Wing Chun: Zhipeng Cai

)/

Scenario Introduction

It is important to understand that this time cycle and
section is not a factual representation of how the

site will definitely develop over t ime ; it is only one
of many scenarios which may occur. How the site
would be developed in real life depends on many

factors w hich I have chosen to omit for the sake of
keeping to my research agenda; of exploring how

a different way of engaging with landslides might

change the way we design for catastrophe, one of

inclusion and acceptance rather than exclusion and
rejection.

TIMELINE LEGEND Landslide happens

Landslide risk due to rainfall Constructing 'deflection dam'

Temporary dwelling Constructing dispersion
construction
'mounds' and 'cavities'
Planting 11aml1oo
Constructing and moving Into
Harvestlngl1aml1oo
dwellings embedded In the mounds
Constructing terraces
and waterways Cleaning up del1ris and repairs

after a landslide

AVOl 01 NG. PROBLEM

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'Avoiding' Plan 1:10000

Initial idea This design iteration is a platform where the tugurios
can be built above the ground plane, to avoid the
Initially the idea was that it the slums were not in landslides. While deflection dams protect existing
the way of a landslide then there would be no risk. settlement and redirect any landslides which might
Therefore the strategy was to build on top of a occur into the area beneath the raised platform. The
lifted platform to avoid direct confrontation with the soil from the landslide can then be used tor urban
landslide. agriculture atop of the roofs of the dwellings and
on one side of the deflection dam. There was also a
notion of increasing protection through an attempt
to reduce crime, by using avenues planted with
vegetation for passive SJrveillance.

'Avoiding' Section M 1:2000

AVOl 01 NG: ProBLEM

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Layers of the platform design

01 Raised 'ground' layer avoids the
landslide.

01 Raised 'ground' layer 04 Forestation vegetation 02 Tree and view corridor attempts
to increasing protection, by
using passive surveillance and
vegetated avenues to reduce
cnme.

03 Snail lanes connected the larger
corridors making access easier.

02 Tree & view corridors 05 Slum-rise block division 04 Forestation vegetation creates
a recreational area beneath the
platform.

05 Slum-rise block divisions show an
example of the configuration of
the slum dwellings.

06 Urban agriculture on shacks
demonstrates the amount of roof
space that can be appropriated
for growing food.

03 Snail connecting lanes 06 Urban agriculture

AVOl 01 NG. PROBLEM

Taking advantage of the Landslide
Soil from the landslide can be used for urban
agriculture on rooftops of the dwellings above the
platform.

section detail 1: 100

AVOl 01 NG: PROBLEM

Deflection/ Soil collection Dam

I nitial deflection dam concept

Deflection dams protect existing settlement by
redirecting any landslides which might occur into the
area beneath the raised platform.

Some soil will be retained from the landslide for use
to grow crops for a community market garden.

Water flows from the top terrace down to the
bottom, irrigating the crops through gravitational
force.

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to other areas.
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the year.
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AVOl 01 NG. PROBLEM

Initial concept exploration \

The initial design idea for an intervention was
based on two strategies: block and avoid. In my
initial concept sketches I explored how a deflection
wall (influenced by the precedent Avalanche
deflection dams, Siglufj<'>rOur) might function as
a multifunctional space rather than being only a
landslide wall.

I afro had an idea that if I removed the settlement
from danger, then the landslide won't be a threat
anymore. Using that as an initial idea I envisioned
platforms that would rise up and keep the
settlements out of the landslides way.

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AVOl 01 NG: PROBLEM

I ,l Further exploration

1( I I also considered how th e space might become
•
I appropriated and how I might set up the conditions

- cl :~ 0 : for it.

·w·.• nGc::::P• Through these concepts I also formulated a plan
where landslides m ight be able to save the world,
~~
eventually. Although it all sounds crazy, but at the

time it seemed plausible, but I needed to do more
research into it and this idea fuelled me.

