AQUATECTURE

Submitted by
Vinaya Dhone

Guided by
Prof. Saurabh Paliwal

in fulfillment of requirement for the award of degree of

B. Arch

Thesis submitted to
PRIYADARSHINI INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
STUDIES, NAGPUR

Priyadarshini Campus, Digdoh Hills, Off Hingna Road, C.R.P.F., Nagpur-440 019 India

May 2019
 AQUATECTURE

Submitted by
Vinaya Dhone

Guided by
Prof. Saurabh Paliwal

in fulfillment of requirement for the award of degree of

B. Arch

Thesis submitted to
PRIYADARSHINI INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN
STUDIES, NAGPUR

Priyadarshini Campus, Digdoh Hills, Off Hingna Road, C.R.P.F., Nagpur-440 019 India

May 2019
© Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design Studies, Nagpur (PIADS) 2018-19
 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the Thesis titled “AQUATECTURE” submitted here has been carried out by me in the
Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design Studies, Nagpur. The work is original and has not been
submitted earlier as a whole or in part for the award of any degree / diploma at this or any other Institution
/ University.

Vinaya Dhone
Date:
 CERTIFICATE

The Thesis titled “AQUATECTURE” submitted by Vinaya Dhone for the partial fulfillment of B.Arch.
degree, has been carried out under my guidance at the Priyadarshini Institute of Architecture and Design
Studies, Nagpur. The work is comprehensive, complete and fit for evaluation.

Prof. Saurabh Paliwal Dr. Nandini Kulkarni

Guide Mentor
PIADS, Nagpur PIADS, Nagpur

Forwarded by –

Prof. Pradeep Padgilwar Ar. Habeeb Khan

Principal, Director,
PIADS, Nagpur PIADS, Nagpur

Date:

External Juror
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
My hands join, and my head bowed,

To thank all, I express this aloud…

From deep down my heart,

I will always remember this part…

Words are just a few,

To express my gratitude towards you…

The best way to begin this report is by acknowledging my gratitude towards all the individual responsible for its

successful completion.

I express my deep sense of gratitude and sincerely thank my project Guide, Prof. Saurabh Paliwal and Mentor,

Dr. Nandini Kulkarni for their guidance, constant motivation, valuable support, constructive criticism which have

contributed immensely to the evolution throughout this project.

I also convey my respectable thanks to Dr. Sameer M. Deshkar (Assistant professor, VNIT) and Dr. Shankar

Pratim Bhattacharya (Assistant Professor, IIT Kharagpur.), Ar. Kunal Waradhe (Principal Architect, FaNP

Studios) for motivation, guidance and helping me by providing references to proceed.

I also thank for inspirations and guidance, which I have received from all the panel guides;

Prof. Arun Soman, Prof. Krutika Rajderkar, Prof. Sonali Borate, Prof. Sameer Gurjar. for giving me

opportunities and continuous support.

I am grateful to Prof. Anant Raoule, Prof. Mrunal Gaikwad, Prof. Ashish Paliwal, for sincere guidance,

untiring corporation, valuable advice and endless inspiration for preparation of this project.

It gives me great pleasure to express my indebtedness to my mother and brother for their sustainable moral support

and encouragement throughout these precious college days.

I would also extend sincere thanks to all my dearest friends and my classmates for their unnerving support in

completion of work and motivation throughout the project. You all are wonderful people, and I will never forget

these amazing days of completion of our Under-Graduation Thesis Project. Together!!!

Finally, I apologies to all others unnamed who helped me directly or indirectly to complete this project.
 ABSTRACT

Disaster! A single word expressing multiple emotions of fear, threat, depression, mental disturbance.
etc.is the key motivation of this project…

BREAKING NEWS:
KERELA FLOODS ON 8TH, AUGUST 2018
(Due to unusually high rainfall during the monsoon season. It was the worst flood in Kerala in nearly a century. Over 483 people died, and
14 are missing.)

A Natural Disaster is a sudden event that causes widespread destruction, major collateral damage or loss
of life, brought about by forces.
India ranks among the top five countries which have been hit by the greatest number of natural disasters
in the last decade.
The data for last 17 years shows that around 25,000 people were killed due to rampant floods in the
country, therefore the major concern considered in this project further is Riverine Floods caused in India.

This project investigates different situation caused during the disasters and will further help in
understanding the criteria for mitigating, managing and adapting such catastrophic situations.
This will make us understand and intervene spaces to live and work with water.

While studying the project reviews through different techniques and solutions to live and work together
without getting disturbed by the nature’s threats; such as Communities build on water, Amphibious
techniques, Multipurpose disaster shelters etc.

In the case of natural disasters, certain geographic areas are prone to problems, which are repeated at
reasonably predictable intervals. People who live in these areas nevertheless unable to or refuse to move
to safer areas for economic and social reasons. Day-to-day patterns of existence are more important to
most people than, some disaster may occur at an unknown future date, therefore, if the same location is
more suitable in providing a better way of life it will attract and retain inhabitants.
In the post-disaster situation, there may be very few shelter alternatives for the victims, because of their
inappropriate construction even the buildings that are left undamaged may still pose a risk if re-inhabited.
In these cases, the value of effective emergency accommodation is in the provision of a practical, usable
base, which can be utilized to protect the inhabitants and their property in support of their efforts to
rebuild their dwellings and community.

With this typology AQUATECTURE, water and architectural design can unite to produce dynamic and
reliable mitigation solutions in future.
Therefore, this project explores an architectural intervention which can provide an immediate evacuation
space within the lag time of the crises.
The main concern of the project is to handle Rural areas affected due to floods. User group at such
locations need much more attention and education to cope with such devastating situations.

Due to the flexibility of site location that Aquatecture allows, this intervention can serve as a long- term
solution and standard of living within current and projected flood prone areas.

I
 LIST OF FIGURES

CHAPTER 1

FIGURE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

1 Flood mortality risk Chart Worldwide. 3
2 Flood Zone Map, India. 3
3 Living with Forces of Nature. 3
4 Disaster Report per country. 5
5 Percentage Occurrence of Natural Disaster. 5
6 Indian Climatic Disaster Risk Map. 6
7 Percentage of Disaster Occurrence 6
8 People affected by weather Related Disaster 6
9 Mohenjo-Daro. 7
10 Massive Brick embankments 8
11 Brick Foundations Mohenjo-Daro 8
12 Human deaths chart 10
13 Flood Prone States in India 11

CHAPTER 2

FIGURE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

14 Flood Plains 18
15 Flood Plains zones 18
16 Amphibious Housing 1 19
17 Amphibious Housing 1 19
18 Sectional View 20
19 Section Of Amphibious Housing 20
20 Site Plan 21
21 Lower Ground Floor Plan 21
22 Ground Floor Plan 21
23 First Floor Plan 21
24 Side Section 21
25 Burnahm Hall 22
26 Protection Barrier at Burhnam Hall 23
27 Youth Theater 25
28 Flood Barrier at Doorway 26
29 Design Like You Give a Damn 28
30 Shelter Terminology 42
31 Cattle Shelter 48
32 Elevation of Silodom 50
33 Silodom 51
34 Foundation Technology 51
35 Elevation 51
36 Silodonm View 51
37 Entrance through Boat 52
II
 38 View of Silodom 52
39 Plan of Health Care 53
40 Training Room 54
41 Office 54
42 Community Toilets 54
43 Conceptual Floor Plans 54
44 Classrooms 54
45 Common kitchen 54
46 Health care Waiting Room 55
47 Training Center for Women 55
48 MPS in Odisha 57
49 Front View of MPS 57
50 School Court yard 58
51 Roof Forming Steps 59
52 Internal Courtyard 59
53 Inside Spaces 61
54 School View 61
55 Side Elevation 63
56 Classroom 63
57 School Front View 63
58 School View 63
59 Bihar Village Settlement 64
60 Fly Ash Bricks 64
61 Passive Cooling Techniques 66
62 Toilet Layout 68
63 Handrail 69
64 Side Elevation (Toilet) 69

CHAPTER 3

FIGURE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

65 Barang Site, Odisha 71
66 Gokulpur, Odisha 72
67 Bihar 73
68 Bihar state map 75
69 Rivers in Bihar 77
70 River Basin in Bihar 78
71 Hazard Zoning in Bihar 79
72 Flood Zoning in Bihar 81
73 Flood Level of Different Years 82
74 Soil Map, Bihar 83
75 Areas Near Muzaffarpur 85
76 Site Selected 85
77 Residential Marking on Site 86
78 Final Selected Site 87
79 Site 87
80 Site Analysis 88
III
 81 Multipurpose Typology 92

CHAPTER 4

FIGURE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

82 Activity Analysis (Conceptual Zoning) 100
83 Zoning Stage 1 101

IV
 LIST OF TABLES

CHAPTER 2

TABLE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

1 Shelter Location 33
2 Types of Shelter 34
3 Design Principles 35
4 Temporary Shelter Standards 39
5 General Recommendation 39

CHAPTER 3

TABLE NO. DESCRIPTION Pg. No.

6 SWOT Analysis in Barang 72
7 SWOT Analysis in Gokulpur 73
8 SWOT Analysis in Bihar 74
9 Salient Features of Burhi Gandak 76
10 Lag Timein Burhi Gandak 76
11 Climatic Factor 82
12 Seasons in Bihar 83
13 Soil Type in Bihar 84
14 Demographic Data 89
15 Percentage of Specially Abled and Pregnant Women 89
16 SWOT Analysis for Activities 91
17 Area Program 94
18 FEMA Norms A 94
19 FEMA Norms B 95
20 FEMA Norms C 95
21 FEMA Norms D 95

V
 INDEX
1. CHAPTER 1

I. Part A (General Information) ……………………………………2

• Introduction
• World Disaster Map
• Indian Disaster Map
• Historical Relationship between water and architecture
• History of Disaster
• Types of Disaster
• Types of Floods
• Motivation
• Situations Caused due to flood

II. Part B (Thesis Outline) ………………………………………...13

• Aim
• Objective
• Introduction
• Need
• Scope
• Limitation
• Methodology / Description

2. CHAPTER 2

I. Part A (Discussion with the experts) ……………….………16

• Discussion at VNIT, Nagpur

• Discussion at IIT Kharagpur, West Bengal

II. Part B (Literature Study) …………………………….…….19

• Aquatecture
• Flood proofing techniques- Burnham Hall
• Flood proofing techniques- Youth Theater
• Book Review- Design Like You Give a Damn
• Deccma Working Paper- Resettlement and Rehabilitation
• Temporary shelter – Tropical Strom Senong 2011
• Research Report - Transitional shelter in Post Disaster Context
• Mobile and flexible architecture

VI
 • Cattle shed

III. Part C (Case Study) …………………………….……….50

• Community on water, Netherland

• Community center, Delhi
• Multipurpose Shelter, Odisha
• Rural School 1 - Mular Primary School
• Rural School 2 -Brazilian School,
• Rural School 3 -Primary School, Kere

IV. Part D (Material and General Study) …………………...64

• Material – Fly ash

• Passive Techniques
• Toilet Details of Abled

3. CHAPTER 3

I. Part A (Site Analysis) …………………………………...71

• Site Selection Criterion

• Site Options A, Odisha, Barang
• Site Options B, Odisha, Gokulpur
• Site Options C, Odisha, Bihar
• Site General Information, Bihar
• Rivers and their Basins
• Flood Affected Areas in Bihar
• Year Wise Flood Affected Areas in Bihar
• Climatic Analysis
• Soil Analysis
• Site, Bihar
• Site Analysis

II. Part B (Area Program) ………………………………….89

• Demographic Data
• Activities Swot
• Area analysis and Typology Selection
• Area Program

VII
4. CHAPTER 4

I. Part A (Design)…………………………………………97

• Design Parameters and Standards

• Concept

II. Part C (Drawings)……………………………………...102

• Site Plan
• Elevation
• Sections
• Details

5. CHAPTER 5………………………………………….104

I. Reference

VIII
CHAPTER 1
PART A: GENERAL INFORMATION

• INTRODUCTION

Our world is drastically changing. Temperatures are rising, skies over cities are blanketed with smoke,
and melting glaciers are raising sea levels at alarming rates. Although the destruction we face is already
threatening the quality of life for billions around the world, it could just be the beginning. What is
projected to come could be catastrophic. It is crucial to realize that climate change is already happening.
One of the main concerns relating to climate change is that as the polar ice caps continue to melt, rising
water will invade our coastal cities around the world.

2016 was according to NASA scientists, the hottest year on record. (# 1 Ref: NASA, 2017)1 .

This is just one of the more visible effects of climate change, one of the greatest challenges of our times.

Another very visible effect is the change in global disaster patterns, with more frequent, more intense and
less predictable disasters challenging especially developing countries with a lack of preparedness and
response capacities. (# 2 Ref: IPCC, 2012)2.

There is a lot of discussion going on how to adapt to this changing climatic conditions, especially in
countries where financial resources are limited. The built environment has been identified as a key area of
intervention. As disasters, such as typhoons, can devastate entire cities, it is essential that the most
important buildings in these cities, the lifelines so to speak, are resilient and can withstand major hazards.

Disaster resilient planning and architecture are very important as frequent repairs and maintenance or
complete replacement after disasters put pressure on public and private resources as well as the
environment, including energy, waste, and emissions.

Humanitarian architecture has been focusing a lot on disaster relief by building temporary structures
for shelter after a disaster. Although these structures are needed, they are no long-term solution. It
must be ensured that affected people can return to their old lives and homes.

Moreover, a lot of disaster resilient architecture is developed for the wealthy with expensive
materials and building methods. This thesis challenges these common practices, by offering a
different perspective for architecture in disaster prone areas. It proposes disaster resilient
architecture made from local, cheap materials to make it accessible for communities in poorer
areas of the world.

1
# 1 Ref: NASA, 2017

2
# 2 Ref: IPCC, 2012

2
 Fig. 1 – Flood mortality risk Chart Worldwide.

India being a peninsular country and surrounded by Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean and Bay of Bengal is
quite prone to flood. As per GIS major flood prone areas of India cover almost 12.5% area of country.
India faced one of the worst Flood of the Century with 300+ deaths and infrastructure damage over Rs.
80,000 crores. 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 system and methods fails.

Fig. 2 – Flood Zone Map, India Fig. 3 – Living with Forces of Nature.

3
The only way out is to fold how humans grow and work together and towards living with the forces of
nature collectively. Since ancient times, people have chosen to settle down in flood-prone areas because
of various advantages, despite the risks. Proximity to water took care of people’s irrigation needs,
transport and navigation needs, drinking-water needs etc. Today, with growing population, there is great
pressure on water sources and the number of people living in their proximity is increasing, as are flood
risks.

