A resilient house prototype for the Caribbean | MAx Metabolic Architecture Workshop

This prototype was developed as a spin-off from a pilot study carried out jointly by MAx with Kassandra and the University of Portsmouth for the islands of Dominica and Grenada in the Caribbean to provide guidelines for the improvement of the resilience of buildings and settlements to climate change.
The building uses a timber shell structure with a reinforced concrete core, which doubles up as a safe room and water reservoir below. The timber trusses are all made with short sections capable of being easily repaired or replaced in case of damage, whilst the roof cover is made of corrugated steel sheets, ubiquitous in developing countries.
The shape of the building and the angle of the shell is calculated to be able to withstand hurricane force winds, avoid volcanic ash deposit and optimize the collection of rainwater. Openable sections of the shell provide porches, important for social interaction in the Caribbean culture.
The project analysed the optimum settlement configuration for the buildings as well as the best position for the use of trees and vegetation as windbreakers reducing potential damage to the building. The interstitial spaces between the building allow for both the rewilding of many areas and to provide food increasing the self-sufficiency of these settlements.