Region-Specific Post-Disaster Shelter Project by GTU Academic

April 3, 2026 - GTU Office of Press and Public Relations
 

The study titled “A Model Proposal for the Design of Post-Disaster Temporary Shelter Units for Different Regions in Türkiye,” led by Asst. Prof. Elif Özer-Yüksel, a faculty member at the Department of Architecture, Faculty of Architecture at Gebze Technical University (GTU), receives high acclaim from the scientific community. The project is officially granted support under the TÜBİTAK 3005 – Innovative Solutions in Social Sciences and Humanities Research Projects Funding Program.

Region-Specific Solutions Instead of a One-Size-Fits-All Approach

The main vision of the project is to develop models tailored to Türkiye’s geographical and climatic diversity, instead of relying on conventional “one-size-fits-all” temporary shelter units used in post-disaster recovery processes. Within the scope of the study, multiple disaster risks such as earthquakes, floods, landslides, and forest fires will be integrated with climatic conditions to establish a scientific decision-making framework.

The main objectives of the project are as follows:

To identify unique design regions across Türkiye

To determine pilot provinces that represent regional conditions

To establish priority design criteria for each region (energy efficiency, privacy, and social cohesion)

Scientific Methodology and a Broad Expert Network

The research will not be limited to academic data; it will also be shaped by expert input from AFAD, local authorities, professional chambers, and non-governmental organizations. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method will be employed to manage complex decision-making processes. This approach will provide quantitative evidence on which design criteria are more critical for specific regions.

Highly Qualified Project Team:

Asst. Prof. Elif Özer-Yüksel is joined by Assistant Professors Hande Apak and Fazilet Tuğrul-Okbaz, Research Assistant Melike Kalkan (PhD), Associate Professor Sezgin Savaş, and Research Assistant Emine Şeyma Erkan as researchers. The project is advised by Prof. Nilay Coşgun, Prof. Nesrin Alptekin, and Tülay İnanç (PhD), while Lecturer Elif Nur Yüksel contributes as a scholarship holder.