Disaster is Defined as “a serious disruption of the functioning of a community or a society involving

widespread human, material, economic or environmental losses and impacts, which exceeds the ability of
the affected community or society to cope using its own resources”. (# 3 Ref: UNISDR, 2009)3.

Additionally, it states that a disaster is often described as a result of the combination of three factors:

1) Physical exposure,

2) Vulnerability and

3) The capacity to cope with the situation.

The vulnerability of a system has many aspects, including poor design and construction of buildings, lack
of information and awareness and disregard for environmental management. A disaster cannot exist
independently from human systems (# 4 Ref: Oliver-Smith et al., 2016)4.

A storm which hits an uninhabited island can never turn into a disaster, as no population is in the path of
the hazard. Only if there is an exposed population which can suffer damage from the hazard, there can be
a disaster. Thus, vulnerability and exposure shape disaster risk, which manifests itself into a disaster, in
case of a hazard.

Resilience on the other hand is defined as, the ability of a system, community or society exposed to
hazards to resist, absorb, accommodate to and recover from the effects of a hazard in a timely and
efficient manner, including through the preservation and restoration of its essential basic structures
and functions.(# 3 Ref: UNISDR, 2009).

Recent research suggests that the recovery component of resilience is more than simply the ability of
‘bouncing back’ to the pre-disaster state. It should rather be perceived as the ability of ‘building back
better, ‘meaning creating a better system during the recovery phase, drawing on lessons learned during
the disaster. (# 5 Ref: Becker, 2014)5.

3
# 3 Ref: UNISDR, 2009 The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
4
# 4 Ref: Oliver-Smith et al., 2016
5
# 5 Ref: Becker, 2014

4
 • WORLD DISASTER MAP

Fig. 4 – Disaster Report per country.

Fig. 5 – Percentage Occurrence of Natural Disaster.

(# 6 Ref: UNISDR / CRED)6

6
# 6 Ref: UNISDR / CRED

5
 • INDIA DISASTER MAP

Fig. 6 – Indian Climatic Disaster Risk Map.

Fig. 7 – Percentage of Disaster Occurrence. Fig. 8 – People affected by weather

6
 • HISTORICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN WATER AND
ARCHITECTURE

Throughout history human settlements have been shaped by water to a great extent. Besides being a
source of sustenance, humans have needed water for several other needs including transportation and
recreation. It is a known fact that past civilizations have built their cities and villages near rivers, streams,
lakes or other water sources throughout the historical process. Even in modern cities, water remains an
important factor in the design of open spaces and for the quality of human life. For designers, water is one
of the most attractive and entrancing design elements in the design and organization of urban open spaces.

Mohenjo-Daro meaning 'Mound of the Dead Men' is an archaeological site in the province of Sindh,
Pakistan. Built around 2500 BCE, it was one of the largest settlements of the ancient Indus Valley
civilization, and one of the world's earliest major cities.

Fig. 9 – Mohenjo-Daro.

Mohenjo-Daro is located west of the Indus River in Larkana District, Sindh, Pakistan, in a central position
between the Indus River and the Ghaggar-Hakra River. It is situated on a Pleistocene ridge in the middle
of the flood plain of the Indus River Valley, around 28 kilometers (17 min) from the town of Larkana.
The ridge was prominent during the time of the Indus Valley Civilization, allowing the city to stand
above the surrounding flood, but subsequent flooding has since buried most of the ridge in silt deposits.
The Indus still flows east of the site, but the Ghaggar-Hakra riverbed on the western side is now dry.

Flooding and rebuilding:

The city also had large platforms perhaps intended as defence against flooding.
According to a theory first advanced by Wheeler, the city could have been flooded and silted over,
perhaps six times, and later rebuilt in the same location.
7
George F. Dales, who led the 1964 excavations at Mohenjo-Daro, wrote "The archaeological evidence
strongly suggests that large-scale community projects were indeed undertaken at Mohenjo-Daro for this
purpose [protecting the city from river floods]”. (# 7 Ref: George F. Dales, Article)7
As an example, massive mud-brick platforms were erected and faced with fired brick, apparently with the
objective of raising the level of the city safely above lake waters. One such embankment, partially
excavated by the expedition is some 70 feet wide and well over 25 feet high. After each immersion the
inhabitants of Mohenjo-Daro found it necessary to rebuild or reinforce most of the city's buildings.
Although they usually rebuilt directly on top of the older foundations and walls, they eventually
encountered serious problems of decay and sinking. The ruins today dramatically illustrate the problems
they faced.

1. Flood countermeasures taken at Mohenjo-Daro included the construction of massive brick

embankments to keep the level of the city above water. A pit was dug down through 25 feet on unfired
brick in one such embankment without reaching bottom.

2. Flood damage at Mohenjo-Daro is evidenced by slumping brick masonry, which presumably reflects
erosion of the city's unfired brick foundations during their prolonged immersion in lake water. The
Harappans simply levelled masonry and built on top of it.

Fig. 10 – Massive Brick embankments. Fig. 11 – Brick Foundations Mohenjo-Daro.

7
# 7 Ref: George F. Dales, Article

8
 • HISTORY OF DISASTER

Disasters happen all around the globe and leave a lot of human suffering and physical damage behind. In
recent years there has been an enormous amount of economic and social damage related to disasters, with
climate change and changes in socio environmental vulnerability patterns being predicted to emphasize
this trend further in the future. There is an increasing unpredictability of hazard patterns which makes
disaster planning more difficult. (# 8 Ref: IPCC, 2012)8

Architecture plays a major role in the impacts of disasters. Poor building design is not only
responsible for a lot of economic damage but social damage as well, as floors and roofs can collapse and
flying or falling debris can cause human losses. Destroyed or damaged buildings that cannot be replaced
quickly force people to leave their homes and move away. In the year 2015 alone 98,6 million people
have been affected by disasters and between 2005 and 2014 , 0.7 million people were killed (# 8 Ref:
IFRC, 2016).

• TYPES OF DISASTER

There are many different types of disasters, and they are differentiated based on the triggering hazard.
Generally, they are classified as being hydrological (e.g. floods), meteorological (e.g. extreme weather
events such as storms), climatic (long-term impacts, e.g. sea level rise), geophysical (e.g. earthquakes) or
biological (e.g. epidemics) (# 9 Ref: IFRC, 2016)9.

According to references stated earlier FLOODS as a disaster in India creates a havoc, and also according
to (fig. 12) which states that 31% of deaths are caused due to floods. So, flood will be only a criterio
which will be considered further in this Thesis.

8
# 8 Ref: IPCC, 2012
9
# 9 Ref: IFRC, 2016

9
 Fig. 12 – Human Deaths (1965-2014)

• TYPES OF FLOODS

Many different types of floods occur around the world every year. In general, they can be classified into
five categories:

1. Riverine Floods: The majority of floods recorded globally are due to rivers overflowing as a
result of long-lasting precipitation in the river basin. Melting snow and ice can also contribute to
flooding.

2. Flash Floods: Flash floods generally occur due to local high-intensity precipitation in hilly or
mountainous areas. The short warning time makes them difficult to predict. Discharges during
flash floods are often much higher than normal flows in water courses. Flash floods are
particularly dangerous on steep slopes.

3. Coastal Floods: Areas along the coast may be flooded due to tsunamis, hurricanes or/and
unusually high tides. Also long-term phenomena like subsidence and sea-level rise can lead to the
gradual encroachment of the sea.

4. Stagnant and Urban Floods: Extreme rainfall in towns and cities combined with blocked drains
can cause severe flooding. This often occurs in urban areas, where a large percentage of the
surface is impermeable.

5. Lake and Canal Floods: High levels of precipitation or long-lasting inflows from streams can
cause a substantial rise in water levels of lakes and canals that lack sufficient drainage capacity.
Also, long periods of drought can cause man-made (peat) embankments to become un stable and
fail – resulting in flooding.

10
 (# 10 Ref: Source: N. Douben and R.M.W. Ratnayake – Characteristic Data on River Floods and
Flooding: Facts and Figures)10

Fig. 13 – Flood Prone States in India.

• MOTIVATION

AQUATECTURE is defined as an architectural adaptation typology used to mitigate and manage

flooding (long and short term). With this typology, WATER AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN can
unite to produce dynamic and reliable mitigation solutions. The main course of action involves redefining
three main living systems: a home, a neighbourhood, and a residential tower to resist destruction of rising
water levels and to continue city-town home inhabitation.

In addition to adaptable building design, supporting systems will be integrated throughout affected areas.
Systems such as alternative energy production, alternative farming, mixed-used industry, alternative
transportation, and water filtration zones will be incorporated. With the help of Aquatecture, alternatives
to abandoning our coastal cities are provided. Due to the flexibility of site location that Aquatecture
allows, this intervention can serve as a long- term solution and standard of living within current and
projected flood prone areas around the world.

10
# 10 Ref: Source: N. Douben and R.M.W. Ratnayake – Characteristic Data on River Floods and Flooding: Facts and Figures

11
(Instead of retreating land, adaptation strategies should be devised. This proposal will explore how
homes and cities should respond to sea level increase through the implementation of a new
architectural typology — Aquatecture.) (# 10 Ref: Aquatecture by RIBA)11.

• SITUATION CAUSED DUE TO FLOODS

DURING FLOOD
• 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 must 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.
• These conditions are not very surprising to note, but the sequence and multiplied chaos they cause
is what makes floods a very lethal threat in its entirety. Beyond the physical catastrophe, the
mental part of a flood victim works in a dilemma whether to hold on or let go which causes the
most trauma.
• How long do I stay? When will things go right? When will help come in? Or will the help come?
And there are much more.

AFTER FLOOD
• A series of events follow 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.
• As they start rebuilding their lives the priorities are still running different ways where every person
is running again for himself/herself. Can this change?

11
# 11 Ref: Aquatecture by RIBA

12
PART B: THESIS OUTLINE

• AIM

The aim is to study and provide an architectural intervention for long term solution to mitigate, adapt and
manage the catastrophic destruction caused due to Riverine Floods in India. “Preparing for ‘What If’,
scenarios are crucial to our national survival”.

• OBJECTIVE

i. To explore the historical relationship between water and architecture.

ii. To study new ways of designing for water using examples from around the world to illustrate
methods of utilizing water innovatively.
iii. To study Water – Resilient Technologies.
iv. To study the disaster management and their structural details in flood prone areas.

• INTRODUCTION

Our world is drastically changing. Temperatures are rising, skies over cities are blanketed with smoke,
and melting glaciers are raising sea levels at alarming rates. Although the destruction we face is already
threatening the quality of life for billions around the world, it could just be the beginning. What is
projected to come could be catastrophic. It is crucial to realize that climate change is already happening.
One of the main concerns relating to climate change is that as the polar ice caps continue to melt, rising
water will invade our coastal cities around the world.

AQUATECTURE is defined as an architectural adaptation typology used to mitigate and manage

flooding (long and short term). With this typology, WATER AND ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN can
unite to produce dynamic and reliable mitigation solutions. The main course of action involves redefining
three main living systems: a home, a neighbourhood, and a residential tower to resist destruction of rising
water levels and to continue city-town home inhabitation. Due to the flexibility of site location that
Aquatecture allows, this intervention can serve as a long- term solution and standard of living within
current and projected flood prone areas around the world.

(Instead of retreating land, adaptation strategies should be devised. This proposal will explore how
homes and cities should respond to sea level increase through the implementation of a new architectural
typology — Aquatecture.).

13
 • NEED

Future Impacts of Climate Change:

As the earth continues to warm, it is predicted that average sea levels will rise between 7 and 36
centimetres by the 2050s, and by 9 and 69 centimetres by the 2080s. By the year 2100, sea levels are
projected to be approximately 22 inches higher than they are today. An increase of this magnitude could
inundate coastal areas, erode beaches and increase flooding and storm surge. The destruction around the
world could be devastating. (# 12 Ref: Roaf, Cricton, and Nicol. “Adapting Building and Cities for
Climate Change.” (Architectural Press: 2004), 190.)12

• SCOPE

i. The concept of this project can be multiplied in different Disaster Regions according to site
context.

• LIMITATION

i. Detailed estimation may not be considered.

ii. According to site the needs of individual module with comfort and different services may vary.

• DESCRIPTION / METHODOLOGY

The present methodology can be analyzed as:

i. Consider the causes and data for rising sea level in Indian coastal line (Eastern). And a
detailed study of flood prone areas.
ii. To explore how to resolve the conflict for developing and as well as making space for water
and live with it.
iii. Literature study and Case studies.
iv. Also considering the history of water side settlement.
v. Redefining architecture to sustain flood prone areas.
vi. Illustrate methods of utilizing water innovatively.

12
# 12 Ref: Roaf, Cricton, and Nicol. “Adapting Building and Cities for Climate Change.” Architectural Press: 2004.

14
CHAPTER 2

15
PART A: DISCUSSION WITH THE EXPERTS

• DR. SAMEER DESHKAR

Assistant Professor
Architecture and Planning Department
Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology, Nagpur

Areas of interest:
Urban Environmental Studies, Climate Disasters, Disaster Management & Risk Resilience, Socio-
Ecological Systems & Biodiversity Conservation, Green Infrastructure Planning.

Summary:

1. To find the core intent of the project – Aquatecture.

Aquatecture is defined as an architectural adaptation typology used to mitigate and manage flooding (long
and short term). With this typology, water and architectural design can unite to produce dynamic and
reliable mitigation solutions.

Solution in such cases can be categorised into 3 parts such as; before flood, during flood, after flood.
Three different categories may have different functional solutions according to their need.to understand
such solutions or aspects, there is a need to study the site context.

2. What are the different Stages through which Architecture can help in Disaster Management?

Mitigation, Adaptations and Management on disaster prone areas are the basic architectural intents of the
project. A detailed study of need can resolve the activities to mitigate, adapt and manage floods.

Mitigations can allow us an early alarm due to which the mob can evacuate the space and resettle to some
other space which are provided by the government.

Adaptation can allow us to stay at the same location of disaster while adapting a typology which can
sustain such disasters. (for. E.g. Amphibious Housing)

Mitigation can allow people to evacuate and settle in temporary tents or refugee shelters for a period.

Management of floods allows us to manage the flooding through architectural elements such as stilts or
the form of the building can help us in many ways to manage flood water and allow us to stay in that
space during crises.

3. How do they (cities) function during such situation?

Properly gathering the data of Indian floods and news updates, people usually are evacuated from such
crucial point s of disasters, resettled or relocated from the area.

