Temporary urban structures such as refugee camps have a huge potential for exploration with regard to spatial research. How is the built environment perceived? How can it make a difference? Does it guide behavioral choices? What interventions have the inhabitants made to territorialize their habitat? What interventions did they make before they moved to a refugee camp to feel at home in a space?
"It may be that we have become so feckless as a people that we no longer care how things do work, but only what kind of quick, easy outer impression they give. If so, there is little hope for our cities or probably for much else in our society. But I do not think this is so." (Jane Jacobs, Death and Life of Great American Cities)
Expertise exists in many fields but it is still relatively new to the world of architects and spatial designers. In order to arrive at a multi-layered research, multi disciplinary expert interviews (actor network) will be used for theoretical background and quantitative data. Quasi experimental research (varied sources) will be used to focus the research. Acknowledging that quasi experimentation is judgmental, it will rather be based on multiple and varied sources of evidence, multiplistic in realization, attending to process as well as to outcome.
With regard to qualitative data, a case study where qualitative (perception) mapping will be used. Perhaps coping mechanisms of informal camps could serve as inspiration for designs of future camps. In order to do qualitative research into this field, time must be spent within the boundaries of refugee camps to understand the complexities through in-depth interviewing. The research should lead to multiple analyses that attempt to bracket the cause and effect within a reasonable range.
"Everyone designs who devises courses of action aimed at changing existing situations into preferred ones." (Herbert Simon)
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