|
Innovative Housing for Tsunami Rehabilitation
According to the latest World Health Organization situation report regarding the impact of the tsunami, nearly 650,000 people have been displaced and 157,000 dwelling units have been damaged in India alone. Government authorities and rehabilitation experts have expressed an urgent need for improved housing designs and community layouts that would appropriately address the local conditions during this reconstruction phase.
Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Founder of Isha Foundation, immediately took up this challenge to address this housing need. In direct consultation with local villagers and government authorities, Sadhguru has designed an innovative model housing unit ideally suited for tsunami rehabilitation in the coastal areas of Tamil Nadu.
Comprising of a semi-cylindrical concrete shell built in-situ on a 5.5 inch slab that forms the plinth and the foundation atop sand, the home provides 225 sq.ft of floor space available for internal partitioning. The floor slab and the shell are cast monolithically. The floor slab transfers the load of the structure to the sand underneath and thereby functions as the foundation.
 The first housing unit was inaugurated on January 25, 2005 in Pettodai village, Isha Foundation’s model rehabilitation village. Construction of units is currently underway. Government officials and other dignitaries have expressed great interest and appreciation for the suitability of this architectural prototype. Shri C.V. Shanmugam - Minister of Education and Commercial Taxes for the Government of Tamil Nadu, Smt. C.K. Gariyali, IAS - senior secretary to the Government of Tamil Nadu, currently on special duty as the Relief Commissioner for Cuddalore district, Shri Gagandeep Singh Bedi - Collector for Cuddalore district, inaugurated the first dwelling and expressed appreciation for the technical soundness and appropriateness of the design.
Key Dimensions
15’ X 15’ floor space
4” thick concrete shell,
5” thick plinth & floor
Monolithic cast
15’ maximum height
Weighs 17 tons
 
 
The following are the highlights of the design:
Fire proof:
Built of reinforced cement concrete, the home is fireproof, which is an important factor when many units are built in close proximity to one another. This represents a safe and long-term alternative to thatched houses which can lead to a fire hazard, especially when taking into account the fact that these communities light fire inside or nearby their dwellings to cook their food.
Cyclone proof:
Cyclones on the coast are an annual happening in this region, which often result in disruption of life and damage to property. Local habitants have to spend several days in cyclone protected shelters during the cyclone season. The model housing structure’s aerodynamic shape can withstand a cyclone or gale force winds and still remain intact. Even in the most adverse weather, the homeowner can light a fire and cook a meal inside.
Tsunami proof:
Because of the shape of the house, a large wave hitting the home will not encounter resistance and will pass over, leaving the house unharmed. The first line of houses facing the sea can be built with a simple but effective buttress for this purpose.
Durable:
Due to the construction material components and architectural design, these dwellings offer a reliable life span of 75-100 years in coastal areas.
Extendable:
In the event that additional area is requested, housing extension plans have been designed.
Quick turn out:
The housing need of the region is enormous. Currently, there is no viable plan to fulfill these needs before the onset of the monsoons. The entire structure is designed in such a way that for every pre-fabricated mould, one dwelling can be cast every 24 hours. Each mould can be used more than 100 times before it needs to be refurbished. Completing construction work and securing safe dwellings to habitants before the monsoon season is imperative, else another disaster situation might arise.
Cost-effectiveness:
The cost of the dwelling works out to approximately Rs.79,885 ($1,880), and the cost of the mould approximately Rs.45,000 ($1,059). This model is cost effective compared to conventional structures supported by load-bearing walls with deep foundation. Since they will be ready for occupation in three to four weeks time, unnecessary expenditure on temporary housing is avoided and instead resources can be used to enhance amenities.
Ease of Replicability:
The design can be easily understood and executed by a trained mason with locally available labor. This is an important factor in meeting the large scale demand.
Transportability:
To ensure compliance with evolving Coastal Zoning Regulations and to address situations of topographical changes, the dwelling can be transported using a 25 ton crane.
Conformity to Local Fishing Activity Needs:
These robust concrete shell dwellings can be set up in proximity of the coast, thereby suiting the fishing practices of local communities. Ready access to the sea is important given that the fishermen go out to sea anytime during the day or night depending on sea conditions. As the fishermen do their fishing by beaching their boats and not by docking, dwellings proximal to the sea ensures security of fishing equipment. Supplementing the dwelling design is a village plan. Each village plan includes a market square, community hall, recreation areas, school, health and medical care units, weather warning system, and sanitary toilet facilities.
An Appeal
The housing need for the tsunami-devastated region is enormous. Rather than replacement of damaged housing units with temporary thatched shelters, Isha Foundation’s tsunami rehabilitation housing design offers a cost-effective sustainable solution.
Isha Foundation is capable of addressing the deficit of 20,000 essential dwelling units in the coastal region of Tamil Nadu over the next three months. While it is currently committed to housing construction in five villages in Cuddalore district, the Foundation is willing to take up construction of these facilities for all villages in this region.
Necessary financial resources remain the only limiting factor in this undertaking. We seek the support & collaboration of all individual donors, governmental and non-governmental aid agencies to help restore the lives of thousands of tsunami victims.
|
