CONCEPT

Bamboo to the Rescue

Vietnams seasonal ooding prompts a local architecture rm to design a low-cost, resilient home that would literally keep heads above water.
Project: Low Cost Bamboo Housing Architect: H&P Architects Location: Central Vietnam

The modularity of the room allows dwellers to expand their house as their family grows (top). A step-by-step diagram of the building process (top right).

Central Vietnam has the misfortune of being located directly in a path of storm landfall. Every year, torrential rain and oods claim lives, devastate properties and drain the regions development opportunities. To make matters worse, the annual disaster has become increasingly difcult to anticipate thanks to the erratic weather patterns brought by global climate change. Now the vulnerability of the region has prompted architects Doan Thanh Ha and Tran Ngoc Phuong of Hanoi-based H&P Architects to develop a housing concept to help mitigate the impact of the ooding and rains. In addition to fullling normal residential requirements, their concept dwelling also needed to be affordable, exible and easily replicated. The architects went through the checklist

one by one; designing a dwelling assembled from detachable modular rooms made from locally sourced materials that cost under $2000 to build. The walls and roof structure of the modules are constructed from 8-10cm diameter bamboo blades, which are secured using simple ties, anchors and joinery. Once rigid enough, the structure is tted at the base with oil drums that act as oatation devices. Should a ood come, the whole structure will rise above the water, intact, just like a rescue capsule. To keep it from drifting away from its site, the house is anchored on each side by steel piles planted deep in the ground. The modularity of the room allows the dwellers to expand their home according to their needs, and the distinct thatched roof provides some additional space by serving as an attic. The architects have also designed a vertical garden on the faade; dwellers are encouraged to grow edible plants on its suspended bamboo planters. As of March this year the prototype is undergoing the second phase of testing. Heres hoping it survives the design to build process and can keep heads above water in time for the 2015 season. Asih Jenie

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September/October 2013

Dwell Asia