Disaster Risk Reduction in the Informal City
by Cristina Castelao | Supervisor: Raquel Colacios

Informal construction is the bulk of construction worldwide. However, in the curricula of the Schools of Architecture, this topic is usually only anecdotal and rarely there is a possibility to approach it more closely. The training received by architecture students often turn their backs on these contexts, producing professionals who do not know the possibilities and challenges offered by the informal city. And this happens not only in northern countries. Most universities in the South countries have imported curricular structures, closing their eyes to a reality which have within reach.

On the other hand, is in the informal city where the consequences of a disaster can be more intense. However, disaster risk reduction has not been effectively integrated in the urban planning taking place in these settlements.

Also, it is not always possible for some organizations to send to the field a cooperation technician accompanying a technician in architecture and/or planning. For this reason, and taking into account the previously mentioned lack of training in informal planning and risk reduction programs at schools of architecture, this thesis proposes a field notebook that wants to be a useful tool for architects without knowledge of this area that have to deal with the identification of a project in this context.


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