5 - Livelihood Framework and Shelter
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Interactive Audio Lesson
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Shelter Upgrades Post-Intervention
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Today, we'll explore how households are upgrading their shelters quickly, achieving a remarkable 53% improvement rate within just a month. Why do you think such upgrades are important after an event?
I think it's crucial for safety and stability, especially after a crisis.
Yeah, upgrading doors, walls, and windows helps a lot with security and comfort!
Exactly! Upgrading those components is vital. As we see, many are buying timber or using materials provided. What do you think influences their choice of materials?
Maybe their financial situation plays a big role?
Precisely! Economic feasibility directly affects how resources are allocated. Remember the acronym 'PEM' - Prioritize, Economize, and Modify, which summarizes their approach!
Theoretical Foundations of Housing
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Let's delve into the theoretical aspects of shelter. Christopher Alexander describes housing as an 'activity' rather than simply a 'nomenclature.' How does this shift your view?
It makes me think of homes as something we build and adapt to fit our needs.
Absolutely! John F.C. Turner emphasizes use value over market value, meaning what a home does for a person is what truly matters. How could this apply to our local context?
Local communities might prioritize what fits their lifestyle rather than just what's trendy or expensive.
Great observation! This ties directly into identifying personal and communal needs to drive housing solutions.
Housing Structures and Community Interaction
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Now, let’s look at John Habraken's model, which represents housing on three levels: tissue, support, and fitout. Can anyone explain what these mean?
The tissue is like the urban environment, and the support is the main building structure, right?
Exactly! And the fitout is what the residents modify themselves. This model shows how different actors engage at various levels. How might this apply in different communities?
In some areas, community organizations might help coordinate infrastructure while families handle individual enhancements.
That's an excellent example! This leads to a community's overall resilience during transitions.
Transitions to Permanent Housing
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Finally, let’s consider how the livelihoods framework and resources impact housing transitions. Why do you think access to financial resources is essential?
Without financial resources, most families struggle to improve their living situations.
Right! Access to finance and land tenure are crucial. The transition from temporary to permanent housing relies on understanding community resource availability. What can governments do to assist?
They could simplify regulations or provide support systems that encourage sustainable building practices.
Excellent insights! Growing these capacities fosters self-reliance and longer-term improvements.
Introduction & Overview
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Quick Overview
Standard
The section examines how households are upgrading their shelters following significant events, focusing on the materials and processes involved. It emphasizes the significance of a livelihood framework in understanding shelter as a process, noting how individual agency, community resources, and governmental support enable transitions to more permanent housing.
Detailed
The Livelihood Framework and Shelter section highlights the complex relationship between shelter improvement and community livelihoods. It begins by illustrating how households have modified their shelters within a month post-intervention, reflecting a rapid 53% upgrade rate. Prioritizing essential components—doors, walls, and windows—beneficiaries used a mix of locally procured materials and reclaimed resources to enhance conditions. This upgrading process is tied to economic feasibility, allowing beneficiaries to scale their improvements as resources allow.
The text draws upon the theoretical foundation laid by scholars like Christopher Alexander and John F.C. Turner, emphasizing that housing is an evolving space shaped by ongoing user engagement rather than a fixed product. John Habraken's three-level model—tissue, support, and fitout—further illustrates the dynamic, interconnected components of housing development.
Moreover, the section touches on various time-bound layers of buildings and how their adaptability contributes to sustainable housing solutions. It emphasizes the role of financial, legal, and social frameworks in facilitating shelter improvements within vulnerable communities, ultimately linking improved livelihoods to reduced vulnerabilities and higher well-being. Overall, the section underscores the importance of recognizing shelter not merely as a noun but as a process integral to community development.
Audio Book
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Incremental Shelter Upgrades
Chapter 1 of 8
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Chapter Content
And also, this is a kind of partial upgrade with reclaimed materials they have the developed with the kind of whatever, they have able to procure from the past site or with their feasibilities, they have made some modifications to their shelters. And within a month 53% of the house owners have started to upgrade their shelters and this is very quick, within a month if this kind of change is 53%.
Detailed Explanation
This chunk discusses how some house owners are enhancing their shelters using reclaimed materials. Within just one month, over half of them upgraded their homes significantly. This indicates a rapid response to shelter improvement needs.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a community after a disaster where families start using materials from old buildings or items they find. If 53 out of 100 families improved their homes in just a month, that's like half of your classmates working together to fix up a school project in record time!
Prioritization of Shelter Features
Chapter 2 of 8
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Chapter Content
The priorities were first doors, second walls and the third is windows, so the ventilation aspect. And some beneficiaries bought their own timber for walls, doors and windows as we have seen in this complete set is in a timber.
Detailed Explanation
In upgrading their shelters, families prioritized features that would provide basic security and comfort. First, they focused on doors for safety, then walls for protection, and finally windows for ventilation. Some even purchased their own timber to create these essential features.
Examples & Analogies
Think about how you might fix up a bedroom. First, you'd want a sturdy door to lock away your valuables, then you'd want strong walls to block out noise, and lastly, you'd want windows to let in fresh air. It's the same idea for people upgrading their homes!
Community Resources and Economic Feasibility
Chapter 3 of 8
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Chapter Content
And this whole process you know, it’s all showing up an incremental process depending on each household what kind of economic feasibility they had, what kind of infill they are responding to their needs and demands.
