BORDER AS PLACE

BENCHMARK 1 REVIEWSAMANTHA SZESZULKI

“But when one draws a boundary, it may be for various kinds of reasons. If I surround an area with a fence or a line or otherwise, the purpose may be to prevent someone from getting in or out; but may also be part of a game and the players be supposed, say, to jump over the boundary; or it may show where property of one man ends and that of another begins; and so on. So if I draw a boundary line, that is not yet to say what I am drawing it for.”

- Ludwig Wittgenstein

privacy security ownership

aesthetic

separationkeep in or keep out

naturally, as cities / cultures grow

manmade, imposed on the land

Borders start as space, that as cities grow, become lines.

WHY DO BORDERS EXIST?

HOW ARE BORDERS CREATED?

“The border region between the United States and Mexico has often been defined as a “third space.” a zone afflicted with problems that are entirely distinct from those experienced in the rest of the two nations. Unfortunately the national capitals - Mexico City and Washington, D.C. - are phyiscally removed from the region, and are thus regarded by some borderlanders as ‘distant and dysfunctional,’ who claim that many of the issues confronting the border on a daily basis go unnoticed by federal governments. Today, it is largely up to the local governments and organizations located along the border to resolve the issues that plague the cities in the region.” (Romero, pg. 95)

How can we reinforce the idea of border as a “thirdspace”?

How can it bring neighboring regions together to promote cooperation/collaboration?

How can it add to the quality of life for those along it?

as an analogy

mortar is the border between bricks.

its is desinged, intentional;its is natural, organic, overlapping;

it allows for expansion and constraction; it holds brick together, strengthens;

without it, things fall apart.

CHALLENGING THE BORDERAS A SEPARATION MECHANISM BRICK + MORTAR

JOINT CONTROLmarchland/march/mark

international zonetransit zone

free trade zone

INDEPENDENTLY CONTROLLEDmicro- state/nation

buffer state

micronation - an entity that claims to be an independent nation or state but is not officially recognized by world governments or major international organizations

marchland/march/mark - a medieval European term for any kind of borderland, as opposed to a notional “heartland”. More specifically, a march was a border between realms, and/or a neutral/buffer zone under joint control of two states, in which different laws might apply. In both of these senses, marches served a political purpose, such as providing warning of military incursions, or regulating cross-border trade, or both.

buffer state - a country between two rival or potentially hostile greater powers. Its existence can sometimes be thought to prevent conflict between them. A buffer state is sometimes a mutually agreed upon area lying between two greater powers, which is demilitarized in the sense of not hosting the military of either power (though it will usually have its own military forces). The invasion of a buffer state by one of the powers surrounding it will often result in war between the powers. A march is controlled by a greater power, whereas a true buffer state is deliberately left alone by rival powers situated either side of it.

international zone - a type of extraterritoriality governed by international law, or similar treaty between two or more nations. They can be found within international airports and can contain duty-free shopping. In areas of conflict there may be international zones called green zones that form protective enclaves to keep diplomats safe. Countries in conflict may also have international zones separating each other.

transit zone - type of free trade zone in which a port of entry in a coastal country (host country) serves as a distribution and storage center for a landlocked neighboring country or one which lacks adequate cargo handling facilities. Goods passing through a transit zone are normally not subject to any customs formalities, duties, or import restrictions of the host country.

free trade zone - a specific class of special economic zone. They are a geographic area where goods may be landed, handled, manufactured or reconfigured, and reexported without the intervention of the customs authorities. Only when the goods are moved to consumers within the country in which the zone is located do they become subject to the prevailing customs duties. Free-trade zones are organized around major seaports, international airports, and national frontiers—areas with many geographic advantages for trade. It is a region where a group of countries has agreed to reduce or eliminate trade barriers.

TYPES OF “THIRD SPACES”

1. border as line/barrier >single fence conditions along U.S./Mexico

2. border as gap (indenpenent) >multi-fence conditions along U.S./Mexico

3. border as overlap (joint effort) >Detroit River as it is enforced

provide sanctuary provide neutral area

facilitate cooperation/tradeseperate disputants/prevent conflict

exemption from laws/new lawsprotective enclaves

must be a defined territorymust have a permanent population

must havea government must have the capacity to enter into

relations with other states

WHY DO THEY EXIST?

INDEPENDENT OPERATION

POTENTIAL BORDER CONDITIONS

1 2 3

1. “third space” is richer with overlap, steril with separation > Creating a border space where the edges of the entities overlap would create an environment rich with culture; or a space steril of culture if seperated. A place steril of culture would lack personal investment & accountability. These tyes of places are often abbandoned or in disrepair.

