The Design Gesture

Tag: disaster

Post-Apocalyptic Architecture: Designing for a Reborn World
Introduction
An unspeakable disaster has devastated the world, leaving in its wake crumbling cities as nature reclaims its territory, and survivors face daunting challenges. As the apocalypse unfolds, a crucial question arises: Where does architecture find its place amidst the chaos and destruction?
In such a harsh landscape, traditional architecture falters, necessitating a new approach. In the post-apocalyptic world, Architecture takes center stage as humanity must rebuild and adapt to the aftermath of a catastrophic event. Architecture becomes a symbol of perseverance, a tool for survival, and a means to foster hope amidst ruin. Post-apocalyptic architecture embodies the integration of practicality, creativity, and sustainability, addressing the challenges posed by a ravaged environment.
Utopia vs. Dystopia: Architectural Paradigm
Post-apocalyptic architecture exhibits two contrasting visions: utopia and dystopia. These approaches reflect different scenes when shaping the future after desolation. Design choices can inspire hope or perpetuate despair in the post-apocalyptic climate. Let us briefly delve into the concepts of utopia and dystopia.
Utopia©medium.com
Utopia
The utopian concept offers reliance, unity, and sustainability. This architectural design prioritizes renewable energy sources, efficient water management systems, and self-sufficient food production. In utopian societies, community collaboration is nurtured, promoting social equality and inclusive decision-making. A utopia aims to create comfortable living spaces that facilitate both physical and mental well-being, while also providing education and a rich cultural life.
Dystopian City©www.freepik.com
Dystopia
In contrast, dystopian designs paint a bleak picture of the future, characterized by control, scarcity, and desolation. The dystopian future embodies authoritarian surveillance systems, restricted personal freedom, and concentrated power. This concept further exacerbates social disparities, worsening the gap between privileged and marginalized groups due to limited resources. Dystopian designs reflect despair through imagery depicting infrastructure and ravaged landscapes, underscoring the harsh realities.
Architects have the power to shape the narrative by creating environments. While Utopian designs inspire hope and emphasize the potential for positive change, dystopian designs serve as cautionary tales, reminding us of the consequences of unchecked power and environmental degradation.
Meeting Human Needs in Post-Apocalyptic Architecture
Maslow’s Basic Needs Hierarchy©www.pmg.engineering
How can architecture provide for essential human needs amidst the chaos? Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs provides a valuable framework for understanding the essential requirements for human well-being. Architectural design must address psychological needs, safety, a sense of belonging, and provide opportunities for self-actualization. Post-apocalyptic architecture can create environments that promote not only survival but also flourishing communities in the face of extreme challenges. By considering these essential needs, architects have the power to shape a future that transcends the limitations of an apocalyptic world, providing hope, and a new beginning.
Designers can provide for psychological needs by creating spaces that provide safe water filtration, clean air, adequate shelter, and recuperation spaces to ensure a safe haven for inhabitants. Safety and security are addressed through fortified structures, secure entrances, and surveillance systems to provide protection. Creating shared spaces, communal areas, and support networks fosters a sense of belonging and social connection. Architectural design can facilitate personal growth by including spaces for education, skill development, and reflection. Encouraging innovation and knowledge pursuit enables self-actualization even in challenging circumstances. By considering these needs, the apocalyptic architecture supports resilience, community, and individual well-being.
Strategic Site Selection in Post-Apocalyptic Architecture
Location selection in post-apocalyptic architecture is pivotal for humanity’s survival. Factors such as topography, climate, resource availability, accessibility, security, and community dynamics play a vital role in optimizing survival in extreme circumstances. Let’s explore the key factors further:
- Topography: Geological stability must be considered to avoid vulnerability to natural disasters and aim for stable areas with lower risks.
- Climate and Environment: Locations with moderate climates, access to sunlight, and suitability for agricultural needs to prevent communities from famine. Adaptability to changing conditions is crucial.
- Availability of Resources: Areas with access to vital resources like water, food, and energy sources. This allows communities to prioritize self-sufficiency and renewable systems.
- Accessibility and Connectivity: Locations that are close to transportation networks ensure resource acquisition and potential aid efforts while ensuring security.
