A New Beginning in a New Way: The Integration of Refugees in an Urban Community

Abstract

The world has an unprecedented number of refugees; with the number continuously increasing, housing options when scaled are becoming unmanageable by the UNHCR’s typical means of resettlement. This thesis aims to strengthen the relocation of refugees to first world countries by developing a series of welcome place settlements integrated into the current refugee process. As a way to provide a transitional housing solution for refugees, it will phase refugees from arrival to amalgamation into a community. Utilizing Halifax, Nova Scotia as a regional site, four scales will be addressed to integrate refugees; the urban scale utilizes a decentralized system of distribution to densify and diversify Halifax; the community scale builds on existing amenities to extend the site beyond its boundaries; the building scale encourages interactions and provides collective gathering spaces, while the dwellings are adaptable to suit the spatial, cultural and individual needs of each refugee at that time.