16
 4. What will be the scale of the Affected area and through which you will be able to find the
site?

Through different types of flooding one can find the suitable space to build an architectural intervention.
But need a through data of flooding systems and their occurrence frequency. Different spaces will have
different intervention need, such as rural or urban or semi urban area.

• DR. SHANKHA PRATIM BHATTACHARYA PH.D. (BIT, MESRA)

Assistant Professor

Architecture & Regional Planning Department

Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

Summary:

The Concept of Flood and Cyclone Shelters in India first was introduced by Odisha Government and the
proposal was guided by experts in IIT Kharagpur.

The discussion and the references given were about the construction norm of such building typologies
according to their observations in Odisha.

1. Different types of flood? (ref page 9)

2. Multipurpose shelter requirements

Flood shelters are one of the effective components of the preparedness programs under Flood disaster
management.
Flood shelters should be located at strategic nodal locations to cater to the relocation of a large sector of
population during Floods.
The total disaster management programs can be subdivided into three timeline functions:
(i) Pre-relocation activities to make shift arrangements to change the basic function of the building to
flood shelter. It may take 1-2 days.
(ii) Active relocation stage, when the evacuated people will stay in the flood shelters. It may take 1-3
days. This will be designated as detention period.
(iii) Post-relocation activities to restore the original function of the building into its basic form. It may
take 2-3 days.

3. Principle requirements for flood shelter

1. Accommodation of 3000-4000 relocated people from nearby settlement for 1 to 3 days.
2. Active spaces for temporary storage of the valuable items of the relocated people.
3. Adequate storage space for food grains, medicine, drinking water, baby food, Treatment area for
injured, old and medically unfit people.
4. Additional area to keep the cattle along with relocated family
5. Service areas like toilet, bathrooms, make shift kitchen and dining area.
17
6. Service systems including fresh water supply, healthy sanitary disposal, power and
telecommunication.

4. Occupancy Criterion

The occupancy duration in a cyclone shelter is having two major components:

a) Total Occupancy Period: Normally, the total occupancy period required for a flood is kept as
15-20 days. This period includes time from entering the people into the shelter, to the lock-
down time and finally, to the exit of occupants.
b) Lock down Period: People need to be occupied the shelter 12-24 hours before the actual
intensified flood period (average 2-5 days max.) or lock-down period.
Typically, the lock-down period starts when the extreme requirement of closing the doors of
the flood shelter arises. The lock-down period is generally of 2-4 days. Occasionally, it may
extend to a maximum of 5 days.

5. The flooding plaining system are divided in three major ZONES

Fig. 14 – Flood Plains.

Unsafe for Habitat

Need water shade
planning

Habitat may be
considered with
modifications
Fig. 15 – Flood Plain Zones.

6. Few structural concepts and area statements provide will be stated further in this report.

18
PART B: LITERATURE STUDY

• PROJECT: AQUATECTURE: FORMOSA, THE AMPHIBIOUS HOUSE:

Architecture: BACA Architects

Location: Thames River, United Kingdom

Project architect: Richard Coutts

Design team: Baca Architects: Robert Barker, Riccardo Pellizzon, Robert Pattison
Structural engineer: Techniker
Hydrological engineer: HR Wallingfords

Fig. 16 – Amphibious Housing 1 Fig. 17 – Amphibious Housing 2

An amphibious house is a building that rests on the ground but whenever a flood occurs, the entire
building rises in its dock, where it floats, buoyed by the floodwater. Amphibious construction brings
together standard components from the construction and marine industries to create an intelligent solution
to flooding. The house itself sits in the ground and the floating base is almost invisible from the outside.
Amphibious designs can vary to suit the location and owners’ preferences. The amphibious design
allowed the floor level to be set less than 1m above the ground level instead of 2m, had the house been
static. This enabled a 225sqm 3-bed dwelling to be constructed over three floors in place of the existing 1-
storey 90sqm house without significantly increasing the ridge height, and therefore achieved full
planning. Construction is slightly more expensive than mainstream house building due to the requirement
for two foundation systems: the dock and the hull; but overall the costs are comparable to a typical
basement extension, or around a 20-25% uplift on a similar size new house. The technology is ideally
suited to areas of high flood-risk or if there is uncertainty regarding future flooding levels, as well as in
historical or sensitive landscape settings where more heavy-handed solutions would be unacceptable.

19
 Fig. 18 –Sectional View

Fig. 19 – Section of Amphibious Housing.

20
 Fig. 20 – Site Plan Fig. 21 – Lower Ground Floor Plan

Fig. 22 – Ground Floor Plan Fig. 23 – First Floor Plan

Fig. 24 – Side Section

(# 10 Ref: Aquatecture by RIBA).

21
 • PROJECT: FLOOD PROOFING - BURNHAM HALL

Presented by: Volunteer Community

Location: Lincoln, United Kingdom

(# 13 Ref: Mark G. Benz) 13

Fig. 25 – Burnham Hall

Summary:

Burnham Hall, Lincoln, Vermont’s community centre, was built in the 1920s within 10 feet of the New
Haven River. On average, it has flooded once every 12 years. In 1998, after the hall flooded with over
five feet of water, the library had to be relocated. As the waterlogged books were being moved from the
lower floor, Harriet Brown, a long-time Lincoln resident, rallied the community to support a project to
protect Burnham Hall from future floods.

A volunteer community group obtained a grant from the Agency of Natural Resources to study how to
relocate or retrofit the building. The goal was to “live with the river for the next 100 years.” After
reviewing the report, the committee decided to incorporate flood proofing techniques with a Hazard
Mitigation grant from the State of Vermont and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

13
# 13 Ref: Mark G. Benz

22
Pre-Disaster Mitigation Measures

Individual planks, weighing approximately 15 pounds each, are carried to and installed at each window or
door site.

• Sealing of holes made for utilities - electricity, telephone, and fuel – where water can enter.
• Installation of a backflow valve in the septic line to prevent flooding from the drainage system.
• Installation of pop-up valves in the floor to eliminate damage from water pressure under the floor
to prevent it from buckling.
• Installation of a sump pump to collect water entering from the pop-up valves and leaks in the
barriers and seals on the windows and doors.
• Installation of a discharge pump to help remove water during a flood.
• Installation of alternative electrical lines from the discharge pump to a back-up generator.
• Improvements to the river bank to protect the row of trees along the riverbank to decrease erosion
and keep rushing water from striking the foundation.

Fig. 26 – Protection Barrier at Burnham Hall

• On Saturday August 27th, Tropical Storm Irene headed for Vermont, with heavy rains and flash
floods predicted for Lincoln. At 5:00 PM, it was still a sunny afternoon in Lincoln. A group of
eleven community members spent 30 minutes to install the flood protection barriers over the
windows and doors of Burnham Hall.
• The rain arrived during the night and continued throughout Sunday at a fast and furious pace.
Local rain gauges registered between six and eight inches of rain. The New Haven River rose
quickly, flooding its banks, then the lawn of Burnham Hall, and finally up the walls to a level 47
inches above the first floor.
• The planks held tight. Water and mud were kept out of the building. As the river raged by, the
pressure of nearly four feet of water outside the building activated the pressure pop-up valves and
kept the floor from buckling upward. By design, a small amount of sand filtered water came in
through these valves and was easily handled by the sump pump system. Power failure during the

23
afternoon, necessitated bringing a generator online to keep the sump pump operating. By Monday,
the river receded, and clean up started.

24
 • PROJECT: FLOOD PROOFING – YOUTH THEATER

Architecture: Greenberg Associates Architects of Putney

Location: England

(# 14 Ref: Mark G. Benz)14

Fig. 27 – Youth Theater

Summary:

The New England Youth Theatre (NEYT) was designed and built in 2006. The building includes a
renovated trucking facility and part new construction. It is a low-lying building located within the
floodplain of the Whetstone Brook in Brattleboro, Vermont. In August 2005, just one year before
construction began, Hurricane Katrina brought national attention to the inherent dangers of construction
in flood prone areas.

Prompted by FEMA regulations, and with the encouragement of the NEYT Building Committee, the
project design team, headed by Greenberg Associates Architects of Putney, took several measures to
protect the building from flood damage. Those measures proved successful in the heavy flooding
associated with Tropical Storm Irene.

Pre-Disaster Mitigation Measures

The flood defences of the building included five significant construction elements.

• Floor resistant to hydrostatic pressure. The floor of the newly constructed part of the building
is an 11” thick concrete slab – heavy enough to resist buckling from rising groundwater. The
weight of the concrete, plus specifically designed reinforcements, contribute to its strength. In the
renovated portion of the building, 6” of concrete was added to the existing slab (with 2” of rigid

14
# 14 Ref: Mark G. Benz
 insulation in between) for the same purpose. A reinforced sump pump was put into the floor to
contain water entering the building when flood barriers were breached.
• High perimeter wall. The height of foundation wall was increased three feet above the floor slab.
Fortunately, the original garage building also had a high foundation wall providing a flood barrier
at that section of the building. The perimeter wall protects against high water. The riverbanks
outside of this corner was also strengthened with heavy stones.
• Impact protection. The southwest corner, closest to the brook and facing upstream, was the most
susceptible to impact from debris carried by a flooding river. All other flood control measures
would be ineffective if the perimeter wall was damaged by a floating tree trunk. To reduce this
threat, an eight-ton block of concrete, reinforced with steel bars, was constructed into this corner
of the building.
• Water resistant materials. A Dry flood proofing design technique assumes that some water may
get in. Therefore, there is a need to reduce the damage if it does. To this end, all the gypsum
wallboard – a material that absorbs water – was removed and cement board was installed one foot
above floor level. The cement board retains its integrity when wet, and it does not wick water up
into other parts of the wall, which often causes mildew.
• Floodgates. Finally, the five doorways had to be protected from floodwaters. The solution was
inexpensive and effective: flood gates were made for each door, the gates consisting of ¼” thick
aluminium sheets that slide into tracks at each side of the door frame and tighten against gaskets
with a set of thumbscrews. The gates are located inside rather than outside to allow the doors to
swing outwards and let people out. And the doors themselves bear the brunt of the surging water,
relieving the gates of most of the water pressure.

Fig. 28 – Flood Barrier at the doorway, Youth Theater

26
Withstanding Tropical Storm Irene Although the 20” high floodgates exceeded FEMA requirements
by almost a foot, waters from the overflowing Whetstone Brook came to 4” from the top of the gates.
NEYT is now considering raising the gates another 10” higher. While many of the control measures
described above were built into the foundation of the building, floodgates like NEYT’s can easily be
adapted into an existing building that has adequate foundation strength to resist infiltration of floodwaters.
In those cases, this technique may be the best insurance against “the next one.”

27
 • BOOK: DESIGN LIKE YOU GIVE A DAMN,

Fig. 29 – Design Like You Give A Damn

Architectural Responses to Humanitarian Crises

The book Design Like You Give A Damn, founder Cameron Sinclair recounts the story from his early
days of organization. Later around his work he was contacted by the UN High Commissioner for
Refugees who told him that Architecture for Humanity was on the list of an organization that might be
able to help a potential refugee crisis.

Design Like You Give A Damn, is not a typical architecture book. More like an inspiration design manual
which offers practical advice and over 100 case studies of projects that share Architecture for Humanity’s
mission of building a sustainable future.

Beyond chronicling inspired designs and against-the-odds accomplishments, the book importantly offers
a provocative philosophy: architecture belongs, not to the architect, but to the people and the world for
whom it is designed. (# 15 Ref: Article by Vanessa Quirk)15

We would like to think it because we had already become a voice for humanitarian design - an
unexpected touchstone in the movement for socially conscious architecture,” writes Sinclair of the
incident. “The sad truth is that until 1999, when our fledgling organization got started along with a
handful of others, there was no easily identifiable design resource for shelter after disaster.”
(# 16 Ref: Design like you give a damn)16

15
# 15 Ref: Article by Vanessa Quirk

16
# 16 Ref: Design like you give a damn

28
 • DECCMA WORKING PAPER –

ON RESETTLEMENT AND REHABILITATION: INDIAN SCENARIO

Clare Lizamit Samling (Centre for Environment & Development),
Asish K. Ghosh (Centre for Environment & Development),
Sugata Hazra (Jadavpur University)
(# 17 Ref: resettlement and rehabilitation paper)17

This series is based on the work of the Deltas, Vulnerability and Climate Change: Migration and
Adaptation (DECCMA) project, funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC)
and the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) through the Collaborative Adaptation
Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA). CARIAA aims to build the resilience of vulnerable
populations and their livelihoods in three climate change hot spots in Africa and Asia. The program
supports collaborative research to inform adaptation policy and practice.

1. History of resettlement and rehabilitation in India –

Displacement of people in India, is largely triggered by factors such as, development projects, political
conflict, setting up Protected Area Networks and Conservation areas and natural disasters, amongst
others.

The figure for people displaced due to disasters is at least 3,428,000 and there are about 11,042 political
refugees originating from the country as of January 2014

2. Case studies

In both the Indian Bengal Delta and the Mahanadi Delta, one case study has been selected, the cause of
resettlement and rehabilitation being, submergence of islands and severe coastal erosion respectively. The
studies also reflect the type of government action taken in this regard and the impact on the people.

2.1 In the Indian Bengal Delta, the resettlement and rehabilitation of people from the submerged
island of Lohachara and the villages of Ghoramara to the neighboring island of Sagar, has been
selected as a case study. The resettlement was carried out due to the submergence and large-scale
erosion of islands/villages, by the state government of West Bengal, through the local
administrative body- the Panchayat.
Time series analysis reveal that in 1975, the island of Ghoramara had a total area of 8.51 sq.km,
which decreased to 4.43 sq.km in 2012. During 1975–1990, the rate of erosion was the highest
and led to the submergence of the islands of Lohachara, Suparibhanga and Bedford Islands,
along with the villages of Khasimara, Khasimara Char, Lakshmi Narayanpur, Bagpara,
Baishnabpara of Ghoramara.

17
# 17 Ref: resettlement and rehabilitation paper

29
Scientists have predicted that the submergence of the islands and the rapid erosion, especially in the
southern part of the delta region, could be due to sea level rise (3.14 mm per year, which is higher than
the global rate of 2 mm per year), rather than the dearth of sediments or human interventions.

Ghoramara was once a part of Sagarisland but was detached during 1901-1905. Administratively, it is still
a part of the Sagar Community Development Block (Chakma, 2014). Ghoramara now, has a population of
5236 in 899 households.

