A Squat

Year: 2010

In the English-speaking world they are known as ‘squatters’, in Spain ‘okupas’, and in certain Latin
American countries as ‘paracaidistas’ (‘parachutists’). These are some of the terms that refer to those
people throughout the world who lead lives based on occupying abandoned buildings or abandoned housing.

The set of photographs presented tries to give a short view of what a life in a squat looks like.
After doing this photographic reportage it was good to see that the stereotypes that all squatters are lazy
squalid junkies was wrong. At the end of the day you can end up meeting very interesting people, but it is
definitely more a question of housing-related survival, an alternative ‘home sweet home’.

“In 1969, a group ofsquatters from the London Street Commune, an organisation formed with the aimin
mind to draw attention to the sky-high numbers of London homeless, occupieda then-abandoned mansion
at 144 Piccadilly Circus, only to be thrown out withinhours following a large-scale police operation.”