InEurope - A Manifesto for Solidarity Borders

What it does

InEurope is a reception and orientation service for asylum seekers at European borders. Deployed at legal entrances to EU territory, this site is intended to anticipate successful integration while offering a framework for a better European cooperation.

Your inspiration

The increase in migration has resulted in less European cooperation and stronger border control arrangements. As we pursue a security policy to overcome our fears, we are locking ourselves into "Fortress Europe". It is not a question of solving the "migration" crisis but the crisis of our borders and solidarity. Rather than "welcoming" asylum seekers through deterrence and misinformation, let us offer them support that is in line with international conventions. The idea of InEurope is the result of a research work I lead at the Paris international airport CDG with the French Red Cross, welcoming exiles after they crossed the border.

How it works

InEurope offers a service to guide and inform exiles on their arrival at European borders. Installed at all legal entry points (land, air, sea), In Europe would bring together two entities: NGOs and the OFPRA (French Office for the Protection of Refugees and Stateless Persons). With the overall aim of informing and empowering exiles, InEurope guides them through the social, cultural, and administrative border. Users are taken through a five-part process as they familiarise themselves with the country they are about to enter, learn about the host country’s culture and values, the facilities available to them, their rights and civic duties as an asylum seeker, and the next steps of their integration process. In short, the In Europe project, through several strong symbols, would make it possible to avoid the wandering of immigrants, to establish better quality support for asylum seekers and to homogenize naturalizations on the European territory.

Design process

Following a study trip in Argentina, Uruguay and Chile in 2017, I decided to write my thesis on Solidarity. I particularly looked into the interaction between autonomy and solidarity, at the scale of individuals, communities and states. At the scale of states, the broder is the expression of the balance between autonomy and solidarity. The more a country seeks autonomy and independence the more its borders are likely to be walls and fences. The increase in new walls around the world made me think that the problem is not the "refugee crisis" but the "crisis of solidarity". I spent some time at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to witness the refugee situation. There, I worked with the French Red Cross to better understand immigration procedures, what the government is doing and how the Red Cross tries to guide and help asylum seekers through the complexity of asylum processes. I thought there must be a better solution to be respectful to both border control authorities and asylum seekers.

How it is different

I believe my project is raising awareness on a very topical issue: immigration at European borders. The coronavirus crisis has reinforced the need to have conversations about our borders and refugee policies as countries across Europe are increasing their hostility towards immigrants. The causes of immigration still persist in a context of global pandemic. My project proposes a holistic approach on a complex issue involving geopolitics, a topic, in my opinion, (too) rarely explored by designers. I truly believe in the power of design to tackle systemic and complex challenges. An I believe my project while exploring this space takes into account the complexity of interests and needs and proposes a solution that suits to both asylum seekers and governments. I’m proposing a holistic design system rather than an individual solution.

Future plans

The goal is first of all to propose a vision for a European immigration management project. My next step would be exchanging with French and European authorities responsible for immigration. Ideally, a development phase would be necessary to design the project in detail and plan an implementation strategy, before testing it in a pilot location. This is an ambitious project that is still at the concept stage and it would require a lot more research and development. At the moment communicating on the project to rise attention is my main goal.

Awards

Diploma with honors at Strate School of design in 2019. Selected and exhibited at the Global Grad Show 2019 at the Dubaï Design Week. Best student project "Conscious Design Award 2020" by WantedDesign in New York in the category "original concept and design".