Housing is not only a question of accommodation, but a right that is fundamental for social integration. In light of the latest wave of migration, it is therefore not merely a case of accommodation in shelters or reception centers, instead it is about developing ideas and strategies as to how the people can be integrated into the life of cities, communities, and districts. It is important to create places and visions that open up opportunities and advancement for the people, beyond their physical arrival.
The cooperative university initiative Home not Shelter! has worked on this task from the perspective of architecture and urban planning and has developed spatial concepts designed to meet the complex requirements of an increasingly diverse society. One of the focal points was the question of whether communal forms of housing for migrants and students, as well as hybrid typologies, can constitute such innovative spaces in the sense of an Open City.