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home less ...,
_!_ ~recf10n e

by disa sters s d 1rect \>ieahhy
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Slurns we::>llher
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Im poverished
-- Refo resta tion

i=com=m=oo=itieds...i.._---, --I' helps preve nt

Shacks and buildings brllgs soil, mudslides
mode of recycled
ootrients

and wote r

)

AVOl 01 NG. PROBLEM

Avoiding : &lmmary I also realised that if my plan was successful, it
would remove the danger of landslides, along
This design iteration was based on the notion to with the opportunities. The slums will have to be
evade the danger, but I realised that it was not destroyed and the people living there will be evicted,
possible to move an entire settlement away fast possible to a more dangerous location, while
enough to avoid the danger, as landslides happen in this now risk free location becomes valuable for
an instant. development.

Destroy Avoide.d ~ Grow crops • ·.
••
Redirected Landslide events can still happen

- ·I Jasl ~- •••

• • •• • ••••••••

• Saves/ A-otects

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I Large amount

(

' ' of money

AVOl 01 NG: PROBLEM

The role of Tugurios in my Design Research From this initial iteration, I realised an important
Project aspect about this design approach; that by solving
'problems', we only allow for other problems to take
The tugurios that inhibit my design project site of its place.
San Marcos play a critical role in my design research.
They are the reason why I need to design not to This then made me realise that because we tend to
prevent and block the landslide, but rather embrace think about landslides and other natural disasters as
it as a part of nature, to work on a method of 'problems' to begin with, we are constantly aiming
occupying such a risky location. to ·solve' or avoid the situation.

Because there are slums there, I realised the ideal of What has been successful from this iteration was
'build and forget' cannot be used, not only because that by applying a strategy to redirecting energy
it will fail against an unexpected landslide, but also from the landslides using deflection mounds,
because the people will not be able to upkeep it landslides are not being prevented; therefore a
and instead contribute to its destruction. The lack natural process can still occur. This in turn brings
of knowledge on how to upkeep landslide mitigation about opportunities to discover how we can utilise
systems as well as selfishness increase the risk of this natural phenomenon, to turn a naturally
danger in a community that has not got a strong destructive force into a constructive, creative
communal structure. force; one which can cultivate a landscape and its
inhabitants.
There was also the side that, where if my
design was successful in negating the threat of
landslides, then the site becomes valuable and
therefore development will cause the informal slum
community to be evicted.

A large part of my chosen design area in the site is
actually vegetation. This is because I realised that a
major shift in an already established community is
near impossible without destroying the community
and the complex relationships that are present.
Therefore I chose an area that had not been
built on yet, as a test site where a community
can be developed whilst my design strategies are
implemented.

M. some points during my design process, I did

question the role of the slum communities in my
design; I wondered whether it was necessary to
design for these communities, as I felt that my
design was about how I could design a method for
people to survive landslides, not necessarily slums.
But the more I tried to think why I don't need to
design for them, the more I realise how closely
linked they are in my design project and philosophy.
Because what is the point for designing a way to
live with landslides if I did not have someone who
I am designing for? These communities are exactly
the people I am designing for, it just took a while to
realise that.

REDIRECTI NG: ENERGY

51

REDIRECTING: ENERGY

'Redirecting' Masterplan 1:25000

By designing deflection dams above vulnerable areas

such as settlements, the energy from a landslide is
redirected and dissipated by the serrated edges of
the dam as well as by thick vegetation. The angle
of the deflection dam also determines the amount
of energy absorbed in the impact and how much is
transferred down the slope.

-

-

+Bong Sau fJR wing arm ---

'Redirecting' dam plan detail

REDIRECTI NG ENERGY

Landsl ide Driving Force/ Resistance Force angle analysis

~ststance ; R!sstance ;, ~slstance ;, fe;jstance ;,

angle 1 angle 1• ang le ' angle 1
150 '1 'I
00 I II 300 I 450 'I
1 fe;jstance :~
I F\!Sistance 1 I
I Force ....
~slstance Force 1 ~slstan ce~

For.c.e.. Force . . .

