beyond shelter

edited by Marie J. aquilino

Metropolis books

beyond shelterarchitecture and huMan dignity

part 4: enVironMental resilience172Green RecoveryAnitavanBredaandBrittanySmith184The Home as the World: Tamil Nadu

JenniferE.DuyneBarenstein196Design as Mitigation in the Himalayas

FrancescaGaleazzi210On Beauty, Architecture, and Crisis: The Salam Centre

for Cardiac Surgery in SudanRaulPantaleo

part 5: teaching as strategic action 222Cultivating Resilience: The BaSiC Initiative

SergioPalleroni234Studio 804 in Greensburg, Kansas

DanRockhillandJennyKivett246Sustainable Knowledge and Internet Technology

MehranGharaati,KimonOnuma,andGuyFimmers

part 6: is preVention possible?252More to Lose: The Paradox of Vulnerability

JohnNortonandGuillaumeChantry264Building Peace across African Frontiers

RobinCrossandNaomiHandaWilliams276Haiti 2010: Reports from the FieldMarieJ.Aquilino

afterword286Open Letter to Architects, Engineers, and Urbanists

PatrickCoulombel

296Acknowledgments298About the Contributors304Credits

preface006Beyond Shelter: Architecture and Human Dignity

MarieJ.Aquilino

introduction012The Architecture of RiskVictoriaL.Harris

part 1: architecture after disaster026Learning from AcehAndreaFitrianto040Beyond Shelter in the Solomon IslandsAndreaNield054News from the Teardrop IslandSandraDUrzo064From Transitional to Permanent Shelter: Invaluable

Partnerships in Peru InternationalFederationofRedCrossandRedCrescentSocieties

part 2: what should goVernMents do?070When People Are InvolvedThiruppugazhVenkatachalam082Citizen Architects in IndiaRupalandRajendraDesai094What about Our Cities? Rebuilding Muzaffarabad

MaggieStephenson,SheikhAhsanAhmed,andZahidAmin

part 3: urban risk and recoVery112Below the Sill Plate: New Orleans East Struggles

to RecoverDeborahGanswithJamesDart126Slumlifting: An Informal Toolbox for a New Architecture

AlfredoBrillembourgandHubertKlumpner140Sustainable Communities: Avoiding Disaster in the

Informal CityArleneLusterio152Camouflaging Disaster: 60 Linear Miles of Local

Transborder Urban ConflictTeddyCruz166Cultural Heritage and Disaster Mitigation:

A New AllianceRohitJigyasu

contents

Twohundredmillionpeople(thatstwo-thirdsofthepopulationoftheUnitedStates)havebeenaffectedbynaturaldisastersandhazardsinthelastdecade.Foreverypersonwhodies,some3,000areleftfacingterriblerisks.Ninety-eightpercentofthesevictimsareinthedevelopingworld,wherebillionsofdollarsinaidareabsorbedannuallybyclimaticandgeologiccrises.Nowwearelearningthatextremetemperatures,intenseheatwaves,increasedflooding,anddroughtsduetoclimatechangeareexpectedtoexposevastnumbersofpeopletothestatusofeco-refugee,aconditionthatposesarealthreattohumansecurityaspeopleareforcedtomigrate.TwentymillionpeoplearecurrentlyonthemoveinPakistan,wheretorrentsofmudandwaterhaveforcedthemfromtheirhomes.Expertsarealsofindingthatasthesenaturalhazardsincreaseannuallyinfrequencyandseverity,theabilitytopro-tectcommunitiesoncethoughtsafewilldiminish,leadingtoever-greaterlossoflife.

In2008over100,000peoplediedintheChineseprovinceofSichuanwhenbuildingscollapsedduringanearthquake.Amongthem,19,000schoolchildrenwereburiedinrubblewhenunsafeschoolbuildingsfailed.Suddenlyquestionswereraisedabouttheroleofarchitects.Lookingtoassignblame,officialsturnedonarchitectstoaccountforwhathadhap-pened,andinalmostthesamebreathturnedtoarchitectsandengineersfromaroundtheworldforsolutionsthatwouldcalmoutragedfamilies.AfewmonthslaterinMyanmarastormsurgeinthelow-lying,denselypopulatedIrrawaddyRiverdeltacalledNargisleftanestimated140,000peopledead.InHaitionJanuary12,2010,anearthquakeshookpoor-qualitymateri-alsandconstructionintotwentymillioncubicyardsofbouldersanddust,interringatleast220,570peopleandleavingamillionandahalfhomeless.Thenumberofchildrenwhoperishedhasnotbeenpublished,thoughhalfthepopulationofPort-au-Princewasunderage.Yetinanevenmorepowerfulearthquakein

Chilethatsameyearabout500peopledied.TheHaitiearth-quake,thoughsevere,wasnottheonlycauseofsohighatoll:theotherculpritwasunsafebuildings.

Urgentquestionsabouttheroleandresponsibilityofarchi-tectshavebeencirculatingsincetheIndianOceantsunamikilledmorethan200,000peoplein2004.Atthattimethereliefeffortexposedtroublinggapsbetweenhumanitarianaidthattargetstheshorttermandourabilitytorebuildhomes,infra-structure,andcommunitieswell.Whileaidagenciesarewilling,theydonothaveanarchitectsknowledgeorinsights;consequently,thebuildingsthatreplacedestroyedcommuni-tiesarefrequentlyunsafe.

Unfortunately,thisisastruetodayasitwassevenyearsago.Howevercorruptorappallingthepolitics(andpolicies)behindthecatastrophesinSichuanandHaiti,professionalarchitectswhetherinthedevelopingordevelopedworldarenotablyabsentfromeffortstoprotectpeoplefromdisaster.Yetarchitectshaverecentlybeenveryactiveinotherareasofpublicinterestforexample,theyhaveinstigatedarangeofcreativestrategiestoimprovesocial,environmental,andeco-nomicequity,someofwhichhavebecomebooksabouthowtoalterthewaywethinkaboutthedesignprocess.Butinextremecircumstances,incrises,architectsoffernocoherentresponse.Theyplaynosustainedroleinshapingpolicyandhavehadlittleactivepresenceorvoiceinleadingbestpracticesindisasterprevention,mitigation,andrecovery.Thereisstillnocareerpaththatpreparesstudentstoworkasurgentistesdesignprofessionalswhointerveneatacrucialmomentintherecoveryprocesstoproduceenduringsolutions.

Whichispreciselywhythisbookisaboutthearchitectswhoarehelpingsavelives.Innovative,fascinatingworkisbeingdonebysmallteamsofoutstandingprofessionalsinAsia,LatinAmerica,Africa,andtheUnitedStates,whoareprovingtobecritical,relevantpartnershelpingcommunitiesrecoverfrom

prefacebeyond shelter:architecture and huMan dignityMarie J. aquilinocole spciale darchitecture, paris

007

theneedforefficiency,whichmaystifletheopportunityforinvention.Yetarchitectsarenotonlyskilledtechnicians;theyarealsocreativeartists,andthosetalentsareneededinsuchcircumstances.Freshapproachesthatlessenthevulnerabilityoffragilepopulationsandstrengthentheirresilienceandpotentialwillonlycomefromthecombinedresourcesandexperienceofthesegroupsworkingcollaboratively.Simplyput,wemuststartspeakingwithothers.

Openandsustaineddebateisalsoneededtoholdevery-oneinvolvedaccountabletoproducecrediblesolutionsandcoherentstrategiesthataddressthemyriadproblems:spatialandenvironmentalplanning,theneedforvernacularandappropriatehousing,theoverwhelmingscaleoftodaysdisas-ters,preservationofculturalintegrity,fundingstreams,andhowbesttofunctionontheground.Therehasbeenatendencyintheaidcommunitytoacceptmassivewasteasacorollaryofspeed;theyplaydowntheabandonedprojects,thesystematicdemolitionofundamagedhomes,poorlandchoices,andenvi-ronmentaldegradationthatroutinelyaccompanytherecoveryprocess.Homeshavefailedbeforeanyonehadachancetoliveinthem,andsomepost-disastersettlementshaveledtoseriousphysicalandmental-healthproblemsfortheirnewresi-dents.Theabsenceofexpertiseisatrespassthatleavescommunitiesmorevulnerablethanbefore.Thebestintentionsarerarelygoodenough,especiallyiftheyarenotscrutinizedinlightoftheiroutcomes.

Beyond Shelterisintendedtohelpthisdiversegroupofdecisionmakersunderstand,value,andengagearchitectsas partnersinshapingprinciplesthatrespondtothegrowingthreatofdisasterriskinurbanandruralsettingsaroundtheworld.Wecannotwait.Tohelpre-createadecentqualityoflifeatscaleisanenormouschallenge.Tomeetitwemustreinvestarchitecturewiththecapacitytobeapowerful,disruptiveforce,asourceofdiscoveryandchange.

havewide-rangingexperience.Inadditiontotheirabilitytoerectsecure,durablestructures,theyareexpertcontractmanagerscapableofcalculatingneeds,resources,andbudgetsthroughthearcofaprogram.Allofthishelpssavemoneyandimprovehumanitarianaction.

Representationisthesecondarea:architectsworkinginclosecollaborationwithcommunitiescanhelpthemactontheirownbehalf.Playingtherolesofdesigner,historian,nego-tiator,andadvocate,architectsdevelopsitealternativesthathelpsecurelandtenure,reblockovercrowdedslums,affordbetteraccesstowater,sanitation,air,andlight,introducepublicspaces,andimprovetherelationshipwiththelocalecol-ogy.Theycanthenrepresentcommunityconsensusonviableprojectstointransigentorindifferentgovernments,andthis,inturn,promoteslocalindependence.Itisterriblydifficultforcommunitiestosuccessfullyrepresenttheirownbestinterestsinthefaceofintractablepolitics.

Thethirdfunctionisvision.Recoveryextendswellbeyondtheneedforshelter.Inastateofemergencyitisdifficultfordesperateindividualstoimagineabetterfuture.Architecturalexpertisecanpromotepublichealth,encourageinvestinginnewskillsandenvironmentalawareness,andadvocateformiti-gatingrisk,whichtogetherhelpensureasustainableandsafewayoflife.

Butforthesequalitiestotakeholdaftercrises,architectsandplannersmustengageinabroaderconversation,amongtheexpertsinhumanitarianaid,anthropologists,conservationecologists,bankersandeconomists,structuralengineers,public-healthofficials,surveyors,andwithinthecontextofpolicymakersandcommunities.Thesegroupsalsoneedtoknowwhomtoturntoandwheretoputtheirconfidence.Andpractitionersincludingarchitectsmustguardagainstthetendencytofallintoroteresponsesandconvenientsolutions.Industry-wide,goodideasandknow-howsuccumbtohabitand

Myriadorganizationsworldwiderespondtocatastrophicevents,someprovidingemergencyandtransitionalshelters,othersbuildingpermanenthomesforhundredsofthousandsofdisplacedpeople.Inthelasttenyearsthemajorinterna-tionalNGOs(Oxfam,UN-Habitat,Care,RedCrossSocieties,Caritas,andothers)havetakenontheresponsibilityofprop-erlyhousingpeopleafterdisasters.Andtheireffortshaveledtosuccessstories.TheInternationalFederationoftheRedCrossnowoffersoversightandassistancetoless-experiencedagencies,althoughonlyonavoluntarybasis.Thereisstillnocoordinatedresponse.Nooneisultimatelyheldresponsible(beyondoperationswithinindividualagencies).

Asaresultthousandsofsmallergroupsplayacriticalroleinprotectingthehomeless,andthesevarywidelyinscope,competence,approach,andeffectiveness.Fewamongthemspecializeinbuildinghomesorinfrastructurebeforedisasterstrikes,andrarelyaretheyscreenedforexpertise.Worse,manyofthesegroupsdonothavethecapacitytojudgethequalityofexpertstheyemploy.Ironically,theplethoraofpub-lishedguidesandinternationallyacceptedstandardsforgoodpractice,intendedtohelpprofessionalizethesector,canjustaswellempowerindividualswhodonothavetheoperationalortechnicalskillstoworkonthegroundinreconstruction.Competingmandatesanddonorpriorities,weakcoordination,fragmentedknowledge,andablatantdisregardforenvironmen-talhealthoftencharacterizethefailedpracticesthatprevailafteradisaster,andthatleadtonewdangersaswellasintolerablewaste.Morethaneverthereisacrucialandimmediateneedforarchitects(alongwithotherbuilt-environmentprofession-als)tobringtheirtraining,competence,andingenuitytodisaster-riskprevention,mitigation,response,andrecovery.

Herearejustthreeofthemanywaysinwhicharchitecturalknow-howiscriticalinpost-crisissituations.Thefirsthastodowithcapacity.Well-trainedarchitectswhoareactivelybuilding

disasterandrebuild.Thehighlyskilledarchitectsandleadersinotherfieldswhohavesogenerouslycontributedtothisbookareprovidingresilientsolutionsthatensurethesafetyofnewhomesandbringcoherencetoland-useplanning.Theseteamsassessdamagebutalsoresearchinnovativebuildingtechnolo-gies.Theyareattheforefrontoftheuseoflow-cost,energy-saving,environmentallysoundmaterialsandnewmethodsofprefabrication.Theyhavediscoveredwaystobringaffordablehigh-techsolutionstovulnerablecommunities.Theseteamsareexpertsinhowbesttobridgethegapthatseparatesshort-termemergencyneedsfromlong-termsustainablerecovery.Andtheyareexperiencedinhelpingreducefuturerisk,pro-moteawareness,andprotectreliefinvestment.Admittedly,thislevelofexpertiseisrare,concentratedinthehandsoffartoofewprofessionalsworkingworldwide.

