Abstract

When Spain signed the Schengen agreement in 1991, Ceuta was converted from a rather insignificant city into an ‘external border’ between the supra-national body of the EU and Morocco. This Spanish exclave has become one of the prime destinations for African migrants from sub-Saharan countries. Spain’s sovereignty over the city is refuted by Morocco which claims the city to be part of its own national territory. Yet, this system is simultaneously transgressed and re-negotiated on the ground by the regular flow of workers from neighbouring towns who benefit from EU visa-exemption and various forms of cross-border exchange. The contradictions of the Spanish/EU enclave have attracted remarkably little critical interest. This talk complements existing studies that have focused on socio-economic and political aspects by drawing attention to the role of the physical fabric and architectural structure that have developed in response to the border regime, and examines the way in which planning and the production of architecture are rooted in colonial hierarchies and reflect inter-communal tensions and cross-border dynamics.