The Role of Architecture in Mobility Control and Boundary Formation in Modern Conditions

Modern borders are often presented as corridors with concrete walls, low ceilings, and artificial lighting, where the observer is behind armored glass. Places such as Calais, El Paso, or Lampedusa create an atmosphere of anonymity, yet clearly convey the idea that passage is not a right, but rather a concession.

The Architectural Language of Borders

This image of a corridor is not an exception, but a reflection of an architectural language that repeats itself on modern borders. Labyrinthine airports, sorting stations, and walls are architecture that makes hostility an inherent element of the space, showing that it goes beyond a simple enclosed space on the other side of the glass.

In 1975, Michel Foucault popularized the concept of the panopticon in his book 'Discipline and Punish,' describing a circular prison with an observation tower in the center. Since inmates never know when they are being watched, they internalize surveillance and self-regulate their behavior, ensuring perfect discipline. The effectiveness of the panopticon lies precisely in the depersonalization of power or its transformation into a geometric shape, into architecture.

Conceptual Projects and Walls

What kind of architecture can control, observe, and restrict? The project 'Exodus, or The Voluntary Prisoners of Architecture,' developed by Rem Koolhaas together with Elie Zenghelis, Madelon Vriesendorp, and Zoe Zenghelis, was presented in 1972. Inspired by Koolhaas's trip to the Berlin Wall, the project transforms the 'wall' into a conceptual spatial condition, making it a structural element of the very idea of architecture.

Using a deliberately exaggerated language, similar to Superstudio, a system of parallel walls crossed the center of London, isolating a strip functioning as territory, and establishing a dichotomy between good and evil, inclusion and exclusion. The idea was to turn a specific border condition into the basis of a view that considers architecture as a 'hedonistic science of designing collective objects capable of fully satisfying individual desires.' The supposed absence of a program in the wall, according to Koolhaas, gave it greater stability than any other building, which also contradicted prevailing views on the social role of discipline at that time.

Nevertheless, the isolated wall under consideration can be understood as a masterpiece in a rhetorical sense, but its function is realized through the city that surrounds it, and it is this urban interaction that allows it to manifest its architectural power—the ability to create a boundary.

The Border as a Layered Entity

In collective memory, the border is often reduced to an imaginary vector on a map—a black line. However, this line contains many layers, representing a trace capable of demarcating 'here and there,' 'us and them,' reflecting the psychospacial experience lived by people. The border is a relational entity, formed both by technical means and devices of border control, and by the processes it generates itself. Therefore, it is an elastic concept: for some, it is distant and unattainable; for others, it is easily overcome.

Territorial control includes institutions, laws, and administrative measures, but it is also inextricably linked to the creation of physical space. The border exists not only on a map; it is present in a square meter, in the height of the wall, in the width of the corridor, in the angle of the cameras.

From Concrete to Barbed Wire

The height of the well-known barrier between the USA and Mexico is nine meters, described as sufficient height to guarantee the death of any person who falls while attempting to cross it. This is one of the world's most iconic borders because its demarcating function is enhanced by the architectural object. Here, the border is not just political or social—it is openly visible to the naked eye.

But besides the fatal wall, architectural borders are found in various types. Alexander Stanichic, in his book 'Architectures of Resistance: Negotiating Borders Through Spatial Practices,' describes the history of the Gevgelija border crossing on the border between Greece and North Macedonia, and how its architectural changes reflect the political context of each moment.

He gives the example that in 1960, the crossing was at the peak of its development, serving as the main entry point into the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia from Greece. The dismantling of its modernist architecture in 1990 marked the collapse of the federal state and preceded nationalist projects such as the controversial Skopje 2014. Currently, Gevgelija has established itself as a space of conflict, where a barbed wire fence along the border serves as an insurmountable barrier for thousands of displaced refugees heading to Western Europe.

Between the friendly modernist checkpoint and the barbed wire fence lies a political and cultural chasm, which shows how much the architecture of borders can say. Nevertheless, while it can be used as a tool of control, it also possesses the potential to resist these boundaries through its speculative and proposed capacity.

Is It Possible to Do Otherwise?

There are possibilities to design border crossings that take human dignity into account, waiting areas with natural light, clear navigation, and spaces for children. Reception centers that reject the logic of detention are possible. However, these are exceptions, fragile before any political change. This suggests that architecture, no matter how significant, is subject to the program. As long as the border is viewed as a tool of selective exclusion, any architecture serving it participates in that exclusion.

