HEAL
Overlapping nature with design
In our last article, we discussed how big a role design plays in making the traumatic lives of refugees more comfortable. In light of the devastating floods that plagued Southwest India in August 2018, we continue our discussion on design being emphasized as a tool for prominent social impact.
As climate change gains strength, floods are becoming a stronger reality day by day. In areas where flooding is a normal monsoon symptom, residents have adapted their lifestyles accordingly. However, there is still a shut down in terms of transport and communication. One of the many innovative solutions that have tried to tackle this problem is the ‘floating schools’ of Bangladesh. Architect Mohammed Rezwan, through his non-profit organization “Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha”, realized the answer in the form of traditional Bangladeshi wooden boats being converted into schools, libraries, healthcare and trainings centers for the isolated waterside communities. The floating schools act as modes of transport first, and then transform into educational, interactive hubs. They are open for students and adults, inviting and educating both men and women on sustainable livelihoods and adaptive practices. All the boats are solar-powered, using natural electricity to ensure undisturbed learning.
The floating schools have been applauded the world over as a way of designers taking a step towards adaptability to natural events, instead of rehabilitation after every episode of natural destruction. Nature strikes when perturbed, more often without any prior warning. As designers, we have to understand that the way forward is to work along side the forces of nature, rather than suppressing them and developing cures for rehabilitation later. Why can we not design and build around nature, incorporating methods that do not perturb the environment and hence ensure safety if and when a disaster strikes? The Studio for Habitat Futures (or SHiFt), headed by Architect Sanjay Prakash, has been incorporating such methods in their designs since the last thirty years; trying to manage and reduce resource consumption while also posing minimal disruption to the environment. One of their on-going projects of IIT Jodhpur is being designed as a smart intelligent eco-campus, integrating natural elements with technological advancements.
This brings us to the concept of sustainable and nature-inclusive designing, which is gradually becoming a core principle of design practices worldwide. Designers are embracing nature as an important element, to be glorified rather than hidden behind layers of modern materials and techniques. The Enchanted Island Resort, Seychelles designed by Stapati studio, is an example of the site taking the centre stage; the hilly contours are not tackled, but rather enhanced through the built form that seems to arise from the site itself. Another example that follows suit, designed by the same multi-disciplinary team headed by Architect Tony Joseph, is the Malabar Headquarters in Calicut, India.
Drastic climate change is a product of human intervention into the ways of nature. Designers and studios are a few of many, who have begun tackling the reality of global warming in ways that are efficient and adaptive. Our infrastructure needs to be designed in acceptance of climate change and the inevitable symptoms it brings along. Most importantly, the younger generation, who will probably bear the brunt of climate change, needs to be aware and armed with the knowledge of adaptive designing; so as to suffer lesser consequences and hopefully, reduce the overall impact.
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On this note, COMMUN presents a design challenge for young students and professionals called HEAL — to design regenerative housing for the inhabitants suffering from the aftermath of the devastating floods in Kerala. The key point here is to design a habitat that is easy and fast to construct and is designed to handle disasters irrespective of when they strike.
Architects Mohammed Rezwan, Tony Joseph and Sanjay Prakash, along with a panel of designers who have abundant experience in the area of sustainable and regenerative designing, will be judging the competition entries.
More details about HEAL can be found here: http://commun.uni.xyz/index.html
Image Source 1 & 2: www.shidhulai.org/ourwork.html
Image Source 3: http://shift.org.in/iit-jodhpur.php
Image Source 4: http://stapati.com/projects