- Security: Environments with terrains that offer natural advantages, visibility, and potential for fortification against threats allow protection.
- Community and Social Dynamics: Areas with existing social networks, community cohesion, and favorable demographics encourage better collaboration and support.
Adaptive Reuse and Retrofitting
Overgrown City©www.pxfuel.com
Resources are scarce and traditional construction materials are limited in the realm of post-apocalyptic architecture. Architects and designers must turn to adaptive reuse and retrofitting strategies for resource conservation and the creation of functional spaces. Rather than starting from scratch, repurposing buildings, infrastructure, and materials helps maximize resource efficiency. Abandoned warehouses find new life as communal shelters, while vacant factories are transformed into hydroponic farms, utilizing space and material effectively. Additionally, damaged bridges can be repurposed as platforms for vertical gardens, merging functionality with aesthetics. This approach embraces the unique character of the post-apocalyptic world.
The Factory by Ricardo Bofill©www.archdaily.com
A real-world example of architectural reuse is The Factory located on the outskirts of Barcelona. Ricardo Bofill transformed an abandoned cement factory into a stunning cultural and artistic space, making it a hub of creativity and culture that coexists with the industrial aesthetic of the factory. The operation of adaptive reuse and retrofitting showcases ingenuity and persistence in the face of adversity. These practices represent sustainability principles and contribute to a more resilient and environmentally conscious future.
Sustainable and Self-Sufficient Design
Vertical Garden©www.outlookindia
In the context of post-apocalyptic architecture, sustainable and self-sufficient systems are paramount to ensure the long-term viability of built environments. Due to limited access to resources and a need to minimize the environmental impact of construction, architects must implement innovative and resource-efficient design techniques. One key aspect of sustainable apocalyptic architecture is the integration of renewable energy systems. Structures should incorporate renewable systems such as solar panels, wind turbines, and geothermal heating, to generate their own power. Not only is this sustainable but encourages self-sufficiency, allowing communities to thrive even in the absence of external power grids.
Furthermore, sustainable post-apocalyptic design also emphasizes food production and water management operations. Roof-top farms and vertical gardens provide opportunities for urban agriculture, within limited spaces. Additionally, rainwater harvesting systems capture and store rainwater, ensuring a reliable water supply for various needs. These strategies reduce dependence on external food and water sources, enhancing community resilience and self-sufficiency. Recycling and up-cycling materials from existing structures or salvaged materials contribute to a circular economy approach, where resources are repurposed rather than discarded. This not only reduces waste but also promotes a more sustainable and regenerative approach to building.
Resilient Structures
Geodesic Dome Shelter©www.cityam.com
Architectural design must prioritize robustness to withstand the unique challenges posed by the aftermath of a catastrophe. Extreme weather, radiation, or contaminated landscapes create hostile conditions. Therefore, structures should be engineered to endure and protect their inhabitants. Durable materials such as reinforced concrete, steel, or composite materials, can survive high winds, seismic activity, and other hazards. In addition to materials, buildings must be able to adapt to shifting circumstances. For example, dome-shaped structures offer excellent structural stability and aerodynamics, reducing the risk of collapse during strong winds and pressure.
Geodesic Dome Shelter©www.cityam.com
If radiation is the issue, an underground shelter may be the answer as the earth itself acts as a natural insulator, providing protection against harmful emissions. Underground structures can be strategically designed to include ventilation systems, and air filtration to ensure the safety and well-being of those who seek refuge. Modular construction techniques are also important in post-apocalyptic design for nomadic communities or in response to changing circumstances. Modular units provide quick assembly, disassembly, and reconfiguration. This flexibility allows for resource efficiency and the ability to repurpose structures as desired, optimizing functionality and adaptability in an unpredictable world.
Embracing Nature and Biophilic Design
Biophilic Architecture©illustarch.com
In a post-apocalyptic environment, nature may have taken over abandoned urban landscapes. Architects can harness the power of biophilic design to reconnect humans with the natural world. Vertical gardens, green spaces, and rooftop landscapes can be integrated into design, allowing opportunities for fresh food production, improving air quality, and fostering psychological well-being. Structures can be designed with ample natural light, views of the surrounding landscape, and incorporation of natural materials, creating a harmonious blend of human-made and natural elements. Biophilic design not only promotes environmental sustainability but also enhances the overall livability of post-apocalyptic communities.
