Architecture of Relief: Natural Disaster Relief Design and the Vernacular - a study of relief in Nepal, Pakistan and the Phili ppines By Karima Peermohammad
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Foreword
In the summer of 2016, I embarked upon a journey of three Southeast Asian countries: Nepal, Pakistan and Philippines, to understand how their vernacular construction techniques and ideologies were being transformed in relief efforts post natural disasters that had occurred in the last decade. The organizations and firms whose work I studied in Nepal and Philippines were primarily those who had promoted their work on social media and whom I had gotten in touch with specifically for the purpose of this study. In Pakistan I was able to reach out to friends, family and past colleagues to help me reach out to organizations working in the field.
designers. It was the latter that made me realize the importance of intuition in design, as we are often reminded in graduate school. I also learnt that many of the beneficiaries of these projects were in fact accustomed to a nomadic way of living. It was part of their culture to leave at the time of impact and return when the flood had receded or the earthquake tremors had subsided- it seemed routine. In the following chapters, my research appears chronologically, segregated by country and ends with a set of simply stated but complex questions that I hope to answer in the coming years.
The journey itself required a fair bit of unlearning on my part. The preliminary proposal submitted to secure funding for this study, based on a thorough analysis of existing print and digital materials, was in fact, far from reality. Each project had more to offer on vernacular design than I had read or heard about in my preparation, and often challenged how I had perceived the situation to be. As my understanding of the topic grew, I came to a deeper realization of the complexity of disaster relief architecture. Funding, urgency, stakeholders, cultural norms and physical conditions seemed to dictate the type and form of the shelter provided. In addition my perception of Architecture and public engagement transformed. The three countries allowed for a busy canvas of scenarios with different levels of public engagement, with the occupants’ involvement ranging from benificiary to labor and even 3
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank E. Lewis and Family for their very generous support and continued interest in the evolution of historic forms of architecture with relation to contemporary needs through the Paul Oberman Graduate Student Endowment Fund. I would also like to express my gratitude to the John H. Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design for this opportunity and to my family for their unwavering support. Further, I would like to especially thank the following individuals who lent me their very kind assistance in ensuring the success of my travels: Ponce Ernest Samaniego, ADB, Phili ppines Megan Genat, Architect, IOM Phili ppines Roshan K Jha, Good Earth Nepal, Nepal Arch. Marie Stephanie N. Gilles,Chairman, UAP Emergency Architects, Phili ppines Asad Lakhani, AKPBSP, Pakistan Yasmeen Lari, Heritage Foundation,Pakistan Susan Manandhar, Nepal Waseem Solangi, HANDS, Nepal
Images and information collected from travels during May, June and July of 2016 by Karima Peermohammad - Masters of Architecture Student at the John H.Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design, University of Toronto 4
Lastly I would like to thank the following organizations among many others for the tremendous assisstance they extended my way for this research to be made possible, and for sharing with me their designs for the purpose of this study. Abari, Nepal Build Up Nepal, Nepal Good Earth Nepal, Nepal HANDS, Nepal HANDS, Pakistan Heritage Foundation, Pakistan AKPBS, Pakistan ESSC, Phili ppines IOM, Phili ppines UAP Emergency Architects, Phili ppines Asian Development Bank, Phili ppines UP Architecture
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Contents
1. Nepal 8 a. Transitional Camps 12 b. Permanent Shelter: Earhtbag Technology 18 c. Permanent Shelter: Rammed Earth Technology 24 d. Patan’s Pustakalay Library 30 e. Permanent Shelter in Progress:Compressed Earth Brick Construction 34 f. Conclusions 38 g. Questions for Further Research 39 2. Pakistan 40 a. Existing Vernacular Huts 44 b. Permanent Shelters 52 c. Post Rennovations 56 d. Bamboo Frame 66 e. Conclusions 74 f. Questions for Further Research 75 3. Philippines 76 a. Vernacular Housing Typology 80 b. Transitional Shelters 86 c. Transitional Shelters: Vernacular Systems 92 d. Permanent Sheters: Concrete Construction 98 e. Permanent Shelters: Concrete Construction 104 f. Villa Sofia: Permanent Shelters 110 e. Permanent Shelters: Concrete Construction 114 g. Permanent Shelters: Steel Frame Construction 120 h. Permanent Shelters: Concrete Hollow-core Bricks 124 i. Cali Transitional Shelters: Vernacular Systems 130 j. Conclusions 140 k. Questions for Further Research 141 5. References 142
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N e p a l
