most visible and needed in the current turmoil of a transforming world

RPL Cluster 6 : Buildings & support facilities, in cities, streets and neighbourhoods

This paper is part of a larger project, the ‘Refugee Pattern Language.’ In chapter 6 we present patterns of buildings that help refugees to survive and give shelter, start a new life. Buildings of various kinds are critical for migrants and refugees lives and help in their different functions and uses but they also limit life in the dialectics of control and freedom. (see TOC as appendix) Research is based on field work, literature, and PL methods

Maintaining Authenticity in Ethnic Enclaves: Chinatown, Koreatown, and Thai Town, Los Angeles

Thesis (Master's)--University of Washington, 2015Over the past fifty years, much research on ethnic enclaves has been conducted, especially from historical, sociological and economic perspectives. However, little attention has been paid to the built environment, spatial meaning and its functions. In a global city like Los Angeles, many ethnic enclaves have emerged, both naturally and legislatively. This study investigated six internal and external factors and how they have affected the authenticity of three ethnic enclaves, Chinatown, Koreatown and Thai Town, in the context of the evolving Los Angeles. By the time immigrants are assimilated and become part of American society, they are structur- ally assimilated and the immigrants’ identity gently reconstructed. In contrast, they struggle to preserve and inherit their original national identity. The investigation revealed an irrelevance between physical expression of the ethnic enclave and spatial utilization of the immigrants. Together these findings suggest the contribution of people and places in the process of place making for an ethnic enclave. The presented findings are valuable for planning and future development of the discussed enclaves

A refugee pattern language – Rpl 9: Design and construction for refugees

This paper presents chapter 9 of a larger project ‘Refugee Pattern Language’. Employing Pattern Language method, the research is based on field work, case studies, and literature. We propose nine patterns of design and construction for refugees in a concise format. They address design approach, fabrication, and building construction along with factors related to building agencies, construction skills, and building materials. Here, we encourage the use of the principle of participation at multiple levels in the design, building, and planning process. Accommodating the needs of these influx migrants is a humanitarian responsibility that gives opportunities for redevelopment which also benefits vulnerable populations in the time of global refugee crisis. Individuals, professionals, NGOs, and governments can adopt these patterns to offer pragmatic humanistic solutions for different scenarios and scales of refugeereceiving sites

A world of thousand independent regions. Transforming the World to Small Countries as ‘Independent Regions’

This paper proposes a fundamental socio-spatial alternative for reorganizing our world structure, countries and regions which can help and support the ever-increasing number of refugees and, at the same time, can try to reduce or even eradicate the human-made refugee problem altogether. When the idea of ‘Independent Regions’is put into the context of refugees, it presents itself as a necessary alternative to the current imbalance of few large and dominant countries in contrast to a large number of smaller countries. First, we look at the best that current countries or groups of countries can provide for refugees based on the Geneva Refugee Convention from 1951. Second, we explore an alternative, that is based on fundamental principles of ‘Independent Regions’ with an ideal population size for governing itself, that has the potential to reduce the root problem of refugee creation of big countries vs small counties. Third, we investigate how to transition existing structures of countries to form ‘A World of Independent Regions’ in Europe, United States, Middle East and Northern Africa. We conclude that a world of ‘Independent Regions’ provides a stronger potential to deal with current issues and problems facing the world than the current system