The total number of people displaced varies from 4000 and 6000-7000. The displaced population have
been resettled (not all) in the neighboring Sagar island in five ‘Colonies’ viz., Phuldubi Colony, South
Haradhanpur Colony, Bankimnagar Colony, Gangasagar Colony and Jibantala-Kamalpur Colony, by the
state government of West Bengal, through the local administrative bodies, the Panchayat.

There have been few researches conducted on the rehabilitated populations, surveying the Colonies.
Evaluation of the rehabilitation program by the resettled population reveal dissatisfaction among the
people, with people facing problems such as diminishing land allotment, unemployment, high level of
illiteracy, change of occupation leading to reduced income, lack of primary health facilities, sanitation,
education, transportation, electrification, drinking water and instances of conflict between the residents
and the settlers have also been reported. Besides these problems, the resettled population are also battling
with natural like salinization, waterlogging, flood, erosion etc

3. Conclusion

Resettlement and Rehabilitation are often taken to be synonymous by the authorities concerned, who fail
to understand that the two are different. Resettlement is the process of physical relocation, while
Rehabilitation, involves a longer process of rebuilding people’s physical and economic livelihood, their
assets, their cultural and social links, and psychological acceptance of the changed situation.

While trying to answer the query “Why displaced persons reject project resettlement colonies?” argues
that the resettlement site is something of a ‘panoptican’17, where the resettled population are constantly
and intricately monitored and controlled by those in power- the government or the ones carrying out the
resettlement. The displaced populations have no say even in selection of the resettled site, which are often
inaccessible even for the authorities to initially survey. This rejection of resettlement colonies, even if
they offer better prospects than what the displaced population can achieve independently, is therefore a
form of reaction to the exertion of power and in turn they prefer monetary compensation, in order to
resettle themselves rather than being resettled in the government-chosen areas. The author further feels
that the major drawback in R&R in India, is that the authorities who are themselves outsiders, tends to
homogenize the displaced and impose their understanding on them. This could be taken as a threat by the
displaced population.

The impact of the R&R process, either short-term or long-term, on the people can only be assessed once it
would be completed. India’s approach to resettlement and rehabilitation due to development projects have
not been so commendable in the past or in the present and the cases of disaster-induced R&R are very few
for one to make an analysis. The success of the process might be more, if a bottom-up rather than a top-

30
down approach is practiced. It is evident that the resettled population have no choice in the selection of
new locations for resettlement and often do not have the advantage of negotiation. As such, continuous
monitoring and conducting social audits of the resettled sites is essential, but which is hardly done. The
advantages and disadvantages of cash compensation needs to be assessed thoroughly. Misuse of the
money by the project officials and even the resettled population might crop up. Public participation of the
displaced population in the planning of their resettlement and rehabilitation, is extremely essential.

(# 14 Ref: Resettlement and Rehabilitation paper / R&R)

31
 • TEMPORARY SHELTER – TROPICAL STROM SENDONG 2011

Coordinating humanitarian Shelter

Shelter definition and parameters
Temporary shelter and material supply technical working group
Cagayan de ORO, Mindanao, co-chair by DSWD and IOM
(# 18 Ref: Tropical Storm Sendong 2011 paper)18

Introduction:

This Technical Guidelines has been drafted by the Shelter Cluster’s Technical Working Group on
Temporary shelter and material supplies, co-chaired by DSWD and IOM, with the collaboration of
several experienced agencies active in the shelter sector in Mindanao.

The Technical Guidelines are in line with the strategies recommended by the Shelter Strategic Advisory
Committee. It considers collective experiences of shelter agencies and build on designs of shelters tested
in the field. These technical recommendations aim ensure technical coherency, social and cultural
appropriateness, which are in line with the requirements of humanitarian standards, beneficiaries, climate,
the hazards etc. They consist of four parts:

a) Shelter terms and definitions

b) Design Principles

c) Kit Definitions, Technical standards and parameters Recommendations on design parameters as agreed
by the TWIG for design and construction of shelters responding to tropical storm Sendong.

d) General Recommendations Key issues to be considered to ensure a coherent program, considering

other aspects surrounding shelter project.

Shelter terms and definitions:

Type of Location Description

Evacuation Centre (EC) Original schools and public buildings established

few days after the flooding to accommodate the
displaced families. These potentially need
decongestion

18
# 18 Ref: Tropical Storm Sendong 2011 paper

32
Transitory Evacuation Centre. Established to accommodate affected families
temporarily relocated to decongest ECs. (eg.
Agusan Elementary School)

In Communities Places where community-based affected families

are staying with relatives / neighbors in the
affected areas

Transitory Site Allocated sites for temporary settlement (e.g.

Calaanan 1 & 2 and Lumbia 1)

Relocation Site Sites for permanent relocation with minimum of

10year land tenure. (e.g. Cala-anan 3 and Sta.
Elena).

Return sites Place of origin in affected area. Return Site can

only be outside of no-build zone where
beneficiaries have tenure security

Table. 1 – Shelter Location

SHELTER ASSISTANCE: ALL SHELTER RESPONSES ARE TARGETED AT FAMILY UNITS

Type of Shelter Description

Buildings Schools and public buildings used to provide

emergency sheltering solution.

Host Families / Host Communities Temporary accommodation provided by neighbors,

relatives or communities within affected areas

Tents. Portable shelters with a cover and a structure, used

to provide emergency shelters.

Temporary Bunk Houses Multi-family temporary shelter units, built on

transitory sites

Temporary Shelter Temporary shelter is shelter provided during the

period between natural disaster and the achievement
of a long-term shelter solution

Shelter Kit Comprises of construction material and tools, or in

the form of voucher, to provide support for return to

33
 place of origin outside no-build zone where houses
were damaged.

Semi-Permanent Shelter Built on relocation or return sites and designed with

foundations, to be upgraded at a later date by the
families.

Permanent House Built on return or relocation sites. For more

information and guidelines regarding permanent
housing reconstruction, see Housing, Land and
Property working group

Table. 2 – Types of Shelter

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Indicators Criteria: Design Principles:

Climate Suitability - Ventilation Design of the shelter to allow adequate

ventilation to reduce internal temperatures.
The design should allow for climate suitability
improvement (e.g. option to include further
openings, to add further partitions)

Social/ economical - Locally available Local procurement, where availability

Suitability material, utilizing
familiar techniques -
Options for further
improvement
- Accessibility
permits, should be prioritised; this stimulates
local economy and reduces unnecessary
transportation costs. Use of well-known
materials and techniques will promote the
participation of the beneficiaries in
construction process and its maintenance Use
of familiar construction techniques will allow
families to make improvements as money
become available. Shelters should provide
options for access of disabled people.

Cultural suitability - Typology according to Design shelters to meet local household

household activities, activities, as well as local cultural
privacy and gender as requirements. The design of the shelter should
well as enable flexible use of both available interior
and exterior space. Respect design and

34
 options/capacities of techniques adopted by beneficiaries when
reconstruction. building their own shelter.

Resource effectiveness - Use salvaged materials. The use of salvaged materials is encouraged
when in good condition (bricks, door/window-
- Allow future reuse of frames, roof beams etc.) Provide best practice
materials. guidance on material selection and re-use to
- Minimize impact on prevent detrimental construction methods.
natural resources Select quality construction materials for
transitional shelters that can further permanent
solutions. Consider construction techniques
that enable dismantling and reuse of materials.
The choice of materials should avoid
increased pressure on limited locally available
natural resources

Appropriate Location - Location Shelter should be constructed at or near the

existing homestead, without inhibiting
- Land tenure permanent housing process. Minimize
exposure to hazards: avoid hazardous
locations and apply DDR recommendations
Take account of access to livelihoods- the
ability for small business and trade in or near
the location. Ensure proper land rights for
minimum 10-years tenure for permanent sites.

Site

Site Risk Mitigation - Hurricane Shelter design must include earthquake and
hurricane resistant techniques. Shelters to be
- Earthquake built on safe portions of land. Drainage of the
- Rains and Floods area around the shelter to be examined. When
necessary, construct water diverting features
or rainwater containment.

Table. 3 – Design Principles

35
SHELTER KIT

Contains construction material and tools, and target those returning to damaged or destroyed houses in
place of origin. The kit should provide necessary support to ensure that minimum sphere standards can be
reached.

TEMPORARY SHELTER

Transitional shelter is shelter provided during the period between a disaster and the achievement of a
long-term shelter solution. It provides a habitable covered living space, a secure, healthy living
environment with privacy and dignity for those living within it

Temporary Shelters are applicable for transitory sites. The shelters are designed so that material is re-
useable for when families can move onto a more permanent site, contributing towards construction of
semi-permanent and permanent houses.

Indicators Standards Foreseen Challenge

Size 18m2 covered living space for family of 5

Timeframe 12-18 months Ability to move onto

permanent site

Location - Location on plot shall allow further incremental Lack of access to funds or
development of shelter skill to build

- Allow space for DRR measures

- 100 families per hectare maximum

Use of salvaged - Only qualified salvaged materials (e.g. avoid Ensure quality of salvaged
material burnt, decayed, swollen material) materials

- Check amount of salvaged material available to

beneficiaries.

- Design of shelters not fully to rely on availability

of this type of material.

Plot preparation - Properly clear site from physical hazards from the
flood (e.g. trees likely to fall, debris, salvaged
material, also from neighboring plots)

- Properly prepare site following DRR principles

(good compaction of construction site)

36
 - Be aware of river silt deposit, not a quality base
soil

Construction - If possible, apply traditional, well-known

process construction methods based on existing skills of
available labor. Construction process to be speedy
(pre-fabrication of components reduces on site
cutting or drilling) and simplified to enable the
participation of semi or un skilled labor.

Foundation - Excavation should be deep enough to reach stable

or hard soil type.

- Ensure good compaction of earth

- When possible ensure PCC layer beneath

foundation

- Raise plinth 6-9” above flood water level. See

Flood risk map (attached)

Floor level - Raise floor level to prevent ingress of low surface

water - height according to location, min. 10cm

Structure - Inform on simple solutions to improve the shelters

resistance: e.g. braces, improved joists, ratio length:
width, slope and overhang of roof etc.)

- Ensure that frame material (e.g. Wood or metal)

bear the load rather than fasteners/fixings.

- Current local practice to treat bamboo and wood

members uses burnt engine oil or paint.

- Ensure water drainage from the roofs.

37
Structure (cont.) - Transitional shelter: Lightweight frame anchored
to ground temporarily

- The structures of transitional shelter should be

demountable to allow the reinstallation of the
shelter in a new (or original) location or the reuse of
the materials.

Head height - Flat roofs height should be 9ft (2.75m) - Double

pitch roofs: -60% of shelter should have min. height
of 7ft (2.1m)

Hazard Standards Foreseen Challenges

Heavy Rains and - Pitch Roofs: slope min 0,5% gradient. -

Floods Recommended extension of eaves: min. 6”. - Raise
plinth level high enough to protect the base of the
wall. - For block construction use plaster on
external walls to increase life span of wall.

Earthquake - Match design of shelter to local seismic risk. -

Seismic resistance techniques to be incorporated
into site selection, shelter form, the location of
openings, foundations, bracing and ring beam
connections - Openings weaken the structural
integrity of walls – ensure load above the openings
is transferred to other structural components. - Roof
beam to overhang min. 6” on each side - Walls to
integrate braced structure

Fire Hazards - Perform site planning and disseminate information

on appropriate safe use of fire near the shelter.

Hurricane/ Strong - Form of shelter: rectangular or square type (ratio

Winds length to width approx. 1:1 or 1:1.5) - Secure shelter
to the ground (strong foundations, lightweight frame
anchored to ground) - Roof structure with adequate
strength for proposed roofing material - Apply
metal strapping to reinforce roof structure to
withstand hurricanes, earthquakes - Sufficient pitch

38
 to withstand winds: 2-pitched roof: min. 30°- 45°,
1-pitched roof: 12°-14°

Table. 4 – Temporary Shelter Standards

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS

Water & Sanitation Ensure adequate provisions for water and sanitation. Refer and coordinate with
WASH cluster.

Vulnerability & Ensure most vulnerable are included in shelter support. Gender sensitive
Gender programming is required, and women should be consulted about a range of
issues. (refer to Vulnerability Criteria for Shelter Support)

Cash Grants & Cash grants or vouchers should be considered as an option where market can
Voucher support demand.

Cash for Work Standard rate to be used, consult Cash Working Group.

Participation Ensure participation of community throughout the implementation of programs

with construction phases, events and support.

Environment Impacts of local and non-local procurement on the environment and natural
resources in the area should be considered.

Table. 5 – General Recommendation

39
 • RESEARCH REPORT

Transitional shelter in post-disaster contexts

Brigitte Rohwerder
22.07.2016
(# 19 Ref: Transitional shelter in post disaster Context)19

Question

What have been the different approaches/strategies to transitional shelter in post-natural disaster contexts
in developing countries and what lessons have been learned (with a focus on the non-technical aspects of
transitional shelter)?

Contents

1. Overview

2. Transitional shelter approaches/strategies

3. Case studies

4. Lessons learned

5. References

Overview

Shelter in post-disaster contexts is an essential contributor to survival, security, personal safety, protection
from the climate, and resistance to ill health and disease. After the immediate emergency response,
governments and others responding to the disaster face urgent decisions over ‘how to develop transitional
shelter options that are responsive to both the immediate risks and to the longer-term reconstruction and
recovery needs. Transitional shelter potentially needs to last years until a permanent solution can be
achieved.

There are three main approaches to transitional shelter:

a) Shelter Centre, IOM: Transitional Shelter Guidelines. Transitional shelter is an incremental

process rather than a multi-phased approach, whereby the shelter is built using all the shelter
materials distributed. Transitional shelters can be: i) upgraded into part of a permanent house; ii)
reused for another purpose; iii) relocated from a temporary site to a permanent location; iv) resold,
to generate income to aid with recovery; and v) recycled for reconstruction.

19
# 19 Ref: Transitional shelter in post disaster Context

40
 b) IFRC: Post-disaster shelter. Shelter after disaster involves an overlapping process of emergency,
temporary, transitional, progressive, core and permanent housing. In this case transitional shelters
are rapid, post-disaster shelters made from materials that can be upgraded or re-used in more
permanent structures, or that can be relocated from temporary sites to permanent locations.
Progressive shelters are non-movable rapid shelters designed to be later upgraded to a more
permanent status.
c) USAID: Transitional shelter. Transitional shelter addresses short to medium term needs – up to
three years – of disaster affected households. It involves the provision of inputs, sometimes
including salvaged materials, construction assistance, technical advice, and oversight needed to
create shelters consistent with internationally recognized guidelines.

All three approaches incorporate disaster risk reduction measures to reduce the vulnerability of
households to future natural disasters.