In the face of this complexity, several initiatives deserve mention. For instance, Teddy Cruz and Fonna Forman combine activism, research, and creative production to rethink how borders and surrounding communities are constructed and function. For them, the region between Tijuana and San Diego is a global laboratory for the main problems of modern urbanization. While ICE continues its inhumane operations, thousands of Mexican migrants wait at the wall for asylum that never comes. From this analysis arose the UCSD Community Stations—a network of points in marginalized areas on both sides of the wall, where teaching and research are combined between state universities and migrant communities.

On the same border, an intervention carried out in 2019 by architects Ronald Rael and Virginia San-Fratello stands out, where they installed swings connecting children and adults from both sides of the wall through the simple act of play. This intervention was temporary, but enough to expose the interdependence of the two territories, becoming a symbolic critique of exclusion policies and proof that action on one side of the border inevitably affects the other.

Finally, the publication 'Two sides of the border. Reimagining the Region,' which features thirteen bureaus and student groups from the US and Mexico, curated by Titania Bilbao, uses design and architecture to address social, political, and environmental issues along the shared border. Among the student projects representing the future of the region is Marilyn Reyes' plan to aid monarch butterflies in their migration, providing these non-human migrating creatures with a resting place in the border region between Mexico and the US, as well as the floating structure Hally Black—belonging to both countries simultaneously—which pushes neoliberalism to the extreme.

Although these examples do not erase the border from the map, they show that this 'line' can be inhabited differently. The swings do not destroy the wall, but for a moment transform concrete into a surface of encounter, not just separation.

However, perhaps this is the limit of architecture. It can make waiting less cruel, create more dignified spaces, and reveal other forms of coexistence, but it is unlikely to independently change the logic that generates these places. The hostility of borders stems not only from fences or corridors, but from the political program that shapes them. The question may not be how to design a more humane border, but why modern borders are conceived primarily for exclusion rather than acceptance. Architecture merely materializes this choice, acting as a built mirror of society.

tecnoblog.netJuly 29, 01:40

Samsung plans to increase DRAM production in Hwaseong to compete with Chinese suppliers

Samsung has established a working group focused on restructuring its DRAM memory production at the Hwaseong complex, known as H1. The goal is to increase manufacturing capacity by approximately 15% by the end of this year. This complex in South Korea was inactive after the company discontinued older LPDDR4 memory lines.

Production Reorganization

The freed-up space will be used to implement a new final phase of memory wafer production, as reported by the South Korean newspaper SE Daily. With this acceleration in product shipment, the company seeks to meet the growing demand from electronics sector clients, such as Apple, and prevent Western companies from advancing negotiations with new Chinese alternatives, especially CXMT.

Operational Centralization

Previously, Samsung's DRAM production was distributed across several units: initial processing occurred at Hwaseong Complex 1, while the final stage was carried out between Hwaseong Complex 2 and the Cheonan campus. This model generated greater dependence on internal logistics between cities and industrial hubs, which increased the total manufacturing time. The restructuring aims to concentrate all stages at the Hwaseong campus, an initiative led by Jun Young-hyun, head of Samsung's semiconductor division.

Market Pressure and Prices

This expansion effort takes place amid intense pressure in the global memory market, where the trio Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron dominates. Due to the chip industry's priority given to artificial intelligence infrastructure, conventional DRAM memories have started trading at higher values in the basic electronics market.

A report by the consultancy Counterpoint Research indicated that the prices of these components rose by 80% to 90% at the beginning of 2026, compared to the end of the previous year. For the end consumer, this resulted in increases in devices such as notebooks, smartphones, and video games. Manufacturers like Dell, Lenovo, and Samsung had already announced the passing on of these costs to their products in 2026, a forecast that will extend until 2028. Furthermore, smartphone shipments reached their worst level since 2013, and Qualcomm, the producer of Snapdragon chips, anticipates another price adjustment that will further affect retail.

Rise of Chinese Competition

Supply shortages forced major companies, such as Apple, to consider acquiring memory from Chinese manufacturers, including CXMT. Reports from American press outlets indicate that the Cupertino giant sought permission from US authorities to use these components in devices outside the domestic market. However, Western players, such as Micron of the United States, expressed opposition to these movements related to CXMT's products.

CXMT, specializing in DRAM memory manufacturing, held its Initial Public Offering (IPO) on the Shanghai stock exchange the previous week, registering a rapid appreciation of about 470% in its shares. According to data from Counterpoint Research, cited by the AP News, the company is already part of China's plans to expand in the memory sector, projecting to capture about 8% of the market in 2025, with the potential to reach 11% by 2028.

super.abril.com.brJuly 29, 01:00

UCLA researchers use OnlyFans to raise funds for marmot study

Due to cuts in federal funding, researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) decided to use the subscription platform OnlyFans to share adorable videos and raise financial resources for their research.

