Development of an Evaluation Framework for Temporary Shelters as Healing Spaces and the Applicability of Modular Architecture

This study aims to redefine post-disaster temporary shelters as healing spaces that not only meet physical and functional needs but also address psychological, aesthetic, and environmental aspects of recovery. In light of increasing disaster frequency and severity, the research emphasizes the necessity of shelter environments that support emotional stability and well-being for displaced individuals, rather than merely offering emergency protection. Through an extensive literature review, key spatial elements contributing to healing were identified based on psychological, sensory, and environmental criteria. These elements informed the development of a structured evaluation framework to assess the healing potential of temporary shelters. The framework was applied to a set of domestic and international case studies, encompassing both conventional and modular facilities. Scores derived from the framework were compared with expert evaluations to verify reliability. Additionally, the study investigated modular construction as a viable strategy for realizing healing-oriented shelter environments, given its advantages in speed, quality control, flexibility, and reusability. The evaluation revealed strong correlations between expert opinions and the framework-based scores, confirming the validity of the proposed tool as a planning and assessment method. Modular shelters demonstrated significant potential to integrate healing elements while addressing urgent logistical and spatial demands in post-disaster contexts. The findings suggest that modular architecture is not only efficient and sustainable but also capable of supporting emotional recovery and social resilience. This study provides a foundation for incorporating healing principles into future disaster shelter design and contributes to the broader discourse on humane, responsive architecture in emergency settings.