Eefje Hendriks

• phd
• Assistant professor at University of Twente

Leading humanitarian organisations strive to enhance the sustainability of their aid to avoid negative impacts on the environment, economy, and society, particularly in low‐resource areas. This study explores how the circularity and sustainability of emergency hospital shelters can be assessed using literature, expert interviews, co‐creation and de...

Still too often, technical reconstruction assistance does not lead to adoption of hazard-resistant construction techniques by disaster-affected households. Ideally, effective interactions should be framed and communicated in such a way that it appeals to different intentions of individual households to build back safer. Currently, there is no model...

Housing in informal settlements often lacks construction techniques that adopt criteria of resilience to natural hazards. Smartphones are rapidly diffusing in economically developing countries. The aim of this study was to assess the current use of smartphones by the masons of the informal settlements of Iringa, Tanzania, and to identify pathways f...

To cope with earthquakes, resistant housing is crucial. Too often essential construction techniques are not applied in the most vulnerable contexts. Local construction stakeholders have a major responsibility in reducing vulnerability of the built environment. This exploratory study investigates current seismic risk awareness in the region of Iring...

Housing is vital in facilitating a return to normality following a disaster; however, it remains one of the most challenging and problematic areas of post-disaster assistance. There is a pressing need to unpack “Build Back Better” aspirations to understand the drivers of safe housing reconstruction. The objective of this research was to understand...

Disaster research faces challenges linked to power, prestige and values. As a result, findings do not always reflect local realities. This special issue features emerging voices and pathways towards inclusive research and publishing practices. It presents work by early career researchers who aim to put the voices of disaster-affected people at the...

Housing is vital in facilitating a return to normality following a disaster; however, it remains one of the most challenging and problematic areas of post-disaster assistance. There is a pressing need to unpack “Build Back Better” aspirations to understand the drivers of safe reconstruction. This research focuses on the influence of technical assis...

This editorial introduces a special issue that features early career researchers (ECRs) who explore different ways of making disaster studies more inclusive. It provides an overview of how participating ECRs applied progressive theoretical frameworks to the study of disasters, made reflective use of research positionality and applied inclusive meth...

We focus on ways to facilitate acceptance of local, non-engineered building techniques in post-disaster recovery. Local building practices cover a wide range of local knowledge and practices that are absent from building codes and may be overlooked by institutional actors. The research seeks to analysis social and engineering datasets and assist de...

Earthquake affected households too often insufficiently apply seismic construction knowledge during reconstruction. This study aims to assess to what degree safety guidelines have found their way to practice in Nepal. Differences are explored between communities in the Gorkha and Okhaldhunga districts, which received differing levels of technical a...

Humanitarian housing technical assistance is believed to enhance the adoption of hazard-resistant construction knowledge; however, there is insufficient evidence about its impact on local construction-knowledge networks. This study explores the influence of technical assistance on knowledge acquisition and understanding by community-based construct...

Despite the recurring social, economic, and humanitarian costs, disaster affected populations repeatedly fail to Build Back Safer housing to protect themselves from future hazards. This paper seeks to understand how affected households interpret and intend to act upon hazard-resistant construction knowledge by assessing their motivation, ability an...

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore communication of hazard-resistant construction techniques after disaster in the absence of outside influence. It further aims to unpack the barriers and drivers in the adoption of knowledge processes to identify strategic recommendations to enlarge adoption of safer construction practices by local con...

Despite extensive knowledge on disaster risk reduction and knowledge transfer studies since the 1970s in management and classroom situations, the adoption of knowledge to reconstruct more hazard-resistant housing after a natural disaster is still rare in self-recovery processes. Approximately 85% of the disaster affected populations recover without...

This article unveils examples of auto-construction amidst the chaotic conditions of the Calais Jungle. It explains how informal initiatives have resulted in a city-resembling complex structure with architectural and urban qualities. The relationship between continuously changing conditions and architectural outcomes is described and reflected upon.

This field trip aimed to explore the complexity of the refugee situation in Europe. Therefore Dutch students volunteered in different NGO's in Lesbos that received and sheltered refugees. In this magazine students reflect upon their experience.

Overview of student work of the Master track of Building Technology into designs of housing for refugees in the Netherlands. Design solutions can be used in vacant office buildings and vacant land. The design solutions aim to involve the dwellers in the construction process.

Poster presenting the problem, goals and structure of the doctoral study into knowledge adoption in post-disaster reconstruction processes.

The University magazine PUNT has published a short article about the field trip to Lesbos. Students of the Avans Minor program Disruptive Events have volunteered in a refugee camp and tell about their experience in Dutch.

Read the full publication of Polis III: Rapid Urbanisation and the Rise of Informal Settlements. http://www.wohnforum.arch.ethz.ch/de/rapid-urbanisation-and-rise-informal-settlements

Study into the role of effective communication to increase adoption of hazard-resistant construction principles

As designers, producers, and researchers of the built environment, we understand that housing is a human right. But supply strategies and housing solutions are not meeting the needs of the 'other half', the billions of low-income people worldwide. Housing for all is a serious responsibility that demands strong leadership and increased urgency withi...

Purpose: This study evaluates cases where self-built housing is applied by NGO's as a strategy for post-disaster recovery of low-income groups and indicates opportunities for further research. Methodology: Three post-disaster recovery case studies; (1) Sri Lanka tsunami 2004, (2) Pakistan floods 2010, (3) Philippines typhoon 2013, are examined from...

Poster presentation of the 4 year research of the development of a multipurpose community shelter. The shelter is developed during the European sponsored S(p)eedkits project. The Eindhoven University of Technology collaborated with WRG, MSF and IFRC SRU. The shelter is rapid deployable and specifically designed for extended use and versatility in...

Disaster response after a natural disaster is especially challenging when a great number of victims is involved, like in highly dense urban areas. Especially low-income groups become internally displaced and are in need of design innovations that offer short-term and long-term relief. However, design research for post-disaster shelter and settlemen...

Poster presentation of Mobile Modular Unit at the Aidex Conference in Brussels. The poster was presented inside the real scale prototype. The shelter is developed during the European sponsored S(p)eedkits project. The Eindhoven University of Technology collaborated with WRG, MSF and IFRC SRU. The shelter is rapid deployable and specifically desig...

Poster presentation of the Water Tower Kit at the Aidex Conference in Brussels. The poster was presented next to the real scale prototype. The Water Tower Kit is developed during the European sponsored S(p)eedkits project. The Eindhoven University of Technology collaborated with WRG, MSF and IFRC SRU. The tower is easy and rapid deployable and spec...