WHO BUILDS?

Image: Westfield Überseequartier construction site in Hamburg, photo: Pablo Heimplatz

WHO BUILDS? - About working conditions in the construction industry.

Exercise - block event
ARCHITECTURE CITIES ECONOMIES

WM Ana Bisbicus
Zilan Bozkina

1SWS - 3ECTS

C-1.0-10, C-2.0-10

Temporary employment agencies, subcontractors, labor exploitation, unfair and unsafe working conditions characterize many construction sites in Germany and around the world. In some cases, accidents at work even lead to death. In 2022 and 2023, for example, six migrant construction workers died on the construction site of the new Westfield Überseequartier in Hamburg. Even though several occupational health and safety deficiencies had been reported days earlier, scaffolding then collapsed onto the construction site.

The motto is: build, build, build! But how can safe and fair working conditions be guaranteed in the "construction turbo"? Especially when the motto in the growth-oriented construction industry is: as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

In times of global environmental and socio-political crises, it is important not only to reflect on the role of the construction industry as the largest cause of environmental pollution, but also to question it from a socially just perspective: under what conditions is construction carried out?

This impromptu is dedicated to working conditions in construction, in particular the role of migrant workers. Using case studies that we have developed ourselves, we will examine together which power structures, economic dependencies and conditions shape construction sites and thus ultimately also architecture. The short projects will be shown in the form of drawings, mapping and interviews in the tour.

When:

Introduction 24.04.26 online 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

3 blocks on Fri. 15.05.26, Fri. 22.05.26 and Fri. 12.06.26 each at 09:00-15:30

Where:

Room to be announced.

Language: German spoken language, English also possible if necessary