Exploring residents’ expectations and designers’ perspectives towards post-earthquake permanent housing: A case study in Antakya

Abstract

Post-disaster permanent housing is the backbone of the recovery efforts after destructive events. It holds great potential to adopt new technological innovations and to provide improved conditions for these everyday spaces. However, previous investigations suggest that these housing projects lack consideration of the inhabitants' expectations, needs, and values due to environmental, cultural, and social factors, resulting in a dissatisfactory built environment. Following the Kahramanmaraş earthquake on February 6, 2023, this research aims to explore the expectations of affected residents in the historic district of Antakya. We expect to contribute to decision-makers, designers, and the technology industry to develop more user-centered housing recovery efforts in the aftermath of these devastating events. The findings revealed four implications from the expectations for post-earthquake homes: (1) designing for togetherness, (2) valuing community efforts and traditional work, (3) including productional activities, and lastly, (4) preserving and reminiscing heritage values. Additionally, we discussed these four implications with multi-disciplinary designers to expand the discussion space for designing post-earthquake permanent homes in Antakya. Overall, these implications suggest some future architectural changes in homes as their residents' expectations, including the creation of new heritage and production spaces using digital, physical, and mixed reality technologies, as well as the emergence of new social gathering spaces. By conducting a case study in Antakya, our research highlights the potential for the further development of post-disaster permanent homes that not only provide shelter and safety but also enhance the overall quality of life for the residents, both for Antakya and the other relevant cases worldwide.