Chloé Degnan

Leverhulme Doctoral Programme for Regenerative Innovation (Regnr8-i): Refugee Settlement (Re)design

This project aims to explore placemaking in refugee camps, focusing on the adaptation of vernacular architecture and the transfer of tacit knowledge within displaced communities. 

Refugee camps are typically designed as short-term solutions, adhering to rigid, top-down frameworks. However, refugees adapt to these environments, developing new building practices reflecting cultural heritage, local conditions, and constraints. 

The project aims to preserve the intangible knowledge and skills that emerge in these settings by documenting these practices. 

This research will assess the social, cultural, and political implications of placemaking and highlight its role in meeting both physical and emotional needs. 

Ultimately, the project seeks to inform more human-centred policies on shelter design, contributing to recognising placemaking within refugee camps as a form of cultural expression and resilience, with potential insights for addressing broader global crises through regenerative design.

Supervisor team: Professor Husam Al Waer and Professor Lorraine van Blerk