Beyond Shelterisacalltoaction. WhenIstartedwritingthisbookandsearchedforpracticingarchitectsskilledatworkingwithriskalmosteveryoneaskedmethesamequestion:whyarchitects?Asiftosay,whatisittous?AttheconferenceRisquesMajeurs2008(MajorRisks2008)sponsoredbytheEuropeanUnion,twoorthreearchitectswerepresent.Theoffi-cialsandministersIspokewithremindedmethatonaveragearchitectscontributetoonly3percentoftheworldsbuiltenvi-ronment.Theirindifferenceorworse,irrelevancetotheworldsmostvulnerablecommunitiesmadethemseemhardlyworthtalkingabout.Threepercentisaterriblenumber.

Butifnotarchitectsandplanners,whoisinchargeofrebuildingtownsandvillagesleveledbyearthquakesandcyclones?Theanswerisdisquieting:nooneisincharge.Typically,apatchworkofnongovernmentalcharities,govern-mentagencies,andresidentsthemselvescobbletogethersolutions.Inlarge-scaledisasters,evenwhenaidpoursin,theexpertiseandplanninginfrastructureneededtomakebestuseofthemoneyarelacking.

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Sothisisalsoabookforstudentsinthedesignfieldstoinspireandstirapassionforreform.Theurgentneedtoaffordthenextgenerationofarchitectsnewrelevancehascompelledahandfulofprofessionalstochangethewaywethinkaboutarchitecturaleducation.AtColumbiaandMIT,atschoolsinPortland,SanDiego,NewOrleans,Montreal,Paris,Caracas,SoPaolo,andSantiago,andatnewuniversitiesbeingestab-lishedinJapanandIndia,studentsareworkingonprojectsthatrevolutionizesocialhousing,tacklepoverty,segregation,andviolenceincitiesandrethinkourresponsetorisk.Theseinno-vativeprogramsareprovidingalternativestothetraditionaldesignstudiosthatpromoteself-interestandflightsoffantasythoughthesequalitiesarenotinthemselvesbad.Rather,whenaspiringarchitectsareconfrontedwiththerealworld,whentheytesttheirmettleagainstsocialinjustice,andespeciallywhentheyaregiventheopportunitytoworkdirectlywithcommunitiesinneed,theydrawuponhonesty,lifeexperience,andfear,whichunleashfreshinsightsandleadtohighlycreativesolutions.

Allofthisisinourbestinterests.Wewholiveinwealthynationsarenotimmunefromdisasters,andwe,too,strugglewithourowndisinvestedcommunities,inequalities,andpoverty.Wehavealottolearnfromourpoorerneighborsaboutdealingwithcrisisathome.Learningfromextremeconditionsinthe

developingworldisapowerfulsourceofcreativity.Evolvingriskrequiresnewwaysofthinking.Forinstance,theemerginguseofmicrofinanceandmicroinsurance,whichhelpsincreaseresilienceinpoorcommunities,isbringingnewbusinessmodelstoaffluentmarketsatatimewhenthebusinessclimateisother-wisenotfavorable.Citizen-ledreconstruction,anempoweringandcollaborativeprocessthatsupportssociallyequitabledevelopment,isteachingushowtovalueandforgecollabora-tionsandsynergisticpartnershipsrootedinlocalpriorities.Streamliningcostly,complexinnovationshasledtothedevel-opmentofsuchcleverdevicesasportableultrasoundreaders,LEDlights,andpoint-of-originwaterpurifiers,aswellasstrate-giesforalow-carbonfutureandgreaterbiodiversity.Thestridesbeingmadetoaddresspovertyandscarcityarealreadyimprovingouruseoftechnology.Similar trickle-upapproachesarebeingtestedineducation.Certainly,newwaysofsolvingtheingrainedproblemsthatputusatriskwillcomefromanarrayofcultures,economies,andgeographiesthatshareourdesireforgreatersecurity.

Whatdoesitmeantobesafe?Safety,Ihavelearned,isnotonlyanchoredinbettertechnologiesorbetterbuildings.Safetyliessomewherebeyondshelter,inthefreedomofbeingsecureenoughtorelax,play,aspire,anddreamforgenerations.

AschoolinPtionville,Haiti,aftertheearth-quakeof2010.Nearly5,000schoolsweredestroyedorseverelydamaged.

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Afteraconflictordisasteraretheriskspeoplefaceaddressedpoorlybythesprawlingcommunityofdisaster-reliefanddevel-opmentspecialists?Canthehumanitariansectorimprovethewayitresponds?Ibelievetheansweris yes,andthatbetterarchitectureandconstructionarecrucialtotemperingpeo-plesvulnerabilityafterdisasters.BybetterImeanmoredurable,moresound,morefit-for-purpose:buildingsthatservetheiroccupantsincomfortandsafety.Ialsomeanbuiltbetter,inthesensethatabetterprocessofbuildingisfollowed.Thebuildingprocesscanbeimprovedtoincludetraininglocalbuilders,engaginglocalmarkets,andensuringthateverystructurefunctionswithinalargerdevelopmentscheme.Further,therearenotenoughgoodlong-termbuildingprojectsspearheadedbyNGOsanddonors,asituationthatperpetu-atesvulnerabilityindevelopingcommunitiesandleadstocatastrophewhennaturalcalamitiesstrike.Simplyput:thereisnotenougharchitecturalanddesignexpertisewithinmostorganizationsandagenciestoaddressandsolvethisproblem.

Thismeansthatarchitects(alongsideotherbuilt-environmentprofessionals)arevitaltocreatingsignificantchangeinhowdisasterreliefanddevelopmentarepracticed.InMarch2006HilaryBenn,thentheUKSecretaryofStateforInternationalDevelopment,declared,Rarelydodisastersjusthappentheyoftenresultfromfailuresofdevelopmentwhichincreasevul-nerability.1Oneofthemostsignificantfailuresoftheaidanddevelopmentprocessis,quitefrankly,intheunintendedresultsofourinterventionsinthenameofrecovery.

the role of the architect

Thespecificskillsthatarchitectsbringtopost-disasterrecon-structionincludetheabilitytodomorewithless.ThebestNGOsperseveretomakethegreatestdifferenceforthepeoplethey

serve.DuringreconstructionNGOsoftenfindthemselvesresponsiblefordeployingsignificantfundingwithoutnecessarilyknowingmuchaboutconstruction:theyareneitherdesignersnorbuilders;theyhavenoexperiencemanagingcontracts;theyarenotsurewhattoexpectfromprofessionals;andtheymaynothavethecapacitytoevaluateexpertise.

Article25isacharitybasedintheUnitedKingdomthatoffersadesign-consultancyservicetonongovernmentalorga-nizations,orNGOs.Thestaffmembersarebuilt-environmentprofessionalsfromalldisciplines.ItisapartofourmissiontoprovideNGOswithdesignandconstructionexpertise.ManyNGOscometousbecauseconstructionprojectshavegonewrongcontractorshavewalkedoffthesite,structuresareinadequateorcrumbling,theyareoverbudgetorpasttheirdeadline,andcommunitiesaredividedovertheoutcome.Thearchitectistheprofessionalwhoseroleitistomanageallthepartiesonaproject.Architectsaredesignersandbuilders,cer-tainly,buttheyarealsoexpertcontractmanagers,abletoseethearcofaproject.Architectsarethepartyresponsiblefortakingthebudgetandresourcesavailabletoacredible,perti-nent,long-termbuiltsolution,alonganoptimalpath.

This,ofcourse,isnotthepopularviewofanarchitect.Atbestthepublicseesarchitectsasartists,atworstassuperfluousprofligatespenderschargedwithexecutingthewhimsandfanciesofaclientsvision.Andheavenknowsthepressandmediaoutletshavenothelpedchangethisperception.IftheonlinereadercommentsonanarticlepublishedinCNN OpinionafterthemassiveHaitiearthquakein2010areanyindication,manypeoplethinkthatarchitectsexisttomakethingslookpretty.2Butnowmorethaneverarchitectswhomwerarelyhearaboutareusingtheirskillstosolveproblemsandimprovebuildingindevelopingcountries.Thisincludeserectingschoolsandsustainablehousingaswellasparticipat-inginpost-disasterreconstructionprojectsaroundtheworld.

introductionthe architecture of riskVictoria l. harrisarticle 25 deVelopMent and disaster relief, london

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Thislastiscrucial:reliefandreconstructionofferanopportunitytostimulateandsupportlocalbusinesses.Unfortunately,throughlackofexpertise,vision,orstaff,manyNGOstakethepathofleastresistanceanduseasinglecontractor,whichoftenmeansthattheeconomicbenefittothelocaleconomyleavestownwhenhedoes.NGOsshouldnotmisstheopportunitytobringinformalmarketsandlocallaborforcesintoaproject;thisleadstoreducedvulnerabilitybyincreasingfuturecapacity,providingamorecohesiveandcoherentproject,andaffordingthecommunityagreatersenseofownership.Goodcommunityconsultationandplanningcanbeapowerfulengineforchange.Architectsareadeptatsuchplanningmethods.

Theseinteractionsneednotbeelaborateorfraught.InourfirstprojectatArticle25wedesignedaschoolforstreetchil-dreninGoa,India.Duringthedesignprocessweconsultedthechildrenandteacherswhowouldbeusingthefacilityanddis-coveredthatwhattheymostwantedwasatheater.Wemadeasimple,cost-freechangetotheplan,shapingthedoublestepatthefrontofthebuildingtocurveoutwardtoformastage.TwoyearsafterthebuildingwascompletedIreceivedaflyeradvertisingaperformancebythechildrentoentertainthelocalcommunityandtouristsinthearea.

the experts

Beforethe2004tsunamiintheIndianOcean,architectshadhardlyfiguredinthetaskofpost-disasteraid.Butwhentheenormouswavesdestroyedhomes,property,andinfrastruc-tureovervastcoastalareasineightcountries,theneedforshelterbecameanemergencyonanunprecedentedscale.Suddenly,reconstructionenteredthedisaster-reliefagenda.Itquicklybecameclearthattheskillsofarchitectswerenotbeingemployedinthiseffort;worse,theywerebeingneither

Architectscanfindsolutionsthatmakestructuresmoreefficient,cheaper,moreresilient,andbettersuitedtotheirpurpose.Theystewardthehopes,needs,andfundingofaclientthroughtoprojectcompletion.So,ifarchitectsareactiveinmanyNGOandgovernment-sponsoredprojects,whatisgoingwrongindisasterrelief?

Theansweriscomplex.WestartedArticle25specificallytohelpbuildsaferbuildingsinthecontextofdevelopmentanddisasterrelief.Ifwearetotakepeoplesvulnerabilityseriously,wemustdeployandinsistonmuchgreatertechnicalexper-tiseinarchitectureandconstruction.Architectscanprovidesomeofthisexpertise,buttheirskillsarenotbeingeffectivelytransmittedtotheworkerswhoexecuteprojectson-sitethatis,tothepermanentresidentsofthecommunitywhowillbuildthereinthefuture.GeorgeOforioftheUniversityofSingaporehasstudiedthefactorsaffectingresilienceincommunitiesafteradisaster;headvocatesdevelopingtheconstructionindustriesofthepoorernationsinordertoequipthemtomanagedisas-tersandconcludes,Itisimportanttoenhanceknowledgeonthelinkagebetweengoodplanning,designandconstruction,anddisasterpreventionandmanagement.Akeymissingele-mentisawarenessamongpractitioners.3Thereissignificantawarenessofthisdeficiencyamongthebestorganizations,butithasnotyetledtoconsistentindustry-wideactionontheground.Wearefailingtotransmitexpertisetothelowestpracti-callevel.Thismaybebecausethereisagapbetweenwhatarchitectsareperceivedtodoandwhattheyactuallycando.

Ifarchitectsaremuchmorethandesignexperts,gooddesignismuchmorethanaesthetics.IntheNGOsectortheskilledarchitectcancoordinatetherolesofprojectpartici-pants,whichallowsmembersofthecommunitytheclientsorbeneficiariestogetinvolvedinlinewiththeirabilities.Theprocessofconstructioncanincludetraining,skillsharing,andcreatingeconomicbenefitsforlocalsuppliersandmarkets.

pWhendisasterdoesnotmeetdevelopment:Gujaratafterthefloodof2008

ppMicrotilesbeingmoldedlocally,inNepal

sChildrenparticipateinadesignworkshopaspartoftheplanningprocessforaschoolbuiltbyArticle25inGoa,India.

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offerednorsought.Wewereallcaughtflat-footed.Sincethentheprofessionhasrecognizedthatithasskillsofcriticalvaluetolong-termrecovery.