The serrated edges act as a buffer to blunt the ,

redirected force and also to trap part of the ,\
sediment, so that as the landslide debris travels
I
down the redirection dam, its destructive force
becomes less, as the mass and speed is reduced.

'Fedirecting' dam render R1

REDIRECTI NG: ENERGY

~sistance; R!!s1stance ' ~
I
angle 1 angle I Feslstance •
angle
600 I 75°
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R!!s1stance
I Force A:!sstance
Force
~s1stance 1

Force

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· ~directing' dam render R2

REDIRECTI NG ENERGY

Redirection dam concept exploration

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REDIRECTI NG: ENERGY
Redirecting: Summary

From this iteration, I realised that an intervention
of only redirection dams would not be enough to
mitigate the force of a landslide much larger than
the resistance force of the proposed redirection
dam. Therefore to prepare for the unexpected, a
flexible strategy of incorporating other layers to
further diffuse t he power of the landslide is required.

O iginal path

REDIRECT NG ENERGY -~ 7 r

Scenario: Redirecting Event S15 S17

This intervention was applied to the ten year
scenario in the fi rst four years and was able to
redirect and absorb part of the landslide's impact.

S1 1

--- 81J7

In Year 0 1, the first redirection dam was constructed
in 5 months at a lower part of the slope to protect
the temporary settlements that have moved onto
the site.

S11

In Year 02, a second, smaller redirection dam was
constructed in 3 months at the middle part of the
slope for additional protection of the temporary
settlements and the bamboo plantation.

REDIRECTI NG: ENERGY

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -

S15

In Year 03, another small redirection dam was
constructed further up the slope from the second
dam, within 3 months. A landslide oa::urs during
invierno and is redirected and trapped by the second
redirection dam.

.-------------------~;/ --------------~

S17

In Year 04, the forth redirection dam is constructed
in 4 months. The second dam is smoothed out and
the site is ready to be formed into different iteration
for inhabitation.

CONTROLLING: FLOW

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This design iteration was once again explored in 1) ..I
30 to visualise it formally and spatially. The notion
of controlling the opponent was translated into the 2) / --- -
st rategy of controlling 'flow' w ithin the site. 3)
-
Technique: Fook Sau

Strategy: Control

The aim of this strategy is to control the flow of the
opponent's force, so you are able to direct it into a
desired location at a desired time.

This strategy was explored because by controlling
the amount of water seeping into the soil during
rainy season, we are able to reduce the risk of
having to face a large landslide. Smaller landslides
are easier to manage as the force can be neutralised
and the flow redirected much ea9er.

CONTFOLLING: FLOW

•

•,

\

The strategy of control is applied in my design
iteration as terracing, similar to rice terraces which
had been used throughout history as a preventive
measure to landslides, such as the Banaue Rice
Terraces in the Philippines, which had been
known to prevent landslides through employing a
sophisticated drainage system.

The terraces control how water flows down the
slope, as well as how people might navigate the
slope, as the design maintains a height of 0.2m per
step, with a focus on making it easier to travel on
foot. It also determines which spaces can become
appropriated by informal dwellings and urban
agriculture, through varying the width of the step in
the terrace.

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+FOok Sau ik. subduing hand 'Controlling' terrace and dwelling opportunity detail

CONTROLLING: FLOW

Stepped Terraces and Waterway 30 modelling My terracing and waterway iteration creates

A similar application of the steps was incorporated controlled points of access up the hill, limiting
into designated waterways, which converges smaller
watersheds to create a drain for excess water during what can be built in certain areas, as well as act as
torrential rainfall, therefore reducing the risk of a
large landslide occurring, as that is one of the major drainage channels during rainstorms. This allows for
triggers of large s::ale landslides.
a more controlled environment where the landslide
becomes more predictable, and easier to subdue.

