every piece matters slum relocation project – bamboo housing for Cambodian families kallol shah|z3318770
Client Brief Client
Context
Site
Summary of the Brief
This is real life project for RAW Impact (Raising Awareness Worldwide) an Australian non-governmental organisation (NGO) working in Cambodia, sited near the Mekong River outside of Phnom Penh. The RAW Impact organization seeks to ‘raise awareness worldwide’ by creating powerful change through sustainable projects in Cambodia. This is done by teams of volunteers from high schools, universities and corporate businesses assisting the poorest rural communities by hands on building projects including schools, community buildings, housing as well as providing education for teachers, agricultural projects health, sanitation and water resources.
With the rapidly expanding city of Phnom Penh outlying villages are being engulfed as suburbs of the city, many of these villages on the outskirts of the city are slums whose occupants do not own the land they live on. The government policy is to relocate these slum dwellers to a distant agricultural part of the country as part of any redevelopment of the city surrounds. RAW has built a school and individual housing for these slum dwellers to date but the encroaching city development will see the people they have been helping relocated far from where they currently live and work and send their kids to school. Hence RAW have decided to purchase land near to the school and develop a medium density mixed use residential prototype development to relocate the slum dwellers so they can stay in the community.
This block of land which has been purchased adjoins RAW’s ‘Salt School ‘ and is in the flood zone of the nearby Mekong River fronting the main road with a 150m frontage and a 15-40m depth of block characterized by a large man made hole some 3 metres deep with a stream along one boundary. The residential portion will house between 10-15 families. The site needs to have its own self sufficient agricultural/aquaculture and building material reserves. The site is not to have walls or fences and security is to be resolved in another way. The aim is to develop this prototype both in design and material construction techniques so it can be repeated by RAW on a much larger site at a later date.
• Water will be supplied through a bore, and water storage will need to be provided. This will also provide irrigation for crops. • Agriculture should be included onto the site - the exact nature of this needs to be determined. • Housing is to be provided for 1020 families. • Community building. • Workshop. • A goat shed is to be provided for Asian dairy goats - this will need to be researched. • Consideration needs to be given to how the bamboo can be manipulated to achieve longevity. • Use of berms/fill to limit flooding on the site. • RAW Impact have listed the priority of buildings/construction works as: 1. Shape the block with an excavator - this will involve digging out the existing hole to fill the front and the back sections. Bring in additional fill where needed. 2. Additional fill to create a pad for the workshop (1.5m above the road level - out of the floor zone). 3. Construct workshop. 4. Construct goat shed. 5. Construct houses. 6. Construct community building.
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Return Brief - overview Project Background
The Aim
The People
The rapidly expanding city of Phnom Penh is proposing a new bridge across the Mekong river, making a previously hard to reach area easily accessible. This will allow the city to continue its rapid urban sprawl into this new area, displacing current outlying villages and slums that are currently in the area. Because of this, the NGO have bought a plot of land to secure permanent housing for some of the soon-to-be-displaced Cambodians. They are looking to create a self-sufficient community for 10-15 of these families on this block of land. This brief looks to clearly outline what has been asked for and what will be required in designing this village as well as an overarching goal for the site and for its inhabitants.
The approach towards the project is one of synthesizing sustainable technologies, climatic responsiveness and cultural awareness. By entwining these three key components it will give the overall project a deeper understanding of the client’s needs and wants and being able to turn those into a successful, comfortable and enjoyable community for these families to live and prosper in. The aim is to ensure the communities in the rural areas live a sustainable life without needing to move to the city.
RAW’s Vision from the ‘Every Piece Matters’ website; “The worst-off village families live in nothing more than a small box (un) fit for a chicken house. With leaking thatched roofs, threadbare walls, gaping floors, rotted out bearers and twig-thin stairs, the conditions are unlivable. Many do not own their own land and 51% live without a toilet. Most have poky coal kitchens inside and no electricity or running water. We remember a man whose house collapsed on top of him in a storm a few years ago and he sadly died. This is unacceptable and reminds us this is not just simply about a house. It is so much more. We seek to provide those families living in the hardest conditions with adequate safe shelter. This is achieved through a hand-up model where we require each family (surveyed and accepted) to contribute sweat equity (assist with the build) and repay a portion of the cost over a five-year period.”
Villagers of Sarikakaev Commune The families listed on RAW Impact’s Every Piece Matters website are poverty stricken families that will need
to relocate because of the proposed bridge from Phnom Penh, however they cannot afford new houses or their own land. A number of reasons they have listed online about why they cannot build these houses themselves; • Need support children to school • Family member is sickness-the number of sick member is more than working people in a family • Natural disaster like river flooding destroyed their old home • Have debt , lost job The jobs the families currently have is mostly in the fishing industry – whether that be an actual fisherman or selling snails or fishing tools. Many of the men are labourers and construction workers, whereas the women tend to work in laundries and as cleaners. RAW asks them in their online profile what they would wish for and many came back with - Owning their own house and land, having a business, i.e.. selling food or fruit. They also wished to raise animals, plant crops and vegetables and send their children to school.
