“Demolish and rebuild”

Whenever there is economic progress and money is coming in the hands of individuals or in that of the government, people start to build. First demolish than re-build to be precise. That is not different in Bangladesh, in Sao Paulo Brazil, Rotterdam the Netherlands or Bishkek Kyrgyzstan. In Detroit, where the population massively moved away after the car industry collapsed, the demolition happens ’from itself’. Many of detached wooden houses go up in flames. Whether caused by illegal residents as drug users or lit by the people themselves to cash the insurance money is not clear. Everywhere there is protest against the major developments that often chases the poor out of their houses. Inspiring is the protest in Detroit where artists transform empty houses into a tourist attraction.

Sao Paulo -  “Rua Mauá" used to be a street in “Cracolândia". It is close to “Estação da Luz” (train station and subway), and “Sala São Paulo” (one of the finest theaters -…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Bishkek -  This is a poster of one of the political parties (Republic in Russian) in Kyrgyzstan. Behind it is a building that has been under construction already for a few years…
Nellya Dzhamanbaeva – Bishkek Lab

The yellow temporary sign indicates the street on the right has become a dead-end street. Because of building activities. The little poster says: Hurray! Social destruction! It is a pun…
Lino Hellings – Rotterdam Lab

These protest posters “I like living here!’ against the reconstruction of Crooswijk were handed out by the Socialist Part more than four years ago. The red tomato logo of…
Robin van 't Haar – Rotterdam Lab

Detail from the front door of the block of flats where the MST – Movimento dos Sem Teto/ Homeless Movement Downtown São Paulo is hosted. Homeless people struggling to obtain…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

With the upper floors of the bazaar demolished, light and rain come through the new openings. Plastic sheets of different colours make up the impromptu rooftop. Nice colours and space…
Shahidul Alam – Migrationpapa

Old almost destroyed house, where still somebody lives and new one on the back under the construction. Bishkek is the city of undone constructions and destroyed houses.…
Meka Muratova – Bishkek Lab

Temporary measures in a city in transit. For a long time ‘demolish and build’ was the solution to all social probems in (poor) neighbourhoods. Not any more. The financial crises…
Lino Hellings – Rotterdam Lab

This is Maria Moura. She is 44. She came to Sao Paulo in 1982 from Bahia. She has 8 children and 3 grandchildren.Her oldest daughter is in jail. Maria…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Because of the blocks of flats in front of this one are demolished, we can look at the back of this condo. Normally it wasn’t as open as it is…
Erika Blikman – Rotterdam Lab

Empty houses have been turned into art installations. Heidelberg Project is the most well known example of urban art in Detroit inspired by socio-economic issues prevalent in the city. A…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

A house in Mexican town, Southwest Detroit caught  fire. Fires are daily occurrences in the city because of poverty, old electric wiring, insurance motivated arsons or lack of caution…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

There is a fight in central São Paulo for the right to remain living there. The big companies want to ‘revitalise’, in other words, buy the buildings for ridiculously low…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Downtown Sao Paulo is through changes. It seems never ending. The project of revitalizing the city is audacious. But first, it is necessary to decide what to do with the…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

A dead tree is covered with teddy bears and topped with shopping carts (used by the homeless in the city). The Heidelberg Project was created in 1986 by artist Tyree…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

A Latino man talks on the phone while looking at the house of his sister in Mexicantown that is engulfed in flames. Fires are daily occurrences in the city due…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Retired man behind a fence looking at the city under construction. It can be a day job. Full time witnessing transformation. When I am 65 I will move back to…
Robin van 't Haar – Rotterdam Lab

Lately the city resembles a big construction site.…
Tatyana Zelenskaja – Bishkek Lab