Mittelmeerland

Mittelmeerland is a research project exploring the future of the Mediterranean Sea as a territory of water. Applying a comparative method and approaching cities from the sea, Mitelmeerland has travelled to six Mediterranean metropolises: Dubrovnik, Tangier, Beirut, Algiers, Alexandria and Izmir.

The Salon de Recherche shows case studies and travel books which illustrate each city, its speciality, the character of the coast, its usage and its users. It deals with urban conditions, politics and the urbanisation processes along the coast. There were questions: How can the Mediterranean position itself as a territory? How would each city act in this territory? What do changes mean for the everyday spaces and their uses? Over five years, Mittelmeerland has been studying the dynamic of the city coastlines, the mutual dependencies of land and water, the constructions of new ports which are often in conflict with sensitive sea ground, and the transformation of society. The Mediterranean Sea is not only situated between continents, but simultaneously acts as a historical and contemporary centre and border zone. The social, economic and political dynamics of this territory are complex and diverse.

Curators: Medine Altiok and Stephanie Tunka