Architecture for Emergencies: On-site Construction or Prefabrication?

Sikorsky Skycrane transporting a pre-fabricated house. Image © Russavia [Wikimedia] bajo dominio público

While damage control and preparation is an ever increasing factor in how we plan our cities, certain extraordinary circumstances, like natural disasters, remain outside of our ability to plan and demand quick architectural responses that offer instant aid to the people affected, often being the difference between life and death. 
Natural, unpredictable events like earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, floods, armed conflicts, territory disputes, or global crises–such as climate change or pandemics–require immediate action in order to mitigate ensuing damage and chaos. Emergency architecture is the immediate answer to the humanitarian side of a conflict, covering everything from housing to medical facilities for the affected. 

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