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Architectural typology of rural housing: a perspective of residential construction affordability and earthquake resilience in Kagera region, Tanzania

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Abstract

Housing practice in rural areas, particularly in developing countries is vulnerable to natural risks. The provision of risk-resistant rural houses requires individual awareness of risks and related mitigations. However, policymakers and other stakeholders need to intervene to rescue the situation. The September 2016 earthquake that struck the Kagera region measuring 5.9 on the richer scale was large and caused heavy damage to buildings and human lives compared to the previous region’s experience. This study explores the influence of users’ culture, awareness, and construction techniques on rural affordable and earthquake-resilient homes. The study conducted field surveys in Kagera rural areas that were hit the worst by the disaster. A total of 75 homeowners were purposively sampled from three villages of Ishozi, Bwanjai, and Maruku among villages with many homes severely damaged. Furthermore, it performed structural analysis using SAP 2000 software to analyze earthquake characteristics of existing popular house types. Findings revealed that most homeowners likewise local builders had relatively an understanding below average about issues of safer construction in earthquake-prone areas. Also, building construction practice in the study area is not guided by building regulations leading to compromised earthquake-resilient housing standards revealed by field survey and SAP 2000 structural analysis. The results revealed that 4% of 75 interviewed house owners from the three villages had an understanding above average on earthquake matters in building structural safety and skills as compared to 32% moderate and 64% below average. During the earthquake, the rationalized Banda and modern houses revealed serious structural failures compared to other house types due to low skill capability by the builders. The attention from stakeholders is required to conduct a community sensitization programme for earthquake-resilient housing construction models. This goes in line with establishing clear guidelines that integrate the strong bond of the culture of Kagera villagers (communal help and self-help) to support rural housing.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Architecture and Art Design, Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), P.O.Box 131, Mbeya, Tanzania

    Buberwa M. Tibesigwa

  2. Department of Construction Management and Technology, Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), P.O.Box 131, Mbeya, Tanzania

    Moses G. Moyo

  3. Department of Civil Engineering, Mbeya University of Science and Technology (MUST), P.O.Box 131, Mbeya, Tanzania

    Richard M. Mkindo

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  1. Buberwa M. Tibesigwa
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  2. Moses G. Moyo
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  3. Richard M. Mkindo
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Correspondence to Buberwa M. Tibesigwa.

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Tibesigwa, B.M., Moyo, M.G. & Mkindo, R.M. Architectural typology of rural housing: a perspective of residential construction affordability and earthquake resilience in Kagera region, Tanzania. J Hous and the Built Environ 39, 295–315 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10901-023-10081-7

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