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Site Visit Boundary
1. Chuchepati Makeshift Camps 2. Earthbag Permanent Shelter, Sakhu 3. Brick Making by Build-Up Nepal, Melamchi 10
4. Finished Permanent Shelter by Abari, Kavre 5. Library by Abari, Patan
Introduction On April 25th, 2015, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Nepal’s Gorkha region resulting in 8969 people being killed and over 2.8 million people in need of assistance1. The earthquake destroyed 602,592 houses and damaged 284,482 houses1. Emergency relief in Nepal has primarily been provided by NGO’s in the form of food, shelter, sanitation and other necessities. These NGO’s are of both local and international origins. It seems the Government has been involved in limitted capacity by providing building standards for redevelopment. Background Vernacular design in Nepal pertains to stone, mud bonded bricks and bamboo or wood construction with thatched roofing systems, and is predominantly seen in rural areas. Urban areas tend to employ modern reinforced concrete construction techniques. Methodology For the purpose of this research, I restricted my site visits to areas where organizations were primarly focussed on providing shelter. I was able to visit the Chuchepati Campsite, a site for potential earthbag construction by Good Earth Nepal, a brick making workshop on a construction site by Build up Nepal and a site with completed construction by Abari. In addition I met with both beneficiaries and the organizations to understand the trauma and rehabilitation processes after the earthquake. Learnings The variety in the types of sites I was able to visit allowed me to see the process of relief at various stages: from a complete lack of formal provisions, till completion. The Chuchepati urban camp site was eye opening in how the victims of the earthquake used makeshift techniques to create shelters for
survival. Shelters here were made of disposed tarp or plastic sheets, originally used as advertisements. These roofing materials were tied to offcuts of bamboo or wood with wires, ties or ropes, and were weighed down by heavy stones. This makeshift approach, while not native to Nepal, represented an extremely rudimentary and intuitive approach to survival during and after natural disasters and helped me identify the contemporary challenge. My training on earthbag construction and presence at a community meeting by Good Earth Nepal, allowed me to realize the potential of a construction system that was, while not native to Nepal itself, a highly sustainable system. The system was being adopted in many rural areas as a strategy for relief shelter construction. The willingness of rural communities to adopt foreign systems and mould them to match their vernacular systems revealed a forward looking approach in the Nepalese community. The use of more vernacular techniques such as bamboo and rammed earth construction was seen in Abari’s residential project in rural Kavre, as well as in an urban library. While the latter was not a form of disaster relief, it shows initiative in forward thinkin, building environmentally responsible and viable buildings by furthering vernacular tendencies. I was highly impressed by Build up Nepal’s compressed earth brick system, where locally available earth was used to build bricks by the community. By providing the local community with a powerless brick-making machine and training them, the organization was able to cut down the cost associated with purchasing and transporting materials, and hiring labour. At the same time this allowed the household an opportunity to rebuild their own house and retain skills that could in the future be used to earn household income. 11
Transitonal Camps
The Chuchepati transitional camp is one of the few camps, if not the only one, that seems to be made
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by the occupants independednt of formal assistance, using makeshift techniques.
Makeshift Shelters by Victims Kathmandu, Nepal
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Members of Different Families
The image shows the group hat I was able to interview. Even though the group included individuals from three different households, there
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was a strong sense of community and committment to helping eachother through the rebuiling process.
Use of Scraps to Create Enclosures
While education and other services were being provided by NGO’s building and shelter maintenance was left in the hands of the occupants.
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Joinery
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Weighing down the Tarp
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Permanent Shelter: Earthbag Technology
This is a newly built earthbag home in the middle of a rice paddy field.
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Good Earth Nepal Sakhu, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Construction Concept Model
The images below show stages of construction as represented in a model by Good Earth Nepal during an exhibition at the ASA Architecture Exhibition.