Alternative post-disaster approaches include:

a) temporary shelters or housing, in which people can reside for up to three years before moving into
permanent housing. They often consist of a pre-fabricated house and have been criticized due to
problems of sustainability and cultural appropriateness;
b) semi-permanent shelter, which involves building parts of some elements of a house, such as the
foundations and a roof, in order to offer shelter while the remainder of the house is completed;
c) sites and services, which involves preparing the site for the permanent house and all wet services
and utilities, such as the bathroom, sewage and electrical supply;
d) core house or one room shelter (ORS), which involves building at least one complete room of a
final house, to offer shelter while the remainder of the house is completed by the household, using
their own means and resources.

Brief case studies of transitional shelter approaches after a variety of natural disasters including
earthquakes, floods, and cyclones in Bangladesh, Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Philippines, and Haiti are
presented.

Lessons learned from the variety of post-disaster transitional shelter approaches include:

a) they are cost effective over time and provide good opportunities for scale-up;
b) they provide better living space and livelihood opportunities;
c) the use of local materials (including materials salvaged from damaged homes), labor and designs
appropriate to the local context promotes acceptance and ownership;
d) there is a risk that prices of materials may be inflated and local resources over exploited;
e) while they allow for flexibility of location, they should preferably be built on or near the original
site;
f) affected communities/individuals should lead on them and the needs of marginalized and
vulnerable groups, such as pregnant women, female-headed households, children, orphan headed
households, the landless, the elderly, sick and those with disabilities, should be considered;

41
 g) significant human resources may be required to coordinate the acquisition of building materials,
ensure technical reconstruction skills and community input;
h) knowledge of good, safe building practices is needed to ensure houses do not repeat pre-disaster
weaknesses and incorporate disaster risk reduction measures;
i) recipients’ and communities’ expectations should be managed;
j) legal and regulatory frameworks can hinder effective shelter provision;
k) land issues need to be addressed immediately;
l) the economic, social, and other barriers that prevent people rebuilding safely need to be overcome;
m) both an exit strategy and site management are needed to prevent transitional shelters becoming
permanent;
n) transitional shelter should not take the pressure off the permanent housing reconstruction effort;
o) the wider environment for transition (livelihoods, community governance, WASH, transport) is
important for the success of the transition.

Transitional shelter approaches

Transitional shelter approaches are part of the wider continuum of relief, reconstruction/rehabilitation,
and development.

Additional support and consideration may be required for the most marginalized and vulnerable people
including pregnant women, female-headed households, children, orphan-headed households, the landless,
the elderly, sick and those with disabilities, especially as these vulnerable groups tend to get overlooked
by shelter programs.

Fig. 30 – Shelter Terminology

42
Case study
CARE India has carried out an evaluation of post-disaster shelter responses in the wake of various natural
disasters since 2001. In one case, after the 2007 floods, 145 small ‘transitional’ houses incorporating
brick plinths and frames, a tiled bamboo roof, bamboo matting walls, a small veranda, and an attached
toilet were constructed. These houses were supposed to: increase flood resistance by raising the houses on
plinths; provide a durable frame strong enough to survive flooding and high winds; provide a durable and
maintainable roof which maintained an acceptable internal environment; provide temporary walling that
could be maintained or replaced by the occupants; and avoid open defecation. They were built by the
households with the help of skilled masons, and cash for work and information was provided on safer
building practices.

Survey respondents felt these eight-year-old transitional shelters were resistant to hazards, especially as a
result of the plinth. In addition, the houses were felt to have adequate space (although lacking in private
space); the quality of material, construction and technical supervision on the project was considered good;
and the houses were maintainable. However, while they needed less frequent maintenance, it was more
expensive, and maintenance had been neglected in many houses. Moreover, the toilets were not in use due
to cultural preferences for open defecation. Although all respondents had plans to extend their houses,
none

Transitional shelter in post-disaster contexts had been able to upgrade or extend them beyond the few
who had replaced the bamboo walling with bricks. This was in part due to the expectation that they would
be receiving a house from the government. Avoiding relocation meant that people’s livelihoods and
schools were still accessible.

Elsewhere in India the use of the words ‘temporary’ or ‘transitional’ to describe the provision of shelter
(partly durable construction with high quality materials and partly non-durable construction), devalued
the assistance in the eyes of recipients and risked raising expectations of further assistance to come.
Despite this, the houses have reduced disaster risk and there is clear evidence that households can
gradually upgrade them. However, the needs of the most vulnerable have not been met; the limited
number of those supported has caused some divisions in communities; the absence of internal partitions
compromised privacy and dignity; and the lack of complementary livelihoods assistance has slowed the
pace of recovery and upgrading. In general community engagement with the transitional shelter
programs has been weak.

(# 19 Ref: Transitional shelter in post disaster Context)

43
 • MOBILE AND FLEXIBLE ARCHITECTURE:

Architecture: solutions for shelter and rebuilding in post-flood disaster situations

(# 20 Ref: Kroonenberg, R.H., UK)20
There can be no doubt that the potential of demountable and portable buildings for use in post-
disaster situations is perceived as a real area for development by those involved in the architectural
design and construction world.
The reason for this mismatch between the problems of disaster relief and the proposed solutions is
that many designers, and the government and other agencies that lead disaster response, have a
fundamental misunderstanding of the circumstances that victims experience in a post-disaster
situation. This is based on fundamental misconceptions related to the outsiders’ own experience and
not that of the actual victims. Ian Davis, the respected researcher in the field of post-disaster shelter
situations has identified these misunderstandings and labelled them as ‘myths’; incorrect yet striking
images that have led relief agencies and their agents to gauge their response on seemingly potent
concepts that are unfortunately based on an unverified and inaccurate understanding of the actual
situation.
Many of these myths surround the response of victims to the disaster in which they are involved,
viewpoints often perpetuated if not created, by the media. For example, it is a common and
understandable misconception that disaster victims are dazed and helpless, simply waiting for
outside aid. It is true there is a short period of shock at their misfortune but very quickly, far more
quickly than the authorities can react, they become actively involved in the task of saving lives and
property. Another is that people camped out in the wreckage of their home impede reconstruction
efforts. In fact, these are the first coherent acts of rebuilding property and community, inhabitants
staying close to their belongings to protect them and maintain their personal geographical identity.
To respond effectively it is important to understand the nature of the disaster situation. Disaster
relief situations can be roughly divided into three types;
• natural disasters that have as their source a phenomenon such as extreme weather conditions
or geological disturbance;
• wartime or post-war disasters that occur as a by-product of human conflict;
• refugee situations which may occur as a result of natural or war-time disaster, escape from
famine or plague, or migration for economic reasons.

Case Study 1:

After the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, large parts of the city were destroyed by the subsequent fire
that levelled 250,000 homes. The authority’s response to this disaster is one that is still common today.
The people at first helped themselves making rough shelters from whatever materials were to hand or
sought shelter with friends and relatives in a better situation. When the authorities responded, it was first

20
# 20 Ref: Kroonenberg, R.H., UK

44
with the aid of the military (who by their efficient hierarchical organisation are able to act quickly),
establishing tent camps that provided basic shelter but did not respond to other needs. Some tents were
replaced with two-roomed, wooden shelters, or ‘cottages’ as they were called by the relief committee,
situated in camps outside the city. As the people returned to their own urban property, many of the
resourceful inhabitants jacked up their temporary dwellings, placed them on wheels and towed them to
the site of their permanent home where some still exist to this day.

This experience still offers a valuable lesson in the way people respond to the problems of the destruction
of their homes, their displacement and subsequent requirements. Wherever possible victims prefer to find
alternative homes staying close to their social and economic base. When the limited amount of emergency
accommodation eventually arrives, if it is of acceptable quality, it becomes a temporary substitute for
permanent housing. In some cases, this emergency accommodation eventually becomes part of the settled
dwelling pattern and continues to be occupied decades later.

In the case of natural disasters, certain geographic areas are prone to problems, which are repeated at
reasonably predictable intervals. People who live in these areas nevertheless unable to or refuse to move
to safer areas for economic and social reasons. Day-to-day patterns of existence are more important to
most people than the chance that some disaster may occur at an unknown future date, therefore, if a
location is more suitable to providing a better way of life it will attract and retain inhabitants.

In the post-disaster situation, there may be very few shelter alternatives for the victims, because of their
inappropriate construction even the buildings that are left undamaged may still pose a risk if re-
inhabited. In these cases, the value of effective emergency accommodation is in the provision of a
practical, usable base, which can be utilised to protect the inhabitants and their property in support of
their efforts to rebuild their dwellings and community. Advice on safer methods of construction should be
incorporated in a way that will make the buildings less vulnerable to future disaster.

(# 20 Ref: Kroonenberg, R.H., UK)

Case Study 2:

Post-flood Shelter Relief-

In August 2005, the close passage of Hurricane Katrina resulted in a tidal flood surge that caused more
than 50 breaches in the levee system protecting the North American city of New Orleans, to create
perhaps the worst flood disaster in United States history.

Despite being planned many decades before the levee system was still incomplete, and many of the areas
that were constructed still collapsed significantly below their design thresholds. As a result of this
fundamental failure of an engineering system that was designed to protect the city and its inhabitants from
just such an occurrence, eighty percent of the city was flooded with up to four and a half metres of water.
As Katrina approached, damage from high winds and floods were anticipated, and a mandatory
evacuation of the city was ordered on the morning of 28th August with the Hurricane’s peak of
devastation occurring the next day.

45
Despite the evacuation order and the emergency displacement of more than a million residents, over
100,000 people were either unable or unwilling to leave and with communications failures and other
rescue complications, thousands were forced to find inadequate shelter in the Louisiana Superdome sports
stadium or their own often severely damaged homes. More than 1500 people died in the catastrophe and
there was significant civil disorder with looting and violence a major problem.

It is in the post-disaster situation that shelter problems become significant as the immediate problem of
survival in extreme conditions is replaced by the need to house persons whose own homes have been
destroyed or damaged beyond occupation.

There has been significant criticism of the poor response both state and federal authorities made in the
wake of the Katrina disaster – both to mitigate the emergency situation in the days before and
immediately after the event, but also in the longer term. In the short term there was clearly an aversion by
many of those in charge to providing shelter close to people’s communities although this has multiple
benefits – placing people at the location of the rebuilding effort, maintaining existing social and economic
groups. Trailers can be placed adjacent to people’s own houses or where this is not possible on vacant
building sites, parking areas and school playgrounds. As rebuilding progresses the trailers can be
gradually removed providing a flexible and tuned housing support system. In the longer term, there was
clearly insufficient support and aid for householders to rebuild their own lives by providing infrastructural
and material support coupled with more flexible financial aid that allowed people to decide their own
needs in terms of accommodation or rebuilding.

The experiences of the New Orleans 2005 flood indicate that even in a global superpower with immense
resources, disaster relief, if not informed by accurate knowledge of experience, can be severely impeded.
This example provides two principle lessons. -

• First, that emergency relief needs to be applied quickly and as close to the centre of need as
possible – preparedness in terms of communications and resources is the key to this.
• Second, that post-disaster shelter relief should be focused, once the immediate emergency has
passed, on providing shelter within existing communities to supporting local rebuilding. For these
reasons, there are only limited opportunities for specialised mobile disaster relief structures (for
example medical facilities and very short-term shelter structures) although there are many mobile
building solutions that are primarily designed for longer term functions that can be of service.
With this knowledge it is possible to formulate strategic recommendations that could establish a
pattern for successful response in post-disaster situations.

When a disaster occurs, the immediate preoccupation of the population is to save life, then property.
Suitable shelter can play a major role in preventing further distress, illness and death if it is made
available immediately, therefore emergency shelter must be in use by the victims within the first few days
of the post-disaster situation if it is to be at all effective.

On the ground operatives who understand the local situation and the victims themselves are in the best
position to decide the nature, numbers and location of the shelter requirements and also to undertake its
deployment, thereby tackling logistical problems in the most immediate and efficient manner and also
46
reducing the feelings of helplessness and despair these people might otherwise experience. The shelter
should be capable of supporting the efforts of the victims to rebuild their lives, economic activities and
community, so its deployment should not divert resources from these activities. It should therefore be
capable of erection speedily with the minimum of effort and fulfil its function for the duration of the
emergency period without further maintenance. It should also have a built-in lifespan or be reacquired
for reuse elsewhere, which will make it unattractive for diversion by unscrupulous parties for sale or use
in non-relief situations. Any permanent components in the shelter’s construction should be capable of
recycling into permanent building stock.

Esoteric and inventive creations for shelter after disaster are interesting to others in the design
professions.

What is required to mitigate their impact is a knowledgeable preparedness programme in the clearly
identified geographic locations where disasters are known to occur, based on dedicated design
responses utilising resources that have other uses beyond the emergency relief situation, for the
rebuilding programme that inevitably follows.

(# 17 Ref: Kroonenberg, R.H., UK)

47
 • CATTLE SHED:

(# 21 Ref: Traditional practices of livestock management in Northeast India, Date of Publish:

2016-10-11)21

Livestock are integral part of rural life of North Eastern Region (NER) of India. Cattle and pig are two
important animals domesticated by many communities in the region. The entire animal domestication
practice is linked to location-specific ecosystem, economy and ethos of respective areas and its
inhabitants. But with the changing nature of weather, climate regime and anomalies threats are also
fraught with in livestock practices in relation to diseases, food and fodder supply.

Fig. 31 – Cattle Shelter

• Mesi Lakahor’ is community-based cattle grazing system of Rabha community of Assam. It is a

system in which one or two persons are given the responsibility of keeping the cattle of all the
villagers. Generally, they happen to hail from landless families. They are paid in terms of rice by
every household based on the number cattle they have, and it is paid after harvesting of the paddy.
Usually, they collect the cattle from each household in the early morning and take them for
grazing, again in the evening cattle are deposited back to the respective owner’s households.
Usually, there is a common place where cattle are kept in the afternoon period in summer where
they are provided with water. Basically, it is a provision to protect the cattle from intensive heat
during the midday time. The practice is adopted by the community to manage their domesticated
cattle and protect their crop field from straying cattle. So, the concerned Mesi Lakahor must work

21
# 21 Ref: Traditional practices of livestock management in Northeast India, Date of Publish: 2016-10-11

48
 for around nine months in a year. It is a cattle management practice that also provides opportunity
of livelihood for the landless people-based on the collective responsibility of the community.