CONTROLLING. FLOW

Stepped Terraces form exploration & analysis The three variations tested a certain aesthetic
relationship of how the location of the continual/
These stairs connect each level of the 10 meter discontinuous step will affect the flow of people,
as well as water run -oH. They also allowed me to
terraced hill as seen in the initial 30 model explore ways of space allocating, defining space by
boundaries above and below (this is asruming the
exploration. Each rise is 20 em and the tread length space is flat or dose to flat , appropriate for building
diff ers.
upon, but can be later explored for angular slopes as
The thing I was exploring here is how w e could well).

integrate a means of transport by foot yet create
pockets of space where people may accommodate
and appropriate for their needs.

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Path of transition/ dimb

Zigzag Snaking stairway: height tam Stairway on the inner edge: height 1')0m

Width and location of terraces make it difficult to No risk of falling off t he edge of the stairs.
build large structures, making this an ideal strategy Buildings and amenities are on the edge, which
to involve informal settlement. gives limited protection as well.

The path is much longer than the other two above, Stairway on the outer edge: height 1o0m
but it is indusive, passing through the community
where as t he ot her two above just skips through, Risk of falling off the stairs?
not having to engage with the people there. Buildings and amenities can be built on large
landings allocated for specific uses.

CONTROLLING· FLOW

Stepped Waterway modelling

- - -- Stepped Waterway modelling
Stepped Waterway modelling
Waterway morphing explorations

Designing the Waterway with step terraces of 1
metre rises, and differing tread length, keeping in
mind that tread has to be 2 times the rise in order
to have mitigation effects of stopping debris when
it falls. Larger treads have the effect of holding
more debris and has the opportunity to create new
environments within this particular site.
Lower rises of O.Sm are also designed on one side
of the Waterway to allow for easier ascension by
people for maintenance of the Waterway.
The Waterway will be build out of Gabion stacked
for extra strength and help hold the soil in place,
eventually there will be plant lite growing from
within the Waterway itself.

Effect of Waterway :

This will cause the water to run in from both sides of
the Waterway because the hill would slope towards
it. The water will travel along "the path of least
resistance".

In an event of a debris flow, where silt, soil, wooden

debris, and rock can fall into the Waterway, a
sediment trap/ dam would be required to prevent
large debris from falling into the settlement below.

CONTROLLING: FLOW

Stepped Waterway and Terraces

Terrace 30 model in context

1!l

CONTROLLING· FLOW

Stepped Waterway concept

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Shaping of the site slope using 10 m contours. Stairs and ramp concept

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Watershed and Waterways concept plan 'J •

( G:ibions in Stepped
Waterways stabilize
'I • the soil, protecting
it from rain induced
\ landslides.

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Stepped Waterway section
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Steps concepts

Vertical Terracing conceptual modeI CONTROLLING. FLOW

This idea came from the stairway terracing concept Road and vertical terrace exploration
as an alternative exploration of how the form can
influence the uses in the site.
Instead of creating layers upon layers of terracing
the conventional way; horizontally, this concept
involved turning the perspective of terracing on its
side; layers in front of one another vertically.

What this brings to the land form is a series of
rolling hills at which various uses might be possible.
However due to the overwhelming amount of time
required to model it completely and correctly, I
decided that whilst it was an interesting idea, it was
probably a side-track.

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Vertical terrace pattern exploration

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Cbncept of what the access on these vertical Road/path passing through vertical terrace/mounds
terraces might look like.

NG FLO

Controlling : Summary

From this iteration I began to understand the
importance of strategic planning for future events.

By controlling how much water infiltrates the soil

we are able to prevent large s:ale calamity, while
at the same time allowing small scale landslides to
still occur at a controlled (prepared) environment.
Excess water drained through the waterway can
be collected for use in the bamboo plantations, or
urban agriculture plots.

...

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&enario: Controlling Event CONTROLLING. FLOW

In the ten year scenario, terracing is a dominant r
intervention which is implemented almost every
year, as it becomes a base for many of the other
interventions to be implemented.