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The stages of construction pertain to foundation, layering earthbags for walls, adding apertures and mesh for cladding, and attaching the roof.
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Roof to Wall Connection
The earthbag construction is limited to 7 feet and as such the connection to the pitched roof is made using acryllic.
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Addition of Washroom to Earthbag Structure
The addition of the washroom was not made using the same earthbag techniology. Instead, it used modern concrete construction techniques.
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Permanent Shelter: Rammed Earth Technology
Vernacular materials and techniques such as rammed earth and bamboo structural systems
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are employed here.
Abari Kavre, Nepal
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Exterior Finishing
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Ceiling to Wall Connection with Bamboo
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Wood Joinery and Lighting
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Materials: Bamboo and Rammed Earth
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Patan’s Pustakalay Library
This library, represents a committment to vernacular techniques and materials, beyond the realm of
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disaster relief architecture, in an urban setting.
Abari Lalitpur, Nepal
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Roof to Wall Connection with Bamboo
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Interior Structure
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Permanent Shelter in Progress: Compressed Earth Brick Construction The community here was provided with a brick making machine and associated training.
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The members of the community had worked for a month in the creation of these bricks for their house.
Build-Up Nepal Melamchi, Nepal
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Process
The process of construction relates to mixing the earth, tapping it down into the brick making mould, pressing the cap down to make the brick and
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allowing the brick to bake in the heat.
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Conclusions
Disaster relief design can benefit from a consolidation of the communities and their skills. Most of the organizations that I interacted with seemed committed to involving the occupants in the building process for multi ple reasons. First this would cut down labour costs that would otherwise be unmanageable by the not for profit organizations. Second, it would enable a spread of knowledge and skills that could allow for economic growth in the disaster hit communities. Lastly it would promoted a shared sense of community, especially in the case of the project by Good Earth Nepal where each household within a community would help build the rest of the homes in the community. There seems to be a committment to local techniques, especially by young design ogranizations such as Abari, that realize the potential of natural building materials in earthquake resilient architecture. Materials such as rammed earth,stone and bamboo are appreciated and valued for the ease in availability, inexpensiveness and resillience to natural elements.
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Questions for Further Research
What role should the government play in providing disaster relief shelters? Is a committment to vernacular styles beneficial only in rural communities? Why is it that even where vernacular wall systems are employed, metal and more modern roofing systems are used?
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P a k i s t a n
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Site Visit Boundary Inaccessible areas
1. Heritage Foundation Office 2. Sites for redevelopment and finished redevelopment in Thatta 3. Northern Area Sites 42
Introduction Almost every year, Pakistan experiences flooding due to monsoons. In July 2010, the impact of the Monsoons resulted in flash floods devastating most of the country impacting 20 million people, with 1,700 mortalities2. Other impacts included, but were not limited to, destruction of homes, economic activities, crops, infrastructure and other facilities; and spread of diseases. Pakistan is my home country. Its where I grew up, but also the place where I realized the importance of design in shaping life and responding to contemporary needs. This happened during my internship in 2011 with the Aga Khan Planning and Building Services, Pakistan - an NGO committed to improving the built environment. At the time of my internship, AKPBSP was evaluating the social, economic and political aspects of relief efforts for rehabilitation of disaster victims in the Northern Areas of Pakistan and in lower Sindh. It was then that I realized: innovative design can and should have a much bigger part these projects. 5 years later, its great to hear AKPBSP’s projects doing extremely well- unfortunately their current projects were in the Northern Areas which seemed inaccessible at the time. I therefore decided to study the work of other organizations in the more accessible parts of lower Sindh; the decision was also influenced by the challenges of traveling during the holy month of Ramadan. Background Vernacular systems in Pakistan are similar to those in Nepal. Earth brick construction, with bamboo or wooden posts and stone cappings are commonly found in rural and peri urban areas. In addition, thatched roof systems and clay cladding on wall frames made of bamboo or twigs were frequently seen in interior Sindh.
