Challenges in sustaining resilience in the coastal settlements of south-eastern Bangladesh: Achieving self-sustenance through architectural synthesis

Abstract The coastal settlements in Bangladesh experienced recurring tropical cyclones and tidal surges in recent history because of geographical influences and global climate change. Despite improved evacuation management and adequate cyclone shelters patronized by donors, lately resulting in a reduced mortality rate, the property and economic losses were still substantial due to vulnerability of the settlements. As the short-term adaptative approaches such as migrating to the closest cyclone shelters have failed to sustain resilience, comprehensive and inclusive mitigation planning should be implemented to achieve more resilience in the long term. The research aimed to revise the conventional culturally-void concept and propose a prolonged solution by planning a self-sustained model of the cyclone-resilient village for the south-western coastal communities of Bangladesh. Initially, it searched for the identification and analysis of socio-cultural, economic, and environmental challenges in sustaining community resilience and later synthesizing architectural interventions to achieve self-sustenance. The synthesis focused on reducing the vulnerability of the coastal communities by enhancing their preparedness, resistance, and recovery from the prolonged impacts of coastal disasters through designing structurally and environmentally resilient homesteads, defensive landscape plans, and socioeconomic-communal development. The ultimate proposal offers more flexibility in selecting homesteads according to suitable materials, affordability, and profession.