Humanitarian architecture and climate challenges

results from the project office for disaster response in the indigenous community of Barragem Norte, municipality of José Boiteux/SC

Abstract

Socio-environmental disasters have intensified in recent decades, requiring increasingly rapid, effective, and socially sensitive emergency responses. This article presents the results of an interdisciplinary experience aimed at developing sustainable architectural solutions for planned temporary shelters, based on 3D printing and natural materials, with a focus on the Ibirama-Laklãnõ Indigenous Community, located in the region of José Boiteux (Santa Catarina, Brazil), which is frequently affected by flooding associated with the operation of the Northern Dam in the Itajaí River Valley. The research, of an applied nature and qualitative approach, was developed through knowledge sharing and participatory workshops, integrating themes such as architecture, engineering, design, and environmental psychology. The methodology combined theoretical and practical stages to explore the use of local materials, natural biocomposites, and emerging technologies, such as 3D printing, in the construction of emergency structures. The results demonstrate that the integration of technological innovation and cultural valorization can generate solutions that promote community autonomy and contribute to public policies for emergency housing. It is concluded that humanitarian architecture, when guided by sustainability and social participation, constitutes a strategic instrument for addressing vulnerabilities and for the construction of more resilient territories in the face of climate change.