Emergency housing planning during natural disasters. Earthquakes in Haiti and Spain

Authors

  • Pablo Bris Marino Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
  • Félix Bendito Muñoz de Cuerva Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
  • Muriel Saint-Supéry Ceano-Vivas Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Abstract

The goal of this research is to critically review the role played by the Spanish Red Cross in the provision of temporary housing in the aftermath of the Haiti and Lorca earthquakes and develop recommendations about pre-disaster planning which Spain and other developed countries must have. Despite the economic and development gap between Haiti and Spain and the enormous disproportion between both earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, respectively, the Spanish Red Cross provided the same temporary housing according to the minimum housing standards set out by the 2004 Sphere Project. This paper shows that the indiscriminate application of the minimum standards set out be the Esfera project may lead to the rejection of this kind of dwellings in industrialized countries and as a result lead to delay, improvisation and increase in the price of solutions eventually adopted. Therefore, the recommendation for these countries is to develop a set of regulations and a proper planning for the provision of temporary housing with requirements proportionate to their standards of living.

Author Biographies

Pablo Bris Marino, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

PhD in Architecture, Technical University of Madrid (UPM). Professor, Higher Technical School of Engineering and Industrial Design at the Technical University of Madrid. Supervisor, line of research on “Modular Architecture” at the “Industrial Design and Manufacturing” research group, Technical University of Madrid (UPM).

Félix Bendito Muñoz de Cuerva, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

Architect, Technical University of Madrid. Professor, Higher Technical School of Engineering and Industrial Design at the Technical University of Madrid. Member of the line of research on “Modular Architecture” at the “Industrial Design and Manufacturing” research group, Technical University of Madrid.

Muriel Saint-Supéry Ceano-Vivas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid

PhD, Jaume I University. External researcher, “Industrial Design and Manufacturing” research group at the Technical University of Madrid.