There are many materials and designs suitable for 
earthquake country; partly it depends on what materials are 
available to you. Wood-framed houses can often withstand 
considerable shaking if they are well-built, but wood is 
not so easy to come by any more and using it tends to 
deplete the forests. A material more readily available is 
the soil beneath your feet, which can be put in earthbags 
and used to build domes that can withstand earthquakes.