MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT NO.

Name: MARQUEZ, GERALDINE C.

Section: ARSCH51S6

Professor: ARCH. PABLO, RAUL

Course: AR551 - HOUSING

TYPHOON RESISTANT HOUSING

THE CORE SHELTER HOUSING PROJECT

After Typhoon Sisang destroyed over 200,000 homes in 1987, the Philippines government's Department of
Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) decided to launch a program to provide typhoon-resistant housing to
those living in the most typhoon-prone areas. The resulting houses are simple, inexpensive, and made from a
variety of local materials. Poor people can build their own houses with technical assistance and the help of
friends and neighbors. Roof and wall panels on newer shelters are made of more durable materials. The wind
resistance of the houses is a critical factor in their design, as it ensures that the houses, despite being built with
the same materials as before, are no longer destroyed by strong winds. They are built to withstand 180 kph
winds and have been tested to do so.

The key innovative aspect of the design is the strengthening of the structure to enable it to withstand typhoons.
The Core Shelter technical design therefore has the following typhoon resistant features:

 Anchorage tying the roof to the ground through cement footings to achieve continuity.
 A four-sided roof design strengthened by roof trusses.
 Use of extra bracing and anchoring on wall and ceiling to ensure stability.

The shelter is quite small, measuring only 3 m x 3.5 m. There are four wooden corner posts attached to partially
sunk concrete pedestals in the ground, and four wooden side posts located midway on each wall, also attached
to partially sunk concrete pedestals in the ground. These firm footings, combined with secure superstructure
anchorage, help to ensure that the dwelling remains stable during typhoons. Costs are kept low by utilizing low-
cost, locally available materials for roofing, walling, and flooring, as these units are not required for wind
resistance. To improve wind resistance, the dwelling includes special wind resistance features such as wall and
ceiling braces, anchor cleats, and roof cross braces. Rafters are connected to the roof trusses and roof girt are
reinforced with steel, and additional steel reinforcement is used at the corners where the hip rafters join the
corner posts.
Reference:

https://world-habitat.org/world-habitat-awards/winners-and-finalists/the-core-shelter-housing-project/#award-content
 MIDTERM ASSIGNMENT NO. 2

It is critical that the design be simple to understand and construct. As a result, it is acceptable to locals who can
be trained in the simple methods required, and the technology can be easily transferred without the need for
lengthy and complicated training courses. Apart from the essential design aspects relating to wind resistance, all
aspects of house design and appearance are left to the individual beneficiaries to develop as they see fit. As a
result, the families can be justifiably proud of a diverse range of highly individual homes. Shelters are built on
plots of 80 m2 whenever possible, allowing land around the shelter to be used for vegetable growing and other
income-generating activities.

CONCLUSION:

My research conclusion is that this type of natural disaster will always have an impact on our homes, so
innovation is the key to having a typhoon resistant house. By making our home more durable, we can make it
more stable and sturdy by following the design. Using natural materials is always a good way to start a home;
whatever resources we have in our surroundings may be useful in rebuilding our home.

I discovered that a four-sided roof is more typhoon-resistant because it provides less traction for wind to pry the
roof away, a terrifying phenomenon witnessed by people living in houses with two-sided roofs during the storm. A
four-sided roof is more streamlined and resistant to buffeting winds.

Reference:

https://world-habitat.org/world-habitat-awards/winners-and-finalists/the-core-shelter-housing-project/#award-content