The role of spontaneous construction for post-disaster housing

Abstract

Housing is crucial for living and well-being. Due to its vulnerability, one of the most severe consequences after natural disasters has been the destruction of houses, causing impressive numbers of homeless people. After those situations, it is imperative to start the reconstruction works and the provision of houses is a crucial task, since they can help to restore the livelihoods of the affected people. The urgency to supply housing quickly, has lead the formal construction sector to neglect user’s needs and expectations, and consequently has not conducted to successful solutions. Contrary to that, informal housing solutions have reached successful results in addressing the user’s cultural needs and expectations. Some studies have presented the advantages of spontaneous construction solutions, yet they seem to be ignored and contradicted by the formal construction sector. This study aims to present an assessment of the potentials of spontaneous construction solutions for post-disaster housing development.