Immediately after a disaster strikes come the temporary shelters that people put together very quickly, like a knee jerk reaction. Within a few weeks of that they build semi temporary houses called Mid-term shelters in which they very likely will stay for anywhere from a half a year to a couple of years until a permanent house gets built. In Kashmir the need for the Mid-term shelter will arise before long. People will need something where they will be able to stay warm and with minimum discomfort since winter is not too far away. Later when the permanent house gets built this house could be easily dismantled and all the materials reused in the extension to the new construction.
Using this design in Uttarakhand three organizations had built more than 300 semi-permanent houses for the affected people. Now more than 15 months after that disaster as people are getting ready to move in to their permanent houses many are refusing to dismantle their midterm houses since they are earthquake and cyclone resistant, and are spacious. They do not feel like a tin sheds, but feel like a house.
We call this house Ashiyana. This house could be easily made more comfortable by installing wooden floor and insulation under the tin roof. |
