ABSTRACT
Every year millions of people visit sites and off-site memorials and museums dedicated to wars, disasters and accidents. In the year 2000, Foley and Lennon termed visits to places of death and violence “dark tourism” (Lennon and Foley 2000). The architectural disciplines have immersed themselves in such visits for some time. Post-disaster emergency relief and development projects in low-income countries have been popular preoccupations for socially engaged designers. The term “dark” is controversial, because socially engaged architecture sees itself as uplifting, responsible and positive in experience and outcome. The term “tourism” is controversial due to its frivolous and opportunistic connotation. But in substance the architectural discipline is already integral in the pilgrimage to and transformation of dark sites, inviting, hosting and becoming tourists.
