Traditional architecture

Vanuatu’s traditional architecture makes a community more resilient in the face of climate change-related disasters

Thousands of people were displaced and numerous homes, schools and businesses were destroyed. Yet something surprising emerged in the wake of the disaster.

During a government-led Post-Disaster Needs Assessment (PDNA) conducted with the support of UNESCO, the European Union, the World Bank and others, traditional knowledge, and particularly traditional building techniques, emerged as a key factor in Vanuatu’s resilience to the disaster.