flood casualties

Transport

Sort of self explanatory some mode of transport that could be hidden around the every day and then come into use as flooding occurs. If not transport then at least some kind of anchored floating platform. Priority of air lifts to most needed, helping wounded maybe some kind of stretcher.

A possible shape

This is an idea of a shape that could vary in use. as seen in the picture its a make shift shelter or bridge/raised platform. Upside down a floating road when linked together, overflow networks also and possibly others.

River overflow is another thing I've started looking into, the idea of a multi-funtional design is still at the back of my mind something that could be used as a shelter, overflow, bridge etc

Back to modular shelter idea

I was thinking about the modular way we already live in Britain, same house next to house and arranged in lines to create streets. If the same basic arrangement could be created then maybe a sense of familiarisation could be developed, this would also mean that the shelter would not seem so alien.

Pizza slice shelter

The idea of this is to enable a generic stack able form that will lock together to form shelters. this could also mean that no door would bee needed the shelters section could just be slid out of the way for entry.

Space saving for transportation

The fan is an ideal solution to space saving. similar to an umbrella but with a more rigid structure. the profile of the fan is straight what if it was changed to some other line type that could enable shelter.

initial idea

A couple of quick ideas incorporating both rotomold and bamboo the basic rotomolded plastic shapes hold the bamboo in different structures, for example an easily constructed raft or partition wall (left). the right side shows possibilities of a wig-wam type structure.

Modular britain

Modular design makes me think of the housing that we inhabit in britain. house after house in straight lines and not differing from one another much at all. Moving that train of thought to a refugee/ homeless shelter modular housing could be arranged in rows to reflect on the streets that have been left behind. This would also mean that the strange environment wouldn't be such a shock to the system.

K'nex

I love the idea of having a set number of pieces with almost endless application. If I could simplify my design into a couple of easily fabricated shapes that could have many building possibilities. well that would be awsome!  

Cambodian school bus

While for most places flooding is a dangerous and unexpected disaster, some places in the world live with flooding annually. Above is a picture of a school in the kandal province in cambodia and the schools transport for the flood season. 

lifeguard float

This object is something I find interesting as it matches some of the ideas I am proposing. the plastic body is bright and has easily found handles along with probably being rotomolded.  

Visibility

For flood survival a valuable asset is visibility. If you can be spotted by rescuers easily and quickly you have a much better chance of being rescued. If you are in the mirky waters or stranded without food and water time is of the essence, people are hard to spot so how about making it easier?

Bamboo

Bamboo is an amazing and widely available material it grows extremely fast and so is a very renewable material. Bamboo can be used to build a multitude of structures due to the fact it is both light and strong. bamboo can be easily lashed together to form rafts, bridges, irrigation systems. As well as having the ability to be split easily along it's length giving even more possibilities to construction with bamboo it can be eaten and also made into a wool like fabric.

The construction properties of bamboo are similar to that of plastics in that the are both light and strong. Plastics though do not degrade as fast the can come in any shape and also in any colour. for example the final property stated means that a luminous object could be created which could be easily seen by rescuers.

Just a report I found useful

Reducing the Vulnerability

of the Poor to the Negative

Impacts of Floods

A park bench

When times are bad people pull together and I think the image above shows this well. comunitys strengthen and petty feuds are dropped. A clean slate to start on.

Safes uses

Storage has to consider what it is that is being stored within. There's not much point in keeping ice cream in a safe, it will keep it untoched but also melted.

Crocodile safety

Storage of a baby crocodile by its mother, the safest place for the young is in the caring parents mouth. A place of storage is a place of security and safe keeping, Storage then when considered within a design brief is something that will keep the stored object safe from harm.

food storage

Another example of storage, in this case a hamsters life line,its food. I don't think its too applicable to my design considerations but hey, a little giggle.

Umbrella style shelter

An umbrella is a form of shelter, a possible large scale portable shelter?

Similar to a teepee in form and they are a very sucessful shelter having been used for thousands of years without any change to design.

Refuge in buddhism

The meaning of taking refuge in the Three Jewels is explained somewhat differently by the various schools of Buddhism. The Theravada teacher Bhikkhu Bodhi said,

"The Buddha's teaching can be thought of as a kind of building with its own distinct foundation, stories, stairs, and roof. Like any other building the teaching also has a door, and in order to enter it we have to enter through this door. The door of entrance to the teaching of the Buddha is the going for refuge to the Triple Gem — that is, to the Buddha as the fully enlightened teacher, to the Dhamma as the truth taught by him, and to the Sangha as the community of his noble disciples."

Re-use housing

Above is a block of flats made from re-using shipping containers. This design gives me another idea as to how I will confront the design problem. The re-use of available materials along with the rotationally molded plastic would be a very useful thing to look into. 

Safety in visability

Hermit crabs have their shelter with them their whole life switching it every so often but will always have another shelter to go to before vacating their current shell. The fact that you never see a hermit crab out of its shelter makes this picture quite intriguing in that it is visible to an extent. For some reason it doesn't seem like it's that effective a refuge because of its transparent nature. In essence I feel a refuge should make you feel safe. For example I would feel safer sleeping in a tent than a green house in the middle of a dark wood. It's the thought that your on show,visible to all like a display shelf that makes you feel vulnerable.

A hug as a source of refuge/shelter

Hugging is a shelter of types, the safety and welbeing felt from a hug is hard to match and can wake you from the saddest of feelings.

feelings of safety from height

Height gives an advantage over our enemys, we get a better view and can see further. the extra distance added between us and the threat also enforces the feeling of safety. The nests in the picture below are made by weaver birds and I really like the fact they are built in a little community. A possibility is to design some kind of ready made stilted foundation to build ontop of, or some communal storage area where grain, school materials, clothes and medical supplies could be stored hanging and hauled up and away from flood water and to safety. lots of little stores hanging from the structure ready to be pulled away to safety.

Ants and boats

More similarities drawn between nature and man. Above is a picture of fire ants in a flood, what they do is link their floating bodies together to support each other agianst the currents and keep the queen away from the water. This made me think of marinas and how they are just a floating metropolis of boats and walkways. They are very safe and easily cope with the currents and wind speeds of open water very much like a flood would have. Possibly some flotation device that could be connected together on a large scale would be helpfull. Attach survivors to grow in size and stability.

high density living

A comparison to the animal world through linking a refugee croud to a swarm of bees, the high density living of both of these pictures is obvious. The bees solution, a hive can hold a huge number of bees and neatly fits vast numbers of honey stores and grub nests in a small amount of space. refugee camps are messy ununiform and unwelcoming, they have few resorces and if they do are far between.


One nil to nature giving a possible basis for my design.