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Global Housing Issues, Challenges and Strategies: Reconstruction After Conflicts & Natural Disasters
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:16:12
Abstract
Can architecture, urban design and planning contribute to housing reconstruction after conflicts and natural disasters? Answers to this question will be provided by researchers and socially engaged architects from Europe, Asia and Latin America through the presentation of concrete case studies and projects.
Objective
The current war in Ukraine and the recent earthquake in Turkey and Syria are dramatic reminders about the plight of the millions of people rendered homeless by manmade and natural disasters. Reconstruction after such tragic events requires the support of a large number of architects, urban planners and other built environment professionals with a thorough understanding of the specific issues and challenges entailed in working for and with affected communities. Based on concrete examples and extensive international field experience, the elective course will introduce students to the advantages and risk of different reconstruction approaches, with a specific focus on the links between housing reconstruction policies and community empowerment. A selected number of guest speakers from different countries will present concrete community-driven reconstruction initiatives from across the globe. The elective course aims at raising awareness among students about the complexity of housing reconstruction after disasters and is oriented in particular to those interested in a professional career in the humanitarian sector. The detailed program and recommend readings will be presented at the beginning of the course.
Content
• General introduction: reconstruction approaches after conflicts and natural disasters • Housing culture and post-tsunami reconstruction in Tamil Nadu, India • Patterns of adaptation to culturally inadequate post-disaster housing • Reconstruction challenges in rural and urban settings • Housing reconstruction in rural and urban Nepal after the 2015 earthquake • Rebuilding communities and schools in Haiti • Learnings from postwar reconstruction in Kosovo • Bottom-up housing initiatives in ongoing conflicts: the case of Ukraine • Humanitarian planning: tackling emergency shelter needs. • Housing initiatives in temporary camps
Resources
Lecture Notes
A course overview including lecture summaries is made available to inscribed students prior the start of the semester.
Literature
A bibliography will be made available to inscribed students prior the start of the semester.
Learning Materials (Links)
- Main link
- Information
General Information
- Language
- English
- Levels
- BSC , MSC
- Frequency
- Yearly recurring
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture |
Global Housing Issues, Challenges and Strategies: Reconstruction After Conflicts & Natural Disasters
No course 23.10 (seminar week) and in the last two weeks of the semester.
|
|
2 h weekly |