Abstract
The need for adequate shelter and resettlement solutions for the growing number of displaced people worldwide is a problem of such magnitude that adequate solutions currently elude us. Humanitarian organisations are calling for greater engagement from experts who are able to assist with this crisis, including built environment professionals such as architects. With vague career pathways and a lack of exposure to this crucial area of practice in architects’ formative years, further education and postgraduate studies targeting humanitarian practice have only recently begun to emerge. This research reviews current literature in the areas of shelter and settlements, illustrating that the architectural profession has a responsibility to contribute towards positive resettlement outcomes for displaced populations. This paper also discusses a particular area of theory known as ‘Design Futuring’ by Tony Fry, exploring how it can provide a theoretical framework to support engagement from architects in both research and education targeting this area of practice. The paper identifies key areas of conceptual overlap including the emphasis on sustainability, shelter and design processes in favour of product thinking, and the reframing of a more collaborative and transdisciplinary approach to architectural practice. It is anticipated that this research can inform approaches to architectural education and research focusing on shelter and settlements design, representing a new area of theory-based inquiry.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
ALNAP (2015). The state of the humanitarian system, ALNAP study. Retrieved from London: http://www.alnap.org/resource/21036.aspx
Aquilino, M. J. (Ed.). (2011). Beyond shelter: Architecture for crisis. London: Thames & Hudson.
Banham, R. (1990). A black box: The secret profession of architecture. New Statesman & Society, 22(12 Oct), 22–25.
Batchelor, V. (2011). Tarpaulins, transitional shelters or permanent houses: How does the shelter assistance provided affect the recovery of communties after disaster? (Master of Arts in Development and Emergency Practice). Oxford: Oxford Brookes University.
Bennett, C., Foley, M., & Pantuliano, S. (2016). Time to let go: Remaking humanitarian action for the modern era. Retrieved from
Boano, C., & Garcia, M. (2011). Lost in translation? The challenges of an equitable post-disaster reconstruction process: Lessons from Chile. Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions, 10(3–4), 293–309.
Burnell, J., & Sanderson, D. (2011). Whose reality counts?: Shelter after disaster. Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions, 10(3–4), 189–192.
Charlesworth, E. (2014a). Humanitarian architecture : 15 stories of architects working after disaster. New York: Routledge.
Charlesworth, E. (2014b). The rise of humanitarian architecture. Architectural Research Quarterly, 18(03), 267–271.
Clermont, C., Sanderson, D., Sharma, A., & Spraos, H. (2011). Urban disasters – Lessons from Haiti: Study of member agencies’ responses to the earthquake in Port au Prince, Haiti, January 2010. Retrieved from
Davis, I. (1978). Shelter after disaster. Oxford, England: Oxford Polytechnic Press.
Davis, I. (2011). What have we learned from 40 years’ experience of disaster shelter? Environmental Hazards: Human and Policy Dimensions, 10(3–4), 193–212.
Davis, I., & Alexander, D. (2016). Recovery from disaster. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge.
DFID (2011). Humanitarian emergency response review. Retrieved from UK: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/67579/HERR.pdf
Fry, T. (2009). Design futuring: Sustainability, ethics and new practice. London: Bloomsbury Publishing.
Fry, T. (2013). Becoming human by design. London: Bloomsbury.
Griggs, D., Stafford-Smith, M., Owen, G., Rockström, J., Öhman, M. C., Shyamsundar, P., . . . Noble, I. (2013). Sustainable development goals for people and planet – Comment. Nature’s International Weekly Journal of Science, 495(21 March 2013), 305–307.
Harris, V. L. (2011). The architecture of risk. In M. J. Aquilino (Ed.), Beyond shelter: Architecture for crisis (pp. 12–23). London: Thames & Hudson.
Heidegger, M. (1971). Building dwelling thinking poetry, language, thought. New York: Harper Colophon Books.
Henrotay, C. (2008). A contribution to an integrated and more sustainable design approach for the material support of shelter after disaster. Belgium: Vrije Universiteit Brussel.
IFRC (2013). Post-disaster shelter: Ten designs. Retrieved from Geneva, Switzerland: http://www.sheltercasestudies.org/files/tshelter-8designs/10designs2013/2013-10-28-Post-disaster-shelter-ten-designs-IFRC-lores.pdf
Johnson, C., Lizarralde, G., & Davidson, C. H. (2006). A systems view of temporary housing projects in post-disaster reconstruction. Construction Management and Economics, 24(4), 367–378.
