Squat Cyprus

After studying many squatting movements, the proposed mechanism comes in the shape of an open-access manual that can be used by anyone interested in organizing a squat. In the manual one will find advice on potential sites, the social relations between the squatters, the general public and the government, and technical tips for cheap housing. The project is divided in two parts, the Squat Cyprus manual, and its trial application in Stegi Agios Charalambos, a former Lepers’ Home in Larnaca (now abandoned). This site is where the general conditions described in the manual are resolved in detail.

Confronted with the question: what would a squatting movement look like in Cyprus? I realised that the main risk in such an endeavour is that no rights are recognised to squatters in Cyprus. This led to the creation of a “Squatting Manual” that would give Cypriot activists the basic know how to create a movement for social change. The format of the manual protects the anonymity of the author, while allowing for constant regeneration of the movement even after the squat is institutionalised. In the manual one will find advice on potential sites, the social relations between the squatters, the general public and the government, and technical tips for cheap housing. Given the uncertain future of the squat and the economically vulnerable situation of the squatters-to-be, the proposed structures had require minimal to no cost. The structural material, therefore, is the wooden pallet, which one often finds discarded at the roadside or can be bought for around €5-8. For waterproofing, plastic bottles can be applied to the exterior while multiple layers of cardboard insulate the building. These materials can be later on replaced with more durable alternatives, once the danger of repression is overcome. The structure has the flexibility of expanding either horizontally of even vertically with extra supports. The squat is not regarded as an ideal condition but rather a last resort to pressure the government to action.