--- -- --- -- --- S03

In Year 01, a total of eight months were spent
constructing Stepped Terraces for the bamboo
plantation as well as the settlement. This is
important in the beginning as it determines many
factors for the other strategies to be suocessful.

S12

In Year 6, terrace works continued for 3 months,
these areas later became locations where the
dispersal mounds and housing could be embedded.

PF LIFBFOWER

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For this strategy of protection in my design, I am
proposing a bamboo plantation with a planting
schedule for different layers. The idea is that if one
layer is not sufficient to diffuse a landslide event,
consequent layers will.

Technique: Wu Sau
Strategy: Protect

The aim of this strategy is to support the primary
defence, acting as the secondary or tertiary defence
in case the primary fails.

This strategy of applying a 'secondary guard' is to
account for the possibility that the 'primary guard'
fails to diffuse the entire force of a landslide. It acts
to buffer larger landslides while becoming a rule
for harvesting t he bamboo; because there should
always be at least two layers of bamboo plantation.

PROTECTING'DIFFUSING: Ll FE! FOWER

./ }

'Protecting/ Diffusing' Masterplan 1:25000

Through using a protective strategy, I am not

proposing that it can only function for a single

purpose, but becomes multipurpose.

By implementing a plantation of indigenous bamboo

species, my design intervention becomes more than
just a protective layer, but also starts to cultivate a
community by becoming a source of income through
trade as a building material. This strategy can be
expanded into creating jobs for the locals and thus
generate an economy, which may be able to allow
t he urban slums to upgrade past their existing social
economic situation.

d -f-Wu Sau protecting hand Bamboo Plantations buffers landslide force

LIFBFOWER

__ .... ............ .. • ••

• • • •••••

••••• ••••
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......... ____ ,. •• • ••••• • ••••'•

.•' ' Slope Iailure area
Landslide
•• ••••• High ground water (from torrential rainfall) loosens
, .,,"' - ~-- - the soil structure and causes the landslide.

•• The serrated catchment dams redirects the landslide
into little pockets where the debris is caught and if
•""•" there are spill overs, it will be caught by the next
pocket in line.
••••• • Bamboo and various other types of native vegetation
help catch the debris of the landslide, preventing it
'R-otecting/Diffusing' Section 88 from going further down the slope.
The collected soil helps the plants grow back after
• •.· •• the landslide.
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LIFBFDWER

Other natural processes which also cause landslides
are earthquakes and volcanic activity, frequency
of landslide occurrence can also be tied to 8 Nino
effects.

.-••.·· . Bamboo plantations are mixed into the planting of
the native vegetation, but can be harvested while
•''''' ' '' ' ' ' • •••••••• still maintaining a protective belt.
'•••
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•••••••' '''''

tugurios, are protected by the layers of bamboo and
the deflection mounds.

.•' ' ' ' ' ' ' •••'''•

PF LIFBFOWER

The Way of the Bamboo Bamboo has been known throughout Olinese history
as a symbol of longevity, due to the way it grows,
Bamboo was selected in my design iteration because and its ability to 'spring back' even after getting
it is very flexible both in its quality as well as its flattened.
functionality. It has a strong affinity to my design
philosophy of adaptation and resilience, which was
important as I wanted to use vegetation which has
multipurpose values.

