In the wake of one of the deadliest and costliest disasters in history—the tsunamis that struck southern Asia on December 26—engineers and researchers have designed a 40 m~2 house for the coastal areas of Sri Lanka that they believe could withstand a tsunami. The house's simple design features gaps between the walls that will enable water to flow through the structure without destroying it. The design is the work of engineers and researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and London-based Buro Happold. Support was also provided by the Praj-nopaya Foundation, a Buddhist organization based in Carlisle, Massachusetts. It was conceived in response to a mandate from the Sri Lankan government that, as a safety measure, coastal residents relocate inland. Realizing that such relocation would have a pronounced effect on the way of life of these people, the team developed a multifaceted proposal to convince the government to allow its residents to remain on the coast. The simple house design is a vital component of the proposal and would not cost any more to build than a conventional house in the area, that is, $1,000 to $1,500.
展开▼