• Here are multistoried cattle sheds in neighbouring villages of Pathsala, many of them belong to
Barpeta and Baksa districts of Assam. Here villagers keep their domesticated cattle in multistoried
cattle sheds, where one part of ground floor is used for fodder storage and rest is collection space
of dung. The first floor of the bamboo-steel multistoried cattle shed is used for keeping the cattle.
According to many villagers, these practices ultimately help them to maintain clean cattle sheds
and make it easy to collect the dung. The clean cattle shed helps in maintaining cattle health,
particularly from diseases that occur in the summer and monsoon season. Moreover, the collected
dung is used to apply in agricultural fields.

• It is noteworthy that cow dung provides food for a wide range of animal and fungus species,
which break it down and recycle it into the food chain and into the soil. Cow dung adds generous
amount organic matter and increases moisture holding capacity. It also contains beneficial bacteria
which covert nutrients to easily accessible form. Cow urine contains nitrogen from 6.8 to 21.6
grams/ liter along with other material which help in soil health.

49
PART C: CASE STUDY

• COMMUNITY ON WATER:

Community on water Netherland

Project: Silodam

Architect: MVRDV

Location: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Silodam is equipped with 157 apartments, business units, and public spaces. The apartments are different
sizes and are stacked to create internally connected neighbourhoods. Residents can walk through the
building, passing different facades and roof tops, under the building through the hall to the terrace, or
along the marina where boats can be docked.
Silodam is a 10-storey building with 20 meters wide and 120 long. There were distributed and 157 rental
apartments for sale, some of which are for offices and public spaces.
Concept:
It is a block of flats and offices of high density, which was taken as a central concept flexibility. Silodam
is an excellent example of the idea of cutting off. The space just does not flow in a horizontal direction
but extends vertically through the floors to bend and fold like concrete waves. This idea is a step beyond
what is experienced with the plant free. Here the facade was not designed as a wall but as an expression
of the court. The building is pierced with three holes that were made in volume. One is a dock, while the
other two are semi-public spaces for users of the complex.

Fig. 32 – Elevation of Silodom

50
 Fig. 33 – Silodom Fig. 34 – Foundation Technology

Pro: The incorporation of mixed used industry allows for the development of a community. The Silodom
is not only a place to live, but it provides, jobs, and public spaces. Also, the location of Silodam is
beneficial to promote transitions from land to aquatic living in the event of a rising sea/river level crisis.

Con: Although the Silodam successfully promotes the idea of mixed-use industry and living, it does not
fully promote self-sufficiency. More alternative energy and living methods could be incorporated. Its
design is internalized and because of this, it lacks the opportunity for growth on a larger scope.

Fig.35 – Elevation Fig. 36 – Silodom View

Construction On piles

What is unusual is that the building stands on piles in the River IJ, as a result of which it seems like it is
floating. This is a reference to the fact that the city of Amsterdam was built on piles. In order to prevent
stray ships sailing into it, a sloping concrete slab has been installed under water and marked out with
buoys.

Neighbourhood colour

51
In order to accentuate the specific characters of the neighbourhoods, the corridors to the flats – flooring,
walls, doors and ceiling – have been painted in one bright colour. On the façade the window arrangement,
the colour and the use of materials make the distinction clear.

Fig.37 – Entrance through Boat Fig. 38 – View of Silodom

(# 22 Ref: https://www.dezeen.com/2015/07/28/silodam-mvrdv-housing-amsterdam-harbour-movie-
nathalie-de-vries/)22

22
# 22 Ref: https://www.dezeen.com/2015/07/28/silodam-mvrdv-housing-amsterdam-harbour-movie-nathalie-de-
vries

52
 • COMMUNITY CENTER:

Nizzamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative

Project: Nizzamuddin Urban Renewal Initiative

Architect: Aga Khan Foundation

Location: Nizzamuddin Basti

History:

In 1997, to celebrate the 50th anniversary if India's independence, Aga Khan offered to restore the garden
of Humayun’s tomb, marking this as the Aga Khan Trust for cultures first association with the World
Heritage Site.

Building on these successes, in 2007 an agreement with the Archaeological Survey of India, the
municipal corporation of Delhi and the central public works development network to return to the historic
Nizamuddin area to undertake an Urban Renewable Initiative.

Intent:

The project aims to serve as a model for civil society engagement in urban development. It also seeks to
demonstrate that culture is a significant tool for development and makes the case for a return to a
traditional crafts-based approach to the conservation of India's monumental building. The project
implementation is undertaken by a multidisciplinary team comprising of a wide range of expertise,
including architects, civil, structural etc. the team guided by specialized consultants and includes almost
100 residents. The team guided by specialized consultants and includes almost 100 residents of Hazzat
Nizamuddin Basti who have been trained to take up significant responsibilities.

Fig. 39 – Plan Health Care

53
Fig. 40 – Training Room Fig. 41 – Office Fig. 42 – Community Toilets

Fig. 43 – Conceptual Floor Plan

Fig. 44 – Classroom Fig. 45 – Common Kitchen

54
Fig. 46 – Healthcare Center Waiting Room

Fig. 47 – Training Center for Women

55
 • MULTIPURPOSE SHELTER:

Orissa: The pioneer of the concept, flood shelter

Project Description: -

In the state level function of the Orissa Disaster Preparedness Day held on 29th October 2008, Hon’ble
Chief Minister had announced construction of 50 Multipurpose Flood Shelters in the flood affected areas
of the state. OSDMA under guidance of Chief Secretary took the responsibility for implementation of the
same.

Objective and Guidelines to be followed:

The Flood Shelters shall be used for:

• The shelter purpose during any flood for the people of locality.
• To facilitate the distribution of food and Relief Materials to the sheltered people.

In normal time the flood shelters shall be used as:

• School (Primary / Upper Primary / High School)

• Training Center for Disaster Preparedness Activities,
• Cultural Activities as per need of the people
• Any other purpose which Government may decide from time to time.
• Like the Model of MCS (multipurpose cyclone shelter) out of Prime Ministers’ National Relief
Fund
• The plinth area about 2000 Sq. ft for each floor.
• The approximate cost of each unit is about Rs.45.00 Lakh.
• Earthquake resistance design is ensured for construction of the Flood Shelter.
• The flood shelter is well connected to the nearest all weather road.
• Facilities for boarding by a boat to the rescued people.
• High approach road with facilities for cross drainage.

Foundation:

These buildings are of special type designed to withstand the current of high floods as well as the super
cyclone. The Orissa is the pioneer state in India in creating the concept of Construction of Flood Shelter
and entrusted IIT Kharagpur, Bhubaneswar Centre to design such multi store building in Orissa. All
buildings are designed considering basic cyclonic wind speed of 300 kmph and the Seismic Zone III as
per I.S code. For severe environment proper study has been done and the technical requirements are
inbuilt in the design. The foundation soil strata of most of the locations are treacherous in nature and vary
from place to place, where the construction is proposed. Therefore, Single under ream pile foundation of
different depth is recommended, as per the soil investigation report of each site and guide lines of latest IS
code
56
Super structure:

Ground floor: –

• A stilt floor 3.00 mt. high has been designed with all circular columns to allow the storm surge &
flood water to pass through without causing damage to the structure with reduction of scouring
effect of turbulence of water.
• The provision of Pucca floor with protected plinth has been made with provision of variable depth
of cut-off concrete wall.
• A ramp with slope 1:8 has been provided from ground level to 1st floor for easy movement of
physically handicapped & disabled persons.
• In addition to it a well-lighted stair case up to terrace is also provided for use of public.

First Floor: -

• It has 3 rooms & a lobby of standard size. Specific arrangement for ladies with separate toilet has
been made.
• The rooms are well lighted, well ventilated & attached with verandah space.

Second Floor: -

• The roof top terrace is provided with RCC parapet of 750 mm high which can be used for
sheltering the public in case of any Tsunami.
• A well covered head room with RCC overhead water tank of 10,000-liter capacity has been
provided in this floor.
• Provision of a bore well nearby along with a submersible pump to draw the water for the overhead
tank has been made.

Fig. 48 – MPS in Odisha Fig. 49 – Front View of MPS

(# 23 ref: detailed project report multipurpose cyclone shelter under ICZMP)23

23
# 23 ref: detailed project report multipurpose cyclone shelter under ICZMP

57
 • RURAL SCHOOL 1

Mulan Primary School / Rural Urban Framework

Architects : Rural Urban Framework

Location : Huaiji County, Guangdong, China

Category :Elementary & Middle School

Architects in Charge: John Lin, Joshua Bolchover

Project Team: Yau Ching Kit, Kwan Kwok Ying, Huang Zhiyun, Jessica Lumley, Ho
King Hei

Project Manager: Maggie K Y Ma

Area :503.0 sqm

Project Year: 2012

Fig. 50 – School Courtyard

58
 Fig.51 – Roof Forming Steps Fig. 52 – Internal Courtyard

The project brief involved the expansion of an existing primary school by adding an additional building
of 6 classrooms.

The strategy of the design was to not only extend the school but to also extend the courtyard and organize
the site through a series of linked open spaces.

The new building defines the edge of the site as a U-section with one side of the courtyard left open.

The roof plane is a continuous ribbon that rises from the ground as a series of steps forming a new public
space and outdoor classroom that then becomes the roof, before dropping down again to form a ground
plane that defines the edge of the courtyard.

The steps are punctuated with small micro-courtyards which continue into the library which has its own
internal courtyard.

(# 24 Ref: archdaily.com)24

24
# 24 Ref: archdaily.com

59
 • RURAL SCHOOL 2

Brazilian school wins RIBA award as world’s best new building

Children Village, a new school complex on the edge of the rainforest in northern Brazil designed by
Brazilian architects, Aleph Zero and Rosenbaum, has won the RIBA International Prize 2018.

Children Village provides boarding accommodation for 540 children aged 13 to 18 attending the Canuanã
School. Pupils come from remote areas of the country, some travelling many hours by boat.

Funded by the Bradesco Foundation, Children Village is one of forty schools run by the foundation
providing education for children in rural communities across Brazil.

Replacing dormitories for 40 students, the new design provides rooms for six children in a more intimate
environment. As well as private spaces, public spaces were designed to give ample space for pupils to
study, play and relax

Covering an area of almost 25,000 m2, Children Village is organized into two identical complexes: one
for girls and one for boys.

Residences are centered around three large, open and well-shaded courtyards at ground level, where the
dormitory accommodation is located.

On the first floor, there are several flexible communal spaces, ranging from reading spaces and television
rooms, to balconies and hammocks, where the children can relax and play.

The tropical climate, with summertime temperature in the mid-40 degrees, was one of the major
challenges cleverly addressed by the architects.

The large canopy roof, the structure of which is made up of cross-laminated timber beams and columns,
provides shading. The overhanging canopy design has created an intermediary space, between inside and
out, giving the effect of a large veranda overlooking the surrounding landscape and creating a
comfortable environment with no need for air conditioning.

60
 Fig. 53 – Inside Spaces

Fig. 54 – School View

(# 25 Ref: https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-
2018-for-the-worlds-best-new-building/ )25

25
(# 25 Ref: https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-
2018-for-the-worlds-best-new-building/

61
 • RURAL SCHOOL 3

Primary School in Gando / Kéré Architecture

Architects: Kéré Architecture

Location :Gando, Burkina Faso

Category:Schools

Architect in Charge: Diébédo Francis Kéré

Client: Schulbausteine fuer Gando / Gando Village Community

Area: 310.0 sqm

Project Year :2001

Photographs :Siméon Duchoud

As a native of Burkina Faso, Francis Kere grew up with many challenges and few resources. When he
was a child, he travelled nearly 40 kilometers to the next village in order to attend a school with poor
lighting and ventilation. The experience of trying to learn in this oppressive environment affected him so
much that when he began to study architecture in Europe, he decided to reinvest his knowledge towards
building a new school in his home village. With the support of his community and funds raised through
his foundation, Schulbausteine fuer Gando (Bricks for Gando,) Francis began construction of the Primary
School, his very first building.

The design for the Primary School evolved from a lengthy list of parameters including cost, climate,
resource availability, and construction feasibility. The success of the project relied on both embracing and
negating these constraints. In order to maximize results with the minimal resources available, a clay/mud
hybrid construction was primarily used. Clay is abundantly available in the region and is traditionally
used in the construction of housing. These traditional clay-building techniques were modified and
modernized in order to create a more structurally robust construction in the form of bricks. The clay
bricks have the added advantage of being cheap, easy to produce, and providing thermal protection
against the hot climate.

Despite their durability, however, the walls must still be protected from damaging rains with a large
overhanging tin roof. Many houses in Burkina Faso have corrugated metal roofs which absorb the heat
from the sun, making the interior living space intolerably hot.

62
The roof of the Primary School was pulled away from the learning space of the interior though, and a
perforated clay ceiling with ample ventilation was introduced. This dry-stacked brick ceiling allows for
maximum ventilation, pulling cool air in from the interior windows and releasing hot air out through the
perforated ceiling. In turn, the ecological footprint of the school is vastly reduced by alleviating the need
for air-conditioning.

Fig. 55 – Side Elevation Fig. 56 – Classroom

Fig. 57 – School Front View Fig. 58 – School View

(# 26 Ref: https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-
2018-for-the-worlds-best-new-building/ )26

26
# 26 Ref: https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-2018-for-the-
worlds-best-new-building/

63
PART D: MATERIAL AND GENERAL STUDY

• MATERIAL STUDY
According to the context study of the selected site, the area is surrounded by the settlements mostly
constructed out of brick, mud, terracotta tiled roof or thatched roof.

Fig. 59 – Bihar Village settlement

The typology demands a strong constructional material which can withstand the water flow as well as the
wind flow, as well as giving a vernacular look according to surrounding site context.

People living in rural area usually are unable to adapt new technologies and materials easily. They are
more comfortable in their local surrounding materials.

Use of fly ash bricks is practiced due to high strength, practically no breakage during transport and use.
Due to uniform size of bricks mortar required for joints and plaster reduces almost by 50%.

Fig. 60 – Fly Ash Bricks

64
• Advantages of Fly Ash Bricks:

1. It reduces dead load on structures due to light weight (2.6 kg, dimension: 230 mm X 110 mm X
70 mm
2. Same number of bricks will cover more area than clay bricks
3. High fire Insulation
4. Due to high strength, practically no breakage during transport and use.
5. Due to uniform size of bricks mortar required for joints and plaster reduces almost by 50%.
6. Due to lower water penetration seepage of water through bricks is considerably reduced.
7. Gypsum plaster can be directly applied on these bricks without a backing coat of lime plaster.
8. These bricks do not require soaking in water for 24 hours. Sprinkling of water before use is
enough.
9. It is only good for the places like subtropical area or area where climate is warm because it doesn't
absorb heat. But during cold it is not helpful.

