ABSTRACT
Tempohomes are a special type of camps built in the aftermath of the refugee influx to Berlin in 2015. Although planned with care and attention, their shelter design, room arrangements, furniture, and regulations pose further challenges to refugees trying to inhabit the space. In this chapter, we extend an ongoing debate about the appropriation of camps to Berlin’s comparatively advanced Tempohomes. Based on a case study, we aim to illustrate how refugees make use of space and give it meaning beyond the envisioned planning. In contrast to other contexts where appropriations of camps can be easily spotted, we argue that the appropriation of Tempohomes is a rather subtle process, including practices such as the rearrangement of furniture and elements within the containers to create new spaces with different functions. By doing so, we suggest that the appropriation of containers in Tempohomes is, similar to other camps, driven by the refugees’ need to dwell.
