Boehm, S and Kopec, D (2016) Interior design as a post-disaster team partner. International Journal of Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment, 7(3), pp. 276-289. ISSN 1759-5916
Abstract
Purpose: This purpose of this paper is to promote the potential for utilizing interior designers as partners on multidisciplinary teams that deal with natural disaster recovery efforts. Interior design, an often-misunderstood profession, focuses on the health, safety and welfare of all who utilize interior spaces. Members of this profession bring a unique and relevant perspective to design and problem-solving. Design/methodology/approach: A self-selecting international student design call supplied the data for illustrating how interior designers' training prepares these multifaceted professionals to practice within diverse cultural contexts to create region-specific temporary housing units. Findings: The designs submitted indeed, demonstrated an understanding of the holistic process necessary for creating effective temporary shelters. Research limitations/implications: A limitation of the research is that the design call involved interior design students only. A broader invitation might also solicit entries from practicing interior design professionals. Originality/value: The acknowledgement traditionally accorded interior designers as essential contributors to multidisciplinary disaster relief teams is tenuous at best. This paper suggests that interior designers have the potential to assume an important role in disaster relief planning and shelter creation. Attention must now be directed toward promoting a universal appreciation of the relevant skills training, and holistic perspectives of interior designers.
| Item Type: | Article |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | built environment; disaster response; inter-disciplinary working; interior design; natural disasters; temporary shelter |
| Index terms: | designer, disaster relief, disaster response, recovery, built environment, profession, multidisciplinary team, natural disaster, interior design, temporary housing, temporary shelter, inter-disciplinary working, methodology |
| Subjects: | research methods, management, environmental hazards, infrastructure and transport systems, emergency and crisis management, sociology, specialized design, institututions, profession, construction type, operations management, specific urban areas and projects |
| Topics: | Organizational Design, Design Practice, Urban Studies, Construction Technology, Sustainability, Roles and Professions, Research Practice, Project Management |
| Descriptive scope: | 3 PCT |
N.B. Descriptive scope is a count of how many of the five facets of empirical research are indicated by the words used in title, abstract and keywords. It is not intended as a judgement on the research; merely a count of the kind of word we would expect to indicate Phenomenon, Concepts, Theoretical framing, Empirical techniques, Analytical techniques. If all five are present, then a code of “5 PCTEA” will indicate this. If you feel the coding for this record is questionable, we welcome discussion around the terms we matched or the way we categorized them. The facet you would expect may not be coded, or a facet may be coded inappropriately. This can also bear on a larger question, of which facets should be treated as defining in construction management research. Please get in touch, and we will look at it. More details here