Bruce talking about the bamboo stick in his movie: G:lme of Death <http://www.youtube.oom/warch'?II=LNvdSJMW_FB>

In the movie Game of Death by Bruce Lee, a Hai ll en: [as Tien moves an unconscious 0/eh
famous dialogue between Bruce's character Hai out of the way Hai Tien prepares to fight with his
lien, and the 3rd floor guardian of the pagoda bamboo whip] You know baby. this bamboo i s
(played by Bruce's real life student, Dan Inosanto), longer , more II exible and very much alive, and
demonstrates Bruce Lee's philosophy and his view of if your flashy routine cannot keep up with the speed
traditional martial arts. and elusiveness of this thing here, all I can say is
you will be in deep trouble.
Here Bruce uses the bamboo whip he wields as
a metaphor to suggest that one has to become 3rd Floor Guardian: That we will have to find out.
flexible, like the bamboo, and that such flexibility will
be able to overcome the traditional and somewhat Hai ll en: [during the fight Hai Tien gains the
flashier styles, albeit that they might have more upper hana] I am telling you it is difficult to have a
power. rehearsed routine to fit in with broken rhythm
[they fight and Hai lien hits the guardian again]

Hai lien: see, rehearsed routines. lack the

fl exi bil it y to adapt.

Script found at IIII[)B website

< h t t p : / / www. im d b.oom /t iUelt t 0077594/ quotes>

LIFBFDWER

Guadua angustifolia Facts and Advantages about Guadua
angustifolia
The main bamboo specie I have chosen to use in my
design is called Guadua angustifolia. It's one of the It can be harvested after 4 - 5 years.
largest species of bamboo and is therefore perfect to
be produced into building material. It conserves the soil , controls erosion, regulates
the flow of rivers and streams, supplies organic
Being large also has advantages in the sense that material, and acts as a CD2 sink.
it will be able to diffuse larger forces than smaller
species. Captures C02 and converts it into oxygen, 35%
more than regular trees.
Guadua angustifolia ( GJadua Aug, n.d.)
Produces zero emis9ons.

Can be changed into a variety of different materials
for multiple uses; such as furniture, crafts material

furniture & crafts work, raw construction material,

panels (plywood, laminates, floors), paper industry,
charcoal industry, pharmaceutical industries, musical
instruments, houses, etc.

A tropical Bamboo reaching up to 100 feet with light
green canes up to 9 inches in diameter.

Very strong wooded and is insect & rot resistant.

Needs precipitation from 80 to 240 inches per year
and prefers wet soil.

Bamboo Harvesting ( Bamboo cut, n.d.) c;, O.Jt Bamboo

Bamboo shoots (Gant Bamboo, n.d.)

(Bamboo shoot , n.d.)

Bamboo Harvesting (Bamboo plant harvest, n.d.) Bamboo Materials ( Bamboo cor, n.d.) (Bamboo timber, n.d.)

LIFE FOWER

Soil stabilization bamboo spacing :(): • • ••
1,100 plants per hectare are needed for erosion •••••
control and landslide mitigation, and can be •••••
combined with other fast growing trees.
• --'5:..::m:.:...-_ ••
Productive commercial bamboo spacing
400 clumps per hectare, or 160 clumps per acre, Sm
good for species such as G.Jadua angustifolia.
. ·•· ·•· ·•• • , Ill
Bund and Trench method • ••
The bund and trench method is good as a planting
method, as the bamboo will thrive on the well- . •· ·•· .
worked and turned over soil from the trenches.
Soil from a landslide can be added onto the _.,,
mound around the clumps. Trenches can be used
for irrigation, uslng water redirected from the
watershed/stepped waterways.

Bamboo species that are runners (tends to be
invasive) will grow to have a large network of roots

which act as a net to cover up the grounds surface,

trapping and protecting topsoil from erosion.
This makes it very similar to the Sabo work from
Japan where they use a net woven from straw
to stop soil erosion and stabilize the slope. The
Japanese precedent was ineffective in the long term
because material decay makes the net weaker and
eventually it will break. The Bamboo roots system is
a natural soil retention system that keeps growing

and getting stronger.

!H

LIFBFDWER

Significance of Bamboo

The inherent qualities of bamboo and more
importantly for me, the philosophical symbolism and
connotations that come with using bamboo made it
an obvious choice.

Several species of bamboo grow naturally in B
Salvador and surrounding countries, and can be
used for many different things, from building
material, timber, clothing, to food and more, as
a harve&ed product. fts a plant and as part of a
forest/plantation it becomes connected to the site,
literally.