Still,thenumberofcompetentarchitectsinvolvedinnon-profitworkremainssmall.Alltoofrequentlylipserviceispaidtotheneedforrealexpertiseinconstructionandarchitecturewhileatthesametime,ontheground,NGOsareputtingmostoftheireffortsintotrainingnovicestoexecuteonlybasicskills.ThereisaplethoraofbookletsproducedbyNGOs,targetedatthosewithnoexperienceorprofessionalexpertise.Thisservesonlytopromotetheuseofunskilled,barelytrained,well-intentionedvolunteers,whoarrivefromallcornersoftheglobeinthewakeofadisaster,attheexpenseofputtingtrulyskilledbestprac-ticesinplay.Thus,lackofexpertstaffsiscommoninNGOs.Meanwhile,afteradisasterlocalexpertsmayhavediedor,iftheyarepresent,maybepreoccupiedwithpersonalcrisesorinneedofretrainingtorespondtothestructuralproblemsraisedbytheevent.

Theuseofexpertiseshouldnotbeconfusedwithimposingtop-downsolutions.Onthecontrary:expertiseisakeytooltointegrateanNGOprojectwithacommunity.Itgenuinelybringscapacity,notprescription.Italsobringscredibilitythatisvitaltopersuadinglocalandnationalgovernmentstoact,aswellasinnovativeideasthatcommunitiesneedtobetterstewarddonorfunds.Yetatconferencesaroundtheworldwecontinuetotalkaboutplasticsheetsandlean-tostructurestemporaryfixeswhileNGOsplowaheadwithouttheprofessionalskillstheyneedtorebuildproperly.

the donors

Largedonorshavearoletoplayhere.Donorsrarelyfundtheplacementofinnovativeconstructionexpertiseinthefield.

Theydosometimesprovidefundingforbasictraining,butthisisrarelyagoodidea.

Itdoesnothelpthatmostsheltergroupsdefinethemselvessolelyintermsofhumanitarianoremergencywork.Theyhavenotruckwiththelong-term,complexmatterofbuildingsustain-able,resilientsystems.Emergencyfundinganddisasterreliefaretheirdomain.Shelterprovisioninthesesilosofpracticeisbasic,temporary,inadequateforsecurity,anddoesnothingtohelprestorepeopleslivelihoods.Thissortofpractice,fueledbycompetitionamongagencies,impairsthehumanrightsofthosesufferingafteradisaster.Further,emergencyhumanitar-ianfundingstopsabruptlyatthetransitional-shelterstage,precludinglong-termsolutionsandeffectivelycondemningpeopleforyearstoinadequateshelter.

Donorshavebeencalledontoincreasefundingtime-scalesandlinkdisasterresponsetolong-termdevelopment.Thisiswisebutnoteasy.Forexample,oneexperiencedNGOiniti-atedapolicyin2006thatallowsfundingtobeusedoverthreeyears,whereonly30percentcanbespentinthefirstsixmonths.Unfortunately,inpractice,theunintendedresultisthattheemergency-shelterphasegetsdraggedout,whilereliefisstillnotlinkedtolong-termreconstruction.Indeed,inpractice,emergency-reliefsheltergroupsgooutoftheirwaytoexclude,evenignore,thegoalsoflonger-termdevelopmentandrecov-ery.Thethree-yearwindow,adoptedbymanyNGOs,hasbecomeameanstoextendtheirterritory,prolongingbasicemergency-shelterresponselongpasttheimmediatemomentofcrisisandcondemningcommunitiestoaprotractedstateofprovisionalshelter.

Forthelarger,well-knownagenciesemergencyfundingiseasytocomeby.Theoutpouringofsympathythatdevelopednationsmusterafternaturaldisastersisusuallyimmense;ithasevensometimesforcedinternationalaidagenciestoturndowndonationsbecausetheylackedthecapacitytodeploythe

hugesumsavailable.Theresponsibilitytoresolvethisquan-darylieswithdonornationsandgovernments,whomusttaketheleadindemandingthatorganizationsseekhigh-valuesolu-tions,andmatchingtheiroffersoffundstomuchlongertimeframes.Atpresent,unfortunately,theoppositeiscommonpractice:donorsofteninsistuponatermlimittoaredevelop-mentproject.Theywantaclearenddatetobeestablishedinadvanceandmayrequirethatmillionsofdollarsbespentinjustayearortwo.Asaresultmoneymaygounspentorbereturned;medicalsuppliesarethrownout,suppliesbottleneck,andresourcesarewasted.Thisisinexcusable.

Anobviouswaytousemoneywiselyafterdisastersistobuildbetter,saferbuildingsthatembracelong-terminfrastructuralandenvironmentalplanning.Itisanoldtruismthatearthquakesdontkillpeople;buildingsdo.Inadisasterthedeathtolliscom-poundedbythelossofinfrastructure.ThisisnowheremoreevidentthanintheheartbreakingrealityoftheearthquakeinHaiti,wherecriticalbuildingssuchashospitalswerelost.Donoragenciesmustpromotesafebuiltsolutions,andthisrequiresthattheyallowfundstobespentgradually,acrosstenaciousprogramsoverseenbyinternationalaswellaslocalNGOs.Disasterreliefandlong-termdevelopmentmustbeinextricablylinked,anddevelopmentopportunitiesassessedandinsisteduponineveryaspectofthereconstructionprocess.

article 25: what we do

Article25isagroupofarchitects,engineers,surveyors,devel-opmentprofessionals,planners,communicationexperts,andfinancialanalysts.Forustheprocessofdevelopmentandtheprocess ofbuildingareseamlesslyintertwined.Theopportu-nitytouseabuildingasacatalystforlastingchangeisnottobemissedinthedesignandconstructionphases.Projectdesign

isimbeddednotonlyinbuildingdesignbutinhowthewholeconstructionprocessiscoordinated.Thisiswherearchitectsbecomenotonlyrelevant,butvital.

InSierraLeonewearedevelopingschools.Thecountryisextremelypoor,withheavilydamagedinfrastructurefollowingacivilwar.Ourbriefwastodesignanewmodelschoolthatwoulddrasticallyimprovethequalityofthebuildingsand,therefore,education.Article25sdesignsmatchorimproveonthecostsofthePlan,Care,andUNICEFmodelspersquarefoot.Andwegoconsiderablyfurther,improvingcoolingandventilationsystems,usingspacemoreintelligently,andaddressingchildsafety.Wealsoaccommodatestructuralvariables,suchasallowingfortheinterchangeableuseofeithersawntimberorbush-polescol-lectedlocallyduringconstruction.Asthesefeaturessuggest,ourdesignsenablecommunity-basedsolutionsratherthanrely-ingsolelyonaprescriptive,contractor-orientedapproach.

Expertsonthegroundcanleveragefundinganddesignparameters.InPakistananArticle25teammemberwaschargedwithensuringsafebuildingpracticeswhiletrainingthelocallaborforcetoconstructtheseismicallyresistanthomesthatwehaddesigned.Hehadlimitedfundingbuthispresencemadeallthedifference.Whilethedesignhadworkedwellonpaper,heintroducedchangesthatsavedthebudget:forexample,amore-than-adequate6mm-gaugerebarwasusedinsteadoftheproposed8mmrebar,reducingbothtransportandmaterialcosts.Inaprojectofthisnature,inremote,mountainousvillages,transportcanbetwo-thirdsofthecostofmaterials.Havingsavedmoneyontransportation,hewasabletoconstructretainingwallsonthemountainwherethehouseswerebeingbuilt.Beingflexibleandabletoadapttotheterrainsaveslivesatnoadditionalcost,andshowstheleveragearchitecturalexpertisebringstoaproject.

Evenone-offfundingofabuildinginpost-disasterdevelop-menthasgreatpotentialforthecommunity.Goodprocesses

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reverberatelongafterthecamerasaregone.ArecentstudyfortheWorldBankconcludesthatschoolconstructionprogramsareirreplaceableopportunitiestoimprovetheskillsoftheinformalsector,iftheyaregiventheopportunitytocompeteforlocalsmallcontractsandreceiveadequate site supervision.4

Maintenanceisacentralissuethatisoftenoverlookedbydevelopmentorganizationswithashort-termremit.Thesamestudyalsopointsoutthatthedurabilityofschoolbuildingsindevelopingcountriesnotonlyresultsfromdesignandqualityconstruction,butalsoreliesheavilyonmaintenance.Embed-dingskillsandasenseofownershipinthebeneficiarygroupcanguaranteethatmaintenancewillbemanagedbythelocalcommunity,whichthusisabletosafeguardtheinitialinvest-mentandmaximizethebuildingslong-termutility.Alltoooftenwehearofbrand-newhomes,builtbywell-intentionedNGOs,whoseupkeepwastooexpensive,sothattheyareabandonedbytheirresidents,leavingcrumblingwhiteelephants.TheopportunitytoinvolvelocalsmallcontractorsandlaborandsupervisethemwellisanotherassetthatthearchitecturallyadeptNGObringstotheprojectcycle.

poVerty

Despitevigorousrecentargumentsthatdevelopmentopportu-nitiesshouldgohandinhandwithpost-disasterreconstruction,littlehaschangedinpractice.Weneedtoaskwhetherourtaskshouldbeundertakenwithoutaddressingtherootproblemsthatcontributetothescopeofacatastrophe.Rootcausesrevolvearoundpoverty,inmanycasesabjectpoverty,whichgrosslyincreasespeoplesvulnerabilitytocatastrophicevents.PeopleslivingincountrieslowontheUnitedNationsHumanDevelopmentIndexarefarmorelikelytoliveinunsafe,poorlybuilt,poorlylocatedaccommodations,andarefarlesslikelytohavethe

resourcestocopewithorrecoverfromcatastrophicpressure.Povertyiseverybitasmuchadisasterasanearthquakeor

tsunami.Butitislong,slow,anddrawn-out,anemergencymiss-ingtheinitialprecipitatingevent.Antipovertydevelopmentshouldbehigherontheglobalagenda,butitmakesforpoormediacopycomparedtoasuddenandhorrifyingsingleeventsuchasanaturaldisaster.TheCNNEffect,inwhichrelentlessnewscoverageofanimmediateandvivideventstimulatesmassinterestinit,affectstheperceptionofaneedforaction.Forexample,byFebruary2005,onemonthaftertheIndianOceantsunami,theinternationalcommunityhaddonated$500perpersonaffectedbythetsunami,comparedtothe$0.50receivedforeachpersonaffectedbyUganda'seighteen-yearwar.

Further,nottakinganthropicriskintoaccountleavespeopleinharmsway.Countriesrecoveringfromhuman-createddisastersfallintoagameofRussianroulette,tousethephraseoftheeconomistPaulCollierofOxfordUniversity.Afteracivilwarends,heexplains,inthepoorestcountriesthereisaoneinsixchancethatanationwillreturntowarwithintenyears,becauseacriticaldemographic,youngmen,areleftoutofrecoveryplanning.5Effectivepost-conflictreconstructioncanaddressthisdirectly.Reconstructionisaprogrammatic,sys-temictask,notasurgicalintervention;itislabor-intensiveandassuchcangeneratelivelihoods.Buildingbuildscapacitybuildssecurity.Buildingfundamentallyreducesvulnerability.

paying the way

Collierisabletocommenteffectivelyonthisbecauseheiswell-equippedtoassessincentives,risk-and-rewardscenarios,andmarketforces.Wemeasurethedevelopmentofthepoor-estcountriesthebottombillionwiththeUNsMillenniumDevelopmentGoals,eightrulesofthumbthatremindusof

fAnearthquake-safehousewithareinforcedtimberframeandcorrugatedgalvanizedironroofunderconstructioninJareed,Pakistan,2008

d/sAhouseinBagh,Pakistan,usingthesameconstructiontechniquesandshownatlaterstages.Thewallsareoftimber,mud,andstone.Aroof-trussridgeandwall-platecolumn,featuresdesignedtowithstandearth-quakes,wereaddedbythearchitecton-site.

iAcurrentschoolbuildinginSierraLeone

oAnewschoolhasbeendesignedbyArticle25tomaximizeitsenvironmentalperformanceandprovideflexibilityinhowclassesareconducted.

