A huddle of houses and a storehouse
This proposal was driven by the House of No Waste Competition organized by the United Nations University Institute for Integrated Management of Material Fluxes and of Resources. This is an initial concept developed during a charette process responding to immediate climate crisis events in Jamaica.
As a response to the dreadful Hurricane Melissa, this project is part of a multi-phase housing plan strategy that builds for a resilient future. This is the first stage addressing the immediate need for Hurricane-resilient housing and shelter along with necessary supporting facilities for efficient recovery. The typical housing layout features an open-plan living and kitchen area, with bedrooms and a bathroom arranged around it, along with an enclosed porch that promotes natural ventilation.
The house and the storehouse form a semi-closed system with the land. Foundations are burrowed deeply and are securely connected all the way up to the thatched roof forming one closed system. The structure then becomes a component of a flow-system strategy that is carefully designed to mitigate water levels during crisis events. There are 3 degrees of water depositories that help to do this; the bioswales, the permeable mixed pedestrian and vehicular zones and the flood gardens.
