NOMADIC RESTORATION CEVICLE (NOREV):
FOR POTENTIAL DISASTER AREAS

This paper is both a study of a housing activist group; Oranssi based in Helsinki, an exceptional example of participatory planning and housing applications, but also hopes to act as a contribution to Oranssi’s work in the shape of a method for a cross-over design task and practical exploration of possibilities and design of an itinerant vehicle, supporting local communities in maintaining and restoring their houses and environment for increasing their life quality and also to contribute to simply maintain the structures for potential disaster situations.

The Oranssi group in Helsinki is a unique functioning example of a local community preserving and restoring historical wooden houses within a system of user participation also continues after the renewal of the houses in means of technical training, material and consultancy support. Their main aim is to provide housing for moderate prices for young people who are in urgent need of housing. Users contribute the rebuilding of the houses and also work in later repairing of their houses.

Historical city centers, besides risks of natural and man-made disasters, are also threatened by the structural weaknesses came by time and the lack of even the basic maintenance done by the low- income habitants whom have different priorities. Seeing the existing tenants as the target population and cultural heritage as a sustainable source for the cities, this paper discusses on practical solutions for low budget sustainable solutions for those areas based on participatory housing systems such as Oranssi. As an outcome of this work a manual and design toolbox for setting up a mobile restoration service had been produced. With a step-by-step process and fill-in-forms the manual slowly grows and becomes a logg during the journey with collaborative notes, documenting in transparency.