019

whatwewouldliketoachieveasaglobalsocietyby2015.6Everygoalimplicitlydependsonabuilding:schoolsarerequiredforeducationandhospitalsandclinicsforhealthcare.Alternativeproposalsforinstance,thosethatfavoropen-aireducationorstreet-cornerschoolingareavainandidealistichope.AUNESCOreportfoundthatoutdoorlearningmayhavebeenaviableemergencyexpedientinIndiawhenitwasanewlyemergingcountry[but]thenobuildingsolutionisunsatisfac-tory....schoolswithouttheirownbuilding...tendtohavelowattendanceandthosewhodoattendareinclinedtohaveapooracademicperformance.7AWorldBankstudyinGhanashowedthatsimplyimprovingthephysicalqualityofschoolbuildingsmendingleakyroofs,forexampleimprovedmathandliteracyscoresbyover2standarddeviations,ormorethan97percent.Thisimprovementisgreaterthanwhatwasachievedbyprovid-ingbasicteachingequipmentsuchasblackboards.Thereportargues,Acost-benefitanalysis...showsthatrepairingclass-rooms(apolicyoptionignoredinmosteducationstudies)isacost-effectiveinvestmentinGhana,relativetoprovidingmoreinstructionalmaterialsandimprovingteacherquality.8

Atpresentthewayemergenciesarehandledandfundedmilitatesagainstmitigationandsustainedrecovery.Itisintheinterestoftheglobaleconomytogetdisasterreliefanddevel-opment right,yetwedonotassesstheriskscorrectly;changesinthewaydonorsfundpost-disasterrecoveryandinthewayorganizationsallocatethefundsreceivedarecriticalifwewanttoincreasetheinvestmentinexpertiseovertime.Currently,risksassociatedwithshortemergenciesprecipitatingeventsareusuallyprioritizedoverlongemergenciessuchasendemicpoverty.Consequently,wedoapoorjobofassessingriskinrelationtoongoingissuessuchaslivelihoods.Weprefertorespondtosuddenemergencies;weattendtothempsychologi-callyandsoaredrawntooverreacttoevent-drivendisasters,whileoverlookinglong-termcriseslikeHIV/AIDSandotherdis-eases,poverty,orongoingcivilunrest.Donorsfocustooexclusivelyonemergencyreliefpreciselybecausetheyareonlyhuman,butourindifferencetothelargerandlongeremer-genciesperpetuatesthem.Asamatterofprinciple,theprojectcycleofanydevelopmentorreliefeffortshouldincludecapac-itybuilding.

So,ifwearenotgoodatevaluatingrisk,shoulditbedoneimpartially,usingaformula?Financialmanagersuseasimpleoption-pricingequation,Risk=HazardxVulnerability,toana-lyzeventures.Thisequationhasbeenadoptedbyresearchersinotherdisciplines,butdevelopmentandshelterpractitionersusuallyseeitasananalogyandnotastrictmathematicalrela-tiontobeapplieddirectlytotheirwork.Theyaremistaken.R=HxVcanbeillustratedinthesimpleactofbuyingalotteryticket.TheHazard(inthiscaseagoodhazard)iswinningthelottery.TheVulnerabilityisthechanceofwinningoneinfour-teenmillionintheUKNationalLottery,forinstance.ThismeansthatmultiplyingHazardbyVulnerabilityshowsusthatafairpur-chasepriceforaticket,ifthejackpotis7million,wouldbe50pence(i.e.,7millionx1/14).Onarolloverweek,ifthejackpot

iThecourtyardoftheNkoranzaChildrensHomeandSchool,inNkoranza,Ghana

pTheChildrensHomeandSchool,builtbyArticle25,replacedadilapidatedareaschool.

ppSchoolboysinNkoranzaworkingontheirowndesignfortheschool.Article25devel-opedthefinaldesignwithcommunityinput.

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is14millionitwouldbefairtopricetheriskat1perticketanditwouldbereasonabletorisk1inthiscase.ThisexampleshowsthatriskassessmentcanbeafairlyprecisecalculationiftheHazardandVulnerabilitycanbewell-quantified.Developmentspecialistscanbenefitenormouslyfrombringinginskillsthatarenotpartoftheircoreset.Thesemaywellcomefromecono-mists,whocanoptimizethecostsandbenefitsofinterventions,aswellasfrombuilt-environmentprofessionals.

Article25wasfoundedonthepremisethatdevelopment,andconstructioninparticular,shouldbebroughttotheforeasanintegralpartofdisaster-riskreductionandemergencyreliefbecausedecreasedvulnerabilitytodisasterdependsonresil-ienceonhavingalong-termsolution.Oneofthekeystoresilienceisalastingphysicalfabric.Asnaturalandman-madedisastersincreaseandtheyareontheriseitisourresponsi-bilitytoprovidethemeansofmitigatingvulnerability.

Itseemssoobvious.ButIstillfindmyselfasking,willwebeluckyandsmart?Willwebeabletolookback,forexample,onourcurrentworkinHaitiandsay,forthefirsttime,yes,wehavetakentheethosofresiliencetrulytoheart?Atthetimeoftheearthquake,formerpresidentBillClintonwasappointedUNspecialenvoyfortheisland;onJanuary14,twodaysaftertheevent,hewroteinthe Washington Post,Aswecleartherubble,wewillcreatebettertomorrowsbybuildingHaitibackbetter:withstrongerbuildings,betterschoolsandhealthcare.9Thisisnotatrivialresponsibility;takingbettertoheartmeansthatNGOsmustrequirethattheexpertiseofbuilt-environmentprofessionalsbeattheforefrontofrebuildingefforts.Wemustchangeourapproachtobuildingtoconsiderhowaswellaswhatwebuild.Ifweintendtrulytobuildbackbetterandleavesafercommunitiesthereneedstobeaseachangeinthewayhumanitarianworkiscarriedout.Itwouldbeterribleifthebil-lionsofdollarsindisaster-relieffundingthataregoingtoHaitionlyleavepeopleatgreaterrisk.

Notes1 ReducingtheRiskofDisastersHelpingtoAchieveSustainablePovertyReductioninaVulnerableWorld:ADFIDPolicyPaper(London:DepartmentforInternationalDevelopment),March2006,1.

2 BuildingHousestoResistEarthquakes,postedonlineonFebruary3,2010,atwww.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/02/03/cross.quake.resistant.housing/index.html?hpt=C2,accessedJuly12,2010.Thearticle,aninterviewwithRobinCrossofArticle25,describestheworkoftheorganizationinPakistananditsplanstoassistinrebuildingHaiti.

3 GeorgeOfori,ConstructionIndustryDevelopmentforDisasterPreventionandResponse,paperdeliveredatthe2ndInternationalConferenceonPost-DisasterReconstruction:PlanningforReconstruction,Coventry,UK,April2223,2004,onlineatwww.grif.umontreal.ca/pages/i-rec%20papers/ofori.pdf,accessedJuly12,2010.

4 Emphasisadded;seeSergeTheunynck,SchoolConstructionStrategiesforUniversalPrimaryEducationinAfrica:ShouldCommunitiesBeEmpoweredtoBuildTheirSchools?(Washington,DC:InternationalBankforReconstructionandDevelopment/WorldBank,2009),32,125.

5 SeePaulCollieretal.,Breaking the Conflict Trap: Civil War and Development Policy(Oxford,UK:OxfordUniversityPress,2003);andPaulCollier,The Bottom Billion(Oxford,UK:OxfordUniversityPress,2007)andfurtherbibliographycitedthere.

6 Seewww.undp.org/mdg/basics.shtml.

7 JohnBeynon,Physical Facilities for Education: What Planners Need to Know,FundamentalsofEducationPlanningseries57(Paris:UNESCO,1997),18.

8 PaulGlewweandHananJacoby,StudentAchievementandSchoolingChoiceinLowIncomeCountries:EvidencefromGhana,Journal of Human Resources29,no.3(1994):84364.

9 BillClinton,WhatWeCanDotoHelpHaiti,NowandBeyond,Washington Post, January14,2010,onlineatwww.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/13/AR2010011304604.html,accessedJuly12,2010.

Communitybrick-makinginGujarat,India

023

architecture after disaster

part 1

we presented an alternative plan that under scored the wisdom of allowing residents to rebuild where they lived. andrea fitrianto

uplink, Jakarta

learning froM aceh

1.1learning froM aceh

organizationuplink

proJect locale banda aceh, indonesia

(previousspread)BandaAceh,Indonesia,afterthetsunamiof2004

ffBandaAceh,beforeandafterthetsunami

iResidentsreturnedtoAsoenanggroevillage,nearBandaAceh,inFebruary2005.Littleremainedatthesitebutdebris.

fTheIndonesiangovernmentsoriginal2005relocationpolicyforthedisplacedcoastalresidentsofBandaAcehrequiredthemtomoveinland.Yellow=high-densityurbanpopulationsRedsquare=existingcitycenterPinksquare=proposednewcitycenter

the background

OnSunday,December26,2004,at8:45inthemorning,apow-erfulearthquake,measuring9.2Mw,struckBandaAcehandothercoastalcitiesintheAcehprovinceofIndonesia.1ThemassivetectonicshiftatthebottomoftheIndianOceandis-placedabodyofwaterthattraveledatthespeedofajetairlinertothecoastsofThailand,Bangladesh,India,SriLanka,Somalia,andelsewhereineastAfrica.ThecityofBandaAceh,some6miles(9.7km)fromthequakesepicenter,washitthehardest,weakenedfirstbytheearthquakeandthenwashedawaybyawallofwater65feet(20m)high.Therewasnothingleftoftheoriginalcoastlinefor3miles(5km)inland.Thetsu-namidevastatedonethirdofthecity,took128,000lives,anddisplacedahalfmillionpeople.

IarrivedinBandaAceh,justoutofarchitectureschool,threedaysafterthecatastrophe,asamemberofanemergency-responseteamsentbytheaidorganizationUplink.2Wejoinedthelargesthumanitarianeffortinhistory.Initially,ourteamdeliveredfoodandmedicinetorefugeecampsandorganized

stress-reliefactivitiesforadultsandchildren.Later,weworkedonhousingreconstructionandadvocacy.

ThescaleofdestructioninAcehshockedtheworld.Mediacoveragegalvanizedglobalsympathyandsupportfortheaffectedcommunities.Moneystartedpouringin.Thiswasbothgoodandbad.Inaveryshortperiodoftimetherewassomuchmoneythattheprocessofrecoveryquicklybecamecompli-cated,competitive,andsuspect.

Further,itledtheIndonesiangovernmenttobeginverylarge-scaleplanning.AsearlyasFebruary2005theNationalDevelopmentPlanningAgencybannedallconstructionwithinamileandahalf(2.4km)ofthecoastline.Initially,thegovern-mentintendedtorelocatethemassofaffectedpopulationstoanew,moderncitytobebuiltinland,southeastofBandaAceh.Theplanamountedtoastatutoryevictionthatwouldseizethecoastforfuturedevelopment.UplinkcampaignedintenselyinJakartaagainsttheforcedrelocation.Wepresentedanalterna-tiveplanthatunderscoredthewisdomofallowingresidentstorebuildwheretheylived.Thegovernmentsplanwassounpop-ularthatitwasdismissedoutrightaftertwomonthsofdebate

andnonewcitywasbuilt. Areplacementpolicywasdeveloped,addressingthemainurbanpopulationbutnotthesmaller,difficult-to-reachvillagesinremoteareasontheurbanperiph-ery.AsaresultinApril2007Misereor,ourdonorpartnerinGermany,askedustostayonandgaveusagranttocarryoutacomprehensive,people-drivenreconstructionprograminthosevillages.

early Measures, back to the kaMpung

TheIndonesiangovernmentcalledonmilitarypersonneltoconstruct190temporarybarracksthroughoutAcehandNiastoreplacetheprovisional,short-livedtentsthathadbeensup-pliedinthefirstweeksoftheemergency.Thearmywasfastandefficientbutpaidlittleattentiontoindividualorcommunityneeds.Siteselection,forexample,wasbasedonfearofnewtsunamisorquakes,andonkeepingpeopleawayfromthecoast.Thebarracksweresoremotethatrefugeescouldnotreturntoworkorhelpreconstitutetheirvillages.Acehisrichin

029

naturalresourcesbuthadbeenravagedbytwenty-fiveyearsofcivilwarthathadpittedthegovernmentsarmyagainstGAM,theFreeAcehMovement.3Therewasalonghistoryofcivilianabusesbythemilitary,sothelocalpeopledistrustedthearmyandhadlittlefaithinitsabilitytooverseeaidorrebuildfairly.

Moreover,humanitarianaidwasdeliveredliterallytothefrontdoorofvictims,anactofmisguidedkindnessthatexag-geratedthepeoplessenseofdependencyandlackofself-confidence.InfactthemajorityoftsunamisurvivorsinAcehwereadultmaleswhowereworkingandthereforenotinthekampungs(villages)whenthetsunamistruck.4Veryfewaidinitiativesrecognizedtheirpotential.Inthefirstyearthesemenweresystematicallyexcludedfromthereconstructionprocess;theirknowledgeofcommunitylifeandtheirphysicalcapacitytorebuildtheirvillageswerelargelyignored.Thiswasterriblyunfortunate,asoneofthemostproductivewaystotemperpsy-chologicaltraumaistoengagepeopleinpositivecollectiveaction.Whatsmore,cash-for-workprogramswereadoptedbysomeofthelargeragencies,includingOxfam:villagerswerepaidincashforclearingthelandofdebrisandpreparingitforreconstruction.Buttherewasnoviablemonitoringsystem,sofraudandcorruptionwerewidespread.Assoonasvillagerslearnedtospeakthelanguageofmoneytherewasnoreasontoactuallydothework.Itwasasifasecondtsunamihadhitthecommunities.Thecarelessaiddeliveryandmisusedfundsunderminedthesurvivorsconfidence,initiatives,andself-reli-ancenonphysicalassetsthathadbeensparedbythewaves.

