Gecekondu at ARCAM

Why?
In an era where over half of the residents of many large cities live in informal settlements, and over a billion squatters inhabit the world, with this number growing rapidly, one can question if the formal is normal. In The Netherlands, urban ‘formality’ goes beyond mere urban planning. Dutch authorities tend to instantly regulate and institutionalize all things spontaneous in town. Currently, the Dutch government is one the verge of approving a new law that will prohibit squatting. In Amsterdam, there appears to be less and less space and opportunity for informal and creative use of the city. How does the lack of space affect the creative attitude of a town? How come the Amsterdam atmosphere differs so much from Berlin? Or Istanbul?
The Gecekondu Summerhouse Hotel aims to show the potential of seemingly structured Dutch areas and therefore takes inspiration from Istanbul; where over one third of all housing is build in illegal urban setup. These areas often contain an incredible urban richness. Whilst currently the Gecekondus are being threatened by western urban planning methods, DUS architects will build a Gecekondu in The Netherlands, as part of the Sausalito temporary village at Almere Beach. Gecekundu, the Turkish name for shanty building, literally means ‘built over night’. Because these buildings are built in one night, the founder of the building receives ownership rights. Up to a century ago, similar rights were common in The Netherlands, for instance at the Drentse Veengronden where peasants would build huts during the nights in the fields, that would later turn into farms. It is these and similar long forgotten rights and ideas that DUS wants to readdress by the Gecekondu Summer Hotel. The Hotel will live up to its temporary character: Its building stones are the archetypical nomadic bags, the so-called china bags (or‘turkentassen’), filled with sand from the beach. Would this make the house legal as it is only re-shaping the sand that is already there? DUS wants to invite people to participate in creating a lively summer program at the Gecekondu, to jointly investigate and question temporary spontaneous use, the claiming of spaces, bottom up versus top down, nomadic life, the effects of migration onto towns and the potential of the exisiting townscape. Or shortly: To test the borders of the Dutch planning system and to have sheer summer fun!

Who is invited?
All who are somehow affiliated with things temporary are welcome to reside at the Gecekondu Summerhouse Hotel! The Gecekondu is an initiative of DUS architects in collaboration with the Almere Sausalito temporary village. Based on DUS’ credo ‘design by doing’, the Summerhouse Hotel aims to provide a physical place for ideas to grow. The summer program is deliberately undisclosed- DUS would like to invite you to join and build upon it!
In 2010, the contents of the Gecekondu guestbook will be brought to Istanbul Cultural Capital, and will be continued in research on a vision for Istanbul 2023.

Where?
We started at a beautiful beach in Almere, continued at a squatted plot at The Czaar Peterstraat in Amsterdam, and are currently located at a concrete Island at the centre of Amsterdam. The future location is deliberatley undiclosed....

What?
We ask for informal and unexpected input, and one page of content for the Gecekondu Summer Hotel guestbook. What we offer: Free hotel living in a unique building on serveral exclusive locations... Welcome!