Healing Through the Familiar: A Place of Refuge in Disaster Situations

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.