Uplinksapproachtothereconstructioneffortwassignifi-cantlydifferentfromthatofthegovernmentorthelargerinternationalaidagencies.Weworkedwithdisadvantagedcommunitiesalongthecityswesternperiphery,towardthehillsofUjungPancu.Initially,thezonecomprisedfourteencommunitiesinadjacentvillages.ThesitehadservedasthebasecampforGAMbeforethetsunami,andalthoughthe

insurgentsweregoneitbecameasortofgroundzeroforthoseleftoutoftheformalaidprogram.Thefirststepwastoreturnpeopletotheirkampungsandprotecttheirlandfromappropri-ation,whetherbythegovernmentorbyotherresidentsfromthearea.Weprovidedtentsandfoodandsetupacommunalkitchen.Themajorityofofficialsuppliesweredistributedonlytotheauthorizedcamps,sowedeliveredbasicnecessitieson-siteandencouragedsurvivorstofocusonrebuilding.

building back better

Plannersandpolicymakersliketotalkaboutbuildingbackbetter,butlongintotheprocessatAcehthisphraseremainedmoreasloganthanapractice.Delaysinplanning,especiallyatthegovernmentlevel,inhibitedthesortofspontaneousinitia-tivesthatcanemergefromrealneed.Plannersfollowingaconventionalapproachfailedtoconsiderthattsunamisurvi-vorswantedtoreconstitutetheirlivesastheyhadbeenbefore.Reconcilingthesetwoopposinglogicsbuildingbackbetterandworkingquickly,withtherhythmofthepeopleisthemostimportantchallengearchitectsandplannersfaceinpost-disasterreconstruction.

ToovercomethiscontradictionwemovedtheUplinkplan-ningdeskintothefieldandjoinedthevillagers.(WecontinuedtomaintainanofficeinBandaAcehaswell.)Wewerelookingforasolutionon-site.Thefirstfacilitywebuiltthatspringwasinthemiddleofanemptylandscape,atemporarymeunasah,ortradi-tionalcommunitycenter.In2006wereplaceditwiththefirstmajornewpermanentbuilding.Theopeninsidespaceservedasaheadquartersforfurtherplanningbythecommunity.

Thecommunitycenterwasintendedfirstandforemosttohelpmanagetheintakeofaidfromdonorandgovernmentagenciesandforgeasenseofcommongroundamongthe

shelters.Theseprefabswereoftwotypes:one,madefromimportedlightsteelframesandwoodpanels,cost$4,500each.Theother,prefabricatedconcretemodules,weretoobrittletobeearthquake-safe.Andneithermodelincludedinstructionsforpost-emergencyuseordisposal.AsaresultabandonedtemporarysheltersalloverBandaAcehbecamecommon,sadremindersofhoweasyitistowastemoneyandresources.

CommunitylaborprovidedbytheJUBcollectedtsunamidebristimberandrecoveredandstraightenednails,whichUplinkrecycledfornewconstruction.Recyclingencouragesefficiency.Wealsodistributedcorrugatedmetalsheetingandadditionalnails.Infivemonthswebuilt450temporarysheltersintwenty-threekampungswithalmostnoexternalhelp.Ourgoalwastoprovidetemporarysheltersthataddressedarangeofurgentneedsenvironmental,economic,psychological,andsocial.

coMMunity surVey and Mapping

Thefirststepinthereconstructionprocessisacommunitysurvey.Communitysurveysandmapsformthebasisofareli-abledatabase.Basemapsarenotonlycrucialforplanning;theyalsohelpavoidfuturelanddisputes,unjustlanddistribu-tion,and,intheworsecases,inadvertentexclusionofthemostvulnerablesurvivors.Accountable,equitablesurveys,basedoncommunityparticipationandcreatedwithtransparency,serveasthebasisforreconstruction.Atypicalcommunitysurveyidentifiesanddescribesallresidentsofthearea.AttheUplinksitelistingthestatusofeachindividualwasslowbecausesomefamilieshadbeenscatteredintobarracks,awayfromtheirhomes.Butoncethelistwascompleteandsignedbyakampung representativeitbecamethereferenceforthenextstep:theneedsassessment.

variouscommunitiesinthearea.Usingthecenterasourbase,onMarch7,2005,weassistedintheformationofanorganiza-tioncalledJaringanUdeepBeusaree,orJUB,anetworkforlivingtogether.TheJUB,whichlatergrewtoincludetwenty-sixaffectedcommunities,playedanindispensablerole.Notonlydidmembersanimateandcoordinatethereconstructionpro-cess,buttheyactedasacounterparttoourpresenceasanexternal(albeitIndonesian),aidorganization.JUBadministra-torswereelectedlocally,andweeklymeetingsservedasaforumwhereproblemsandsolutionsweresharedandcollec-tivedecisionstaken.Theentireexperiencewasnewtotheparticipants,whohadbarelyknownoneanotherpriortothetsunami.TheJUBalsohelpedrestorethesocialinfrastructurebyestablishingothercommunityorganizations.WequicklylearnedfromtheJUBthatbuildingbackbettermeansmuchmorethanbuildingbetterfacilities;itisfundamentallyaboutbuildingbetterrelationships.Foralocalcommunitytotakesuchastrongleadershiproleisstillrareindisasterrecovery.

teMporary shelter

Togetherwiththeprovisionalcommunitycenter,Uplinkinstalledtemporaryshelters,madeoutofrecycledmaterials,toreplacethetents.Theseservedasreliableprotectionandhelpedsurvi-vorsmovequicklyfromemergencyaidtorecovery.Theirformandplacementwerechosenwithcommunityparticipation.

Manyofthelargerinternationalorganizations,suchastheInternationalOrganizationforMigration,providedprefabricatedshelterunitsmadeoutsidethecountry.Thesewerenotonlyexpensive,butpreventedaidfrombeingrootedinlocalinvest-ment.Theprefabricateddesignswereadhoc,andtheunitsweretime-consumingtoassemble.IttooktheInternationalRedCrossandRedCrescentsocietiessixmonthstostartdistributing

reconciling these two opposing logicsbuilding back better and working quickly, with the rhythm of the peopleis the most important challenge architects and planners face in post-disaster reconstruction.

031031

attentiontoagriculturallands.Houseswereplacedaccordingtothereconstructedpre-tsunamivillageplanbutowners,whilerequiredtorespecttherulesforeasementsandoffsets,werefreetodecidetheiractualposition.

house design

Westarteddesigninghouseswithindividualownersfourmonthsafterthetsunami.Thesessionswereparticularlywellattendedbywomen,whowereveryenthusiasticaboutpartici-patinginthedesignsandworkedcloselywithUplinksarchitects.Thisdidnothappenbyaccident.Fromtheoutsetwehadbeenespeciallyconcernedtorepresentwomensneedsandpriorities.Butinthebeginningonlymenhadattendedcommunitymeetings;womenwereexcluded,andlookedonfromoutsidethemeunasah.Uplinktheninsistedthatwomenbepresentatallcommunitygatherings.Themenresistedbutsoonacceptedtheidea.

SinceIndonesiaispronetotremors,earthquakesafetywasthemainfocusofhousedesign.WithMisereorwebroughtinarchitectsandengineersfromHunnarshaala,atechnical-assis-tanceNGObasedinBhuj,Gujarat,India.TheIndianteamhadhelpedwiththerecoverythereafterabigearthquakein2001,leadingowner-drivenreconstruction.Thesizeofeachhousewasfixedat388squarefeet(36sq.m),thestandardsetbytheAcehreconstructionauthority.Inthefirststagetwolandedhouses(thatis,notraisedonstilts)withdifferentoptionsfortheorientationoftheroofwereapproved.Atthispointresi-dentswereadamantlyopposedtotraditionalstilthouses.Asithappens,thetraditionalwooden-stiltAcehnesehouse,withitsthatchedroof,iswell-adaptedtolocalconditions:itisnotonlyclimaticallyefficient,butearthquake-safe.Thelightconstruc-tionandtheflexiblefootingallowthehousetoswayfreely,

Makingmapsisalsoakeyearlytask.Kampungmapsformedabridgefromthecommunityspasttoitspost-tsunamifuture.Collectivememoryofthekampungsastheyhadbeenbeforethedisasterbecomespartofthedocument.Individualkampungmembersusedtheirmaptoasserttheirassetsinthevillage.Usingthekampungmapswemadeascaledmapandthenadigitaltopographicsurveyofeachkampungthatrecorded,amongotherdetails,thetracesoffloorsandfounda-tionsofbuildingslargelyerasedbythetsunami.Survivorsthenmarkedoutplotboundaries,usingthesetracesasguides.Thelandsurveyalsoidentifiedplotsthathadbeendeformedorlosttotheseaorthathadbecomepartofanewcoastline.Peoplewhohadlostplotsweregivenlandfromthecommonholdingsofthecommunity.

kaMpung planning and Mitigation

Post-tsunamispatialplanningwasdevelopedwiththeJUB.Ourspatialplansinvolvedprovidingbetteraccesstoroadsandescaperoutesaswellasclearvistastowardtheseaandhill-side.Wewantedtobringthebeautyofthenaturalsettingbackintokampungdailylife.Theconceptforakampungmasterplanwasbasedonthetraditionalprincipleofgampong loen sayang,ormybelovedkampung,aphilosophythatempha-sizestheneedtobalanceenvironmental,cultural,andspirituallifebyminimizingtheimpactofhumanpresence.Theprogramthereforeincorporatedtreeplanting,eco-farming,greenarchi-tecture,greenenergy,andasoundsanitationsystem.Amitigationplanwasputinplacetoraiseawarenessoftheriskofnaturalhazards,whichrequiredthatwesometimesmodifythedispositionofthe kampungslightly.Forexample,culs-de-sac wereremovedbuttheroadnetworks,whichhelpmaintainastrongsenseofplace,werepreserved.Wepaidparticular

gThetemporarycommunitycenterinCotLamKuevillagewasanopen-walledshelterwithanelevatedfloor.Weheldourearlyplan-ningsessionshere.

fThenewcommunitycenterwasbuiltinanAcehnesestyleonraisedpylonsandwithasteeplypitchedroof.

iiPrefabtemporaryhousesprovidedin2005bytheInternationalOrganizationforMigrationcontinuetolittertheAcehlandscape.

iMapsandmodelsreconstructingdestroyedvillagesgaveresidentsthechancetoestablishwheretheirhouseshadbeen.

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Still,stilthouseswereahardsell.WeconstructedpilothomesinseveralkampungsandpromotedthemwithprintedT-shirts.Weinvitedcommunitymemberstovisitthemodelhomesandtalkedabouttheiradvantages.Ownersquicklyrealizedthatalthough344squarefeet(32sq.m)wasslightlysmallerthanthepromisedlandedhouse(acost-savingmeasure),theraiseddesignmeantthateachfamilywouldeffectivelygetdoublethefloorspace.

building Materials

Themostdifficultproblemwefacedwashowtoacquirebuild-ingmaterials.Intheaftermathofthedisastertherewasahighdemandforbrick,cement,steel,andwood.ThemarketforwoodriskedputtingterriblepressureontheforestsinAceh,potentiallycausingasecondaryenvironmentaldisaster.Clay,sand,gravel,andstonewereharvestedatratesthatwilltaketwogenerationstoreplace.Uplinkpurchasedwoodfromacer-tifiedworkshopinKalimantan,inIndonesianBorneo.Wealso

absorbingshocks.However,mostpeoplenolongerbuildtradi-tionalhomes.Themodernhouse,withitsmasonrywalls,concretecolumnsandbeams,ceramic-tilefloor,andearthen-tileroof,isacreatureofurbandesign,unfortunatelyoftenfatalduringanearthquakeortsunami.

WorkingwithcommunitymembersUplinksarchitectsdevelopedfivemodelsofearthquake-safemodernhomes(withdifferentfloorplans)thatwouldsuitpeoplesdailyneeds.Despiteresistancewefeltstronglythatraisedhousesonstiltswerethebestbasicform.Inadditiontotheircapacitytowith-standearthquakes,stilthousesrespondwelltothelocalclimate:airseepsupfromunderthefloor,loweringtheindoortemperature.Raisedhousesareaswell-suitedtofishermanastofarmersthetwoprincipleprofessionsoftheregion.Thegroundlevelcanbeusedforstorage,asaworkarea,orasaplaygroundforchildren.Itprovidesasemiprivatespacewheremembersofthekampungcangatherandreinforcetheirsenseofneighborhood.Weraisedourhouses61/2feet(2m)offthegroundtokeepthefloordryduringmonsoonsandprotectcoastalhomesfromhighseasonaltides.

iAlanded(ground-level)houseunderconstruction

fAtraditionalAcehnesehouse,raisedonstiltsandwithasteeppeakedroofofthatch

pThefivehousedesignsincludedreinforce-menttoresistearthquakes,suchaswindbracesandconcretefootings.Theywerepub-licizedwithplans,drawings,models,anddescriptionspostedatthecommunitycenter.

ppVillagersmakingstabilizedsoil-cementblocks

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boughteverythingwethoughtwemightneedinbulkearlyintheprocess.Thiswascritical.Theconstructionboomdoubledtheunitcostofhomesinoneyear(from$3,000in2005to$6,000in2006).Asaresultmanyprojectswereforcedtoradi-callydecreasethenumberofhousestheyhadpromised.

