Border vs. barrier: the Chamizal Stadium as an enclave
P.B. de Reuver (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
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Abstract
The border between El Paso (USA) and Ciudad Juárez (Mexico) is acting as a barrier. Exchange within the community of border people is undoubtedly obstructed by this militarized divider. The Chamizal Zone, a peculiar piece of land formed by the meandering Rio Grande border-river sitting in between the two cities, has the potential to function as a threshold. Emphasizing the distinctive ‘city island’ character of the Chamizal and making a third nation can change the perception and experience of the barrier. This third nation could come in the form of a binational stadium, that can be realized on the US side of the border at present, with the financial aid of American private investors. This enclave serves the entire community of border people, both Mexican and American.