Local community and Norwegian peri-urban asylum reception centres: learning from relational notions of place

Norwegian authorities bring forward the concept of ‘local community’ in regulations and guidelines concerning temporary living in asylum reception centres (ARCs). However, many ARCs are socially and spatially isolated, located in the peri-urban landscapes surrounding the cities. This article analyses and discusses central guidelines and policy documents from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) from an architectural perspective to explore the concept of local community through the lens of place theory and definitions of the notion of local community. A multidisciplinary theoretical framework in the context of ARCs connects physical and social conditions, bringing perspectives of openness, tolerance, and care to the notions of local community and place. Drawing on the theories of the Norwegian architect Sigrun Kaul (1939–2021) and the British social scientist and geographer Doreen Massey (1944–2016), the article examines the architectural and spatial planning opportunities embedded in existing governmental practices, regulations, and guidelines to enhance the well-being of asylum seekers in peri-urban landscapes. The main finding is that in the official documents related to ARCs, the term ‘local community’ lacks a comprehensive definition but appears directly and indirectly in several texts. Learning from Kaul and Massey, this article establishes a platform for discussing governmental ambitions and practices within peri-urban local communities, particularly in relation to the correlation between locating and caring for asylum seekers.