Information and Communication Infrastructure
Traditional means of communication may have been disrupted in the disastrous event. Architects must consider the development of information and communication systems. Structures can be equipped with advanced technologies, such as satellite connectivity, decentralized networks, and renewable-powered data centers. Establishing reliable communication channels is crucial for coordinating efforts, sharing knowledge, and providing essential services in post-apocalyptic societies. Architects and designers play a pivotal role in integrating these technological advancements seamlessly into the built environment.
Community-Centric Spaces and Education for Resilience
Urban Rooftop Community©dfaawards.viewingrooms.com
The creation of community-centric spaces and prioritizing education and skill sharing in post-apocalyptic architecture becomes an integral part of cultivating resilience and empowering survivors. Architecture must enable social cohesion and collaboration by designing public spaces that serve as gathering points of trade, and allow for cultural overlap, and emotional support. Market squares, community centers, parks, or rooftop gardens become vital hubs for interaction and a sense of belonging. These social nodes should be flexible, allowing for easy adaptation to accommodate various activities that encourage intercommunication.
Moreover, post-apocalyptic public spaces extend beyond the need for social belonging but also facilitate the exchange of ideas and knowledge, enabling survivors with the essential skills needed for self-sufficiency. Establishing educational programs, vocational training centers, and maker spaces allows for the development of construction skills, sustainable farming techniques, water purification methods, and renewable energy systems. By providing access to education and fostering skill sharing, post-apocalyptic architecture becomes a catalyst for long-term resilience, enabling communities to rebuild and thrive in a desolate landscape.
Inspirational Aesthetics in Post-Apocalyptic Architecture
Post-apocalyptic architecture is an opportunity to create beauty amidst destruction. Architects should strive to incorporate inspirational aesthetics that uplift the human spirit and inspire hope for a better future. Artistic expressions, murals, and sculptures can breathe life into the bleak landscapes, serving as reminders of humanity’s enduring creativity and resilience. The use of vibrant colors, natural light, and open spaces can counterbalance the gloom and instill a sense of optimism and rebirth.
Preserving Cultural Heritage in a Post-Apocalyptic World
Surviving Monument©www.peakpx.com
In the aftermath of an apocalypse, the remnants of the past become precious fragments of cultural heritage. Architects should strive to preserve and restore significant landmarks and historical sites that survived the catastrophe. The surviving structures in the post-apocalyptic world represent cultural and historical value. The monuments become a reminder of humanity’s resilience and the endurance of our collective memory. The elements of post-apocalyptic architecture are incorporated to help maintain a sense of identity and continuity in the face of overwhelming change.
Ethical Considerations
In the pursuit of post-apocalyptic architecture, ethical considerations should guide design decisions. Architects must prioritize equity, inclusivity, and social justice to ensure that the rebuilt world is fair and just for all. Designs should accommodate the needs of diverse populations, including differently-abled individuals, the elderly, and marginalized communities. The creation of safe and accessible spaces, the provision of essential services, and the establishment of democratic decision-making processes all contribute to a more equitable post-apocalyptic society.
Human Preparedness in Post-Apocalyptic Architecture
The concept of the apocalypse has always captivated humanity, whether it is a zombie outbreak, contagion, or climate change. While these scenarios may seem far-fetched, they reflect our mutual fears influenced by historical events. Humans have encountered both natural and man-made catastrophes, highlighting our capacity for rebuilding. Historical events demonstrate the profound impact of disasters on society, the economy, and the environment. Learning from the past, we can develop resilient post-apocalyptic architecture. In today’s world marked by contagion, nuclear fears, climate change, and economic instability, exploring examples of human preparedness and past architectural responses to disasters is vital.