2. separation pulls communities further apart, overlap brings them closer together > By having a shared space, these communities now have shared interest on which they must communicate and coooperate, as well as a neutral ground in which to do this. This shared space gives them an opportunity to spend time together. The separation scheme has created an additional entity through which they must communicate, as well as lack of reason to communicate, as no shared interest exists.

3. new borders are created; two borders now exist >creates additional security or additional separetion?

4. in overlapping scheme, is one community more dominant? > in a joint controlled space, would one community end up having more controll, causing more issues?

8 MILE BORDER STUDYDetroit + Ferndale, MI.

8 MILE BORDER STUDY

medians, squares, boulevard, avenues essentially the same; parcels of public land, surrounded by roadsways on all 4 sides, usually

by on-way traffic. median - the reserved area that separates opposing lanes of traffic on divided roadways, such as divided highways, dual carriageways, freeways, and motorways. The term also applies to divided roadways other than highways, such as some major streets in urban or suburban areas. The reserved area may simply be paved, but commonly it is adapted to other functions; for example, it may accommodate decorative landscaping, trees, a median barrier, or railway or

streetcar lines.

own square - an open public space commonly found in the heart of a traditional town used for community gatherings. Most squares are suitable for open markets, music concerts, political rallies, and other events. Being centrally located, town squares are usually surrounded by small shops such as bakeries, meat markets, cheese stores, and clothing stores. At their center is often a

fountain, well, monument, or statue.

city square - a planned open area in a city, usually or originally rectangular in shape.

boulevard - a wide, multi-lane arterial thoroughfare, divided with a median down the centre, and perhaps with roadways along each side designed as slow travel and parking lanes and for bicycle and pedestrian usage, often with an above-average quality landscaping

and scenery. The term avenue is often used in its place.

“MEDIANS” AS MICROBORDERS

DOWNTOWN - COMMERCIAL / OFFICE/MULTIFAMILY RES8-16 + STORY BUILDINGS4 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY 1 BLOCK = .07 MILES, .3 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

NEIGHBORHOOD - SINGLE FAMILY RESIDENTIAL 2 - 3 STORY BUILDINGS2 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 B3LOCK =.15 MILES, REPEATINGMEDIUM STREET WALL, W/ ADDITIONAL 40’ SET BACKS

OFFICES/ LIGHT COMMERCIAL8 -16 + STORY BUILDINGS4 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 BLOCK = .12 MILES, REPEATINGMEDIUM STREET WALL

OFFICES/ LIGHT COMMERCIAL8 -16 + STORY BUILDINGS4 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 BLOCK = .12 MILES, REPEATINGMEDIUM STREET WALL

COMMERCIAL1 STORY BUILDINGS5-6 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 BLOCK = 1.00 MILES, REPEATINGMEDIUM- WEAK STREET WALL

COMMERCIAL1-2 STORY BUILDINGS3-4 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 BLOCK = .5 MILES, REPEATINGMEDIUM - WEAK STREET WALL

COMMERCIAL1-2 STORY BUILDINGS5-6 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY 1 BLOCK = .5 MILES, REPEATINGWEAK STREET WALL

DETROIT MEDIANS: “GAP” BORDERS

DOWNTOWN - COMMERCIAL/ OFFICE / MULTIFAMILY RES8-16 STORY BUILDINGS2-3 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY1 BLOCK = .08 MILES, .2 MILES TOTAL CROSS WALK BETWEENSTRONG STREET WALL

MULTIFAMILY RES3-5 STORY BUILDINGS2-3 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY.05 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

MULTIFAMILY RES4-3 STORY BUILDINGS3 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY.14 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

MULTIFAMILY RES3 STORY BUILDINGS3 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY.35 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

MULTIFAMILY RES/ RETAIL 4-6 STORY BUILDINGS2.5 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY.50 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

MULTIFAMILY RES/ RETAIL/ OFFICE6-8 STORY BUILDINGS3 LANES OF VEHICLES EACH WAY.20 MILES TOTALSTRONG STREET WALL

MEDIANS AS “OVERLAP” BORDERS

continuting to challenge border as separation/explore border as joint

controlled “third space”

learn from medians as “microborders,”median scale design intervention(s)

make lessons learned from medians scalable, to be applied at

city, state, or national borders

larger scale design interventions(s)of borders as joint controlled

“third space(s)”

WHAT IS NEXT? (THESIS PROPOSAL)