Transitional House: mediating between the temporary and the permanent

The position of architecture in humanitarian relief is limited if it does not adequately meet the needs of people in an appropriate timeframe. Traditionally in the aftermath of a disaster, displaced people are immediately sheltered in community centres or tents, remaining in this state of uncertainty for extended periods of time. Three years after the 2010 Haiti earthquake, over 300,000 people were still living in displacement camps, most of which had no on-site access to water. As the disaster-stricken region sits in a state of disrepair, prefabricated temporary houses emerge months later and continue to be in use for years. Three years on from the 2011 East Japan earthquake and tsunami, over 90,000 people were still living in temporary accommodation. This state of hiatus is typically detrimental to the length of the recovery process – when temporary housing exists for too long, the longevity of the reformation of the city increases. Taking this system failure as a provocation, this research discusses the role of architecture in the immediate reformation of a city. It proposes a transitional house, constructed on site within 24 hours, which can be adapted into a permanent condition within 12 months, as an answer to reforming housing in post-disaster situations. It questions how a change from the traditional response to transitional disaster relief housing can become a feasible option in the aftermath of a disaster, and how such housing can become adaptable for the individual. These ideas are explored through design as research: the problem analysed and revealed through design. The first section reveals the design problem through a literature review, identifying the previous attempts and failures of disaster relief housing. The second section speculates responses for post disaster housing, exploring solutions to the ideas identified in section one. The third section tests the design outcome, refining the design ideas and positioning them within architectural discourse. This thesis explores a departure from conventional New Zealand housing, and the facilitation of a new typology in disaster relief housing