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kerala 2019

Heal + : Regenerative housing for Kerala

Submission: February 10, 2019
Registration: February 05, 2019
Language: English
Location: Concept
Prizes: Please see details below
Type: Open Idea

 

Urbanization, the key to the future – a good or a bad one at that? On August 2018, Kerala & some parts of Kodagu, India faced one of the worst Floods of the century, with 300+ deaths and infrastructure damages over Rs. 8,000 crores (1.1 Billion USD). Every time disaster hits, we as humans do everything in our power to suppress it, provide aid and rehabilitate. But even the most advanced prevention systems and methods fail. The only way out is to fold how humans grow and work together + towards living with the forces of nature collectively.

There are different levels of damages in a flood situation – ranging from a limited water logging to total wipe-out. This leads to transportation hamper, slow degradations of infrastructure and a lot more. Many people have to build their lives over again, with all their belongings lost. The damage can be of physical assets at the same time irreparable life losses which make things even tougher.

THE CHALLANGE

A series of events follow after flood where people try to rebuild their lives after claiming aid from insurance agencies, savings and government aid that is given to affected areas based on losses of property and the lives. The already struck down transport network has costs of resources surged which makes the rebuilding slow and even more costly. With already a weak support / resource / strength they are burdened not only with survival but challenges that are beyond generic living.

With floods being an inevitable problem with drastic climate change and rising sea levels,

  1. Can we build habitats that accept water surge as a reality?
  2. Can we design buildings that help people to get back on their feet much faster than before?
  3. As everybody is rebuilding in the same battle can they do it together?
  4. If India is too big to be planned ‘outside in’, can we create habitats that are planned ‘inside out’?
  5. If a flood rises to a wipeout situation can there be places of refuge built or made accessible beforehand?
  6. Can habitats be prepared for the next disaster already irrespective of time while rebuilding?

Go to the competition’s website