Surviving Monument©www.peakpx.com
Svalbard Global Seed Vault, Norway
Located on a remote Arctic island, the Global Seed Vault serves as a prime example of human preparedness in the context of post-apocalyptic architecture. It preserves and protects a vast collection of plant seeds from around the world, safeguarding biodiversity and ensuring food security in the case of a potential disaster. The architecture of the vault is designed to withstand natural disasters and maintain a stable temperature for long-term preservation.
The Underground City of Cappadocia©www.dailysabah.com
Underground City of Cappadocia, Turkey
The region of Cappadocia in Turkey is known for its underground cities, which were carved out of soft volcanic rock by ancient civilizations. These expansive underground complexes provided shelter and protection from invaders. They include numerous chambers, tunnels, and ventilation systems, showcasing the historical preparedness for post-apocalyptic scenarios.
Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant©www.bbc.com
Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, Japan
Harmful radiation contaminated the Fukushima nuclear plant site in 2011, when a massive earthquake and tsunami disabled the cooling systems for the reactors. Therefore, the site underwent significant architectural changes. The damaged reactors were covered with a large steel and concrete structure known as the “sarcophagus” to contain radioactive material. This architectural intervention demonstrates the commitment to ensuring safety and minimizing the impact of the disaster.
Hiroshima Before and After©www.express.co.uk
Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan
Towards the conclusion of World War II, the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki endured profound devastation as a result of an atomic bomb. The reconstruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki focused on rebuilding infrastructure, creating memorials to honor victims and promoting peace. The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Nagasaki Peace Park are powerful symbols of remembrance and reconciliation.
The term “apocalyptic” can have a multitude of meanings. Although the above examples may not represent a complete global collapse of human civilization, they undeniably caused mass destruction, loss of life, and enduring effects on society, the economy, and the environment.
Conclusion
The multi-dimensional discipline of post-apocalyptic architecture demands innovation, adaptability, and a profound understanding of the human condition. When designers embrace nomadic architecture promoting education and skill sharing, incorporating ethical considerations, and creating inclusive communities, architects can lay the foundations for a sustainable and just post-apocalyptic world. Post-apocalyptic architects have an opportunity to redefine societal norms, re-imagine urban environments, and create a future that embodies the triumph of the human spirit. Post-apocalyptic architecture is not just about survival; it is about envisioning a world where humanity flourishes, transcending the boundaries of its tumultuous past.
October 29, 2024
Disaster Relief Architecture: An Effective Response to Post Disaster Damage
What is a Disaster?
Photo by National centres for Environmental Information
A disaster is a serious problem being over a short or long period that causes wide mortal, material, profitable, or environmental loss, which exceeds the capability of the affected community or society to manage using its own coffers.
Disasters are routinely divided into natural or man-made, although complex disasters, where there’s no single root cause, are more common in developing countries. A specific disaster may generate a secondary disaster that increases the impact. A classic example is an earthquake that causes a riffle, performing in littoral flooding. Some manufactured disasters have been credited to nature similar to gauze and acid rain.
Need Of Disaster Relief Architecture
Photo by Indesign Live
Disasters are getting the norm in this world, which also poses challenges to architects and engineers. Numerous requirements to make temporary structures may arise at the same time all around the world.
As stated in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), cities are getting more and more vulnerable to the impact of natural disasters, and their frequency, duration, and intensity are becoming increasingly extreme.
The COVID-19 epidemic that began in 2020 has verified this notion. Metropolitan cities and human society are facing unknown challenges. In order to fight the damage caused by the disaster, the world witnessed the Fangcang sanctum hospitals established in China within many days, the recyclable temporary sanctum units erected by Turkey at veritably low cost after the earthquake, and so on.
An Architect’s Role
After 1950, as high-rise buildings & skyscrapers became statements of style & necessity and population and its density remained a major concern, horizontal expansion was merely impossible. No building can be completely disaster-proof, therefore, architects need to study & analyze past data like soil conditions, context, and climatic conditions before executing the building
An architect must know the consequences after the disaster, judgment about the site context, the ability to make quick decisions with limited information about the site context, should be active, flexible, creative, and should incorporate the entire community.
Stages of Disaster Relief Architecture
Disaster preparedness or Stages of Disaster Relief Architecture has links with an effective response to post-disaster recovery. However, its influence on housing strategy is not much explored in literature.
