O papel da arquitectura na pós-catástrofe. Estudo para um alojamento temporário

Abstract

The main themes of this work are the intervention of architects in emergency situations and the processes of rehousing affected populations. Natural disasters and the following territorial destructions, along with the worldwide growth in the number of displaced people, are two of the main concerns behind this research. To rehouse affected populations after a disaster is probably one of the most relevant measures, because besides providing survival conditions with safety and stability guaranties, housing has a fundamental role in people's well-being. Hence, the main goal of this research is to analyze the post-disaster housing through its different types, researching constructive techniques, materials and solutions. It is also relevant to understand the importance of post-disaster housing in the reconstruction of a territory. Housing is not only perceived as a physical space that accommodates populations but essentially as a space that provides comfort and privacy conditions. Therefore, post-disaster housing allows affected territories to restore normality and simultaneously assure a greater security of people. On the other hand, post-disaster housing has been criticized for not presenting adequate solutions and therefore for not being completely successful. Hence, research aims at contributing to an improvement of those critiques by approaching post-disaster housing through a personal project experience that is an attempt to minimize its current problems.