Archipelago | MAP

A breach in the bund wall and infiltration of saline water is destroying the precious agricultural land that the locals once relied on for their livelihood. In the absence of a stable form of subsistence, inhabitants are fleeing the island, leaving it in a state of disrepair and neglect.

The core planning idea here is to preserve the local topography and vegetation through a low impact development that can generate the revenue necessary for infrastructure improvements and economic development on the island, so that economic returns and nature re-building share a symbiotic relationship.

Instead of filling, submerged areas are excavated to create functional waterway depths, and the soil heaped to form island masses for new development. The tropical climate and heavy rainfall patterns transform these excavated areas into a living ‘back water’ experience. The private properties, interspersed with a network of lagoons and waterways add not just monetary value, but also help expand the local bio-habitat.

Each island is carved and arranged to maximize summer breeze and solar exposures, keeping in mind the climatic orientation of and viewshed from the buildings. The resort on one side and the restored village on the other anchor the island as attractions with residential villas weaving them into a cohesive archipelago where humans and nature co-exist.