Its root system will form a network over the ground
of the slope, holding the nutrient rich top soil
down and preventing it from being washed out by
t orrential rain. Which then becomes important for
other vegetation (which grow much slower than
bamboo) to thrive in.

The role and the importance of bamboo does
not simply end at the event of the landslide, but
continues over a much longer period of time to
reach and affect a broader aspect of life in San
Marcos. The bamboo plantations were inspired
by the fact that it is an environmentally friendly
material and abundant in nature, grows faster
than many other fast growing trees and therefore
becomes more effective as treatment to a damaged/
vulnerable sites such as landslide rusceptible
locations. These qualities make it possible to be
grown by disadvantaged communities such as those
residing in the tugurios and become a way for these
settlements to advance financially through the
income/commerce it generates as a micro economy,
as well as socially as the community is bound
through a communal responsibility to improve the
environment they live in.

FE FOWER

Bam boo, d"'ff us.' on concept sket ches

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LIFBFDWER

Prot ecting/ Diffusing: Summary

From this iteration I realised that whilst having
'protective' layers is important to prepare for
larger landslides, I also need to be aware of how
a monoculture of bamboo might affect the local
vegetation/ecology. A possible scenario might be to

integrate bamboo layers at first as support to the

regrowth of local vegetation (which grow at a much
slower pace) , and eventually fully integrate them
into parts of the slope where it does not affect the
efficiency of harvesting the bamboo.

Bamboo plantation

••• .. _JIncreased = Reducedt- ' -4

ILandslide toreel Rsk of
landslide damage

Ofers

better living conditions

••••••••••• ......... Tugurios
Diffusing ····
Saves/A-otects
Qeative force

•1.1
!I'I

LIFF. FOWER

Scenario: Protecting/ Diffusing Event

In the ten year scenario, the bamboo is planted
progressively, in order to create crops of different
ages. This allows for the harvesting of each crop as
it matures, yet also maintain a protective buffer to
diffuse the power of a small landslide.

• ' ,.~ ,........-.. - -...,.

005

002

--- ------- 3)2

In Year 01, Guadua bamboo is planted as the first
crop layer and will be harvested in Year 05 when it
matures.

1

'

-- -- --- 805

In Year 08, a mature crop of bamboo is being
harvested as the landslide OCOJrs.

,...

! I:.I

FE POWER

Harvested Bamboo can be stacked in a cone for drying

PF LIFBFOWER
Growth of Bamboo Oop layers over time

Year 01 - Bamboo Oop Layer 01
ln~ial planting

Year 02 - Bamboo Oop Layer 01 Year 03 - Bamboo Oop Layer 01
G-owing with bamboo shoots Tall and thick crops