Wewerelargelyabletoavoidthepricehikesandkeepthecostofeachhouseundercontrol.Weavoidedcontractors,whooftenusesubcontractors,whichaddsexpensetothepro-cess.Insteadweaskedownerstofindthebestdealsforbuild-ingmaterialsandaccessories.TheJUBprovidedstorageandsetupadistributionsystemwithineachcommunity,makingkampungmembersresponsibleforkeepingmaterialssecureandingoodcondition. Conventionalredbrickstakealotoftimetoprepareandmustbebaked,whichusesconsiderableenergy.AsanalternativeHunnarshaalataughtourcommuni-tiestoproduceastabilizedsoil-cementblockusingasimplepress.Pressurizedblockstakefourteendaystomake,useasmallamountofcement,andareenvironmentallysound.Tooperateapressrequiresfivepeople(oftenwomen),whichassuredtemporaryemploymentwithinthekampungs.Uplinkalsoestablishedcommunity-basedworkshopswhereownersreceivedtraininginsteelrebarconstructionandrehabilitatedsalvagedsteelforreuse.

construction ManageMent

Homeownerswereresponsibleformanagingtheconstructionoftheirhouses.Eachkampungformedacommitteeforhousingconstructionandinfrastructure.ThegrantfromMisereorwasallocatedtofamiliesandpaidintwoparts.Laborcostsweregrantedat10millionrupiahs(about$1,100)andmaterialsratedat26millionrupiahs(about$2,900).Laborcostswerereim-bursedattheendofeachoffourstagesofbuilding:substructure,

wall,roof,andfinishing.Buildingmaterialsweredistributedusingavouchersystem.Asetofcardswasgiventoeachhomeowner;eachcardrepresentedaparticularbuildingmaterialanddefinedthequalityandquantityneeded,asdeterminedbyUplinkexperts.Homeownersgavethecardtotheselectedmaterialsupplieratthetimeofdelivery.Localsupplierswereused,apracticethatincreasedaccountabilityandreinvestedaidinthecommunity.

Inthefirstroundweconstructedonehouseineachvillage.Weusedthepilothouseasasortofclassroomforvillagers.Inthesecondroundthekampungseachtookonconstructionoftwentytofortyhouses,dependingonlocalcapabilitiesandmanagerialskills.Wefoundthatalthoughparticipatoryreconstruction,tiedtocommunitydevelopment,isslowinthebeginning,itpicksupspeedwithexperience,becomesefficientthroughtraining,andissustainablepreciselybecausetimeisinvestedindevelopingexperienceandskillswithinthecommunity.5

Technicalassistancewasessential.Toensurethatthenewhouseswouldmeethighersafetyandqualitystandards,Uplinksyoungengineerslivedinthecommunity.Eachengi-neerwasresponsiblefortwoorthreevillages.Wealsosentarchitectstosuperviseconstruction.Wetrainedhomeownerstoassessthequantityandqualityofbuildingmaterialsandactasmonitorsandbuildinginspectors.Tofurtherensureagoodminimumstandardofskillandknowledge,weofferedtrainingsessionsforbuilders.

what we learned

UplinkturnedtheprojectovertotheindividualcommunitiesinFebruary2007.Wefinished3,500houses,twelvecommunitycenters,andonemosqueintwoyears.Becausewehadinvolvedthecommunityfromthebeginningtherewasnoneedforan

fUplinksowner-constructedhousesontheAcehcoast

sNewstilthousesinthevillageofLamIsek

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Notes1 ForfurtherreadingseeBrunoDerconandMarcoKusumawijaya,Two Years of Settlement Recovery in Aceh and Nias: What Should the Planners Have Learned?FirstAsia-PacificHousingForum:SocialPractitionersMeettheMarketonHabitatMatters,Singapore,September2426,2007;andAbdulJaliletal.,The World BankFinanced Reconstruction of the Aceh Land Administration System (RALAS),InternationalNGOForumonIndonesianDevelopment,2008. TheIndo-AustralianPlatecollideswiththeEurasianPlateattheSundaTrench,tothesouth,offtheshoreofSumatra.Theaccumulatedenergyoccasionallyeruptsasanearthquake.

2 Foundedin2002UrbanPoorLinkage,orUplink,isanetworkofnongovern-mentalandcommunity-basedadvocacyanddevelopmentorganizationsinthirteenIndonesiancities,dedicatedtoimprovingconditionsfortheurbanpoorthroughpublicpolicyandgrassrootsprograms.Ourstrategyisbasedonadvo-cacy,organization,andnetworking.InAcehwedeployedsocial-servicesandtechnicalteamstoassistinimmediatereliefeffortsaswellaslonger-termrecon-struction.Wecommittedourselvestoasmallterritorywithintheareaaffectedbythedisasterandinsistedonaholistic,integratedapproach,fromprovidingfoodandsheltertorehabilitatinglivelihoods.Wehavefoundthatourapproachsavesprecioustimeandresourcestypicallyallocatedforintersectorandinterorganiza-tionalcoordination.Andweclosethegapseparatingtheaidorganizationfromthecommunityitassists.UplinkisaffiliatedwiththeAsianCoalitionforHousingRights,ACHR,andamemberoftheHabitatInternationalCoalition, HIC,aninde-pendent,internationalnonprofitallianceoforganizationsworkingonshelterandhousingissues.In2008ourprojectinAcehwontheDubaiInternationalAwardforbestpracticestoimprovethelivingenvironment.

3 OneofthefewblessingsofthetsunamiwasthepeaceagreementreachedbetweentheIndonesiangovernmentandGAM.Theaccord,whichwassignedinHelsinkionAugust15,2005,significantlyhelpedfacilitateaiddeliveryandotherfieldactivities.

4 TheregionwhereUplinkwasworkingsuffereda23percentmortalityrate,thehighestinthecountry:twowomendiedforeverymankilled;childrenundernineandpeopleoverseventyweredisproportionatelyvictims.

5 AsurveybyUN-HabitatandSyahKualaUniversityinBandaAcehfoundthatUplinkshousesperformedbestinqualityandownersatisfaction.Seewww.unhabitat-indonesia.org/newsletter/07/index.html,accessedAugust21,2010.

6 Savingsgroups,commoninmuchofthedevelopingworld,actasinformalbanksandmaybeempoweredtoofferloans.Typically,thecommunitysmoneyismanagedbydesignatedtrustedmembers.

demonstratesthattrustinthepeoplesresilienceandwisdomeveninextremecrisisiscrucialtoanysuccessfulintervention.

local wisdoM

Wearetheseapeoplebornatthesea,weliveatthesea,sowewillstayhereasourancestorsdid.Theywerebornandburiedhere.Mr.Baharuddin,age45,residentofLamTeungohvillage,Aceh,2005

AtsunamihadstruckAcehoncebefore,in1907,inundatingthesmallislandofSimeulue,offSumatra.Soin2004thepeopleofSimeulueknewthattheyshouldrunintothehillswhentheysawtheseawithdrawsuddenlyandflocksofbirdsfleetowardland.Unfortunately,thepeopleofthetownofLhokSeumaweh,onAcehsnortheastcoast,hurriedtothebeachestocollectthefishstrandedbytherecedingwaters,unawareofthedanger,andweredrowned.Theoraltraditionsofanisolatedandancientpeoplearelosttourbancommuni-tieslikeLhokSeumaweh.IndigenousAcehneseknewthewarningsignsofatsunami,ascertainaspeopleinruralVietnamrecognizeacomingtyphooninthemotionsofthebambootree.

Asweenteranewanduncertainworld,inwhichnatureislesspredictableandclimatechangethreatensmorefrequentandseverenaturalcrises,weshouldaffordtheseancientwaysofunderstandingnaturemorerespectintheprocessesandprac-ticeofdisastermitigation.Forlocalwisdomisindispensable.

exitstrategy.Forexample,managementofbrickandrebarfac-torieswastransferredtotheJUB.

HousinginIndonesiahadtraditionallybeentheresponsibilityofthecommunityuntil,afterthetsunami,thegovernmentandprivatesectortookovertheroleofbuildinghomes.Unlikesomanyoftheinternationalaidagenciesthatsweptinafterthedisaster,weaskedthetsunamisurvivorstohelpdesignandbuildtheirhomeswithourassistance,shiftingtheprocessofpost-disasterreconstructionbacktothepeople.

Thisdecisionmayseemtrivialbutitwascrucialtobeingacceptedandrespectedbythecommunity.OurofficesinBandaAcehwereopentovillagerstwenty-fourhoursaday,sevendaysaweek.Theyweremodeststructures,withoutair-conditioning,thatdoubledasourhome.WeneverdroveSUVsintothekampungs.Ourpersonnelusedroadmotorcy-clesandbicycles.Communitygroupsoftenviewaidagencieswithagooddealofsuspicion.Toovercomethis,successfulreconstructioninvolvesthesurvivorsfromtheoutsetandawell-coordinatedstrategyincludeslocalinstitutions.InspiteofcivilwarAcehhasmaintaineditstraditionalinstitutionsandhasnumerousassociations(religiousandsecular)suchasfishermensgroupsandsavingsgroupswithwhomweformedproductiverelationships.6

Inrealitymasterplansarecumbersome;typically,theyaretooslowandrarelykeeppacewiththeworkaccomplishedontheground.Wefindthatitismoreproductivetodisseminateaveryshortlistofprinciplesthantodesignamasterplan.Weusedcommunitymeetings,popularmedia,T-shirts,posters,andleafletstocommunicateandreiterateUplinksprinciplesofadvocacy,organization,andnetworking.Intheend,togetherwere-createdinfrastructure,revivedthelocaleconomy,reinforcedsocialrelationsandculturalcohesion,enactedpolicychange,andhelpedregeneratetheenvironmentbyreplantingmangrovesandtrainingvillagersineco-farming.OurexperienceinAceh

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our common efforts must serve to assure thatthe worlds most vulnerable people can access tools and techniques, ideas and innovations, strate-gies and solutions to build better futures. Judith rodin

andrea nield eMergency architects australia, sydney

beyond shelter in the soloMon islands

(previousspread)/iThe2007earthquakeandtsunamileveledtraditionalhomesaswellasconcretestructures.

1.2beyond shelter in the soloMon islands

organizationeMergency architects australia

proJect locale soloMon islandsOnApril1,2007,apowerfulearthquakehittheWestern

ProvinceoftheSolomonIslands;atsunamifollowed.Thirty-sixthousandpeopleweredisplaced,6,000homesdestroyed(8,000damaged),and165schoolswereeitherleveledorleftinneedofextensiverebuilding.Fortunately,mostpeoplewereoutside,sawthetsunamicoming,andtooktohigherground.Onlysixty-fivepeoplewerekilled,anumberfartoolowtoattractinternationalmediaattentionormuchinthewayofout-sideaid.Thecombinedforceofthefloodandthequakealsocausedsevereenvironmentaldamage.Closesttothequake,whichmeasured8.1Mw,RanonggaIslandwasliftedupbysome13feet(4m).Thereefssufferedmajortrauma;therewerelandslidesandflooding;andsubsistencefarmsandfishstocksweredestroyed.Aftershockswerefeltformonths.WhenEmergencyArchitectsAustralia(EAA)arrivedinAprilanxiousresidentswerelivingintentsandsettlements.Incon-trasttothetremendousresponsetothedevastatingIndianOceantsunamitwoyearsearlier,whichhadgalvanizedtheworld,itseemedthatnoonewasgoingtohelptheseremotecommunitiesrecover.

Inastateofemergencyitisnearlyimpossiblefordesperateindividualsandcommunitiestoimagineabetterfutureortocarryoutthedetailedplanningrequiredtorestoreasenseofnormalitytolife.Architectscanbeinstrumentalinhelpingthemmakethetransitionfromtheemergencyphasetolong-termredevelopment.Theycanpromotecomprehensiveplanning,saferbuildingandhabitationpractices,andbetteraccesstocleanwaterandsanitation,whichinturncanleadtoeconomicandecologicalimprovements.

TheaimofEmergencyArchitectsistobringtechnicalaidtovictimsofnaturalandhumandisasters,initiallybuildingforsafetyandsecuringthepopulationbutalsoassistingitinpost-disasterreconstructionprogramsthatfocusonlong-termrecovery.1Ourcoreprinciplesareafundamentalrespectfor

thevaluesandneedsofthecommunitiesweassist;account-ability;andprofessional,well-researchedadvice.Wealsosupport,train,andguidevolunteerprofessionalarchitects,whoworkwithuson-site.Inourviewitisimperativeforarchitectstoincludepost-constructionconditionsintheirareaofresponsi-bility:topromotegoodhealth,recycling,andlocalskills;andtoensuremanageableandcost-effectivemaintenance,materialsupply,andriskmitigation,whichtogetherensureresiliency.Workinginsituationsbroughtonbycatastrophicevents,archi-tectsmustbemorethantechnicians.Wehavethecapacityandtrainingtoprovideacoordinatedvisionifwearewillingtodevelopprojectscollaborativelywiththoseweintendtohelp.

