Rethinking Post-Disaster Housing: Transformative Strategies for Mid-Run Adaptation

Date

2025-07-30

Author

Bican, Nezih Burak
Güneri Söğüt, Gizem Deniz
Akdede Batur, Nil

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

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Post-disaster housing is often conceived as a binary process—temporary shelters followed by permanent reconstruction—yet this rigid approach overlooks the potential of mid-run strategies. In disaster-prone regions like Turkey, where urgency and practicality shape housing responses, the transformation of existing buildings (e.g., schools, hotels, dormitories, and sports facilities) presents a critical yet underexplored opportunity. This study argues that extending the capacity of such structures for high-quality temporary accommodation can buy valuable time, preventing the rush into suboptimal permanent housing solutions that may entrench long-term vulnerabilities. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research integrates legislative reviews, stakeholder interviews, and case studies to assess how adaptive reuse can bridge the gap between emergency response and sustainable recovery. The findings highlight that prioritizing well-designed interim housing not only enhances immediate living conditions but also enables a more thoughtful approach to permanent settlement planning. If long-term housing is hastily built, structural and social flaws become permanent. However, investing in durable, adaptable solutions fosters more liveable and resilient communities. This study underscores the need for a paradigm shift in post-disaster housing policies—one that moves beyond short-term fixes toward an integrated, multi-phase strategy. By leveraging existing building stock and refining temporary housing quality, post-disaster settlements can evolve more sustainably, ultimately serving affected populations with greater dignity and long-term security.

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11511/116839

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Department of Architecture, Conference / Seminar