Adaptable housing model for environmental migrants: exploring transitional housing within the city of Greater Sudbury for Ontario Hudson-James Bay communities

Abstract

Global displacement driven by the climate crisis demands urgent attention and architectural solutions. Architecture has made great feats in designing long-term disaster-resilient housing but has left a gap in the needs of those who are currently undergoing displacement due to the climate crisis. This thesis explores the possibility of an adaptable housing solution for environmental migrants, focussing on establishing a disaster relief housing option for the Ontario Hudson-James Bay Region in Coniston, Ontario. It will bring light to the experiences of environmental migrants, who face not only physical displacement but also psychological and social disruptions, losing their sense of home, identity and normalcy. This research will investigate architectural strategies to design housing where the primary function is to house environmental migrants, prioritizing the well-being and the continuation of these communities every day.