A proposal for sustainable temporary housing applications in earthquake zones in Turkey: Modular box system applications

Abstract

The temporary housings constructed in the aftermath of every major earthquake in Turkey, an earthquake-prone region, brought about significant problems during their construction and use. A dwelling space, no matter how it is made, should protect the dwellers' physical and psychological health. As the ultimate goal of a dwelling space is to cater for the necessities of individuals' daily lives, the fundamental element that is instrumental in house planning is the structure of the family who will live there as well as how that family live in the house. Various studies are underway in earthquake zones in Turkey covering the subjects of emergency accommodation (tents), temporary housing, and permanent housing. However, emergency and temporary accommodations are in a non-reusable condition, which entails great losses for the national economy. Thus, this study aims to investigate alternative modular box systems for post-earthquake homeless disaster victims in line with the sustainability criteria.