in the fantasy world of reconstruction let’s try calling a spade a spade

8/9/2019 In the Fantasy World of Reconstruction Lets Try Calling a Spade a Spade

1/5

8.4.10

In the fantasy world of reconstruction lets try calling a spade a spade

Beatriz C. Maturana

The notion of reconstruction is complex and involves careful planning of the stages that willcomprise at least immediate emergency solutions and then permanent reconstruction.Planning involves a thorough knowledge of the areas in questions. The staging needs to beconceived in a manner that facilitates a smooth transition from one stage of the process tothe next. Unfortunately this is not easy to achieve and as I saw in Managua, Nicaraguaalmost three decades after the earthquake, inappropriate planning can later prevent theimplementation of permanent solutions. For instance, I am referring to one of the manycases in which a temporary market solution became a permanent ill conceived feature,which determined most of what later developed around. Reconstruction in some of thepoorest regions of the world carries the danger that emergency solutions will becomepermanent features and we need to be aware of this.

Planning entails the big picture which is tied to cultural, social, economic, political, heritage,geographic and climate aspects. Furthermore, as we have seen in Chile (27 Feb. 2010, oneof the strongest earthquakes ever recorded, 8.8 magnitude)where large numbers ofpsychologists, social workers and university students mobilised to the affected areas tosupport those people traumatised by the disasterreconstruction also involves careful andlong term consideration of the needs of those who were directly affected by the disaster.

The point of this quick outline on reconstruction is to provide the context where architecturemight play a positive role as part of a much large strategy.

Container solution for Haiti. Image source:Inhabitat [1]

Collapsed infrastructure in Santiago, Chile. Image source: APPhoto/David Lillo

When looking at some of the architectural solutions proposed, I wonder whether thesearchitects have ever experienced or visited and engaged with people in need anywhere,including their own countries. If not, have they studied what reconstruction is really about?In view of their own sense of their architectural contributions, the following questions cometo mind: Who should decide what is to be done? Are there other reasons behind theapparentaltruisticarchitectural works? Do the people designing for others know the place,the social and economic conditions for which they are designing? Are local citizens andamong them their own professionals, better positioned to design and decide on the terms oftheir own reconstruction?
http://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-fantasy-world-of-reconstruction-lets.htmlhttp://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-fantasy-world-of-reconstruction-lets.htmlhttp://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/earthquake_in_chile.htmlhttp://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://www.inhabitat.com/2010/01/19/shipping-containers-could-provide-disaster-relief-for-haiti/http://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/04/in-fantasy-world-of-reconstruction-lets.html


2/5

Designers have the power to make things worse as much as better, and are mosteffective for good when operating within a context prescribed by their abilities andinfluence. If there was a genuine programme to help Haiti, it would have been initiatedyears ago, in concert with an organisation with the resources to carry out a focused,effective (and therefore probably small-scale) intervention. It might have saved a fewdozen lives. But architects were too busy drawing houses on stilts in the Lower NinthWard of New Orleans.[2]

These questions emerge once more after having seen too many stylistically focused and at

many levels inadequate (design, cultural and cost terms) proposals for theVictorian

bushfires reconstruction(Australia) and a similar abysmal number of inapt architectural

solutions proposed for earthquake affected areas inHaiti and Chile. Note that in this case,

the same container solution was suggested for Chile and Haiti (countries diametrically

opposed in almost every aspect)a solution tested earlier with Bosnian refugees.[3]

In the fantasy world of some architects and the architectural media that promotes them, their

misplaced dreams dont distinguish between different climatic, economic and cultural

conditions. People from all different parts of the world, under the spell of these architectural

creations, can now look as ifstrolling along the beach. According to their global ignorance,the world is all the same, particularly if referring to countries poorer than their own. Within

that conception of a homogeneous world, their creativity (under the banner of

sustainability, by way of getting rid-of some of their own trash) is contributing to the

reconstruction processbut is it?