• Disadvantages:

1. Mechanical strength is low, but this can be rectified by adding marble waste or mortar between
blocks.
2. Limitation of size. Only modular size can be produced. Large size will have more breakages.

65
• PASSIVE TECHNIQUES

Fig. 61 – Passive Cooling Techniques

• Passive cooling is a building design approach that focuses on heat gain control and heat
dissipation in a building in order to improve the indoor thermal comfort with low or no energy
consumption.
• This approach works either by preventing heat from entering the interior (heat gain prevention) or
by removing heat from the building (natural cooling).
• Natural cooling utilizes on-site energy, available from the natural environment, combined with the
architectural design of building components (e.g. building envelope), rather than mechanical
systems to dissipate heat. Therefore, natural cooling depends not only on the architectural design
of the building but on how the site's natural resources are used as heat sinks (i.e. everything that
absorbs or dissipates heat). Examples of on-site heat sinks are the upper atmosphere (night sky),
the outdoor air (wind), and the earth/soil.

Preventive techniques:
Protection from or prevention of heat gains encompasses all the design techniques that minimizes the
impact of solar heat gains through the building’s envelope and of internal heat gains that is generated
inside the building due occupancy and equipment. It includes the following design techniques:

66
 • Microclimate and site design - By considering the local climate and the site context, specific
cooling strategies can be selected to apply which are the most appropriate for preventing
overheating through the envelope of the building. The microclimate can play a huge role in
determining the most favorable building location by analyzing the combined availability of sun and
wind.
• Solar control - A properly designed shading system can effectively contribute to minimizing the
solar heat gains. Shading both transparent and opaque surfaces of the building envelope will
minimize the amount of solar radiation that induces overheating in both indoor spaces and
building’s structure. By shading the building structure, the heat gain captured through the windows
and envelope will be reduced.
• Building form and layout - Building orientation and an optimized distribution of interior spaces can
prevent overheating. Rooms can be zoned within the buildings in order to reject sources of internal
heat gain and/or allocating heat gains where they can be useful, considering the different activities
of the building. For example, creating a flat, horizontal plan will increase the effectiveness of
cross-ventilation across the plan. Locating the zones vertically can take advantage of temperature
stratification. Typically, building zones in the upper levels are warmer than the lower zones due to
stratification. Vertical zoning of spaces and activities uses this temperature stratification to
accommodate zone uses according to their temperature requirements. Form factor (i.e. the ratio
between volume and surface) also plays a major role in the building’s energy and thermal profile.
This ratio can be used to shape the building form to the specific local climate. For example, more
compact forms tend to preserve more heat than less compact forms because the ratio of the internal
loads to envelope area is significant.
• Thermal insulation - Insulation in the building’s envelope will decrease the amount of heat
transferred by radiation through the facades. This principle applies both to the opaque (walls and
roof) and transparent surfaces (windows) of the envelope. Since roofs could be a larger contributor
to the interior heat load, especially in lighter constructions (e.g. building and workshops with roof
made from metal structures), providing thermal insulation can effectively decrease heat transfer
from the roof.
• Behavioral and occupancy patterns - Some building management policies such as limiting the
number of people in a given area of the building can also contribute effectively to the minimization
of heat gains inside a building. Building occupants can also contribute to indoor overheating
prevention by shutting off the lights and equipment of unoccupied spaces, operating shading when
necessary to reduce solar heat gains through windows, or dress lighter in order to adapt better to
the indoor environment by increasing their thermal comfort tolerance.
• Internal gain control - More energy-efficient lighting and electronic equipment tend to release less
energy thus contributing to less internal heat loads inside the space.

(#27 ref: Brown, G.Z.; DeKay, Mark (2001). Sun, wind, and light: architectural design strategies (2nd
ed.))27

27
#27 Ref: Brown, G.Z.; DeKay, Mark (2001). Sun, wind, and light: architectural design strategies (2nd ed)

67
• SPECIAL TOILET DETAILS

Fig. 62 –Toilet layout

• Toilet One special W.C. in a set of toilets shall be provided for the use of handicapped with
essential provision of wash basin near the entrance for the handicapped.
• The minimum size shall be 1500 x 1750 mm.
• Minimum clear opening of the door shall be 900 mm. and the door shall swing out.
• Suitable arrangement of vertical/horizontal handrails with 50 mm. clearance from wall shall be
made in the toilet.
• The W.C. seat shall be 500 mm. from the floor.
• Toilet floor shall have a non-slip surface without any lvl. difference.
• Guiding block near the entry should have a textural difference, (e.g. Diamon Tiles,
• Prima Regina Tiles, Undressed Granite)
• Light-weight PVC door shutter should be provided as a sliding door
• Provision of vertical & horizontal rail as 40 mm C.P. Steel Pipe.

68
 Fig. 63 – Handrail (Inside stall) Fig. 64 – Side elevation of toilet stall

(#28 ref: cpwd.gov.in/publication/aged&disabled.PDF)28

28
#28 Ref: cpwd.gov.in/publication/aged&disabled.PDF

69
CHAPTER 3

70
PART A: SITE ANALYSIS

• SITE SELECTION CRITERION

This chapter deals with the process of site selection and deciding the selection criterion
according to the multifunctional spaces and given rules to build a disaster shelter.

1. Location of the site should be in secondary or tertiary flood prone areas in India.
2. The area selected should be a rural area, which requires more attention during
the flood crises.
3. The flood frequency should be Manageable.
4. There should be easy access to the site. The site should be such located where
people can access the evacuation point easily.
5. Demographic Statistic should be manageable at a time.

• SITE OPTION A, Odisha (BARANG)

Fig. 65 – Barang, Odisha

71
SWOT Analysis:

S W O T
The site chosen is in Delta region, vulnerable Rural Location with The location is in under
near Cuttack, the capital to floods. adjustable Primary Zone of flood
city of Odisha. It is Demographic Data (which is non-
located at the banks of Habitable).
Kathajodi river. (a river
frequently flooded)

The intrinsic factor of The Future

the site context Development is for
consisted of a Public and Semi-Public
Panchayat Office. Works

Table. 6 – SWOT Analysis of Barang

• SITE OPTION B, Odisha (GOKULPUR)

Fig. 66 – Gokulpur, Odisha

72
SWOT Analysis:

S W O T
The site chosen is in Delta region, vulnerable Semi Urban Location The location is in under
near Urali. At the banks to floods. Secondary Zone of
of Kuakhari river. flood

Situated adjacent to Extrinsic factors The Future Adjacent Canal

highway. include a training Development is for
center. Public and Semi-Public
Works

Uneven Population
Distribution

Table. 7 – SWOT Analysis of Gokulpur

• SITE OPTION B, BIHAR NEAR MUZZARAFPUR

Fig. 67 – Bihar

73
SWOT Analysis:

S W O T
The site chosen is in Rural Location with
high lying areas near Adequate Population
Muzzarafpur. Located
near river Baghmati.

The location is in under Lack of proper

partial Tertiary Zone of Structuring of floods.
flood

Table. 8 – SWOT analysis of BIHAR

• GENERAL INFORMATION, BIHAR

Bihar is an Indian state considered to be a part of eastern, northern, and north-central India. It is the
thirteenth-largest Indian state, with an area of 94,163 km2 (36,357 sq. mi). The third-largest state by
population, it is contiguous with Uttar Pradesh to its west, Nepal to the north, the northern part of West
Bengal to the east, with Jharkhand to the south. The Bihar plain is split by the river Ganges, which flows
from west to east. Three main regions converge in the state: Magadh, Mithila, and Bhojpur.

It is an entirely land–locked state, in a subtropical region of the temperate zone. Bihar lies between the
humid West Bengal in the east and the sub humid Uttar Pradesh in the west, which provides it with a
transitional position in respect of climate, economy and culture. It is bounded by Nepal in the north and
by Jharkhand in the south. Bihar plain is divided into two unequal halves (North Bihar and South Bihar)
by the river Ganges which flows through the middle from west to east. Bihar's land has average elevation
above sea level of 173 feet.

On 15 November 2000, southern Bihar was a territory to form the new state of Jharkhand. Only 11.3% of
the population of Bihar lives in urban areas, which is the lowest in India after Himachal Pradesh.
Additionally, almost 58% of Bihari’s are below the age of 25, giving Bihar the highest proportion of
young people of any Indian state.3

(# 29 Ref: FMIS Bihar)29

29
# 29 Ref: FMIS Bihar

74
 Fig. 68 – Bihar State Map

• RIVERS AND THEIR BASIN IN BIHAR

There are eight river basins in FMIS (Flood Management Information System) focus area:

1. Gandak
2. Burhi gandak
3. Bagmati
4. Adhwara group
5. Kamla Balan
6. Kosi
7. Mahananda
8. Ganga Stem in Bihar

1. Bagmati river
Bagmati is a perennial river of North Bihar. It originates from the shivpuri range of hills in Nepal
at latitude 270 47’ N and longitude 850 17’E., 16 Km North-East of Kathmandu at an elevation of
1500 m above MSL. It enters Indian territory in Bihar in the village Shorwatia in Sitamarhi
district, nearly 2.5 Km north of Dheng railway station. The total length of this river is about 589
Km. It traverses nearly 195 Km in Nepal and rest 394 Km in Bihar. Its outfalls in the kosi at
Badlaghat.

2. Burhi Gandak
The river Burhi Gandak originates from chautarwa chaur near Bisambharpur in the district
of West Champaran in Bihar and flows through the districts of East champaran, Muzaffarpur,
75
 Samastipur and Begusarai. Its outfalls into the Ganga near Khagaria. The total catchment area is
12021 sq.Km, out of which 9601 sq.Km lies in Bihar and rest in Nepal. There is no major or
medium project over the Burhi Gandak river system.

SALIENT FEATURES OF THE BURHI GANDAK BASIN: -

1. Total Drainage Area 12021 Sq.Km

2. Drainage Area in Bihar 9601 Sq.Km

3. Population in Bihar 83.01 Lakh

4. Water resources 4040 MCM

5. Average annual rainfall 1283 mm

6. Total length of main river 320 Km

7. Cropped area in Bihar 7600 Sq.Km

8. Tributaries: - Masan(L), Balor(L), Pandai(L), Sikta(L), Tilawe(L), Tiur(L), Dhanauti(R), Kohra(R),

Danda(R),

Table. 9 – Salient Features of Burhi Gandak

LAG TIME ANALYSIS IN BURHI GANDAK: -

Water level curves shows that the lagging time between different sites are as follows:

S.No Between LAG Time

1. Lalbeghiaghat and Sikanderpur 36 HOURS
2. Sikanderpur and Samastipur- 16 HOURS
3. Samastipur and Rosera- 16 HOURS
4. Rosera and Khagaria- 24 HOURS

Table. 10 – Lag Time in Burhi Gandak

76
Fig. 69 – Rivers in Bihar

77
Fig. 70 – River Basin in Biha

78
Fig. 71 –Hazard Zones in Bihar

79
 • FLOOD AFFECTED AREAS IN BIHAR

’’Total human deaths is 5874 and animal deaths is 19044 in Bihar due to floods between 1979–
2006.’

Bihar is India's most flood-prone State, with 76% of the population in the North Bihar living under the
recurring threat of flood devastation. According to some historical data, 16.5% of the total flood affected
area in India is in Bihar while 22.1% of the flood affected population in India lives in Bihar. About
68,800 square kilometers (26,600 sq. mi) out of total geographical area of 94,160 square kilometers
(36,360 sq. mi) comprising 73.06% is flood affected. Floods in Bihar are a recurring disaster which on an
annual basis destroys thousands of human lives apart from livestock and assets worth millions. Floods in
Bihar have claimed 9,500 lives since the government started publishing figures in 1979.

The 2013 Flood in Bihar affected more than 5.9 million people in 3,768 villages in 20 districts of the
state.2017 Floods affected 19 districts of North Bihar causing death of 514 people. Around 1.71 crore
people are hit by the floods. This flood was result of sudden increase in water discharge through rivers –
Gandak, Burhi Gandak and Bagmati, Kamla, Kosi and Mahananda – due to heavy rain in the catchment
areas of the major rivers of north Bihar in Nepal state. (# 29 Ref: FMIS Bihar)

80
Fig. 72 – Flood Zones in Biha
 • YEAR WISE IMAGES OF CHANGE IN WATER LEVEL DURING FLOOD
IN BIHAR

Fig 73 – Floor Level of Different Years (# 30 Ref: Bhuvan Indian Platform of ISRO, Bihar)

• CLIMATIC ANALYSIS
The climate of the state is like that of the North Indian Plains and is marked by three distinct seasons in a
year. These seasons are: firstly a rainy season (mid-June to mid-October) corresponding to agricultural
season with clouded sky, high humidity and heavy rainfall, a cold weather season (November to mid-
March) corresponding to agricultural season known as Ravi and characterized by low temperatures, clear
skies, little rainfall and low humidity and thirdly a hot weather season (mid-March to mid-June)
corresponding to agricultural reason known as Zaid characterized by high temperatures very low humidity
and prevalence of hot dusty winds.

The climate of Bihar is a part of the climatic pattern of the Indian subcontinent. It enjoys a continental
monsoon type of climate owing to its great distance from the sea.

The factors affecting the climate of Bihar are:

1 It extends from 22-degree north to 27-degree latitude. Hence its location is tropical to sub-
tropical.

2 The Himalayan Mountains in the north have a significant bearing on the distribution of monsoon
rainfall in Bihar.

3 Bihar joins the Ganga delta and Assam.

Table.11 – Climatic Factors

82
Seasons and their duration:

1 Cold weather season - December to February.

2 Hot weather season – March to May.

3 Southwest monsoon – June to September.

4 Retreating southwest monsoon – October to November

(# 30 Ref: http://gov.bih.nic.in, Bihar)30

Table 12 – Seasons in Bihar

• SOIL ANALYSIS

Fig. 74 – Soil Map, Bihar

• Soil is one of the most important resources of a nation. It is the gift of nature of immense value.
The most common use of the word soil is in the sense of a medium in which plants grow, although
it has a different connotation at different time and place, and for persons engaged in different

30
# 30 Ref: http://gov.bih.nic.in, Bihar

83
 professions. Almost all the economic activities are directly or indirectly dependent on soil. Thus,
soil is the backbone of agricultural and industrial development.
• Soil has several characteristics, which may be regarded as the aggregate of the physical, chemical
and biological properties. The Bihar plane consists of a thick alluvial mantle of drift origin
overlying in most part. The siwalik and older tertiary rocks. The soil is mainly young loam
rejuvenated every year by constant deposition of silt, clay and sand brought by different streams.
This soil is deficient in phosphoric acid, nitrogen and humus, but potash and lime are usually
present in sufficient quantity.

