When rebuilding after disaster it is vital to engage the community in the reconstruction process. Here are the benefits of community led reconstruction

1. Engaging Communities in Sustainable Reconstruction

2. The mission to inspire communities to build
sustainably should be guided by a participatory
design philosophy, which defines the client as a
complex ecology of stakeholders rather than a single
owner or occupant.
In a traditional development model, architecture firms
bid for projects. In this model the design process is
"closed." Community members have little interaction
with the design team during the design process and
little personal connection to and investment in the
resulting structures.
The Role of Community Led Design

3. By contrast, participatory design, or community
design as it is sometimes called, engages building
stakeholders of all ages and walks of life. In the
community design model, the design process is
open. Stakeholders, be they community members,
homeowners, parents, students, or government
officials, are invited and encouraged to participate in
the design process through planning sessions,
hands-on workshops, exhibitions, community
interventions. This creates a sense of ownership and
pride and empowers community members to become
active instigators of change in their community.
The Ideals of Community Led Design

4. Environmentally and culturally appropriate design
The removal of typical barriers to participation, such
as formal hearings or inconvenient locations
Greater communication between different sectors
and interests in the community, including government
organizations, religious organizations and individuals
The ability to convey complex ideas simply to expert
and non-expert participants alike through the use of
graphics, 3-D models and other visual presentations
The Benefits of Community Led Design

5. The prioritization of issues by and with those most
affected by the decision-making process
Resolution of complex land-tenure issues
Mitigates against political instability by defining
process and responsibilities
The Benefits of Community Led Design

6. Opportunities for skills training and advancement
Creation of green collar jobs in the construction
trades
Greater local capacity for local leadership and
economic development
The Benefits of Community Led Design

7. Opportunities for skills training and advancement
Creation of green collar jobs in the construction
trades
Greater local capacity for local leadership and
economic development
The Benefits of Community Led Design

8. By engaging the community in the planning and
design of simple structures, the very act of creating
architecture creates a platform for sustainable
development. Through the design process,
community members to learn to overcome barriers to
communication, to find common ground, to adapt
best practices in sustainable building techniques to
the local vernacular and to create shared vision for
their community.
The Outcomes of Community Led Design

9. By engaging the community in the planning and
design of simple structures, the very act of creating
architecture creates a platform for sustainable
development. Through the design process,
community members to learn to overcome barriers to
communication, to find common ground, to adapt
best practices in sustainable building techniques to
the local vernacular and to create shared vision for
their community.
The Outcomes of Community Led Design