Year 02 - Bamboo Oop Layer 02 Year 03 - Bamboo Oop Layer 02
G-owing from shoots
Fbot system

~~~

Year 03 - Bamboo Oop Layer 03
Ranting new crops somewhere new

LIFBFDWER

Year 04 - Bamboo O'op Layer 01 Year 05- Bamboo Crop Layer 01
Almost ready tor harvesting Harvesting

Year 04 - Bamboo O'op Layer 02 Year 05- Bamboo O'op Layer 02
Tall and thick Peady to harvest next year

Year 04 - Bamboo O'op Layer 03 Year 05 - Bamboo Crop Layer 03
G-owing on Sepped Terraces Interesting spaces can be formed

IMPROVING. STRUGrURE

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'Improving' plan 1:10000

The original aim of t his design iteration was to
explore how a literal translation of a Wing OlUn
technique into a design of a building might enable
smaller s:ale building intervent ions to survive a
landslide event that passes t hrough the settlement.

Technique: Bong S:l.u st ructure
Strategy: Structure, Deflect ion

The aim of this strategy is to deflect a much larger
force through usng t he right structure, form and
positioning for which t he larger energy can be
transferred .

This strategy applies the Bong Sau structure to the
roof of a building; by positioning t he building so that
it is embedded in the ground, t he roof can transfer
the energy of a landslide over and past the building,
without dest roying t he building itself.

IMPROVING: STRUCTURE

'Improving'- Deflective Dwelling plan 1:50

IMPROVING STRUGrURE

Bong Sau structure Bong Sau structure translation
Bong Sau roof structure Row over struct ure

9!

G. STR CTURE

For this iteration, the roof structure must be aligned
correctly in relationship to the landslide's angle of
occurrence.
Similar to Wing OlUn, if your structure is good,

then you will be able to punch much harder and

withstand a lot more force.
If the structure is incorrect, in Wing OlUn your
guard will collapse and you will get hit; and in this
intervention, the building will be destroyed.

DanaClive Dweling Sadlon Bevation

Responsive Dwelling concept design sketches ..... .....

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IMPROVING STRUGrURE

Improving: SJmmary

What I realised from this iteration was that it's
predetermining a structure to respond to an
unknown force, which is against Wing OlUn
principles. Where it differs from the fledirecting
Energy iteration is that it doesn't have multiple
angles of resistance and therefore it's not as flexible
when accepting and redirecting stronger forces.

Structure I IWing Olun technique
0
Dwelling
-----·----"'' ' ' ' ' '
I IEmbedded into the slope
Reacts when landslide occurs
Avoids direct hit
8 Salvador

Slum dwellers

Individualism y0

\. ~ t ···········---~ ttt

"I" Don't care about "Others"

IMPROVING. STRUCTURE

Furthermore, upon reading a report about Scenario: Improving Event
disaster mitigation in 8 Salvador's precarious
urban settlements, the idea of individual buildings While this iteration has not been depicted on
deflecting a landslide becomes unrealistic in the the landslide section, there are lessons which I
incorporated into the design of the embedded
sense that it will not help the rest of the community. dwellings, which sit within the dispersion mounds;
such as a gradient on the roofs of the dwellings to
The report reveals that 'improvements' to one's keep the flow going, water or debris.
home in landslide susceptible locations often
increased the risk of landslides for the rest of the The advantage of being embedded into the mound
community. This is due to people working to protect is that by becoming part of the dispersion structure,
their own homes and assets with little regard to the the resistance force is increased which aids in
rest of the community; such as taking bricks from withstanding the impact from landslides.
retaining walls to build a wall for their own dwelling.
Because the dwelling is underground, only the
However I also realised that such a structure could entrance is uncovered, it allows the landslide to 'spill
perhaps be an important building for the settlement, over' without destroying the actual building itself.
perhaps as a hospital or community gathering Obviously there are concerns with ventilation and
centre, which means that it may still be considered other aspects of being underground, but these are
as a strategy worth investigating further into. schematics which can be worked out if I chose to
look at the architectural aspects of my research in
more detail.

A particular concept I was quite fond of was one
which utilised the strength and flexibility of bamboo,
to react to pressure in an event of a landslide. The
bamboo is lined up to create a sort of awning for
the embedded dwellings, and is able to bend to
create an arched passage way when a landslide
occurs on top of the bamboo awning; forming a safe
passageway for evacuation.

-

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Bamboo reaction awning

Embedded dwelling in landslide section

01 SF£RSI NG: FORCE

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'Dispersing' Plan 1:10000

In this design iteration, I explored the notion of -
dispersion; using 'fi ll' to create dispersion mounds
that would divide the force of landslides in two, to I
be redirected into cavities 'rut' in the ground.
•
Technique: Tan Sau
Strategy: Dispersion 1) /

The aim of this strategy is to disperse a larger force I
into smaller forces.
-v
This strategy was used to divide the destructive
2)
force of landslides, to lower the speed and power of

the landslide, and to reduce the impact it makes on
the settlement.

1 /

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3) """'- .,......

'---..__/