5th i-Rec Conference & Workshop
5th i-Rec Conference & Workshop
Participatory Design and Appropriate Technology for Post-Disaster Reconstruction
July 15-20, 2010, Ahmedabad INDIA
Login for Authors & Reviewers
Post disaster reconstruction allows us to reconsider safer planning, building design and technology to improve the resilience of communities from the next natural disaster that will inevitably strike in the future, even if we don’t know exactly when. However the choice of what are appropriate design and technology for reconstruction is dependent on various factors that are embedded in the very fabric of the communities where the reconstruction is to be carried out. Past experiences from disasters have shown that attempts at introducing different types of disaster resistant design and technology have met with different levels of successes and failures for a number of reasons. While some of these interventions may be state-of-the-art, others are based on traditional design and construction practices. Moreover the very process of developing and implementing these options; have also influenced the effectiveness of interventions. While some of the interventions are only designed by professionals and implemented by contractors, others evolve through collaborative processes by engagement of various stakeholders including home owners and local craftsmen.
Therefore, no single approaches for shelter reconstruction can be considered merely as rigid packages to be transported to the victims. Rather these should be seen as processes where appropriateness of design and technology is dependent on a range of social, cultural, geographical, climatic and economic factors that need to be assessed for their effectiveness over time. Evaluation of the success or failure of these interventions requires considering the following questions:
• What kind of design and technology is more appropriate and why?
• How should this design and technology be introduced to maximize its effectiveness?
• Who are the key actors that need to be engaged in this process?
• How do we assess the performance of design and technology vis-à-vis the on-the-ground realities
rooted in local contexts?
The 2001 Gujarat earthquake caused devastating impacts on lives and property. According to the official figures (on 1st April, 2001), the total population affected by it was a staggering 16.04 million. The numbers of dead and injured were placed at 20,083 and 166,836 respectively. 7633 out of 18,356 villages were affected, of these some 450 were completely destroyed. Official figures put the total number of houses
damaged to be around 1.2 million, out of which 370,000 were totally destroyed and 650,000 partially destroyed
The reconstruction process was initiated on a massive scale following the earthquake. In fact, for the first time, the government encouraged “owner-driven” reconstruction on a large scale through public private partnerships. Various governmental and non-governmental organizations initiated different approaches / solutions for the design and technology of the shelters.
More than nine years after the devastating earthquake, it is useful to revisit these initiatives and assess their performance taking advantage of a long-term perspective.
In this context, the 5th i-Rec Conference aims to provide a platform to share experience among academics, practitioners, government and civil society organizations and lessons learnt about various approaches of design and technology for long term disaster risk reduction
The conference is intended for both academics and practitioners in the fields of:
• Reconstruction
• Architecture
• Project Management and construction management
•Urban planning
• Municipal management
• Non-governmental organisations
• Community-based or grassroots organisations
• Humanitarian aid and international development,
• Development studies
• Engineering
• Construction
• Law (procurement and contractual arrangements for international construction)
About i-REC Conference-Workshop
About i-REC
i-Rec is a web-based international network focused on the study of reconstruction after disasters. i-Rec deals with information exchange between its members in order to contribute with knowledge related to building activities in situations of crisis, particularly disasters in developing countries. Every two years, i-Rec organizes an international conference and an international students competition of architectural solutions for post-disaster situations
i-Rec creates links between more than 200 specialists in the field of post-disaster reconstruction, particularly in the areas of: architecture, engineering and construction, humanitarian aid, international development and social sciences.
Important Links
5th i-Rec Students Competition
Architecture for disaster reduction and reconstruction
Important Dates
Workshop Dates: 15th, 16th, 17th and 20th July 2010
Site visits: 18, 19 July 2010
Exhibition of students’ works: 14th July 2010 evening till 21st July 2010 evening
Schedule for Papers:
THE PAPER REVIEW PROCESS IS PRESENTLY GOING ON.
An abstract of no more than 300 words should be submitted by:
15 December 2009
Papers will be selected for presentation and authors notified by:
1st February 2010
Full manuscripts will be required by:
25th March 2010
Papers will be peer reviewed and authors notified by:
30th April 2010
Full manuscripts after corrections will be required by:
1st June 2010
Papers published on-line
1 July 2010
Organized by:
i-Rec -Information and research for reconstruction
CEPT Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology
The IF Research Group – grif, Université de Montréal
With the support of CIB TG63
Venue:
CEPT - Centre for Environmental Planning and Technology University
CEPT, Navrangpura, University Road
Ahmedabad, INDIA.
Ph- 91-79-26302470/ 2740
Fax- 91-79-26302075