SFB 1265 Re-Figuration von Räumen, Phase 3
B03 Multiple Einkapselungen
Research
Multiple Encapsulations: Gated Communities, Artistic Enclaves and Child-free Spaces
In the first funding phase of the CRC 1265, subproject B03 investigated the refiguration of spaces using the Korean smart city Songdo as a case study. It became evident that refiguration there results in homo-geneous settlement forms and a digitalization concept geared towards the interests of the middle class. In the second funding phase, it was possible to show how the implementation of this urban apartment housing policy as a spatial form of refiguration also gives rise to protest movements and alternative, queer ways of living. In both funding phases, we observed strategies of encapsulation of the groups un-der study within digitally controlled special spaces, staged through thresholds. These encapsulations os-tensibly aim to increase security and reduce complexity. In the third funding phase, we pursue the goal of synthesizing and generalizing our findings. We ask how built-spatial and social structures of encapsulation contribute both to processing refiguration and to driving it further in the form of social polarization. This also raises the question of the porosity of these capsules, first through digital networking and, second, through services. In addition to secondary analyses of existing data and cross-sectional analyses across various subprojects within the CRC, in-depth studies will be conducted in South Korea on two phenomena: the establishment of child-free public spaces in Korean cities, and the promotion of artist settlements in peripheral villages. The project’s long-term study of the development of gated communities in South Ko-rea will also be continued during the third phase. By examining different as well as similar forms of en-capsulation, we expect to gain insights into their conditions of emergence, the nature of their material-digital thresholds, and their relevance. Furthermore, relational studies are planned in Brazil and Switzer-land. The subproject combines urban design and sociological methods, employing participant observati-on, hybrid mapping, and semi-structured interviews.
Funded by DFG
Funding period: 2026-2029
PI: Prof. Jörg Stollmann / Prof. Dr. Martina Löw
Research assistance: Jae-Young Fröhlich-Lee / Sangwon Chae
Photo Credits:
Luxury gated residency in a rural area in South Korea (image: Jae-Young Lee-Frölich)
“YesNo Kidzone Map”, public Google map made by an anonymous user (Screenshot)
