Leisure Spaces and the Aesthetics of Europe

Abstract

This chapter mobilizes local discussions of beachfront architecture in the Black Sea and Costa Blanca to investigate the European Union integration through tourism economies. Despite massive urbanization, many sprawling tourism zones do not achieve the elegance that their creators had in mind. Using informants' experiences of the built environment, the chapter shows how some spaces are perceived to succeed or fail at demonstrating ``Europeanness.{''} For many informants, the physical metamorphosis from rural fishing hamlets to uninterrupted strips of homes, hotels, casinos, and golf courses became a public metaphor for the enrichment that European Union cohesion could deliver. However, it could also become a symbol of environmental harm, corruption, and the loss of local control to make decisions around urban development.