Methodology I was fortunate to link up with HANDS (Health and Nutrition Development Society) who were working on resettlement in the flood prone areas of lower Sindh. Here I was able to visit one site where construction had just begun, and another where a community had been rebuilt after the floods of 2010 using adobe brick construction techniques, while providing holistic relief through sanitation, health care, education and infrastructure facilities. I was, also able to visit the Heritage Foundation studio where I was introduced to temporary shelter techniques that employed bamboo and clay construtcion for sites in Interior Sindh. Since Sindh falls in the minor to moderate damage siesmic zone, these shelters were made to withstand both earthquakes and floods and had been tested at the local university for their resilience. Learnings HANDS’ projects highlight a different but interesting facet of disaster relief management: the ability of an organization to improve quality of life by providing a shelter that is of better quality and perhaps of more permanence than before. The designs by Heritage Foundation were impressive for two reasons. One, that they relied solely on local materials, and second that they emphasized local craftsmanship and labor training and third they represent a forward looking attitude and disaster preparedness. I was also interested to learn about the nomadic lifestyle of the victims of floods. Occupants in flood prone areas were used to moving away at the time of flood and returning to rebuild their homes after. Knowing that their homes would require a rebuild, they would build shelters strong enough only to last them till the next flood. 43
Existing Vernacular Shelters
Site of construction by HANDS. The construction will bring in new construction techniques to provide
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permanent shelters by using mud bricks. This site is important for this study as it is situated in a flood
Community Thatta, Sindh. Pakistan prone area next to a elevated bank.
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Roofing System
The vernacular construction techniques on site are primarily temporary in nature, and typically require rebuilding after every monsoon season.
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Enclosure Systems: Storage for grains (top), rooms (bottom) the community stores their grains collectively in a clay cladded well like structure.
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Roof to Wall Detail
Similar to systems in Nepal, the roofing is made of corrugated metal sheets.
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Door Hinge Detail
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Mud Plastered Wall
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Roof to Column Detail
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Permanent Shelters
The new permanent shelters to be provided rely on adobe bricks as the primary construction material
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HANDS, Pakistan Thatta, Sindh. Pakistan
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In-Progress Construction
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Door Frame Detail
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Post Rennovations
This community provided a good opportunity to see vernacular building techniques and their adaptation.
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HANDS, Pakistan Thatta, Sindh. Pakistan
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Area for Rearing Cattle
Spaces for cattle are an essential component of houses in rural Sindh. Despite the shift to more permanent construction systems for the house itself
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it was interesting to note the continued use of temporary and vernacular construction for cattle.
Materials for Construction: Twigs, Mud, Jute
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Roof to Column Detail
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Beam and Ceiling Detail
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New Brick Construction
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Ceiling Detail: Traditional Techniques and Materials The ceiling include patterning and cultural elements.
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Community School
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Bamboo Frame This frame structure is a 1:1 prototype, that has been replicated in interior Sindh.
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Heritage Foundation of Pakistan Karachi, Sindh. Pakistan
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Bamboo Structure and Mesh without Cladding
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Thatched Roof with Bamboo Structure Walls
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Interior Shelter Materials- mud plaster, bamboo, stone flooring
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Ceiling Detail
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Wall Composite
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Mud and Brick Oven
On site, these ovens allow the women an opportunity to decorate and personalize the stoves to their specific taste using dyes and paint.
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Conclusions
There is an increasing awareness on disaster preparedness and building shelters that are able to withstand harsh weather conditions due to climate change. In some of the projects, the occupants seemed to assume the role of beneficiaries, rather than a vital part of the design and construction project. It could be interesting to measure the impact of this on the longevity of these shelters, their maintenance and the regard the occupants have for these structures, as opposed to the responsibility they would have felt for it if they had been more involved in the process. However, while there seems to be a committment to local techniques, these techniques tend to be hidden or cladded to look more modern, as was the case in the earthbag shelters in Nepal. From my conversations with workers, it seems there is a general desire for shelters that look modern and aesthetically similar to the norm.
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Questions for Further Research
What is disaster relief architecture? Despite the official definitions of disaster relief that I stepped onto the field with, I have grown to question the detached nature of these definitions from reality. Is an emergency shelter a way to give back basic shelter to those whom its been taken away form? or an attempt to improve the quality of life. A prescri ption almost, if I may. Does the client have a say? Who is the client, the victims of the disaster or the government?
