Abstract:
Considerable literature from within the fields of sociology and psychology
suggest that a sensibility to tradition and culture is fundamental to the
development of people and their sense of belonging. Ideas that have been
developed in the past attach the individual to a greater community via a
common symbolic and historic possession (Shils, 1981, pp. 170-171).
However, for generations the notions of tradition and culture have been
synonymous with the obsolete and archaic, leaving traditional values to be
viewed as undesirable to designers, planners and governments of the
developing world that are anxious to progress according to western ideals
(Ibid, p.20). However, ignoring established traditions and cultural values in
reconstruction can lead to cultural assimilation and psychological dislocation
of individuals from their community in post-disaster situations.
In post-disaster reconstruction lost homes are often replaced with generic
dwellings informed by post-war western housing models. These solutions can
be unsympathetic to the lifestyles and needs of traditional communities that
are culturally and contextually unique. This is a result of socio-cultural and
psychological needs not receiving appropriate consideration at the planning
and design stages of reconstruction. The impact that this approach has on
disaster affected communities can be significant and hinder recovery. What
this thesis proposes, is that in order to meet the psychological needs of an
individual, their cultural expectations need to be met in reconstruction.
In conjunction with this, in disaster literature mental health care
professionals are often held responsible for the increase in psychological
issues at this sensitive time. However, traditional communities typically gain
support through close family networks. This thesis argues that with
sympathetic implementation of culturally and contextually suitable
architectural solutions, disaster victims can regain a sense of safety and
security faster than they would if implemented into an alien construction.
Through a study of reconstruction projects in Indonesia this thesis explores
the relevance of socio-cultural values and their psychological impact in
reconstruction at both a public and private scale. This is achieved by
identifying community specific architectural aspects that promote
psychological healing and incorporating them into a design proposal. The
design of a community centre for Wuring Village, Flores Island attempts to
identify a localised solution that addresses the individual needs of a
traditional community in Indonesia. The aim of this thesis is to study Wuring
Village, the architecture and way of life of the people in order to gain a better
understanding of the community and thereby use the information to support
the proposed design solution.
