During July and August 2020 we hosted a Virtual Workshop, intended to give insight and provide research towards a long term project that the practice has been working on: Breaking the Cycle of Rebuilding- Prototype Housing in the South Pacific.

The workshop gave participants a chance to contribute to a larger body of work which will continue to progress towards a sustainable solution to the challenge.

The Challenge

The South Pacific is facing an increasing number of severe cyclones due to the ongoing climate crisis. There has been a number of category 5 storms over the last 5 years, with Cyclone Winston alone causing US$1.4 billion worth of damage and 44 fatalities.

The vast majority of South Pacific island nations and remote communities are stuck in the cycle of rebuilding sub-standard, cheap and quick homes out of necessity, only for them to be destroyed in the next cyclone. There is a desperate need to improve quality and effectiveness of reconstruction after the devastation and trauma of natural disasters. Shelter and settlements influence health, livelihoods, safety, environment, protection, education, sanitation, cultural identity and community. A well designed home can influence psychosocial issues and is critical in disaster risk reduction and resilience.

Strategies for dealing with shelter in emergency settings can be controversial. Questions arise such as: how to balance immediate needs vs. planning for longer-term? Are construction materials appropriate to local knowledge and skills? Should local communities design and manage housing? Do traditional shelters contribute to people’s well-being and sense of community? What role can innovative technologies play?

Over the course of 5 week workshop, participants researched and explored different methods of approaching this difficult issue. With consistent discussions and feedback from end-users and experienced professionals, the participants produced a design proposal for a prototype house, system, or guideline that is both ambitious and feasible.

The work produced culminated in a virtual exhibition (accessed below). The next phase of the research will be analysing the body of work and progressing key themes forward into a workable design guide and prototype.

Each participant’s research and proposals have been collated and curated into the gallery below!

Virtual Exhibition

Background

There are many different home typologies across the South Pacific due to the wide range of island nations, communities and ways of living. Traditional buildings and construction techniques are still wide spread in remote areas, whereas those living within accessible regions have been influenced by global developments.

Naturally, these communities are made up of self-builders, with a baseline knowledge in construction and structural strategies - however this can still vary greatly between settlements. Most of these island nations have a version of the Fijian ‘bure’, which is the name given to homes constructed from timber, woven leaves and bamboo. These buildings are dark inside, with few windows and usually only one low door. Earth pits can be found in certain homes where the cooking is done, creating a smoky interior with little ventilation. Alternatively, the packed earth floors are covered with leaves or woven mats.

These traditional homes have become a rarity in many regions. A more contemporary design quickly took its place - typically a raised timber structure with weatherboard cladding, and metal roofing sheets. Windows are infilled with adjustable glass louvre blades, making for much brighter and well ventilated spaces. These structures often include the use of cyclone strapping and withstand winds to a higher level than that of a traditional bure. However, with the ever increasing frequency and strength of cyclones, a much more rigorous and refined design is required - one that can ensure the safety of its inhabitants for decades to come.