the architect’s role in addressing urban vulnerability and disaster response - prof david...
TRANSCRIPT
The architect's role in urban vulnerability and disaster response
Is the profession trained to play a role?p p y
David SandersonOslo May 2013Oslo, May 2013
Two parts ….
1. What’s urban vulnerability and what1. What s urban vulnerability and what are the most pressing urban challenges?challenges?
2. Is the architect trained to play a role ‐ ?
More city growth = more risk More city growth more risk of disaster …
Disaster = hazard xDisaster hazard x vulnerability
We can do a lot to reduce vulnerabilityvulnerability …
1. Abilit y to recoverTropical storm Thane, Pondicherry, Dec 30 2011Biggest storm of 2011 46 dead
y
Biggest storm of 2011, 46 dead
Why so bad?‘It's poverty that is at the core of these disasters’p y
• Poorest country in the western world• Poorest country in the western world
• More than 78% of Haitians live on l th US$2 dless than US$2 per day
• Years of conflicts, political instability , p yand recurrent disasters
• ‘With poverty comes vulnerabilityWith poverty comes vulnerability. And nothing exposes the vulnerabilities of people living in poverty more than naturalpoverty more than natural disasters’.
Architect’s role ?Architect s role ‐ ?
d ?• Product or process?• Deliverer or facilitator?• Listener or defender?• Provider or enabler?Provider or enabler?• Lone genius or team player?
…. do you focus on people or the d ?product ‐ ?
Shelter after disaster – can be dominated by the seductive product
• We can get fixated on designing ‘the (short term) solution’solution
• Better still … ‘to help the helpless victims’helpless victims’
• We get to be saviours ….
Designing for theDesigning for the earthquake or for living?Gujarat ten years onGujarat, ten years on
Good humanitarian response isGood humanitarian response is ….
• Bottom up, not top down• Process, not productp• Supporting, not providing
• … It’s the language of human rights, assets, governance, politics, social protection …governance, politics, social protection …
• Architects need to adapt to meet theArchitects need to adapt to meet the challenge …
The need to engage in messy realityThe need to engage in messy reality …
Physical – what you see
But, what’s under the surface?
• Social • Economic• Political• Political ….
Thanks [email protected]