There are three major types of soil in Bihar:

1 Piedmont Swamp Soil - found in north western part of west Champaran district.

2 Terai Soil – found in northern part of the state along the border of Nepal.

3 The Gangetic Alluvium – the plain of Bihar is covered by alluvium (both new as well as old).

(# 31 Ref: http://gov.bih.nic.in, Bihar)

Table.13 – Soil Types In Bihar

• SITE, BIHAR

Bihar floods: Bereft of shelter, flood-hit people throng highway

Aug 18, 2017

(#31 Ref:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60108871.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medi
um=text&utm_campaign=cppst)31

• Devoid of proper shelter, hundreds of people from flood-affected villages along the Bagmati have
set up makeshift tents on National Highway -77 connecting Muzaffarpur to Sitamarhi. Residents
of villages like Vasatpur, Zrunni and Tilak Tajpur can be seen living in temporary tents over a
stretch of around 5km. with children and cattle.
• Due to high topography people settled along the highway. Protesting lack of relief measures, the
villagers blocked the highway for several hours on Thursday. “we have lost all hopes from the
administration as no official has visited us ever since we made our tents on this highway. Today

31
#31 Ref:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60108871.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medium=text&utm_campa
ign=cppst

84
 also, we were told that relief packages would be arriving by the evening, but nothing happened,
said Prem Kumar, a resident of Vasatpur.
• The site selected was situated near Muzaffarpur, i.e. Suratpur, Lashkaripur and Mithan.
• The area lies in the partial secondary and tertiary zone of flood.
• The selected site lies under rural development, where Gram Panchayat holds the responsibility of
development of the area.
• The site lies 20km. away from Bagmati River, which is the cause of FLOOD in that area.

Fig. 75 – Areas near Muzaffarpur

Fig.76 – Site Selected

85
• SITE ANALYSIS

1. SETTLEMET ANALYSIS

• Red dot demarcates the settlement

Fig. 77 – Residential marking on Selected Sit

86
2. According to the settlement analysis the moderate density (for decongestion) along any road
junction (access/node with many directions) with easy access located will have a scope of saving
the maximum. Hence the location is as follows shown in the (fig. 65 & 67)

Fig. 78 – Final Selected Site

Fig. 79 – Site
87
Fig. 80 – Site analysis

88
PART B: AREA ANALYSIS

• DEMOGRAPHIC DATA

According to the 2011 Census of India recorded a total of 104,099,452 (54,278,157 male and 49,821,295
female).

Total Disability Census 2011, is 8.01% of the total population

Demographic data:(#32 Ref: census 2011)32

VILLAGE SURATPUR LASHKARIPUR MITHAN TOTAL

Total no. of family 103 83 1075 1261

Total population 674 474 5478 6626

Total female 286 260 2566 3112

population

Total male 388 214 2912 3514

population

Total children 97 87 1166 1350

population

Total no of 178 93 1588 1859

working
population

Table. 14 – Demographic Data

PERCENTAGE POPULATION

Total population of disable 8.07% 534

Total population of 700

pregnant women

Table. 15 – percentage of specially abled and pregnant women

32
#32 Ref: www.censusindia.co.in

89
 • SWOT ANALYSIS FOR ACTIVITIES

SWOT Analysis to finalize the typology of the building which can be used as a Multipurpose Disaster
Shelter in accordance to the Demographic Data of Bihar.

IF SCHOOL IF COMMUNITY CENTER

S W O T S W O T

Schools can Cost of Will Ground Specific Spaces Will Visual

be used as a constructio Create floor activities construct create an connectivi
multifunction n will Awarene cannot are already ed will be alternate ty will be
al shelter by increase as ss and have an provided, rigid. source of less.
changing the per MPS Help in enclosed which revenue
room Norms easy space i.e. further in generatio
typology for (Provide evacuatio the emergency n.
a required Interventio n building will ease
time. ns which will stand the
will on stilt. situation.
increase (to ease
the cost) the flow
of water
when
flooded.

Since schools Multipurpo Building The Will we The build

as a typology se to be movement less used mass will
is a regular functions handled and to as be heavy.
functional cannot be acoustical functions compare
space the arranged ly would are already to
maintenance immediatel be segregated schools.
cost will be y when slightly
reduced. there are difficult.
crises.

Being an Constructio Functional

educational n of ramp spaces or
building, will the
awareness increase infrastructu
drills can be the cost. re will
easily taught,
90
which will already be
further help sorted.
in speed
Evacuation at
the time of
floods.

Existing Self-
rooms Can sustaining
be Easily an
Customized individual.
(Providing
Suitable
Design
Intervention
Without
Disturbing
the
Typological
Characteristi
cs)

Table. 16 – SWOT Analysis for Activities

91
• AREA ANALYSIS AND TYPOLOGY SELECTION

1. As per the SWOT of Activities and the Demographic Data of Bihar, a Self-Sustaining Building
which can accommodate approx. a population of the surrounding (1.5 radius km.) and provide
them with food, water, shelter, healthcare and a place to sleep during the crises.
2. A space which can administrate/guide people to save their lives.
3. A space which can hold enough funds to maintain and manage the cost of emergency crises.
4. A space which can accommodate 2000-4000 people at a time.
5. Altogether these spaces can support the functioning of the activities and can acts as a
MULTIPURPOSE DISASTER SHELTER.

SCHOOL

COMMUNITY
CENTER / PANCHAYAT
TRAINING OFFICE
CENTER

HEALTH CARE
UNIT

Fig. 81 – Multipurpose Typology

92
 • AREA PROGRAM

A. Standard areas for construction of school, Community hall, Healthcare Center

SPACE AREA (SQ. MT.)

REGULAR SCHOOL

Classroom (primary) 0.9 mt. sq. per person

Classroom (middle) 1.11 mt. sq. per person

Classroom (secondary) 1.2-1.5 mt. sq. per person

Principal Cabin 10-15 mt. sq.

Abled Toilet 2.6 mt.sq.

Staff Room 3 mt. sq. per person

Corridor Space Min. 2 mt.

Staircase width Min. 1.5 mt.

Listen / talk / Record Room 80 sq.mt.

Laboratories 55-75 mt.sq.

Auditorium (sitting space) 0.5-0.9 mt.sq. per person

Stage >100 mt. sq.

HEALTH CARE

Consultation room 14 mt.sq.

Attached examination Room 7 mt.sq.

Ward 6.9 mt. sq. per bed

OT 10mt.sq.

Bio medical waste / utility 5 mt.sq.

Cabin

93
 Waiting Area

COMMUNITY HALL / TRAINING CENTER

Classrooms 1.2-1.5 mt. sq. per person

Auditorium 0.5-0.9 mt.sq. per person

Table. 17– Area Program

(#33 Ref: Neufert)33

B. FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) norms for Cyclone / Flood Shelter

CASE SQ. FOOTAGE PER SQ. MT. PER

PERSON PERSON
Adults standing 5 0.46

Adults Seating 6 0.55

Children (Under age of 10) 5 0.46

Wheelchair users 10 0.92

Pregnant Women 30 2.78

Table.18 – FEMA norms A

C. Cyclone/ Flood shelter square footage recommendation for India

Criteria Short term shelter (36 Long term Shelter (36 Percentage of total
hr. or less) hr. to 48 hr.) occupancy

Able people include 4 7 95

children above 3 yrs. Of
age

33
#33 Ref: Neufert book of standards

94
 Wheelchair users 6 10 1

Pregnant Women or 20 30 4
women with infants

Table. 19– FEMA norms B

D. SSA Primary school space guidelines

Category No. of Students Gross Area sq. mt. per child

Pre- school 20/25 2

Primary School (with Furniture) 40 1.11

Primary School (with floor 40 0.75

Seating)

Sec./ High Secondary 40 1.26

Table. 20– FEMA norms C

E. Recommendation for space reduction to accommodate furniture

Classroom Furniture Type Reduction Percentage

Fixed Seating 50

Movable Space 35

No furniture with Floor Seating 5

Table.21 – FEMA norms D

(#34 Ref: FEMA)34

34
#34 Ref: FEMA

95
CHAPTER 4

96
PART A: DESIGN

• DESIGN PARAMETERS AND STANDARS

Design parameters for Construction of Multi-Purpose Shelter

1. The flood shelters are generally provided with a very high plinth. It is preferable to have the
habitable floor height 2 to 3 meter above ground level (generally with Stilt).
2. The ramp is preferred over staircase. A ramp generally provides an easy access to kids and elderly
people. The slope of the ramp should be 1:12 with a minimum width of 1.2m.
3. Plantation in the site boundaries (particularly with the mangrove trees) as a peripheral belt is
always helpful. This will reduce the impact of the high tidal velocity. One or two layers of tree
foliage and deep fibrous root system will reduce the flow and increase the ground water
discharging of the water through ground grip of the roots. But, a suitable isolation distance
between the green belt and the shelter structure need to be maintained, so that the shelter does not
get damaged by a falling tree or the foundation does not get damaged by the root propagation.
4. The ramp must lead to the control room of the relief operation at the stilt floor. This control room
should be located at such a location that must have an easy and direct approach to every remote
space in the floor. It also required have a clear visual axis to every part of the flood shelter.
However, in multi-level or in widespread horizontal plan buildings, more than one such control
room can be designed in strategic locations.
5. A provision of adequate amount of storage space should be available in the rooms. The storage
space can be adjusted in various vertical levels, so that maximum floor area can be utilized in
other living activities.
6. The class room should be so designed that it should have an extra space provision for furniture
storage during flood shelter activities. If a primary school is converted to a flood shelter, the floor
area should be flexible.
7. The partition wall between two adjacent class rooms should be so designed that it can be open and
transformed to a large hall.
8. The vertical transportation components, especially staircases are needed to be placed in adequate
horizontal distance intervals. The staircase is essential to connect the first floor to the terrace. The
staircases should have a width of 1.5 to 2 m depending on shelter capacity with multi-entry
possibilities.
9. Accommodation of 3000-4000 relocated people from nearby settlement for 1 to 3 days.
10. Active spaces for temporary storage of the valuable items of the relocated people.
11. Adequate storage space for food grains, medicine, drinking water, baby food, Treatment area for
injured, old and medically unfit people.
12. Additional area to keep the cattle along with relocated family Service areas like toilet, bathrooms,
make shift kitchen and dining area.
13. Service systems including fresh water supply, healthy sanitary disposal, power and
telecommunication.
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 14. Squat type water closet is recommended in the toilets as it can cater both children and the adults.
15. Generally, ground stilt plus two floors (G+2) is recommended for the RCC framed buildings.
16. Square or rectangular shaped buildings with rounded corners are preferred to improve the
aerodynamics of the structure under wind. Hexagonal or octagonal shapes are also suitable.
17. Provision of Hand pump for water should be provided at the first and second floor levels as there
is high probability of disruption is supply of electricity during the period.
18. The ramp connecting the ground level to first floor should have a snake catcher.
19. There should be a separate cattle shade near to the cyclone shelter.

(#35 Ref: Design recommendations suggested by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA),
Government of India)35

Design Parameter for Construction of Secondary School

1. Class rooms should be well ventilated. Enough light should enter without glare for easy reading
and writing.
2. Entrance door should open to the stage / corridor
3. In laboratories bright light should be available.
4. Width to length ratio of a classroom is – 1: 1.2 to 1: 1.5. Room with length greater than 2 X width
creates tunnel effect. Not more than 3 classes in a row should be designed.
5. It is good to have an independent access to each class.
6. Principal and staff-room are grouped and located near entrance.
7. Girl’s waiting room and toilet needs to be grouped.
8. There should be only one entrance into the class room.
9. Horizontal circulation should be possible utility should not be more than 1:3.
10. Site should be selection so that it should be adequate to meet the future needs like Health
facilities, Physical education, Community programs, Cultural programs and Recreation programs.
11. Built up area of a school should not exceed 25% of the site area. The remaining area should be
used for sports field and garden.
12. Classroom – 0.9 m2 per pupil of primary school, 1.11 m2 for pupil of middle school, 1.2 m2 to
1.5 m2 per pupil of secondary school.
13. Verandahs on south and west direction, ventilators in east and north directions, classroom should
be on one side of verandah instead of either side of verandah.
14. Functional is to foster students' sense of community and individuality, to ensure flexibility and
adaptability for changing programs and enrolments.
15. Accessibility to design spaces to meet the specific needs of students, teachers, and administrative
staff with disabilities. Design for future flexibility, which enables spaces to be easily modified.
16. The exterior should complement the neighborhood and reflect the communities.

35
#35 Ref: Design recommendations suggested by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government of India

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 17. The interior should enhance the learning process and should be Cost-Effective. Apply cost-
effective principals in the planning, design, construction, and operation of school facilities.
18. Maximize visual access to corridors and school grounds.

(#36 ref: Guidelines for school infrastructure and strengthening)36

36
#36 Ref: Guidelines for school infrastructure and strengthening

99
Fig. 82 – Activity Analysis (Conceptual Zoning)

100
Fig. 83 – Zoning Stage 1

101
PART A: DRAWINGS

102
CHAPTER 5

103
 • REFERENCES:

NASA, 2017
IPCC, 2012
UNISDR, 2009 The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction
Oliver-Smith et al., 2016
Becker, 2014
NISDR / CRED
Mark G. Benz
Article by Vanessa Quirk
Design like you give a damn
resettlement and rehabilitation paper
Tropical Storm Sendong 2011 paper
Transitional shelter in post disaster Context
Kroonenberg, R.H., UK

Traditional practices of livestock management in Northeast India, Date of Publish: 2016-10-11

https://www.dezeen.com/2015/07/28/silodam-mvrdv-housing-amsterdam-harbour-movie-nathalie-de-
vries
detailed project report multipurpose cyclone shelter under ICZMP
archdaily.com
https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-2018-for-the-
worlds-best-new-building/
https://www.architectsdatafile.co.uk/news/brazilian-school-wins-riba-international-prize-2018-for-the-
worlds-best-new-building/
Brown, G.Z.; DeKay, Mark (2001). Sun, wind, and light: architectural design strategies (2nd ed)
cpwd.gov.in/publication/aged&disabled.PDF
FMIS Bihar
http://gov.bih.nic.in, Bihar
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/60108871.cms?utm_source=contentofinterest&utm_medi
um=text&utm_campaign=cppst
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www.censusindia.co.in
Neufert book of standards
FEMA
Design recommendations suggested by National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), Government
of India
Guidelines for school infrastructure and strengthening

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