Considering the lackluster disaster preparedness in India, it seems safe to assume that the post-disaster housing strategy is intuitive. It depends on the scale and damage intensity of the disaster.
While sheltering refers to a place to stay during the immediate aftermath of the disaster suspending daily activities, housing denotes the return to household responsibilities and daily routine. Based on this distinction, the four stages are:
Emergency shelter
Emergency shelters include a place where survivors stay for a short period during the height of the emergency, which can be in the house of a friend or a public shelter. This kind of shelter rarely allows for the extensive preparation of food or prolonged medical services.
Temporary shelter
Used for an expected short stay, ideally only a few weeks after the disaster, this may be a tent, a public mass shelter, and so on.
Temporary housing
Temporary Housing is a place where the survivors can live temporarily, usually planned for six months to three years, returning to their normal daily activities, and can take the form of a prefabricated house, a rented house, and so on.
Thus, temporary housing can be defined as an object or physical structure where people live after a disaster, a part of the post-disaster re-housing program, and a place that serves to shelter people from the disaster until their resettlement in a permanent place.
Permanent housing
Return to the rebuilt house or resettle in a new one to live permanently.
Many times, the difference between housing and shelter is blurred. It is difficult to set an exact duration for such a shift from a shelter to a house, since housing is a physical element and a place that emotionally connects its inhabitants.
History
The origin of temporary buildings
Photo of Crystal Palace by Bureau International des Expositions
Temporary structures can be traced back to the portable tents of nomads. With the development of construction technology, temporary structures have begun to come to a new type of architecture. These types of structures are frequently accompanied by the need for rapid construction.
After World War II, the demand for a reconstruction of housing and other structures rose extremely in many countries.
For example, in 1851, it only took less than 9 months to complete the construction of the Crystal Palace at the London World Expo, which can also be disassembled and transported to another place for reassembly. In the 1960s, many simple structures composed of precast concrete boxes appeared in the United Kingdom and Europe.
Japan surfaced as “metabolism” engineers who promoted prefabricated structures and proposed that civic structures should be renewed like natural cell metabolism, an organic evolutionary process of constant extermination and creation. For illustration, Nakagin Capsule Tower, the world’s first capsule structure, is a masterpiece of this type of prefabricated assembly technology practice.
The enhancement of social productivity has brought about an unknown consumption period. The construction assiduity also showed some analogous characteristics after the 1960s. A large number of structures were demolished decades or indeed times after they were erected. Their update speed has been important faster than any former period.
The transition from fast to portable and from disposable to recyclable
Photo by Archdaily
In the past trends, designers and engineers have focussed to concentrate more on the “fastness” of construction; and at the same time, because of the constraints of objective conditions, non-recyclable materials such as concrete were used as the main body of numerous constructions.
After this surge of temporary structures, numerous scholars and designers called for a better design approach in response to numerous problems, like rigid structures, waste of materials and other resources, and so on.
By assessing the characteristics and trends of the rapid construction of temporary structures, the current focus has shifted from one-sided “fast” to “convenient” and from “disposable” use of materials to an “economically recyclable” trend.
Key Points To Consider while Planning a design Shelter
Planning shelters
The most effective strategies for emergency shelter consider the entire shelter cycle, including the root causes of emergency and interim shelter requirements; its accessibility; resources, and services required to construct and run it; and how they will transition into a long-term casing. Focusing solely on the provision of shelter can lead to hamstrung use of resources and inefficiency, especially when the situation leading to the need for shelter could be averted or eased.
Equal community participation
Those most likely to be affected should be involved in planning the shelters — rather long before a disaster occurs. Participation by original leaders, vulnerable populations, and communities is essential for any recovery plan to work. Communities recover as communities, not as individualities.
Prioritise the stakeholders
Plans should be designed to meet the requirements of the most vulnerable first. Emergency and interim sanctum should be designed to meet the requirements of those who need the most support. Aged grown-ups, people with disabilities and functional requirements, and women and girls come much more vulnerable when exigency and the interim shelter are needed.
