Architecture after Disaster: Reliving in Post-disaster Area

Whenever people were suffered from the natural disaster like the earthquake and war, most of that injuries and deaths were not due to the disaster directly but due to the lack of living space, water problem and diseases. However, the government could only provide temporary living space for those refugees. But most of those have not enough essential facility to meet the demand for the refugees. Thousands of refugees could only stay in a small “tent” to wait for rescue and family rebuild.

Also, there is a research from the internet shows about from 2016 to 2018 is during the activity period of the earthquake all over the world.

So the question about post-disaster architecture I want to take the research for my thesis. And I want to make is not a single building or a certain program in certain place. What I want to make an architectural system which can be used in different situations.

MCEDO School， Nairobi

Definition of the Post-disaster Architecture:

The post-disaster architecture I want to keep research is not a temporary living space and simple frames for a shelter. A system which I want to crate has different prototypes of the buildings could satisfy the requirements for the different group of refugees. Different types of prefabricated architecture elements like the lightweight structural system, floor and wall could be combined freely in a short time and send “the building” to those disaster area. However, the attitude takes towards the post-disaster building – responsive for first time disaster and preemptive for the second disaster. Also those programs could be reused in a short time for the requirements or for the long-term use. There is a word I most really interest about is “How to construct a building from thousands kilometers away?”

As an example in 2012 in China, the “Wenchuan” Earthquake killed hundreds thousand people directly which was really hard we could controlled. But there were also a great number of refugees dead from disease and other reasons because of a terrible post-disaster living space. And that was what could be avoided. So it is timely for architecture and base on those cities which suffered from disaster because no one can forecast the disaster.

Plan to research the thesis:

Taking research the cases of disaster and post-disaster area all over the world from the internet (Natural disaster and war). The dimensions of problem cause by which kind of disaster should be solved property. Define what kind of the issues can be solved by architect. And what are the different requirements for those refugees from different period after disaster.

Scope the architecture: “Time define architecture”

First step: building for daily life requirement should be finished in 2 days for refugees. (Small scale building with special structure which could resist second disaster) Short term architecture but which could be recycled and reuse in another disaster area.

Second step: Education and medical buildings (Large scale with more complex space and structure) Mid-term and Long-term architecture which can continue use after city regeneration.

Prototypes of Architecture in certain budget

From the research to assume the cost for a single prefabricated building, in the certain situation, choose different structure and materials from the “Architecture system” which could be combined in different ways to satisfy the requirements for the disaster area. Different kinds of components for the architecture could be sent from the factory to the disaster area in a short time and construct them directly by local workers.

Design method: As the industry design, the system which including many different kinds information of the architecture. The particular structure which is stable or flexible enough to defense next earthquake and special materials can be reused. Following this information and elements that could design some different prototypes and different functions architecture which can be built thousands kilometer away from the disaster area and “send” them to those place. So this design is based on the “system” design.

Structure and materials: However the structure and materials are the most important issue for the architecture design. A lightweight, prefabricated structure I would like to choose, which ensures a tight control of on-site construction duration, as a way to deal with social complexities there and to inspire new potential for post-disaster area redevelopment. And this kind of structure need stable enough to defense another natural disaster and support a flexible space for people to use the house.

Flooding system

Transportation and construction: Given that cross-border transportation relies on container shipping, the analysis of container measurements help determine the dimensions of the basic unit: its width is the result of the container’s net width of 2.35m minusing the error range and it is 6m in length.  And make the research about the skill for local worker and how to construct it at the site.

Architecture recycle and reuse: So all the components and joints could be reused in another place when the post-disaster area regeneration. Like the dwelling structure could be removed and sent to another disaster area. But like the school and other public architecture could continue use. However it is determine by the government and locals.

For my thesis I would like to research how to solve the problem for the refugees’ living both in preemptive and responsive ways when disaster is happen. And I want to design an “architecture system” for a kind of lightweight, prefabricated structure building which could be built in the factory and construct at disaster area. And discuss about the possibility how to live in the ruin in the urgent time.