IntheSolomonIslands,EmergencyArchitectsAustraliadevelopedanincrementalresponse,workingwiththegovern-mentandpartnerNGOs.Stepsincludedmapmakingandsurveys,damageassessment,andworkshopdemonstrations,allofwhichleduptodesigningbuildingandconstructingpro-totypes.Wealsoseizedtheopportunitytoinitiateaschoolinfrastructureprogram.Wewantedtoshowvillagersandgov-ernmentministersalikethatwell-conceivedremedieswouldmakecommunitiesstrongeranapproachthatdeepensandbroadensastheprocessdevelopsovertime.Ourarchitectsandtheirtechnicalassistantsremainedinthebackground,givingtheislanderstheknow-howtorebuildforthemselves.Ourlowprofileallowedthemtothinkbeyondtheworldsneglectandtakepleasureinacquiringself-sufficiency.

preparation

Basedonarapidassessment(completedinthefirstdays),theEAAteamproducedabasicreport,includingsatelliteimagesandnewsfeedsfromvarioussources,outliningthelocationandextentofthedamage.Wethenrecruitedaidprofessionals

whomweknewinthedisasterzoneandAustralianarchitectsandengineerswhohadworkedintheSolomonIslands.SinceatypicalnewhousecostaboutAU$2,000andanislandersaver-ageannualincomeisaroundAU$200,fund-raiserswereheldtogetusunderway.ProjectfundingalsocamefromWorldVision,Caritas,andtheFrenchRedCross.Planninganddesignworkweredonated.2

ForthefirstsixmonthsGizoIsland,theprovincialcapital,wasourbasecampandresearchcenter.Fromhereweevalu-atedthelevelofdestructioninneighboringvillagesandislands,reportedonpopulationsecurity,andidentifiedtheactionstobetakenbythefollow-upteam.Duringtheassessmentperiodwealsotaughtworkshopsonwhyearthquakeshappen,demon-stratedhowtosetoutandsquareupasalvagedbuildingcorrectly,andhowtopullandjackshakenstructuresthatwerehabitablebutleaningseverely.Homeshadfailedbecauseofpoorfoundations;therewasnocross-bracingbetweenthepostsandthebearerswerepoorlytied.Wewroteamanualwithsimplediagramsshowingresidentshowtorestoreabuildingsbracingandfixitsfootingproblemsbypullingitbackontoitspilesaparticularlyeffectivemethodforrestoringbuildingsinearthquakezones.Residentsalsolearnedhowtoremoveandsafelyburydamagedasbestossheeting.

Threelocalcarpentersactedascommunityteachersfortheworkshops.TheyweregivenEAAbackupteachingmateri-alsandassistedbythreeEAAarchitects,whofieldedquestions.Constructiontools,donatedbypartneragencies,weretakentoeachsite.Insomecases,wherefeasible,webroughtlumber(takenfromsustainableforestryprojects)toislandswhosetimbertreeshadbeendecimated.Toreachsmallvillagesscatteredovermanyislandsisalogisticalchal-lenge;nevertheless,inthefirsttwomonthswewereabletoreachsomeseventyvillageclustersontwenty-twoislandswithoneormoreoftheseservices.

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beyond surViVal

ForthenewhousesanEAAarchitect,DavidKaunitz,workedcloselywithcommunitiestodesignatypethatcombinesspe-cificculturalrequirements,suchasroof-ridgedetails,withsustainablematerials.Thesehomeshadtobeaffordablenotonlytobuildbuttomaintain.Hedrewupsimplifiedconstruc-tiondrawingswithattachedcuttinglists.Thelistsallowedhomeownerseithertogointothebush,buytrees,andcutthemtosizewithachainsawortoorderthelotfromthelocallumberyard.Womenwerealsogiventraininginbasicconstruc-tiontechniquesandhowtoreaddrawings.Duringconstructionwomencarriedmostofthetoolsandmaterials,includingtimber.Therefore,timbersizeshadtobeadjustedtotheirstrength.Wealsopaidwomentomakelunchatthesite,whichencouragedtheirhusbandstoassistwiththeconstructionandgavefamiliesalittleextraincome.

Togetherwithlocalcarpenterswebuiltdemonstrationhomesonthetwoislandsthathadsufferedtheworstdamage.Thedesignwasasimpleelevated,extendablehousewithanoutsidebushkitchenthatlocalpeoplecouldbuildunderanysiteconditions. Prototypesareimportant,astheyallowustoconfirmwhetherpeoplehaveadequatecuttingandbuildingskillsandiftheycaneasilyobtainandtransportbasicsuppliessuchasnailsandscrews.Prototypesalsohelpusassessthelevelofthecommunitysdeterminationtorebuild.Forexample,inKeigold,onGizoIsland,thecommunitybuiltafinehousethattheynowuseasacommunityclinic;asimilarstructureonnearbyTapparihadstillnotbeencompletedthreeyearslater.Commitmentandgoodorganizationalstructureinacommu-nityareimportanttoasuccessfulreconstructionprocess.

Therewasanenvironmentaladvantageinreusingallthebuildings,orsalvagedmaterialsfrombuildings,thatwecouldsafelysave,andthiswasapriority.TheSolomonsaretimber

countryandprotectingtheirtreesisessential,soitsbettertosalvagewoodthantousenewstock.Unfortunately,theplanta-tiontimbergrownintheIslandsismainlyforexport;moreover,thesearenonindigenous,fast-growingsoftwoods.Themajorityoffootingandpilingtimbersforhomeshadtobetermite-resis-tanthardwood,buthardwoodshavebecomescarce.Aftertheearthquakethesituationwasworse.Inadditiontolackofwood,severalcommunitiesdidnothaveenoughroofingleaf(sagopalmfrondsareusedforthatching)ornoneatall.Leafthatchismoresustainable,easiertomaintain,andmuchcoolerthantheinferiorimportedcorrugated-ironroofs.IntheSolomonIslandseverytreeisownedbyamemberofthecom-munity,whosellsitforgeneraluse.Itistheninthesellersinteresttoreplacethattree,sowemadeeveryefforttoencour-agethereplantingofindigenoushardwoodandleaftrees.

rebuilding schools

Thisinitialhousingdemonstrationprogramwasasuccess.Oncewehadprovidedtrainingandarchitecturaladvice,otherNGOswithafocusonconstructiondistributedmaterialsforabout6,000homes.AsaresultcommunitiesaskedtheMinistryofEducationandHumanResourcesDevelopment(MEHRD)toallowustoestablishaprocessthatwouldhelpthemreplace165schoolsthathadbeendamagedordestroyed.TheministryestablishedtheReconstructionandRehabilitationProgramtodeterminetheextentofdamageandcostofadditionalsupplies.Theprogrampermittedanycommunitywhoseschoolhadbeendestroyedtoaskfordrawingsforasimilarorappropriatebuildingtype;rebuildingwastobecarriedoutcommunally.Onehundredandtenschoolswereidentifiedforreplacementorrenovation.

WithapprovalfromtheministryweselectedNgari,onGizoIsland,asasiteforprototypeschoolbuildings.Theresidents

sHousedesignsweredevelopedwiththecommunity,combiningspe-cificculturalrequirementswithsustainablematerials.

ssMembersofacommunitycollaborateonrebuilding.

p/aTraditionalhousesintheSolomonsareraisedonpilesandhavesteepthatchedroofsandcurvedeaves.Theyareconstructedoftiedpostsandlocallygrownthatch.Sagopalmorbambooisusedfortheroofandwalls.

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shatteredduringtheearthquake,cuttingthechildrensfeetastheyescaped.Soinsteadofglass,thenewclassroomwindowswerewovenofpalmleafusingtraditionalpatternsandtechniquesnormallyfoundinmats. Theweaveisstrongandflexibleinhighwindsandprovidesamellowlightandgoodcross-ventilation.Forschooldormitoriesweemployedwoodenshuttersinsteadofwovenwindowstomaketheroomssomewhatmoresecure.Roomwallsindormswerewoventoallowbothairflowandpri-vacy.Familiesinthevillageshavenowadoptedshuttersaspartoftheirlocalvernacularstyle.

InTatiana,onGizoIsland,brightlycoloredhouseswerebuiltforteachers,andthese,too,usedwooden-slatshutters,woven-matwindows,andsteepwoven-leaformetalroofs,andwereraisedonstilts.Thevillagehadcompletelydisappearedinthetsunami,soresidentswerereluctanttoreturnuntiltheyunder-stoodthattheirnewhomeswouldbebuiltonhigherground.

Planningfortheschoolprogramwascompletedinearly2010.TheMinistryofEducationisnowpreparedtorollout800newschoolsthroughoutthearchipelago.Thisisaremarkableexampleofhowdisasterresponsecangeneratearesilientpro-gramforanentirecountry.Undernormalcircumstancestherewouldnothavebeentheimpetusortheinternationalfundingtogoforwardwithsuchalargeproject.

latrines

Movingvillagerstohighergroundmeanttheycouldnolongerusethebeachasapubliclavatory.Safeandsanitarytoiletshadtobebuiltandacceptedinthenewvillages.Forinstance,onRanonggaIsland theearthquakehadsentthevillageofMondointotheocean,sothereplacementvillageofKeigoldwassitedinthecenteroftheisland,whereresidentsnolongerhadaccesstotheseaforwashing.InJune2009EAAbegan

therewereplanningtotransformtheirprimaryschoolintoacommunityhighschool,soitwasagoodmomenttobuildanewstructure.Theschoolhadanexcellentheadmistress,awellorga-nizedParentsandCitizensAssociation,anactivelyinvolvedcommunity,andanexcellentsiteforexpansion.

Tobeginwith,ademonstrationschoolwasbuiltbyfourEAAarchitectswiththelocalcommunity.Theyfinisheditintwelveweeks,inDecember2008.In2009twomoreEAAarchitectswereaddedtotheteamanddormitories,adininghall,andteachershouseswerebuiltoverthecourseofsixmonths.Localcarpenters,trainedbytheteam,becameprojectmanag-ersforsubsequentconstruction.

Subsequently,classroomshavebeenbuiltinover100schoolsandmorethanfiftydormitoriesareinprogressorslatedforconstruction;newschoolscontinuetobeerected.

Wewerewellawarethatthesecommunitiesmightagainfaceextremeeventsontheirown,sotheprototypesweredesignedtowithstandearthquakesandothernaturaldisasters.Thedesignsaccommodatedtraditionalbuildingtechniques,localculture,andavailablematerials.Aspartofthedesignprocess,weheldworkshopswithstakeholders,includinglocalengineersinHoniara(thenationalcapital)andintheWesternProvinceregionaloffice.AvolunteerdesignteaminBrisbanesketcheduptherecommendationsmadeinthesemeetingsandaddedmaster-planningbestpractices.Thesketchdesignswerethenreassessedinworkshopswiththedirectorsoftheschools.

TheSolomonscomprise922islands(one-thirduninhab-ited)scatteredover460,000squaremiles(nearly750,000sq.km)ofocean,andwithacombinedlandareaof11,200squaremiles(29,000sq.km).Thearchipelagois1,200miles(nearly2,000km)fromthecoastofAustralia.Inshort60percentofthecostofmaterialsisintransportation.Ourdesignshadtouseasfewimportedmaterialsaspossible.Theimportedlouveredglasswindowsthathadpreviouslybeenutilizedinschoolshad

gAteamofcommunitymemberspullsanewthatchedroofintoplaceonaboysdormitoryinNgari.

i/ffWeavingtheroofforadormitorytakesmanyhands.

f/dDormitoriesfeaturereinforcedbracingforstabilityinanearthquake,andlouveredwindowswithwoodenslats.

sInTatianaroofleafhadbeendestroyed,socorrugatedmetalwasusedforateachershouse.

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done?Arethereimprovementsthatthecommunitynowfeelsshouldbeincorporatedintothedesigns?

Aprogramisnotconsideredreadytohandofftothelocalcommunityuntilthesequestionshavebeenansweredsatis-factorily.Ifsomecomponentscallforimprovement,theprocessforaddressingthemishandledbyEAAstaffwithalocalmanager.Forexample,thecommunitiespreferredthatschoolsnothavelargeverandas,sothatpupilswouldnotloiterthereafterclasses.

EAAworksinmanypost-disastersitesworldwide.Ourproj-ectintheSolomonsoffersaparticularlyclearexampleofhowacollaborationwithlocalpeoplecantakeholdandevolve.Melanesiansstillendureasubsistenceeconomy,withfewamenitiesandnoelectricity.Butdespitethedepredationsofstormsandlogging,treesarestillabundantthere.Thepeople,whohavetheskillsanddesiretobeself-sufficient,werewilling,engagedpartnersineveryaspectofthereconstructionprocess.Theycame,withfirmopinions,fromallsectorsofcommunitylife.InNgari,forinstance,mothersthoughttheirchildrenshouldtakeprideintheirnewschool,sotheydesignedandsewednewuniforms.AsweworkedwesawtheParentsandCitizensAssociationbecomingstrongerandmoreactiveasaresultofthecollaborativeprocess.

grassroots participation

Aidisonlyaseffectiveastheextentofgrassrootsparticipation.Noreconstructionprocessshouldbeundertakenwithoutcon-sultingandworkinglocallywithcommunitiesnotonlyattheoutsetbutthroughoutaproject.Workingthiswaywelearnedatremendousamountaboutlocalbuildingpracticesandtradi-tions,andabouttherichassociationandsenseofownershipSolomonIslandershavewiththeirenvironment.Wealso

avillagelatrine-buildingprogramattherequestofKeigoldsparticularlyproactivecommunity.Theconstruction,whichwefundedwithanAustralianengineeringnonprofitcalledPartnershipHousing,tookthreeweeksandinvolvedfifteenstudentsfromtheUniversityofQueenslandandtwofromLae,PapuaNewGuinea.Thestudentshelpedbuildfourteenback-ventedlatrines.RanonggaIslandcommunitieshavesincetakenovertheprogram;todatefifty-fourlatrineshavebeenbuiltandthedesignshavebeenmadeavailable.Theimpor-tanceofthehygieneprogramshouldnotbeunderestimated:somethingassimpleashandwashingradicallyimproveslocalhealth.Apaidprojectmanager,thelocalalderman,wasgivenane-mailaccounttokeepusupdatedontheprojectssuccessandanyproblems.Wehavefoundthataccesstomodernmeansofcommunication(theInternet,mobilephones)isessentialforindependentlocalaction.

