Living-Transforming Post-disaster Accommodation: Towards a Long-term Housing Conceptual Approach that Extends Beyond Sustainability

The long-term performance and sustainability of post-disaster housing are usually undermined, mainly due to either the late initiation of the permanent
reconstruction or, the too-quick transition from relief shelter to it. Hence, the
paramount importance of a sustainable incremental process-oriented approach
with a sustained pace to eliminate any rush or delay while incorporating long-term requirements. Recently, despite Transitional-shelter approach attempts to
integrate three phases of relief, rehabilitation, and reconstruction, with
sustainability concerns, it lacks efficient tools to fulfill its concepts adequately.
Interestingly, nature's designs have stood the test of time, for example, the living
systems’ growth is an incremental transforming mechanism whereby by being
self- organised, self-repairing, regenerating, is inherently sustainable in the long-run. Hence, an Interpretive and historical literature review approach is employed, while data collection techniques contain the study of specialised authentic texts, including books, articles, and scientific achievements of the academic scholars. Eventually, the interdisciplinary conceptual approach of Living-Transforming Post-disaster Accommodation is introduced, employing emerging field of Living Systems, which could contribute to long-term sustainable reconstruction through an incremental process during which accommodations in each phase could transform into a better one. This conceptual approach is suggested to be further researched, towards long-term beyond sustainable housing performance.