How OnlyFans Works

OnlyFans is a subscription content platform with over 370 million projected users by 2025. On this platform, users, called fans, pay monthly fees to access exclusive materials, with costs ranging from a few dollars to over US$ 50 per month (equivalent to more than R$ 250). Additionally, certain videos and photos require extra payments.

Although the site is known for hosting explicit adult content, as it does not impose limits on the amount charged or the type of material published by creators, it covers various niches. Content creators in areas such as cooking, music, fitness, and tutorials also use the platform to monetize their work directly with their followers.

New Scientific Niche

Recently, OnlyFans incorporated an unusual niche: marmot videos. The entity responsible for this initiative is the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), one of the most renowned public universities in the United States.

The UCLA studies focus on yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventer), which inhabit the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. This project, active since 1962, is a reference in the field for conducting individual monitoring of these animals. Over decades, scientists observe the behavior, kinship, reproduction, survival, and other characteristics of the species, which faces serious environmental difficulties.

Funding Challenges

In the previous winter, the project recorded one of the highest mortality rates ever documented, with over one hundred monitored marmots dying. However, with the reduction in government financial support, the research depends only on a small reserve of resources, whose duration is uncertain. The team has already sought sponsorship from several institutions, and some researchers have invested personal resources to maintain the work, but the funds are still insufficient, putting the study at risk of closure.

The OnlyMarms Initiative

To find a way to increase revenue, biologist Daniel Blumstein proposed using OnlyFans to make available the cute marmot videos captured by the research cameras. It is important to note that this content is not sexual in nature. These rodents are compared to more robust and furry squirrels, capable of reaching the size of a cat. The footage and photographs show the animals engaged in activities such as eating, playing, transporting vegetables, interacting with pups, and digging burrows, using their sharp claws.

Thus, the OnlyMarms profile was born, a play on the name of the original platform, replacing

olhardigital.com.brJuly 29, 24:42

London Gatwick Airport implements robotic parking in partnership with Stanley Robotics

London Gatwick Airport will introduce the first robotic parking service at a UK airport. This innovation was developed in collaboration with Stanley Robotics and aims to fully automate the parking process.

How the new system works

With this technology, travelers can leave their vehicles in a designated area before proceeding to the terminal, eliminating the need to search for spots or hand over car keys. The system will begin operating in August, and reservations are already available. Initially, it is mandatory to book the service in advance and keep the vehicle parked for a minimum of five days.

Step-by-step parking process

Upon arriving at Gatwick Airport, the driver drives the car to a private garage located near the South Terminal. After parking, they can exit the vehicle and walk or use a free shuttle bus provided by the airport to reach the terminal. At this point, a robot takes over: the equipment slides under the car, lifts it by the wheels, and automatically transports it to a space in a restricted parking area.

A notable advantage is that the driver keeps the keys throughout the process, as the car does not need to be restarted. Upon return, the system automatically monitors the flight time registered in the reservation and drives the vehicle to a pick-up cabin before the passenger's arrival, leaving it ready to be collected.

Compatibility and security

Gatwick Airport reports that the system is compatible with about 95% of car models. However, vehicles with atypical characteristics, such as being very heavy, low, high, or non-standard, may not be accepted, and prior compatibility checks are recommended.

The parking area will feature strict access control and various security measures. According to Gatwick, there will be 24-hour security patrols using an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) controlled entry and exit system.

Expansion of Stanley Robotics technology

This implementation marks the debut of Stanley Robotics technology in the UK. The company already has a similar system operating at Lyon Airport in France and plans to extend the solution to Basel Mulhouse Airport, also located in France, in the future.

Oli Bedford, head of airport access, marketing, and commercial products at London Gatwick, told The Independent that this novelty represents a transformation in the passenger experience. He emphasized: 'This is a real game-changer for our passengers. It is fast, easy, and completely hassle-free—and you can still keep your keys, which provides even more peace of mind while you enjoy your vacation.'

Meanwhile, Clément Boussard, CEO of Stanley Robotics, stressed that the collaboration will help the airport manage the increasing demand for parking spaces. He commented: 'We are very pleased to partner with London Gatwick Airport, a global leader in aviation, to implement our solution and address its critical parking capacity challenges as it prepares for significant growth.'

The executive also considered this project a major milestone for the company: 'This project marks a big milestone for Stanley Robotics in the UK, and we are proud to bring our innovative technology to one of the world's most visionary airports.'