We live in an uncertain world where natural calamities like earthquakes cause more havoc than they did before. The staggering magnitudes of the the earthquakes which recently struck Indonesia and Samoa Islands give us another painful reminder of this. The physical loss amounts to millions and no price tag can be attached to the emotional stress that comes with it. While nothing can be done to prevent such calamities, there are certain measures that can be taken to minimize the damage. See below some novel concepts that designers have come up with that could help us in the future.
HHF architects designed this earthquake resistant house in China and it featured in ‘Ordos 100’. This house has every floor slab supported separately by a concrete core and an outside wall. The concrete stairway walls double up as supporting walls making the house earthquake proof!
These igloo shaped houses are made of 100% expanded polystyrene foam (styrofoam) . This material doesn’t rust, rot or attract termites and thus makes for a perfect choice for earthquake and typhoon proof homes. Built by Japan Dome House Co. Ltd, these are found in Japan and an adaptation of the same is available in the United States of America as well. [Via]
Perfectly christened ‘Rotating UFO Home’ these houses can be rotated on the same amount of energy a vacuum cleaner takes to vacuum the house once. This exposes the house to sunlight at all times which enables the solar panels to absorb the light and use it efficiently. Made with wood and insulated by cork, these homes are perfect examples of eco-friendly living which can withstand hurricanes and earthquakes. Designed by Solaleya, these houses are situated in USA. [Via]
An effort made by Brad Pitt along with Steve Bing to create sustainable houses for hurricane victims was featured on Home Designing before. Take a look.
