Tutū faʻatasi: A natural disaster relief centre in Poutasi, Sāmoa
Loading...
Supplementary material
Other Title
Authors
Collingwood, Catherine Tilē
Author ORCID Profiles (clickable)
Degree
Master of Architecture (Professional)
Grantor
Unitec Institute of Technology
Date
2022-05
Supervisors
Schnoor, Christoph
Type
Masters Thesis
Ngā Upoko Tukutuku (Māori subject headings)
Keyword
Poutasi (Samoa)
Samoa
disaster refuge and relief centres
architecture of resilience
climate change
disaster preparedness
Samoan architecture
Pasifika
Samoa
disaster refuge and relief centres
architecture of resilience
climate change
disaster preparedness
Samoan architecture
Pasifika
ANZSRC Field of Research Code (2020)
Citation
Collingwood, C.T. (2022). Tutū faʻatasi: A natural disaster relief centre in Poutasi, Sāmoa (Unpublished document submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Architecture (Professional)). Unitec Institute of Technology, New Zealand https://hdl.handle.net/10652/6092
Abstract
RESEARCH QUESTION
How can integrating cultural Sāmoan tectonics into a modern disaster relief centre help bring Sāmoan communities together while providing solutions for disaster relief issues?
ABSTRACT
The South Pacific region is the location of two of the world’s most active cyclone basins. Also located in the South Pacific region is an island nation called Sāmoa.
Cyclones are the most common natural disasters to occur on these islands. The situation is worsened by the threat of climate change, which brings with it rising sea levels, rising temperatures, and an increased likelihood of cyclones. This means a climate crisis for our Pacific Island nations, and should be heard as a call for action, since Sāmoa faces a serious gap in its preparedness for natural disasters in terms of education and refuge.
Modern technology has brought advancements into the construction industry. There are great techniques and materials available globally that can assist in natural disaster resistant buildings, but they are not being utilized in Sāmoa. At the same time, the influence of westernised architecture has caused a decline in the local knowledge of cultural building techniques. There has been a shift in local buildings from the cultural vernacular architecture to a more westernised take on housing. This means much of the housing that exists in Sāmoan villages today lacks the building standards to withstand natural disasters.
There is a need in Sāmoa for housing design that can withstand natural disasters. This is an opportunity to look back on how our ancestors dealt with the climate through architecture and design. It is also an opportunity to educate the people on modern and local building techniques for natural disaster resistance. This research project provides a design for a Natural Disaster Relief Centre. It investigates ways of assisting Sāmoa’s most populated island, Upolu, in natural disaster planning, as well as providing temporary refuge during the recovery period following a natural disaster. The design is aided by studying the culture and the architecture of Sāmoa, as well as natural disaster construction techniques. The design will hopefully influence more contemporary building styles within Sāmoa, that utilize aspects of the cultural architecture.
Publisher
Permanent link
Link to ePress publication
DOI
Copyright holder
Author
Copyright notice
All rights reserved