How does the architecture of the reception centers affect the asylum seekers living there? This has been the topic for the research project  «What buildings do». The project started in 2012 and has been led by professor Eli Støa.

The interdisciplinary research has been carried out in cooperation between NTNU, SINTEF Building and Infrastructure and University College Lillehammer. It covers perspectives from architecture, geography, environmental psychology and social anthropology.  An important aim has been to investigate how the architectural design and the localization of the centers affects the well-being of the asylum seekers and the way the local community perceive them. The project has included a survey of the situation in all Norwegian centers, and qualitative studies in a smaller selection of centers. Another aim has been to influence practice. Based on own and others’ research, the group has developed guidelines for housing quality in reception centers. These guidelines are published in the booklet «Bokvalitet i asylmottak -  en veileder» (in Norwegian) and in a Building Research Design Guide (forthcoming fall 2016 - also in Norwegian), for purchase, see: http://bks.byggforsk.no/

The project will be finalized in 2017. The total budget has been 8 million NOK. It has received funding from the Norwegian Research Council [grant number 213091/F10] and the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI). NTNU has supported the project by funding a PhD scholarship.