Kennedy, J., Ashmore, J., Babister, E., & Kelman, I. (2008). The meaning of ‘Build Back Better’: Evidence from Post-Tsunami Aceh and Sri Lanka. Journal of Contingencies & Crisis Management, 16(1), 24–36.
Lizarralde, G. (2015). The invisible houses. New York: Routledge.
McGraw, J. W. (1978). Shelter after disaster – Book review. Mass Emergencies, 3(4), 270.
Medecins Sans Frontieres (2016). Humanitarian medicine and ethics. Retrieved from http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/humanitarian-medicine-and-ethics
Olshansky, R. B., Hopkins, L. D., & Johnson, L. A. (2012). Disaster and recovery: Processes compressed in time. Natural Hazards Review, 13(3), 173–178.
Pelling, M. (2012). The vulnerability of cities: Natural disasters and social resilience. London: Earthscan Publications Ltd..
Sanderson, D. (2010). Architects are often the last people needed in disaster reconstruction. The Guardian. 3 Mar 2010. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2010/mar/03/architects-disaster-reconstruction-haiti-chile
Saunders, G. (2004). Dilemmas and challenges for the shelter sector: Lessons learned from the sphere revision process. Disasters, 28(2), 160–175.
Saunders, G., Davis, I., Thomson, P., & Krimgold, F. (2015). Shelter after disaster (2nd ed.). Geneva, Switzerland: UN-OCHA, IFRC.
Shelter Centre (2012). Transitional shelter guidelines. Retrieved from
Tauber, G. (2014). Architects and post-disaster housing: A comparative study in South India. Verlag, Bielefeld: transcript.
The Sphere Project (2015). The sphere project: Humanitarian charter and minimum standards in humanitarian response. Retrieved from http://www.sphereproject.org/about
Till, J. (2009). Architecture depends. Cambridge, Massachusetts: The MIT Press.
Turner, J., & Fichter, R. (1972). Freedom to build: Dweller control of the housing process. New York: Macmillan.
UN (2015). Sendai framework for disaster risk reduction 2015–2030. Retrieved from
UN General Assembly (1948). Universal declaration of human rights, 217 A (III). Retrieved from http://www.un.org/en/documents/udhr/index.shtml
UNHCR (2015a). Global trends: Forced displacement in 2015. Retrieved from http://www.unhcr.org/576408cd7.pdf
UNHCR (2015b). World at war: Global trends, forced displacement in 2014. Retrieved from https://www.uno-fluechtlingshilfe.de/fileadmin/redaktion/PDF/UNHCR/Global_Trends_2014.pdf
UNISDR (2015). 2015 disasters in numbers. Retrieved from http://www.unisdr.org/files/47804_2015disastertrendsinfographic.pdf
United Nations (2015). Sustainable development goals: 17 goals to transform our world. Retrieved from http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/summit
Vitiello, R. (2017). Local legends: Post-crisis reconstruction expert Marie Aquilino talks conflict and common ground in the backstreets of Paris. Retrieved from http://www.local-legends.org/people/2017/4/4/8vjeda05hg6zva1kotgc7krtph62v2
Wagemann, E., & Ramage, M. (2013). Relief for the Curriculum. Architecture Education and Disaster Recovery. Scroope: The Cambridge Architecture Journal, (22), 129–133. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.6437
World Commission on Environment and Development (1987). Report of the world commission on environment and development: Our common future, The Brundtland Report. Retrieved from http://www.un-documents.net/our-common-future.pdf
Youssef, H. (2015). Ambassador Hesham Youssef: 6 propositions for a paradigm shift to change the system. Retrieved from http://blog.worldhumanitariansummit.org/entries/ambassador-hesham-youssef-6-propositions-for-a-paradigm-shift-to-change-the-system
Zyck, S. A., & Kent, R. (2014). Humanitarian crises, emergency preparedness and response: The role of business and the private sector. Retrieved from London, UK.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Brogden, L. (2019). Sustainability, Design Futuring, and the Process of Shelter and Settlements. In: Asgary, A. (eds) Resettlement Challenges for Displaced Populations and Refugees. Sustainable Development Goals Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92498-4_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-92498-4_1
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-92497-7
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-92498-4
eBook Packages: Earth and Environmental ScienceEarth and Environmental Science (R0)