Architecture and Incremental Housing in Climatic and Pandemic Crisis in Lisbon and Bhopal Informal Settings

Climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic have heavily impacted communities living in informal settings, usually at large cities’ urban fringes. This investigation is a case study on urban improvements and disaster risk reduction actions in a vulnerable community on the outskirts of Lisbon, Portugal, and the slums of Bhopal, India. Observations, technical and social surveys, and dialogues with families about their efforts to deal with natural and biological hazards revealed local creative solutions to improve indoor air quality and upgrade outdoor spaces to deal with the risk of flooding and virus contamination. The conclusions highlight disaster risk community-based actions adopted by the local communities and point to architects’ role in assisting households in such aided self-help processes.