Rebuilding after Disaster: Towards a Resilient Community

This thesis has been generated as a response to the humanitarian crisis in Port-au-Prince, Haiti as a result of a 7.0 magnitude earthquake on January 12, 2012. Events such as this highlight the fragility and vulnerability of the built environment to disasters. This research is focused on identifying the vulnerabilities that led to such widespread devastation in an effort to understand how built-in resilience can be achieved. The future development of Haiti needs to ensure the capability of the built environment to resist as well as recover quickly from future hazards. A series of case studies of community planning initiatives currently underway in Haiti will be used to explore the challenges and successes of the rebuilding effort in post-disaster Haiti. The field research conducted will inform the project about local customs, processes, and materials to ensure that the proposal is both a sensitive and realistic initiative.