Involvement of Private agencies
Even in developed nations, private philanthropy plays an essential part in the reconditioning of communities. Government backing and insurance only go so far in meeting requirements, particularly when there have been multiple major disasters, or the affected area is veritably large.
Special consideration for urban areas
In the time of a disaster, there may be further debris from affected structures, in addition to the damage to roads and other structures. Urban areas may also include a higher chance of vulnerable or resource-poor populations, with the lower capability to repel or recover from disaster on their own.
Efficient Planning
Improved, efficient planning and a smarter structure can act as mitigation. In Bangladesh, for illustration, a nation heavily impacted by periodic cataracts, communities have worked with non-governmental associations (NGOs) and others to raise houses above deluge situations; establish deluge harbours that can accommodate up to 300 families each; make raised- tube wells for clean water; ameliorate warning dispatches and keep deliverance boats ready.
Learn from history
A lot can be learned from one experience, both domestically and internationally. There are numerous openings not only for the study of stylish practices but also for working toward the perpetuation of those practices in vulnerable communities worldwide.
Inspiring Examples of Post Disaster Architecture
Paper Temporary Shelter
Photo by DesignBoom
Paper temporary shelters were constructed at Daanbantayan, Cebu, Philippines, following the devastation of Typhoon Haiyan (locally called Yolanda) in November 2013. The construction methods of previous paper log house projects (in Kobe, Turkey, and India) were very complicated and time-consuming to create in high volumes.
In this design, the connection system of the Paper Partition System, developed for making partitions within evacuation centers, made it possible to simplify the construction, thus shortening the construction period. The foundations were made up of beer crates crammed with sandbags, and floor panels were made up of coconut wood and plywood. A readily used woven bamboo sheet was applied to the paper tube structural frame, and therefore the roof may be thatching of Nypa palms laid over plastic sheets.
Temporary House By Shigeru Ban Architects
Photo by Shigeru Ban Architects
New Temporary House design is a low-cost casing action that is characterized as follows:
1) Perfecting casing condition of developing countries creating new employment.
2) Exporting units as relief casing to the countries after disasters.
3) FRP structural panel is easy to make indeed by non-skilled workers.
Hex-House
Photo by Dwell
The Hex House is a revolutionary system by which high end design of sustainable structures is made economically and physically accessible to the general public. By streamlining the construction processes to their bare rudiments, and allowing the end-users to be part of the process using well-designed, prefabricated elements, a quality structure can be realized at substantial cost savings.
The Hex House is conceived as a sustainable, fleetly deployable structure grounded on Structural Insulated Panel technology which can be packed flat-pack and fluently assembled. It has the inflexibility to be both an endless or a temporary structure.
The structure’s capability to be fluently modified with minimum dislocation gives families the capacity to expand their space over time. Sustainable features like solar panels, unresistant cooling, rainwater harvesting, and composting & biogas toilets give families more independence, minimize their carbon footmark, and add functional savings.
Weaving a Home
Photo by Trend tablet
Architect Abeer Seikaly’s abstract emergency shelter is composed of “high-strength plastic tubing that’s molded into a sine-wave curve and woven into a supple fabric membrane, a specialized, structural fabric that expands to enclose and contracts for mobility.
“The concave tubing allows for services similar as heat, electricity, or running water and are suitable to acclimatize to colorful climatic conditions. Seikaly poetically describes her design stating, “Deportees carry from their homes what they can and migrate in unknown lands, frequently starting with nothing but a roof to call home. In this space, the deportees find a place to break from their turbulent worlds, a place to weave the shade of their new lives.”
Just a Minute Shelter
Photo from Archdaily
The ‘Just A Minute shelter’ by Italian firm Barberio Colella was designed in response to the 2015 earthquake in Nepal. As similar, the engineers sought to use original Nepalese accoutrements to fashion a house that can be” erected snappily, featherlight and compact to transport, durable, and profitable.
The shelter combines an OSB central core with a deployable bamboo structure covered by recycled hair sequestration and a surface membrane of double white Juta. Atop that’s a leakproof membrane to further cover the structure from the rudiments. Energy tone- adequacy becomes possible with the addition of solar and photovoltaic panels to the roof.
