Truck Stop Border Project: A Polyphonic Space of Transit is a two-phased spatial research–design project. It analyses spatial conditions and potentials of the NL-BE border-truck-stops and their surroundings. The project approaches the truck stops beyond logistics and approaches them as socio-cultural meeting points and as spaces for rest for drivers and others.

The result of the first phase is published as a book showing a trans-scalar research ranging from the XL scale analysis on the European regulations to the XS scale of the intimate space of truck cabin’s interior. The research uses diverse methods of spatial analysis such as archival research, mapping, drawing, medical research, workshopping, etc.

The project understands truck stops as “border projects” in themselves, while focusing specifically on multiple truck stops located in the Hazeldonk–Meer Logistic Park, an industrial and logistics “island” that extends across both sides of NL-BE border.

The result of the second phase of the project is a Truck Stop Happenning. Inspired by truckers’ hacking methods and “objet trouvés” found on site, a number of micro-interventions are made. These are new spatio-temporal situations for rest, bodily care, meeting and exchange introduced during the Happening at the Truck Stop.

Truck Stop Border Project brings attention to making the truck stops more humanized and inclusive. Through “soft activism” it raises awareness and through making new relations it highlights the region’s local specificities,. Brings new perspectives and suggests new  forms of collaboration.

Main collaborators of the project are truckers, ABVV-BTB, AR-TUR, and Truck Stop Joost.

This project is kindly supported by the Stimuleringsfonds, Creatieve Industries Fund NL.