Disciplines
Other Architecture | Urban, Community and Regional Planning
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Around the world, 1.6 million people lose their homes every week. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimates that 1 million people were internally displaced in Haiti as of the end of 2024.
In Haiti, displacement repeats in a cycle driven by gang violence and natural disasters. Today, as the situation grows worse, the solution is still centered on refugee camps. Architecture seems to intervene only in emergency relief without addressing long-term stability.
This design research examines how architecture can contribute to reducing gang violence by facilitating the transition from temporary to permanent shelter in Haiti. This paper challenges assumptions about temporary shelters by creating opportunities. Such as integrating systems of security, agriculture, education, labor, and culture into design it reinforces the belief that people, if given the tools, can shape their own future.
This paper draws on the work of Elemental, led by Alejandro Aravena, to design housing units that can withstand natural disasters while meeting the essential needs of residents. Each unit is conceived to expand and evolve as the family grows and gains more financial stability.
This research considers displacement not as an end, but as a map for reconstruction. This paper proposes a new type, “Village of Hope,” where architecture becomes a tool in reshaping the future of Haiti.
Use of AI Disclaimer
no
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CACM – Architecture
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Ehsan Sheikholharam Mashhadi
Village of Hope: Moving Away from The Conception of Temporary to Permanent Shelter in Haiti
Around the world, 1.6 million people lose their homes every week. The Internal Displacement Monitoring Center estimates that 1 million people were internally displaced in Haiti as of the end of 2024.
In Haiti, displacement repeats in a cycle driven by gang violence and natural disasters. Today, as the situation grows worse, the solution is still centered on refugee camps. Architecture seems to intervene only in emergency relief without addressing long-term stability.
This design research examines how architecture can contribute to reducing gang violence by facilitating the transition from temporary to permanent shelter in Haiti. This paper challenges assumptions about temporary shelters by creating opportunities. Such as integrating systems of security, agriculture, education, labor, and culture into design it reinforces the belief that people, if given the tools, can shape their own future.
This paper draws on the work of Elemental, led by Alejandro Aravena, to design housing units that can withstand natural disasters while meeting the essential needs of residents. Each unit is conceived to expand and evolve as the family grows and gains more financial stability.
This research considers displacement not as an end, but as a map for reconstruction. This paper proposes a new type, “Village of Hope,” where architecture becomes a tool in reshaping the future of Haiti.