Design and 3D Technologies in the Humanitarian Sector

Abstract

Every year, thousands of people are affected by the expansion of disasters caused by climate change. These disasters trigger situations that demand assistance. The responses, through organizations that operate in the context of humanitarian aid, are complex to be put into effect due to problems of physical, material, and emotional structure. Design and its various approaches can help in the elaboration of solutions that improve the service provided by those organizations, both through the mastery of techniques for the quick production of concrete objects and in the structuring of projects to meet demands, such as service design, participatory design, and co-design. This paper presents a literature review on the topic and uses examples of projects developed and under development to elucidate the possibilities of using both design approaches and tools disseminated by design professionals, such as 3D technologies and techniques for digital fabrication, in the field of humanitarian aid.