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P h i l i p p i n e s
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Site Visit Region Site Visit Boundary
A. Tacloban Sites: 1. Villa Sofia Permanent Shelter 2. Cali Housing 3. Transitonal Shelters 4. Permanent Shelters 78
B B. Marabut Sites: 1. Existing Vernacular 2. Emirates Red Cross Permanent Shelters 3. Transitonal Shelters 4. Permanent Shelters
Introduction In November 2013, Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines, affecting 16 million people, primarily in the Visayas region2. The region is a group of islands to the south of Manila, about an hour away by flight. Two and a half years later, the Visayas is still recouping from the impact of the typhoon and is undergoing immense redevelopment.
Through my conversations I learnt that the Government was heavily involved in relief efforts, which seemed to be quite systamatized. The Government was working with NGO’s from all over to provide permanent housing to those affected by the typhoon. Displaced victims were first housed in bunkers, then moved to temporary shelters and then relocated to permanent shelters when they were built. Two and a half years later, families were still being moved into permanent shelters. Background Vernacular systems in Philippines seem more distinct from modern construction systems when compared to those in Nepal and Pakistan. The pre-colonial architecture of Philippines is best seen in the Nipa Hut or Bahay Kubo which is made of bamboo and leaves. The structure is divided into three parts, living area, area below the living area that is created by lifting the living spaces off the ground on stilts, and the roof. This system of construction is common in rural areas and is suitable for the circulation of air in the humid tropical climates of Philippines.
The Visayas region was extremely different from the metropolitan Manila where I spent 80% of my trip, making connections and learning about the disaster’s impacts. I landed at the Visayas through a small airport in Tacloban which was my home base for two days while I visited disaster relief efforts in Samar and Tacloban. Learnings There was a notable diversity among these shelters. A variety of materials, techniques, colors and construction systems had been deployed, including but not limited to leaves, bamboo, sheet metal and concrete, plastic, steel and drywall. The Cali Housing project seemed to be one of the more successful shelters with its take on the vernacular systems prevalent in the Nipa hut, native to Philippines. Unfortunately, however, most of the permanent shelters were far from the local traditions. Concrete had taken over bamboo and thatched roofs that were meant to keep the house cool in tropical temperatures, were replaced by metal corrugated sheets. In addition, embelishments and community layouts that were not native to Filipino culture were being employed. Similar to my experience in Pakistan, I learnt about the prevalent nomadic lifesyle. Inidividuals seemed accustomed to moving from place to place at time of impact and returning to build their home when the water had receded.
Methodology I was extremely fortunate to meet with Stephanie Gilles, Chairman at UAP Emergency Architects. She helped me organize a trip to the Visayas where I was able to visit over 15 sites with the help of IOM and ESSC, Philippines.
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Traditional Housing Types
Tacloban, Visayas is a region where permanent developments are fewer and less dense when compared to the mainland.
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The hot-humid climate of the Philippines seemed to play a huge factor in vernacular systems in the Visayas region.
Existing Typologies Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Exterior
Renditions of the Nipa Hut retain design strategies such as the elevation off the ground and pitched roofs made from leaves.
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Timber Framed Walls
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Exterior with Woven Walls called ‘Sawali’
The walls of the Nipa Huts are made from split Bamboo mats, called Sawali. These are meant to keep cool and allow light strategically.
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Nipa Leaves for the Roof
The light pitched roofs are meant to provide least resistance and less damage in typhoons and heavy rains or windy conditions.
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Transitional Shelters
Most of these shelters were empty as occupants had been moved to permanent shelters.
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Occupants that remained complained of the lack of passive cooling systems and the need to add fans.
Unknown Provider Tacloban, Philippines
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Vernacular Addition to Modern Construction Occupants of this shelter had created an addition to the provided shelter by using vernacular systems to allow them spaces to sell food items.
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Adaptation of Vernacular Silong, i.e. space beneath living space
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Interior
Living spaces included a common space for both resting, cooking and eating.
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Materials
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Transitional Shelter
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Unknown Provider Tacloban, Visayas, Philippines
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Traditional Design: Silong
The transitional shelters here have design characteristics that were prevalent in the precolonnial rural Filipino Hut. The most prevalent characteristic is the elevation of the living spaces on stilits.
