In view of the loss of lives and extensive damage to property and crops in the recent floods, the State should consider building apt and flood-resilient structures to ensure the safety of people.
With the State Disaster Management Authority categorising nearly 15% per cent area in the State as “flood-prone,” the concept of designing ‘amphibian’ shelters in areas susceptible to water surge is emerging as a viable and sustainable option.
A three-member architect team based in Kanhangad here has come out with a seemingly convincing and viable model in their bid to find a solution.
Elaborating on their project, P. Anand, Chief Architect at ‘A Line Studio,’ an architecture consultancy firm, told The Hindu here that the concept, moulded on the lines of ‘Beaver’s Nest’, would be a permanent, affordable and sustainable housing solution in flood-prone areas.
The specially designed floating structure rests on a steel frame inserted on concrete pillars technically known as guide post piled deep into the ground. The steel frame is stuffed with airtight plastic bottles in order to keep it afloat when the water level rises during floods. The designers have also made provision to sound an alert to the authorities concerned on the flood level situation by an inbuilt mechanism that can send digital messages using energy tapped from the affixed solar panel system on the rooftop of the structures.
The team demonstrated a scaled-down physical model of the project before Housing Minister E. Chandrasekharan here the other day. The Minister is reported to have assured the team that their idea would be taken up before an expert panel to explore its feasibility in flood-prone areas.