Monitoring and eValuation

ItisEAAfieldpracticetokeepateamworkingcontinuouslyinacommunityduringaprogramtoensurethatbestbuildingprac-ticesarelearnedandmaintained.Wealsowanttobesurethatthecommunityhasareferencepointforquestionsandcanmakechangestotheprototypeswehavedesignedthatarepertinenttotheirlifestyles,whilestillbeingsafe.Thispracticealsomaintainsmomentum.Eachteamevaluatesitscompletedprojectbeforeleaving.Aformalevaluationanswersasetofquestions:arethebuildingssuitablefortheiruse?Havetheysurvivedweather,insectattack,andseismicevents?Aretheywellbuilt?Aretheycost-effective?Isthecommunitymotivatedtocontinuethereconstructionprocess?Areallthematerialsusedsustainable?Canwemakethetimbersizessmallerorreducetheamountoftimberneeded?Ismaintenancebeing

p/ppOneofthelatrinesbuiltforthenewvil-lageofKeigold.Thesearesimplestructures,placedatashortdistancefromhousing.

sStudentscelebratetheirnewschoolwithnewuniforms,hand-sewnbytheirmothers.

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schoolstoteachgoodengineeringandconstructionpracticescompoundedtheproblem.Asmanyas300,000peoplediedandmuchofthebuiltenvironmentinandaroundthecityofPort-au-Princewasdestroyed.Notably,manyofthetimberbuildingssurvived.

constructiVe aid

OurworkintheSolomonIslandshastaughtusthatevolving,collaborativeeffortstorebuildcommunitiesafterdisastercanleadtosustainedchange.Forthistohappenwemustrememberthatcommunitiesarelivingsystemsthatmayshiftdirection.Oneoftheadvantagesofarchitectsworkingasvolunteersandadvocatesinthecontextofemergenciesratherthanasacommercialenterpriseisthatwecanactindependentlyandtransparently,withoutourownorin-countrygovernmentscoercingusintopoliticallyexpedientresults.Ourroleasarchi-tectsistoadvocateforpeople,todevelopalternativesthatpromotesafetyandhealth,andtopushforcollectivepoliticalaction.Aslongasinternationalassistanceremainsepisodic,withexternalteamsrollinginwhenthereisacrisis,therewillbelittlemoneyandevenlesspoliticalwilltoinvestinmitigatingpotentialhazardsbeforetheyhappen.Greateremphasismustbeplacedonself-management,independence,andlocalability.

OurexperienceintheSolomonshasforcedustoleavebehindearliermodelsandprinciplesthatwehadthoughtwouldalwaysguideourwork.AsaresultEAAhasanewrelationshipwithourneighbors.We,too,haveevolvedwiththosecommunitieswithwhomwehavehadtheopportunityandpleasuretowork.

risk.Soweworktowardthesegoals.ButEmergencyArchitectsisitselfdependentonthewillingnessofastateornationalgov-ernmenttoaskforexternalprofessionalassistance.CountriessuchasIndiaandChinaareinternallyself-sufficientandgener-allyabletomanagedisasterswithoutoutsideassistance.Butsmaller,poorernationsrequirehelp,especiallyinzoneswherecatastrophicweatherisfrequentbutinsurancevirtuallyunheardof.Ourexperiencehastaughtusthattheonlywaytohelppro-motesafetyistoreinforcethecapacityofthesecommunitiestorebuildindependently.

Making preVention work

Themostnotablechallengewefaceinourworkis,surpris-ingly,notaquestionofmaterialsortechniques,butthefundamentallackofcollectivememory.Themagnitudeanddevastationofevenalarge-scalenaturaldisasterisforgottenwithinagenerationortwo.Tocounteractthisforgetfulness,buildingskillsandconstructionmethodscanberitualizedtokeepmemoryalive.InhighlyseismicJapan,theShikinenSengu(Reconstruction)Festival,inwhichtheIseShrineisrebuiltcompletely,isheldeverytwentyyears.Theshrineisthusrebuilt,usingthesamemethodsemployedsincethesev-enthcentury,ineverygeneration.Repeatedlyrebuildinganearthquake-resistantstructure,inthiscaseanimportantreli-giousartifact,ensuresthattheseessentialskillsremaininthecommunity.InHaiti,wherefewsevereearthquakeshaveoccurredinthepast200years,mostpeoplehadforgottenthetolltheycantake.Earthquake-resistantbuildingtechniques,particularlyintimber,werereplacedwithreinforcedconcrete.InJanuary2010thepowerfulearthquakethatstrucktheislandwasrenderedfarmorelethalbypoorconstructionandcorruptpracticesthatignoredearthquakeloads;alackof

buildingtoorisky.Obviously,subsistencecommunitiescannotpaypremiums,letaloneconformtobuildingstandards,manyofwhichareincompatiblewiththeirbuildingmethodsanduseofmaterials.Whatsmore,qualitymaterialsareofteneitherunavailableorfartoocostly.Ingeneral,standardsarewrittenforamodernsupplychainandstandardizedenvironments.

ThecommunitiesoftheSolomonIslandsusetried-and-testedhistoricalmethods;sometimesthesearereliableandwelladaptedtotheenvironment,butsometimestheyarecorruptedbyinappropriatecolonialistmaterialsandpracticesorleadtoenvironmentaldegradation,suchasrampantdeforestation.Introducedmaterialssuchasasbestoshavebeenusedwidely,withnorecognitionofthehealthriskstheypose.Thewidespreaduseofconcreteisalsoproblematic.Concreteisadifficultmaterialthatrequiresadequatecuringandcorrectlyplacedreinforcement.Itisveryeasy,tooeasy,touseinwaysthatmakeitweak,unreliable,anddangerous,yetithastheappear-anceofgreatdurability.Inthisregionitispopularbecauseitischeapandassociatedwithwesternstandardsofliving,butmostbuilderslacktheeducationandtrainingtobuildsafelywithit,letalonetoanearthquake-resistantstandard.

ThisproblemisnotconfinedtotheSolomonIslands,ofcourse.Agreatpercentageoftheworldspopulation,particularlyinremotelocations,buildswithoutguidanceoraccesstospecial-izedexpertiseandthenfendsforitselfinanemergency.Inalarge-scalecatastrophenationalandeveninternationalsup-portisoftenshort-livedandthesolutionsofferedshort-term.Inrespondingtodisastersweconstantlyfaceadifficultquestion:whenisitcriticaltoassistaffectedpeoplesandwhencanthecommunityrecoveronitsown?Theissueofdependencyisvexing:outsideaidmayitselfretardthegrowthofself-sufficiencyandbeanunderlyingcauseoffailuretodevelop.Inmyviewriskpreventionandmitigationarethesolemeanstoenablecommunitiestoovercomecyclesoffierceweatheranddisaster

uncoveredwidespreaduseofdangerousbuildingmaterialssuchasasbestos,leftbehindbycolonialpowersandgrosslypromotedbyreligiousorganizations,aidagencies,andcom-mercialcompanies.Beforethecolonialperiodtherehadbeengoodbuildingtraditionsthatinvolvedbracingandtyinghomeswithbushropetoresistearthquakes,butthetraditionhadbeenlost.Tosuccessfullycompleteareconstructionproject,onemustteaseoutallofthisinformation,andtakeitintoaccountinbuildingdesignandexecution.Thehistoryofbuild-ingintheSolomonIslandsexplainswhyrecentstructuresfailsoofteninanareapronetonaturaldisasters.

Astrongcivilsocietyisalsocriticaltoasuccessfulprogram.Moreandmore,empoweredcommunitiesintheAsia-Pacificaredemandingtherighttotakeresponsibilityforandpartici-pateinthereconstructionprocess,withsupportfromtheirgovernment.EmergencyArchitectsAustraliahasanimportantroletoplayinthismovementtoself-sufficiency,beyondsimplyhelpingworkupdesignsorassistinginrebuilding.Wemustalsobeadvocates,expertsassistingthesecommunitiestofindviable,safe,pertinentsolutionsthatimprovetheirqualityoflifejustaswewouldforpayingclients.

rebuilding

Foragencieslikeours,whichworktoreconstructthebuiltenvironmentindisasterzonesaswellastoencouragelong-termrecoveryanddevelopment,theworldissplitintwo:therearecountrieswithdisasterinsuranceandthosewithoutit.Historically,insuranceisonlyavailable,evenpossible,incountrieswithplanninglaws,legalizedland-ownershipsystems,andminimumbuildingstandards,whicharenotonlywell-establishedbutimplementedandenforcedwithinspections.Withouttheseprerequisitesmostinsurancecompaniesconsiderinsuringany

a great percentage of the worlds population, particularly in remote locations, builds without guidance or access to specialized expertise and then fends for itself in an emergency.

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NotesThequotationonp.41isfromJudithRodin,PresidentsLetter,inSmart Globalization: Benefiting More People, More Fully, in More Places(NewYork:TheRockefellerFoundation,2008),andonlineatwww.rockefellerfoundation.org/uploads/files/03a6dd2d-2292-466e-9a21-8e92af518d58.pdf,accessedDecember28,2010.

1 Foundedin2005EmergencyArchitectsAustraliaisanaccreditednonprofitagencyandasignatorytotheAustralianCouncilforInternationalDevelopment(ACFID)CodeofConduct,withtax-deductiblestatusasaninternationalorganiza-tion.WerespondtodisastersintheAsia-PacificregionandarepartofalargernetworkofEmergencyArchitects,togetherwithArchitectesdelUrgence,France,andEmergencyArchitectsCanada.Weprovidehumanitarianassistanceintimesofdisaster,armedconflict,populationdisplacement,andprotractedcrisisaccordingtointernationallyagreed-uponstandardsandprinciplesforethicalpractice.

2 IwouldliketothankmycolleaguesontheEAAarchitecturalteamintheSolomonIslands:forrapidassessment,PatrickCoulombel(ArchitectesdelUrgence)andNielsenWarren;forearlyschooldesign(MEHRDEUStabex),PeterBraunandAntoinetteWickham(programdirectors)andGuyLuscombe(EAA);DavidKaunitz,in-countryprojectdirectorandworkshoparchitect;work-shoparchitectsJonCrothersandTriciaHelyar;workshoppartneragenciesWorldVision,theFrenchRedCross,andCaritas;andfortheschooldrawingteams,JamesDavidson(Brisbane)andDavidRapaport,NicolasEwald,SimpsonAssociates(Sydney).

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getting the affected families involved in creative work had a positive effect on their mental health after the loss and grief they had experienced.

sandra durzoarchitect and post-disaster shelter adVisor, paris

news froM the teardrop island

1.3news froM the teardrop island

organizationsoxfaM great britain and gtz tsunaMi housing support proJect

proJect locale sri lanka

(previousspread)AmanlooksoutofhisdestroyedhouseonthesouthcoastofSriLanka,soonafterthetsunamiofDecember2004.

iAwomanplacesasolarpanelontheroofofhertransitionalshelterontheruraleastcoastofSriLanka,nearTagalle.Allfamiliesreceivedsolar-poweredlanternstoimprovelighting.

AfterthetsunamiofDecember2004Ispentnearlythreeyears,fromFebruary2005throughDecember2007,ontheso-calledTeardropIsland,SriLanka,offthesoutherntipofIndia.Myeyeshaverandomlyrecordedmomentsandchangesthatoccurredduringthisdramaticperiodofdestructionandrebuilding.Now,in2010,themud-coloroceanoftheearlydayshasturnedagainintoaturquoisesea,tonsofbricksandmortarhavebecomenewschoolsandhomes,governmentshavechanged,andmostoftheaidagencieshavelefttown.

MymissionstartedinTangalle,asmallvillagenestledintothesouthcoastoftheisland,wherethetsunamihadstruckhard.AsashelteradvisorforOxfamGreatBritain,alargeNGOwithalong-termpresenceinthecountry,Iwasaskedtodevelopashelterstrategyintheimmediateaftermathofthetsunamisvastdestruction,whichaffectedsome900,000SriLankans.Atthatpointfamilieswerelivingunderplasticsheetsorintents;ourtaskwastoofferthemmorecomfortableandlastingalternativesnotonlyinTangallebutthroughoutthesoutherncoastalregion.Weknewthatwefacedanunprece-dentedcollectiveeffort.Topro