A disaster proof house

The disaster in the Philippines caused by the typhoon Haiyan , with wind speeds up to 300 km / hour devastated buildings like this in the picture below . Note that these houses were relatively solid build , but nevertheless some roofs went away

Source picture : http://mashable.com/2013/11/10/help-victims-typhoon-haiyan/

I made me think again of the wooden house designed by a Belgian architect Frank Verplanken ( in 2003 )

Below the backside of the house ( more open with windows , facing south )

Below the frontside of the house ( more closed , facing north )

It has 6 big wooden arches , each spaced 3 m away from eachother . So , this kind of half cylindrical roof type would resist very well to very strong winds . The roof which actually makes up the entire solid structural skeleton of the house , rests on only 12 points ( that is 6 times 2 points ) on the soil .

Credit picture : http://www.mining-technology.com/contractors/wheels/jasons-tyres/jasons-tyres2.html

If one could find a smart way to create a dampening barrier between the arches and the soil , this house would become even resistent to violent earthquakes . Some used giant tires from trucks , could be used as a basis for the wooden arches to rest on . In the case of a violent earthquake , these tyres would be able to dampen the shockwaves of the earthquake .

It is very difficult to find back again some good pictures from this special house , but I have managed to find the pictures above on :

http://www.houtinfobois.be/realisation.php?id=85&detail=33&cpt=100&search=on

Further reading on disaster winds and our Earth’s plate tectonics on this blog :

http://mostlyharmlessscience.com/2013/11/14/the-science-behind-typhoon-haiyan/

http://whybecausescience.com/2012/07/11/battle-of-the-epic-whirlwinds/

http://whybecausescience.com/2013/05/22/plate-tectonics-the-ends-and-beginnings-of-the-earth-part-1/

http://whybecausescience.com/2013/06/05/plate-tectonics-the-ends-and-beginnings-of-the-earth-part-2/

Here is what the disaster looks in pictures :

http://inkblotsandicebergs.wordpress.com/2013/11/20/once-upon-a-tragedy-a-photostory-of-when-haiyan-struck-the-philippines/

 

 

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