Abstract:
Every year disasters affect hundreds of millions of people, causing damage that
can take months or years to recover from. The reality of carrying out the
processes of reconstruction and recreating functionality is a complex and difficult
task; too often it is measured in a time period of several years. The issue to be
addressed through this research is the response of the built (or rebuilt)
environment to the requirements of people who have been displaced following a
major disaster. This thesis develops a building typology and process that can
adapt to the changing requirements of the stages of the redevelopment process
in a post‐disaster scenario. The research focuses on natural disasters, more
vulnerable populations and regions and specifically on housing reconstruction. It
explores the idea of a solution that can be applied widely, to many different
climates and contexts; the research question then amounts to ‘can a solution be
created that can ‘evolve’ to meet the needs at each stage of a post disaster
reconstruction scenario?’
The thesis explores existing post‐disaster response and reconstruction models
and discusses the focuses and priorities of each. The requirements of displaced
people are studied, in terms of response by the built environment, and the
benefits of staged development versus end product discussed. The roles that
major groups, such as local authorities and NGOs, play in orchestrating the
reconstruction process are discussed as well as the important, and sometimes
overlooked, role that those affected by the disaster may have.
The discussion and research then informs the design proposal. Four sites are
selected and used as parameters for developing the built response to the first
stage of reconstruction. The selected sites are then used to show how a generic
shelter may first be adapted to be suitable for a specific climate and context and
then how they may be added to and grown to become permanent and suitable
housing for the displaced people. The staged redevelopment process from a
partially generic emergency deployment presented in this thesis can provide a
solution, or framework for a solution, to many of the problems raised by the research and here, but it cannot be a solution by itself; architecture or design in
post‐disaster scenarios must be supported and driven heavily by planning and
management from local, national and international sources to be successful and
fully realised.
