FLOATING HOUSE
Architecture studio SO? has created a prototype of a floating home on the Golden Horn in Turkey's largest city that can be used as emergency housing after the earthquake, Istanbul. Golden Horn is naturally protected against tsunami and provides strategic sea route access that provides an important route for food and relief when congested roads are encountered.
The prototype Fold and Float was created as part of the Istanbul Design Biennial 2018 to be used in emergency situations for up to six people after an earthquake. Fold and Float was designed by the Sevince Bayrak and Oral Goktas (founders of SO?) in response to the reduced amount of space for emergency shelter in Istanbul.
The prototype consists of a floating pontoon made of concrete with a collapsible structure that serves as a shelter and contains fixed furniture. The superstructure can be folded so that it can be folded and stacked. It is designed to be easily installed and does not require skilled workers to build. On the ground floor of the triangular-shaped building, there are living areas with a small kitchen and living area, and sleeping areas on a raised platform above. Both sides of the house have full height, fully openable doors to allow light and air to enter the structure.
The studio explains that 477 open spaces in the city were designated as assembly points following a 7.4 magnitude earthquake in 1999 that killed more than 14,000 people in Turkey. However, according to the studio, most of these spaces have been developed and only 97 spaces left. According to the studio's research, those displaced by earthquakes usually spend a year in temporary shelters after the event.
SO? imagine floating structures stationed in rows on the Golden Horn, forming temporary communities in the event of a major earthquake. In total, the studio calculated that 180,000 structures could be placed in the waterway.
Photograph belongs to Kayhan Kaygusuz.
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