The house, as a human residence, exhibits dynamic and easily adaptable characteristics (Kolarevic & Parlac, 2015). This can be observed through the changes in spatial configuration and architectural structure of houses over time. In urban areas, residential development must align with the guidelines for settlement development (Indonesia, 2011; Sagala & Bisri, 2011). Development efforts also aim to prevent the formation of slums and promote the growth of planned and organized housing environments (Government of Banda Aceh City, 2018).
The same principles apply to residential houses in disaster-prone areas, where building planning must prioritize human safety (Ito et al., 2019). Especially in cases of low-frequency tsunami events, there is a decrease in community awareness, as observed in Aceh Besar Regency and Banda Aceh (Syafwina, 2014; Rahman et al., 2018). However, tsunami events have serious impacts on community life, causing loss of lives and infrastructure damage (Syahbudin et al., 2009; Marchand et al., 2009; Vale et al., 2014; Imamura et al., 2019; Rasyif et al., 2019).
The utilization of space for residential areas in the city of Banda Aceh has been planned across an area of 2,506.64 hectares, accounting for 40.85% of its total land area (Government of Banda Aceh City, 2018). This area serves as a home to various community densities. The objective of this spatial utilization is to achieve efficiency, harmony, balance, integration, and sustainability (Government of Banda Aceh City, 2009).
Following the 2004 tsunami that struck Aceh, successful reconstruction of communal housing was carried out at its original locations. Residential housing development became a primary priority in post-disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts (Steinberg, 2007; Rand et al., 2011). This was due to the cultural norms of the Aceh community rejecting plans for a two-kilometer protective zone along the coastline (Danar & Pushpalal, 2014). As a result, the coastal area of Banda Aceh experienced significant settlement growth between 2005 and 2009. Community settlements dominated land use changes, accounting for 91% of all new developments (Achmad et al., 2015; Syamsidik & Suppasri, 2018).
The reconstruction of housing in tsunami-prone areas raises concerns about future challenges (Meilianda et al., 2019). Despite the risks, community interest in residing in tsunami-risk locations remains relatively strong, driven by several factors such as affordable land and housing prices, easy access to job opportunities, and family ties (Syamsidik et al., 2017; Abunyewah et al., 2018). The increasing demand for land in Banda Aceh City is pushing people towards disaster-prone tsunami areas, including the northern regions falling within the minimum 3-meter elevation above tsunami height zone (Tiar et al., 2021).
Furthermore, the issue lies in the fact that residential housing construction in these high-risk tsunami zones generally adopts simple house designs with permanent structures. This residential model was also established during the post-2004 tsunami disaster rehabilitation and reconstruction period by a government institution known as the Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Agency (BRR), with assistance from various foreign nations (Steinberg, 2007; Roseberry, 2008). Despite being situated within tsunami risk zones, these areas continue to be chosen by the community as residential zones. This trend applies not only at the level of individual residents but also involves property developers who select this region as a housing development location (Akbar & Ma’rif, 2014). Additionally, even subsidized housing projects, a government initiative aimed at providing affordable housing for low-income citizens, are being developed in this area (McCaughey et al., 2018; Nubli Gadeng et al., 2019).
Developing simple housing models in areas with high tsunami risk presents challenges for future disaster scenarios. The need for vertical evacuation facilities during tsunami disasters necessitates the exploration of solutions. Given that the availability of vertical evacuation facilities in the Banda Aceh City region is concentrated mainly in the Meuraxa Subdistrict (Nuraddy et al., 2015), these evacuation structures also fall short in effectively addressing disaster evacuation challenges, partly due to the community's lack of confidence in their structural reliability (McCaughey et al., 2017; Idris et al., 2021). Nevertheless, public buildings categorized with a not low vulnerability level (BTV) could serve as alternative vertical disaster evacuation options (Soviana et al., 2015); (Syamsidik et al., 2023). However, the distribution and availability of public buildings are not uniform across all community settlement areas.
This writing introduces the development of a housing model required in tsunami-prone areas, where each individual necessitates elevated spaces to ensure personal safety. Despite the prevalence of traditional house culture in Banda Aceh City, presenting vertical housing models imbues a contemporary impression onto urban planning (Pallav, 2017). The concept of multi-story housing pertains to enhanced building structures within an environment, which can be owned and utilized separately, serving as a place of residence along with shared spaces, communal facilities, and communal land (Government of Indonesia, 2007). The development of vertical housing allows for better space utilization oversight, efficient building arrangement, and more effective environmental management. Vertical housing models also serve the dual purpose of providing evacuation shelters during tsunami disasters (Scheer, Gardi, Guillande, Eftichidis, Varela, de Vanssay, et al., 2011). Consequently, the construction of vertical residential buildings along the Banda Aceh City coastline is anticipated to mitigate future tsunami disaster risks.