Detailed Explanation
Each household's ability to upgrade their shelter relied on their economic situation and specific needs. The upgrades were not uniform; rather, they varied based on what each family could afford and what they required for better living conditions.
Examples & Analogies
Consider how students might personalize their desks in a classroom. Some might buy fancy organizers if they have money, while others may use boxes from home. Each choice reflects what they can afford and what they need to stay organized.
Government Support in Housing Initiatives
Chapter 4 of 8
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So, with this, the government has understood that yes there is a possibility that to scale up this process. So, now what they did was they developed from 18 square meters to 20 square meters and the permanent walls of adobe and timber and they launched the project build about 40,000 low cost houses.
Detailed Explanation
Recognizing the success of these incremental upgrades, the government decided to expand the housing project. They increased the size of housing units from 18 to 20 square meters and began constructing 40,000 low-cost houses, employing more sustainable materials like adobe and timber.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine a successful school program that helps students learn to read. If it works well for a small group, the principal might decide to expand it to include more classrooms and students, ensuring everyone has access to better education.
Theory of Housing as a Process
Chapter 5 of 8
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But when you talk about the theoretical understanding of it, you know as I said you in the beginning transition shelter is not a noun, it is a verb, it is a process.
Detailed Explanation
This statement emphasizes that shelter is not just a physical structure; it represents a dynamic process shaped by the experiences and decisions of individuals living in it. It highlights how people evolve their surroundings based on their needs over time.
Examples & Analogies
Think of building a Lego set. It's not just about the static model; it's about how you change and adapt your design based on what you enjoy or what functions best for your playtime, illustrating the ongoing 'process' of creating.
User-Centered Housing Values
Chapter 6 of 8
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So, that is where he talks about the use value derived from this approach was more significant than the market value, as what housing does for the user is more important than what it is.
Detailed Explanation
This idea, introduced by John F.C. Turner, stresses that the practical benefits of housing—like security, comfort, and community—far exceed its market value or financial worth. It's about how well the housing serves its inhabitants’ needs.
Examples & Analogies
Imagine owning a car that is not the newest model but perfectly meets your daily needs for transportation. Its 'use value' is higher than its 'market value,' which might be lower if it isn’t trendy. What matters more is how effectively it serves you.
Layers of Housing and User Influence
Chapter 7 of 8
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Similarly, buildings are also essentially made of 6 time bound layers. This is space time phenomenon which Ian Bentley also talks about it. One is a site, which generally does not change...
Detailed Explanation
Housing consists of multiple layers, such as the site, structure, skin, and services, each varying in how often they change. For instance, the overall site usually remains constant while elements like furniture may change frequently. Understanding these layers helps in user-driven design.
Examples & Analogies
Think of your wardrobe. The closet itself stays the same (site), but the clothing you choose to wear changes often (different layers). This reflects how homes function over time where some elements remain constant and others evolve.
Enabling Approaches for Housing Development
Chapter 8 of 8
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Chapter Content
So, this is very important when we are looking at the transitional shelter and as well as when they are actually looking at the owner-driven process, you need to understand the whole resources and their vulnerability context itself.
Detailed Explanation
An enabling approach is essential for effective housing development. This involves considering resources available to communities, their vulnerabilities, and how to provide support to enhance their housing conditions and livelihoods.
Examples & Analogies
Consider a gardening club: it’s not just about planting flowers. The club needs to provide tools, address environmental challenges, and consider members’ skills. This supports each gardener’s ability to thrive, just as proper resources enable communities to enhance their housing.
Key Concepts
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Incremental Upgrading: A process where households gradually improve their shelters over time.
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Livelihood Framework: Focuses on the essential resources and capabilities for sustaining living.
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Use versus Market Value: Highlights the difference between a home's practical benefits and its financial value.
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Engagement in Housing: Encourages community involvement in the adaptation of their living spaces.
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Support, Tissue, and Fitout: Describes the multi-layered structure of housing.
Examples & Applications
A household that sells excess plastic sheeting to finance the purchase of better timber for walls.
A community coordinating with local artisans to create improved shelters using traditional materials.
Memory Aids
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Rhymes
Shelters that improve, not just to move, they grow and adapt, with materials they grab.
Stories
In a village recovering from disaster, families began upgrading their homes incrementally, discovering what mattered most—comfort and safety. Each door, wall, and window they improved told their story of resilience.
Memory Tools
Remember 'P.A.D.' for your upgrades: Prioritize components, Accommodate resources, and Develop gradually.
Acronyms
The acronym 'H.U.S.T.' helps
Housing as a process
User-focused designs
Support systems
Time to evolve.
Flash Cards
Glossary
- Incremental Upgrading
A process where households gradually improve their shelter conditions over time based on available resources.
- Livelihood Framework
A conceptual framework that relates to the resources and capabilities that individuals and communities use to sustain their livelihoods.
- Use Value
The practical utility of a home, emphasizing its function and benefits to its residents over its market value.
- Market Value
The price at which a property can be sold in the real estate market.
- Tissue
The broader urban fabric and environment that supports housing infrastructures.
- Support
The main structure or foundation of a building that remains relatively unchanged.
- Fitout
The interior components and adaptations made by residents within a housing structure.
- Financial Disbursement
The process of distributing funds to support housing improvements.
Reference links
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