Public defence in architecture, MSc (arch) Kristjana Adalgeirsdóttir

Title of the thesis: Sheltering in Crisis — Towards Socio-Cultural Sustainability in Humanitarian Shelter Responses

Thesis defender: Kristjana Adalgeirsdóttir 
Opponent: Prof. Cathrine Brun, Oxford Brooks University, U.K.
Custos: Prof. Toni Kotnik, Aalto University School of Arts, Design and Architecture

Rethinking Humanitarian Sheltering in Crises

This doctoral thesis examines how humanitarian sheltering can better support people affected by crisis by recognizing shelter not only as a physical structure but as a social, cultural, and long-term process. The study focuses on how displaced people create a sense of home, dignity, and belonging through shelter, and how humanitarian responses can be designed to support these human dimensions more effectively.

The research aims to challenge the prevailing view of shelter as a technical product and instead frame it as a process shaped by culture, place, participation, and everyday life. Drawing on interdisciplinary theories and fieldwork across various humanitarian contexts, including, among others, Ukraine, the Philippines, and Brazil, the thesis combines qualitative research, participatory observation, case studies, and analysis of humanitarian shelter projects.

The findings demonstrate that sheltering processes that engage local knowledge, cultural practices, and community participation lead to more meaningful, resilient, and sustainable outcomes. Rather than treating displaced people as passive recipients of aid, the findings show how they actively shape their environments and reconstruct “home” even under extreme conditions.

The thesis contributes to humanitarian shelter research and strengthens the argument that socio-cultural factors are not secondary but central to successful crisis response. It bridges gaps between humanitarian practice, architecture, and sustainability studies.

Keywords: Humanitarian sheltering, socio-cultural sustainability, displacement, home

Thesis available for public display 7 days prior to the defence at Aalto University's public display page. 

Contact information: 

kristjana.adalgeirsdottir@aalto.fi
044 522 5023
www.archxus.org