Image used here to illustrate the point of "fantasy" when dealing withreconstruction. Source: Green Container International Aid

Many of these solutions areinsensitiveto the populations needs and of cultural differences,as they depart from the belief that one architectural idea fits all (the not very creative

container idea for instance). Many of these solutions are insensitive and globally ignorant

of the diverse climatic conditions, seismic cultural and economic conditions. For instance,

the recycled container would need expensive and robust structural system to lock the

containers in place in a seismic region of the world. As claimed by one of the many

container emergency solutionsdesigners, these containers may have worked well in Bosnia,
http://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competitionhttp://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competitionhttp://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competitionhttp://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competitionhttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Gsu6HEGTBRg/Ta7HkuRry3I/AAAAAAAAH9A/k6T_hU2Utts/s1600/MAIN_SHOOT.12974855_std.jpghttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competitionhttp://www.indesignlive.com/articles/re-growth-house-competition


3/5

but wars and earthquakes are not the same thing.[4]

"Children walk past shipping containers washed up by a wave caused by an earthquake in Talcahuano Port, a cityjust outside Concepcion," Chile on February 27, 2010. (REUTERS/Jose Luis Saavedra)

Have any of these designers ever investigated local building codes and solutions? Forinstance, here is an article on la Villa Portales, a large social housing development builtbetween 1955 y 1967 in Santiago Chile, which suffered no damage after the 2010, 8.8magnitude earthquake. Local solutions such as the "mediaguas", have for many decadesserved as emergency housing in Chilethese are also sustainable and provide insulationfrom the very cold winters of Santiago. These 'mediaguas' are minimal and do not displaysexy rococo or postmodern frills. They do the job while responding to local conditions,using local materials and labourthey are simply temporary emergency housing.

Social housing in Villa Portales,Santiago Chile. PlataformaArquitectura

Social housing in Villa Portales,Santiago Chile. PlataformaArquitectura

"Mediaguas", Local emergencyhousing by Elemental Chile

Much care is given to the positioning of these houses in alayoutthat resembles a
http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/chile_02_27/c34_22420995.jpghttp://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/chile_02_27/c34_22420995.jpghttp://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.elementalchile.cl/publicos/recomendaciones-para-instalacion-de-viviendas-de-emergencia-en-campamentos-provisorios/http://www.elementalchile.cl/publicos/recomendaciones-para-instalacion-de-viviendas-de-emergencia-en-campamentos-provisorios/http://www.elementalchile.cl/publicos/recomendaciones-para-instalacion-de-viviendas-de-emergencia-en-campamentos-provisorios/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/chile_02_27/c34_22420995.jpghttp://www.elementalchile.cl/publicos/recomendaciones-para-instalacion-de-viviendas-de-emergencia-en-campamentos-provisorios/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/03/28/casa-de-emergencia-vivienda-elemental-tecnopanel-mediagua-terremoto/http://www.plataformaarquitectura.cl/2010/04/07/ni-el-terremoto-se-la-pudo-con-la-villa-portales/http://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/chile_02_27/c34_22420995.jpghttp://inapcache.boston.com/universal/site_graphics/blogs/bigpicture/chile_02_27/c34_22420995.jpg


4/5

neighbourhood and that can foster conviviality while maintaining the privacy of theiroccupants. This important work was not prompted by the earthquake. This work issupported by years of experimentation and testing and it represents one of the manyexamples from which architects willing to engage in reconstruction could learn from.

Image source: RedArquitectura

The combination of disaster and creative designers arrogance makes for a dangerous mix.Dangerous because the efforts are misplaced, so are the economic resources destined toreconstruction and worst of all, the perpetuation of unawareness and disregard for the

accumulated local professional knowledge and the knowledge of those affectedcharacteristics that continue to pervade much of these reconstruction efforts.

Lets call a spade a spade. While it is not my intention to upset any of these designers, itis on the other hand important to mature as a profession, to step out of this egocentricinfantile state and then perhaps we will have a chance to contribute to and with the rest ofthe world. For now I propose that we interrogate these proposals to understand what is tobe done if we are to engage with the real world at all.

Below I have pasted some links that can give the reader a glimpse of the issues herediscussed.

