BUILD Blog

Here in the North-West border crossings are a significant part of life. It’s not uncommon to wait an hour or more at the Canadian border on our way to one of our favorite cities, Vancouver, B.C. With security measures constantly on the increase between nations, we spend more time at such border places. Subsequently the built-form that identifies these dividing lines becomes a more lasting and significant experience. Ports of Entry, Border Crossings, Border Posts, Border Stations, there are many terms and cultural differences – for the sake of this blog entry we are presenting a collection of architectures (not necessarily buildings) that signify the traversing of a national border. Some examples are entirely physical like driving your car up I-5 across the Canadian border; other examples represent an abstract international dividing line, like the customs facility at an international airport. Some are legal crossings, some illegal, some welcoming, and others hostile. Due to environmental, political and social factors these architectures tend to be formed by function and utility rather than artistry and decoration. Because the architecture is following a direct and often demanding function most of these projects are really quite modern in form. The same environment, political and social factors also produce an interesting diversity among the projects.

Point Roberts Border Facility USA + Canada
Pt. Roberts, WA, The Miller Hull Partnership

Air Canada International Arrivals Lounge Canada + International
Vancouver International Airport, British Columbia, Patkau Architects

Virgin Atlatantic International Lounge USA + International
New York, SHoP Architects

Monte Blanc Border Crossing France + Italy
Helbronner Point, Italy

Antarctica International Terminal Antarctica + International

Oresundsbro bridge Denmark + Sweden

Giriyondo Waypoint 432 South Africa + Mozambique

Col du Grand St Bernard Switzerland + Italy

DC World-managed Customs post at Glafi Djibouti’s + Ethiopia

Tisis Border Post Austria + Liechtenstein
AIX architects

USA Port of Entry USA + Mexico
Calexico California

North Korea Border Crossing North Korea + South Korea

Iraq Border Crossing Iraq + ?

The former Checkpoint Charlie East Berlin + West Berlin

Sasabe Crossing Mexico + USA
Homeland Security’s latest high-tech border security strategy along a 28-mile stretch of Mexican border near Sasabe, the nation’s busiest crossing for illegal entrant traffic.