Migration is a defining feature of today’s world, shaping economies, cultures, and communities. In sectors such as construction renovation and textile repair, migrant workers contribute to sustainability practices, providing jobs that in the destination countries, citizens do not want or, more often, are not able to do. Yet, despite their contributions, migrant workers often face barriers to integration and recognition as skilled professionals. Depending on the context, migrants’ skills can be exploited/underpaid, scorned, underestimated, neglected but also recognized and valued.

In two successive editions (Spring 2022 and Spring 2023), 81 students from TU Delft’s Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment participated in the Architectural Ethnography course. They conducted micro-ethnographic studies in collaboration with Leiden University Medical Centre students, under the supervision of a team from TU Delft, LUMC, Hogeschool Leiden and the Thesis Hub the Hague Southwest. The students thoroughly examined residential areas in three districts: Bouwlust en Vrederust, Moerwijk, and Ypenburg. Their data collection methods included informal conversations, sketches, photographic surveys, observations, video diaries, and mental mapping. The focus was on understanding how urban and housing design influences interactions among humans, non-humans, and the diverse environmental elements. The exhibition “At Home in The Hague” showcases diverse research outputs, such as analytic posters, graphic novels, collages, and stop motion movies, among others. These are complemented by a short documentary compiling excerpts from video diaries recorded by the residents. This collaborative exhibition involves educators, researchers, students, and residents of the case study areas. Its varied materials pay homage to the multitude of personal and group narratives in the city, going beyond stereotypical portrayals of urban life in the vibrant communities of Ypenburg and The Hague Southwest.

Architectuurstudenten hebben gekeken naar de gedragsen bewegingspatronen van bewoners in de gebouwde omgeving in Bouwlust en Vrederust. De tentoonstelling presenteert op meerdere manieren de diverse ervaringen van haar bewoners in relatie tot de straat, de huizen en het dagelijks leven. Tentoonstelling in Bibliotheek Bouwlust, Den Haag, 28 september - 10 november 2022.