“Parasitic” Homes for Post-Disaster Relief
Inhabitat has this post on a design concept by Mike Reyes to house future climate refugees in shelters that are attached to abandoned buildings - like “parasites.”
Writes the designer:
With an avant-garde approach and forward thinking, as a designer, my goal was to provide sustainable homes for the stranded survivors in all the overly populated mega city, for this project specifically São Paulo.
These emergency shelters are designed to rebuild a new community and help start future development. Rise’s method of creating a community is like a parasite, they take ownership, re-purposing and aiding abandoned structures; providing resources.
Inspired by favelas or Brazilian shanty towns, the structures are box-like homes that can be attached onto the facades of other buildings. Reyes’ concept is unique in that it actually enlists able-bodied survivors to assist with the implementation of the shelters – a cool idea, since it empowers them to take action instead of simply sitting around, waiting for help. Reyes envisions that the pre-constructed structures could be airlifted by helicopter to sites where they are needed and then guided into place with the help of survivors. They "clip" onto building facades using leverage.
Each shelter would contain beds, lighting, storage and a skylight and be made of recycled materials from local construction sites. There would also be attachments for solar energy, water purification and organic farming. Finding muse in the famous favela paintings of Rio de Janeiro, Reyes also hopes that survivors will be able to use the walls of their shelters as canvases once they are settled in, using painting as a creative outlet as they begin the process of healing.
The idea is wildly impractical, with all sorts of safety and feasibility concerns. Still, I appreciate the designer’s compelling take on ownership and appropriation during desperate times. It’s certainly an interesting thought experiment.
Link to the designer’s website via Inhabitat
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2 Responses to ““Parasitic” Homes for Post-Disaster Relief”
- Jason Mehl, Sculptor says:
WOW! These are absolutely amazing, and I love that you refer to them as parasitic. You did a great job showing the versatility of these structures too.
Their use as an extention to a pre existing living or work space is also very interesting, it would allow me to attach a bedroom to my studio. I just sleep on the floor for now.
- adam says:
Hmm… new “fire escape” for the 21st century? Parasitic architecture is a concept a few of us have been working on for a long time. Check out the works of PB+Co.
http://www.philippebarrierecollective.com/
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WOW! These are absolutely amazing, and I love that you refer to them as parasitic. You did a great job showing the versatility of these structures too.
Their use as an extention to a pre existing living or work space is also very interesting, it would allow me to attach a bedroom to my studio. I just sleep on the floor for now.
Hmm… new “fire escape” for the 21st century? Parasitic architecture is a concept a few of us have been working on for a long time. Check out the works of PB+Co.
http://www.philippebarrierecollective.com/