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Storage Beneath Shelter
The area beneath the living spaces is called ‘silong’. This was noticeably used for storage of supplies and household animals.
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Interior
The space between the roof and the wall allows for ample natural light to infiltrate the interiors.
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Roof to Wall Detail and Door Over Hang Detail
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Permanent Shelter
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National Council of Churches in the Philippines Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Window Detail
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Roof to Wall and Window Details
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Drainage from Planters
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Relationship to Grade
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Permanent Shelter
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Unknown Provider Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Sewerage and Entry to Houses
The existence of open sewers speaks to the lack of future planning and holistic approach to redevelopments.
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Interior, Roof to Wall Detail
Interiors of these houses were finished by the occupants themselves.
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Exterior: Roof
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Exterior: Roof to Wall Detail
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Villa Sofia, Permanent Shelter
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National Housing Authority Tagpuro, Tacloban. Philippines
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Additions to Shelters by Occupants
Similar to transitonal shelters seen earlier, the primary structures are added onto using traditional and more makeshift structures by the occupants of these spaces.
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Spaces for Vegetation
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Permanent Housing
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Emirates Red Cross Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Entrance to Community
The grandeur of these spaces is an existing juxtaposition to the simple, vernacular styles surrounding the redevelopment site.
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Construction in Process
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Roof and Flashing Details
Despite the departure from vernacular materials, ideas of detatching the roof from the wall for light and air are still prevalent in these permanent shelters.
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Interior Materials, Lighting and Structure
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Permanent Housing
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Unknown Provider Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Structure and Cladding
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Structure
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Permanent Housing
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Unknown Provider Marabut, Samar. Philippines
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Entrance
It is interesting to note the elevated nature of these permanent shelters.
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Detail of Wall Opening
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Ceiling to Wall Connection
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Hollow-Core Brick
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Cali Transitional Shelters
These shelters were the closest to the Nipa Hut typology and had positive reception from the community.
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IOM Cabalawan, Tacloban. Philippines
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Exterior
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Additions by Occupants
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Infrastructure
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Customizations
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Silong Details
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Cooking Space Exterior and Interior
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Roof to Wall Connection
The vernacular techniques are used here to provide interesting light and ventilation qualities.
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Shadows Casted onto the Floor by the Woven Wall
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Conclusions
There is certainly a greater degree of organization and structure to provision of disaster relief in Phili ppines. Unlike in Pakistan and Nepal, governmental institutions are more involved and work closely with NGOs in providing shelters to the displaced individuals. The diversity in transitional shelter types brings to question issues of feasability and responsiveness to climate, even in the short run. While the system of moving displaced families from bunkers to transitional shelters and finally to permanent shelters enables everyone to have some kind of shelter, issues pertaining to quality of settlements, sanitation and sexual abuse were troubling outcomes that need looking into. There seems to be a true appreciation of vernacular systems in the form of Cali housing among the public. However the use of these systems remains restricted to transitional and temporary shelters.
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Questions for Further Research
Are we recreating the problems associated with gated communities and suburbia? Is a temporary relief shelter a solution to the impact of natural disasters or a long term dilemma that inhibits recovery and sustainable resettlement? Do the transitonal shelters have a life beyond their occupancy by those looking for a transitional shelter? Is there a possiblity that these shelters could be revamped and used for eco-tourism purposes?
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References
USAID. Nepal-Earthquake. Fact Sheet #23, Fiscal Year (FY) 2015, September 2015. Accessed 2 February, 2017. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/nepal_eq_fs23_09-02-2015.pdf 1.
World Food Programme. Pakistan flood impact assessment, September 2010. Accessed 25 February, 2017. http://documents.wfp.org/stellent/groups/public/ documents/ena/wfp225987.pdf?_ga=1.3881603 5.1605250808.1488039576 2.
USAID. Philippines- Typhoon Yolanda/Haiyan. Fact Sheet #22, Fiscal Year (FY) 2014. April 2014. Accessed 25 February, 2017. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1866/philippines_ty_fs22_04-21-2014.pdf 3.
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