Links to articles dealing w ith proposed solutions and discussions:Green Container International AIDPuerto Rico 'Hahabitat'Architectural responses to the Haitian earthquake reveal misplaced motives.Is Haiti a Laboratory for New Urbanists? What the Country Really Needs Is Old Urbanism|Aerotropoli

Articles on the earthquake in Chile:Why did fewer die in Chile's earthquake than in Haiti's?. BBC News, 1 March 2010.Un Techo para Chile construir 30 mil viviendas para damnificados por terremoto. El Mercurio. 3March 2010. Frank Bajak.Chile was ready for quake, Haiti wasnt. Associated Press (AP), 27 February 2010. Sebastian Gray.Santiago Stands Firm. New York Times, 2 March 2010.Ministra de Vivienda llama a propietarios a acogerse a Ley de Calidad por daos(Minister call

home owner to find protection for damages to their properties in the Law of Quality). El Mercurio, 3March 2010. Beatriz Maturana.Notes on the Earthquake in Chile. Architects for Peace, 8 March 2010

Author:Beatriz C. MaturanaThe author would like to thank and acknowledge colleagues fromReCUA(Caribbean Network ofUrbanism and Architecture) for the rigorous and stimulating conversations on many of these topics.

Notes[1] Two days after this article was published, the post published in Inhabitat which this link refers to
http://www.redarquitectura.cl/2010/04/06/hay-que-asumir-la-perdida-de-una-arquitectura-precaria/http://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://blog.estudiointerlinea.com/archives/5115http://blog.estudiointerlinea.com/archives/5115http://blog.estudiointerlinea.com/archives/5115http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.fastcompany.com/1607235/haiti-needs-old-urbanism-not-newhttp://www.fastcompany.com/1607235/haiti-needs-old-urbanism-not-newhttp://www.fastcompany.com/1607235/haiti-needs-old-urbanism-not-newhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8543324.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8543324.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8543324.stmhttp://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401357http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401357http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401357http://www.smh.com.au/world/chile-was-ready-for-quake-haiti-wasnt-20100228-pasn.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/world/chile-was-ready-for-quake-haiti-wasnt-20100228-pasn.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/world/chile-was-ready-for-quake-haiti-wasnt-20100228-pasn.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02sgray.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02sgray.htmlhttp://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02sgray.htmlhttp://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401423http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401423http://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401423http://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/03/notes-on-earthquake-in-chile.htmlhttp://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/03/notes-on-earthquake-in-chile.htmlhttp://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/03/notes-on-earthquake-in-chile.htmlhttp://www.archimage.net/about.phphttp://www.archimage.net/about.phphttp://www.archimage.net/about.phphttp://www.recua.net/http://www.recua.net/http://www.recua.net/http://www.redarquitectura.cl/2010/04/06/hay-que-asumir-la-perdida-de-una-arquitectura-precaria/http://www.recua.net/http://www.archimage.net/about.phphttp://archpeace.blogspot.com/2010/03/notes-on-earthquake-in-chile.htmlhttp://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401423http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/02/opinion/02sgray.htmlhttp://www.smh.com.au/world/chile-was-ready-for-quake-haiti-wasnt-20100228-pasn.htmlhttp://www.emol.com/noticias/nacional/detalle/detallenoticias.asp?idnoticia=401357http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8543324.stmhttp://www.fastcompany.com/1607235/haiti-needs-old-urbanism-not-newhttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://blog.estudiointerlinea.com/archives/5115http://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://www.redarquitectura.cl/2010/04/06/hay-que-asumir-la-perdida-de-una-arquitectura-precaria/http://www.redarquitectura.cl/2010/04/06/hay-que-asumir-la-perdida-de-una-arquitectura-precaria/


5/5

has been removed. A reference to this post, which includes some images, can still be found here(10.04.10):http://sigalonenvironment.soup.io/tag/Disaster-proof%20design

[2] Baldwin, Ian. "Architectural responses to the Haitian earthquake reveal misplaced motives."Custom Home Online (1 March 2010, originally published in Architectural Review),http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348 .

[3]+ [4] Since publishing this article, the webpage displaying one of the container solutions which Ihave referred to, has changed its content (http://green-container-intl-aid.com/home ). It now(10.04.10) includes detailed information about the structural system that supports the containers.

* This article was updated on 10.04.2010
http://sigalonenvironment.soup.io/tag/Disaster-proof%20designhttp://sigalonenvironment.soup.io/tag/Disaster-proof%20designhttp://sigalonenvironment.soup.io/tag/Disaster-proof%20designhttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://green-container-intl-aid.com/homehttp://www.customhomeonline.com/industry-news.asp?sectionID=275&articleID=1225348http://sigalonenvironment.soup.io/tag/Disaster-proof%20design

in the fantasy world of reconstruction let’s try calling a spade a spade

Documents