Tentative
Photo by Design Indaba
The idea behind Tentative by Designnobis is a compact, each-by-one emergency shelter suitable for any terrain or climate. Conforming of a rainfall-resistant cloth that’s crocheted together, Tentative holds separating perlite squeezed between layers and held by an aluminium frame.
The roof collects water, as well as furnishing lighting and ventilation, while the bottom is made up of heat- separating recyclable compound balconies. When compacted, the sanctum is fluently transmittable at 4 measures long, 2 measures wide, and only 30 centimeters altitudinous, growing to 2.5 measures altitudinous when at its full size.
Pop-Up Places Of Worship
Photo by LakaReacts
Scholars Lucas Boyd and Chad Greenlee designed an offer of pop-up churches, bethels, and kirks for those fleeing conflict in exile camps. They believe that, “While places of deification don’t give an introductory need for an existent’s natural survival, they do represent an abecedarian aspect of not only an existent’s life beyond mileage, but an identity within the collaborative, a familiar place of being — and this is a commodity that we consider synonymous with being mortal — a demand for the continuity of culture.
By distilling the iconography of sacred spaces, Boyd and Greenlee have created minimum yet fluently recognizable sacred spaces. Pop-Up Places of Worship embody the significance of fastening on the emotional requirements of those displaced, rather than simply a physical sanctum.
Conclusion
The best way to achieve long-term resilience is through development phases that create needed resources and establish sustainable construction techniques in disaster hit areas. The goal is to reach the disaster area and quickly and efficiently establish the necessary shelter and infrastructure.
October 29, 2024
Housing in Natural Calamities
Housing in Volcanic Zones
The first thing that people think about volcanic damage is fire damage because of lava. Mudslide damage, floods, and ashes are the most damaging in buildings. Volcanic eruptions of one of the most potent and damaging natural calamities. It also triggers a Domino effect of other disasters. Dust and ashes in the sky can collapse on the roofs. One of the most important things to do is to protect the roof from ash compilation. Flat roofs are usually avoided because it leads to a buildup of ashes. Similarly, heavily stooped roofs are also avoided because ash is corrosive.
Photo by MauliNow
Building Design in Volcano Zones
The roof is meant to be smooth with a slick surface so the Ash slides from it. Reinforcing the structure with titanium makes it durable, robust, and is used for lateral support. The house is supported on stilts. These design solutions do not offer entire volcanic resistance. Volcanoes instigate earthquakes and tsunamis. These solutions do not complete protection, but protect the home on some level. Experts suggest the use of extra roof support and avoiding flat roofs or roofs with complicated designs. Concrete reinforced buildings are protected from storms and other disasters. Use of timber is supposed to be avoided.
Effect of Volcanoes on Buildings
Volcanoes result in slow-moving Lava whose temperature goes up to 1292 °F to 2192 °F (700 °C to 1200 °C). Volcanic eruption leads to poisonous gases and strong storms. The distance of a building from a volcano doesn’t determine the degree of damage that it does. A building’s proximity to lava and the pyroclastic flow zones determines the level of damage a volcano might inflict on the building.
According to national geographic, pyroclastic is the rapid flow of lava, volcanic ash, and gasses running down in fickle ways. They’re hazardous because they can’t be stopped, even by water, and consume everything that comes in their way. Lava moves at a slow speed which buys people the time to escape, but, pyroclastic flows are rapid and go up to 200 miles per second.
Usually, buildings with stilts can withstand lava. Since ash is heavier than snow, it can damage the paint, flooring, drainage systems, and other structural support systems of the building, like HVAC. If the interiors aren’t maintained, it increases health risks. Volcanic eruptions also give rise to extreme storms and fierce winds that may fling boulders through the air and crush buildings that aren’t constructed properly. Fire, earthquakes, tsunamis, mudslides are some of the after-effects of the eruption.
Photo by KitingField
Use of Lava Rocks
Using lava rocks for building construction makes it durable towards the lava. The downside to this is the complicated technicality and cost of construction. Buildings in Hawaii historically used lava locks for construction. Although this can be a great technique, the difference in composition of these rocks can be a hurdle in accomplishing quality construction. Some rocks are heavy and robust, while some are flimsy and quite crushable. This technique is not cost-efficient. Reinforced cement would be the best option for buildings in volcanic regions.
