3.3. Innovative Building Techniques

And this whole house has been damaged but then if you look at the sociological and psychological aspects why these houses are located here, on the top of the ridge or the top of a in a slightly higher area, it’s not a mountain area but slightly but if you ever looked from the rich houses villages, you will see the whole entire village. So, this is where the traditional, the landlords or the rich people who used to settle down on the top.

After an earthquake, many houses experienced damage, particularly those situated on elevated areas, like ridges. This location choice often reflects social status, historically favoring wealthy individuals. Understanding the positioning of these homes can provide insight into the community structure and the impact of natural disasters on different social classes.

Think of a community like a castle on a hill. The castle, representing the wealthy, has a strategic view of the land below. After a storm, those at the top might believe they're safer, but in reality, their homes can also suffer, just like the houses in the valley that might flood. This reflects how different communities perceive safety based on their housing location.

So, people who were not having any house to live there, so when these people have migrated to a different place because they could able to afford somewhere and they could able to live somewhere else. So, that is where this unsafe houses has become a shelter for the corridor between these two families has become a shelter for the homeless people, but the question is, is it really safe to live there?

Following the earthquake, many displaced families sought refuge in these damaged houses, which were initially unsafe. This situation raised significant safety concerns about living in structures that had already shown signs of distress. The risk of aftershocks further complicates the scenario, creating a pressing need for temporary housing solutions that prioritize safety.

Imagine living in a treehouse after a thunderstorm, believing it’s a safe place. But if the tree is shaky and the wind blows hard, the treehouse could fall. Similarly, the temporary shelters set up in damaged areas might feel like a safe haven, but they don't guarantee security from future disasters.

This is a school, a temporary school, which has been constructed to provide some education facilities for the people who does not have school, I mean at least from the neighborhood areas and you can see that the kind of linear pattern has been organized to organize the school and this is the interior of a bamboo classroom.

In response to the need for educational facilities following the earthquake, temporary schools were built using bamboo, a flexible and quickly assembled construction material. The use of bamboo in construction showcases the practicality of using locally available resources to address urgent community needs, especially in emergency contexts.

Think of bamboo as the duct tape of construction materials—lightweight, sturdy, and easy to work with. Just like you can use duct tape to fix something in a hurry, bamboo allows communities to set up essential structures, like schools, quickly after a disaster.

So, if you compare the cost the terracotta was 27,000 and this one was bamboo was 20,000 and the canvas was about 18,000.

The analysis of building costs highlights the economic considerations in post-disaster construction. Traditional materials like terracotta were more expensive compared to innovative solutions like bamboo and canvas. This cost analysis is crucial for communities attempting to rebuild efficiently after a disaster while balancing budget constraints.

Imagine you're at a flea market. You have a few options for buying materials to build a fort. You could spend a lot on wood (the terracotta option), only get a little for less (the bamboo), or find a bunch of cardboard boxes for the cheapest fort ever (the canvas). Choosing the right materials is crucial, especially when money is tight after a disaster.

And many NGOs came forward how we can actually generate some alternative livelihood items, you know like the woman how they can be educated the unemployed youth, how they could be provided with some kind of alternative skills because like tailoring, sewing, embroidery or any craft making.

Post-disaster efforts extended beyond just housing to include skills training for the community, particularly aimed at women and unemployed youth. NGOs recognized the importance of enabling individuals to gain skills that could lead to alternative livelihoods, supporting economic recovery in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Think of it like a community workshop where after the flood, people aren't just given fish; they're taught how to fish. By empowering individuals with skills like tailoring and crafting, communities can help themselves rebuild not just homes, but lives.

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