Study on permanent housing production after 1999 earthquake in Kocaeli (Turkey)

Abstract

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine production of permanent housing in Turkey after the 1999 Marmara earthquake in terms of planning, design, and construction, and to identify problems that were faced. Earthquake survivors face many problems that affect the return to normalcy, including disruptions in temporary and permanent housing. To improve the earthquake survivors' social‐psychological status, it is imperative to shorten the transition from temporary to permanent housing. For the transition to be as brief as possible, planning, design, and construction of permanent housing need to be carried out seamlessly.Design/methodology/approachA survey is carried out among those who took part in the permanent housing production in Kocaeli, where, after the Marmara earthquake in 1999, permanent housing practices were dense.FindingsAs a result of the study, the most important problem in the production process is found to be the limited time allocated for design and construction, and the restrictions in construction materials and elements imposed by the administration. Serious losses in the disaster make the ground state the factor of greatest priority in choosing the settlement area.Research limitations/implicationsKocaeli is chosen as the study area because after the earthquake, nearly 40 per cent of the permanent housing was constructed in Kocaeli. The study involves a multi‐dimensional inquiry in the context of site selection, area design, housing design, construction, and supervision criteria.Originality/valueThese data can serve as a resource for government/planners who develop policies for meeting post‐disaster reconstruction.