Techniques and Materials for Earthquake Resistant Homes
Earthquakes are one of the most dangerous, impactful, and damaging disasters of all time. The aftershocks are sustained by the neighboring places. Structures built with stacked bricks and mortar and weak. In such houses, the weight is carried from the roof to the walls, all the way to the foundation. When such houses are subjected to seismic forces, it is very easy for them to crumble down. Concrete blocks or unreinforced bricks put the structure in a great degree of danger. Concrete and wood are earthquake resistant.
Base isolation techniques permit the foundation to move without moving the entire structure. In this technique, isolation pads made from lead, steel, and rubber reduce the damage. Another technique is called damping, which involves the installation of shock absorbers that reduce the magnitude of earthquake vibrations. The most popular technique is called Base Isolation Technique. In this, the structure floats on a lead rubber bearing. A structural engineer ensures the seismic improvements in the buildings. The impact of the earthquake is beyond control. The necessary measures can be taken to ensure minimal damage. The walls, partitions, and slabs are thin and light.
Photo by MSB
Housing in Flood Prone Areas
Floods have been the reason for loss of human lives, loss of cattle lives, degradation of public utilities, damage of crops, and migration of the inhabitants. According to the National Commission of Floods, around 400 lakh hectares of land in India are under the flood-prone zone. Around 320 lakh hectares can be provided protection, which constitutes 80% of the total flood-prone zone. Structural measures can be taken to prohibit water from entering the habitations.
Photo from Earth bound
Categories Of Damage
According to an export group appointed by the Ministry of Urban Development, the government of India, there are five categories of flood damage. G1 stands for very low damage, where there are fine cracks in the plaster and about 10% of the total surface of walls is subjected to falling. G2 stands for Low damage, where the cracks are around 6m wide and about 50% of the total surface area of the walls is subjected to fall.
G3 stands for moderate damage where there are large and deep cracks in the walls. This leads to damage to the walls, electrical fittings, and loss of belongings. G4 stands for high damage where there is significant damage and loss of property. The property may experience collapse, sinking, and the lighter parts of the buildings may even float away. G5 stands for very high damage.
Photo by Down to Earth
Curbing Effects of Flood
Embankments near river channels, river damming, raising the level of villages above flood level can n all help in the prevention of floods. Proper planning of stormwater drainage system and including it in the master plans reduces the chances of urban flooding. Soil testing matters in determining the soil’s capacity to absorb water.
Houses built by filling small water bodies with sand have more chances of sinking. Houses built on slopes by removing the soil have higher chances of landslides during months. Houses are built away from any source of water, or away from areas where the course of water bodies has changed during previous floods.
Before constructing buildings in the flood-prone zones, maps are produced which show the flood-prone zones and contours at an interval of 0.3m or 0.5m. The frequencies of flooding in each area are also mentioned in these maps. The degree of submersion or accumulation of water is also marked on these maps.
Photo from Flood List
Precautions through Construction such Natural Calamities
Houses are raised and built on elevated platforms to avoid floods. Houses are built on stilts. Kutcha houses made of mud, clay, or brick or stone walls with mud mortar are very easily damaged by rain. Water seeps into them through roofs or directly through walls. The upper surface of the roofs can be plastered with water-proof mud plaster and also can be made fire-resistant if applied on the internal side.
150-200 mm thick black polythene of heavy gauge sheets can be laid at mid-thickness or upper quarter thickness of the clay layer as an alternative. The drainage of the roof should be ensured, and the lower portion of the wall next to the fall of water should be made a pucca. Water-proof mud, lime, or cement plaster is used for plastering the top of parapets. 500 mm of roof projection protects the wall from saturation.
Another method to protect walls is using burnt bricks externally and sundried bricks internally. This wall will be one and a half brick thick. The minimum plinth should be 450 mm above ground level, and a DPC (Damp Proof Course) should be laid at the plinth level on all the walls.
October 29, 2024