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Bamboo Why Bamboo?
Bamboo Treatment
Types of Bamboos
Joints + Construction
This project is one based around sustainability and cost effectiveness, because of this the ideal material for construction of the buildings is Bamboo. • Bamboo is notable for its strength, hardness, and rate of growth • Rapidly renewable, natural resource • Typically grown without the use of pesticides or other harmful chemicals (no toxic run-offs) • Bamboo has greater compressive strength than concrete and about the same strength-to-weight ratio of steel in tension • It is one of the top producers of biomass, producing about 10 tonnes per hectare. • Bamboo can be planted to prevent the erosion of a riverbank and thus protecting a village from being washed away. • Split bamboo can be used as reinforcement bar in concrete • It can also be utilised as a formwork for concrete.
• The most common solution to restrict insects and rot is to use a mixture of borax and boric acid. • Other effective and safe chemicals for bamboo preservation are copper-chrome-boron and boron. • Another process involves boiling cut bamboo to remove the starches that attract insects. • To ensure longevity bamboo will need to be manipulated. A technique for this is the turpentine + sal tree or the Borax treatment for the bamboo poles prior to construction use • Freshly cut, green bamboo could be dried in a mould to adjust the shape, or by applying heat. However, once dry, bamboo cannot be bend anymore (in a permanent lasting shape that is). • Bending dried bamboo poles requires another approach than green bamboos. Dry bamboo will flex back into it original shape, therefore, once under tension the nodes should be heated with a butane torch.
• Gigantochloa atroviolacea • Bambusa lako • Bambusa balcooa • Bambusa bambos • Bambusa blumeana • Bambusa burmanica • Bambusa polymorpha A common Cambodian bamboo that is used often in construction is the Bambusa family, more specifically Bambusa Toldoides - This form of bamboo is a non-invasive grower – meaning it grows in contained clumps as opposed to spreading uncontrollably - It grows thick walled culms in a tight clump - Typical height of the clumps is generally 17m - Culm Diameter being 50mm thick - Allow Full Sun, Partial Sun for growth.
• If green bamboo is used, it will shrink in a short period after construction. Easy for tight lashing. • Lashing material: cane, coir, tough vines, sisal fibre, tree barks and iron wire, sash chord, blind sash rope,dyneema. • Steel bolts make effective and reliable bamboo joints. They are preferably used for structural applications. • Split bamboo technology could be used for trusses as well as panels for prefabricated houses. • Split bamboo strips are woven for composite bamboo like ply-bamboo. • Common bamboo joineries are with dowels and anchors. • Other kinds of joints are double and quadruple bamboo rafter supports.
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Central double rafter: It has a wide range of applications in the construction of bridges and structures for rural facilities.
Bamboo Joints
fish mouth
one ear
two ear
beveled
flute mouth
different types of joist and beam bamboo joints
bamboo connection with rope for truss roof
bamboo connection with rope for truss roof
dowel in column tied with rope to beam
bamboos tied with clamp & screws at footing
bamboos tied with lashing for structural column
Woven bamboo flooring
column & beam joint
a joint with ply wood
joint with plastic band & thin sheet plate
bamboo wedge & timber pin for beam and column
ridge beam connection
reinforcement with concrete for footing
joists and beam with rod drilled and sliced
bamboo connection with steel plate
ridge beam connection
Different types of bamboo wall systems
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Precedent Study The hooch - Jo Scheer The tree houses reach about 25 feet high and range from 36 to 100 square feet- large enough to provide comfortable living space yet small enough not to require a building permit. Suspended cables connected to surrounding trees keep the house balanced but exible. The gazebo like structure perches atop poles that converge to a single point. The design uses building materials efďŹ ciently with little waste.
Bamboo Diamonds - Joseph Cory This project is a modern interpretation combining the traditional advantages of bamboo with the current needs of sustainable architecture. The structure consists of a skeleton of bamboo panels & posts which provide strength and stability and truss beams. The building has a oor area of 120m2 to hold eight visitors but it can be enlarged with other modular structures to provide more space. It is equipped with thermal & acoustic insulation.
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Cambodia Social Background
Climate
Traditional Cambodian House Characteristics
Demographics: • 51% female & 49% male • 50.2% below 15 years old • 43.9% between 15 - 64 • 5.9% above 65 years old • Each family has five members on average • 60.3 yr male life expectancy • 65.1 yr female life expectancy • 62.7 yr total life expectancy • 20.7% urban population • 79.3% rural population
Cambodia lies in tropical savannah climate. It is hot and humid most of the year. Minimum temp. is 20 degrees while maximum is 35 degrees Celsius. In January the average rainfall is 1mm while October experiences maximum rainfall of 250mm.
• Built on stilts – high off the ground • A house on the ground is considered a sign of misfortune and is uncomfortable to live in • Protection from flooding + wild animals on the ground • Provides good ventilation • Houses are rectangular • Cambodians have a set of beliefs attached to their homes • The house spirit = The main column • Humans, animals + spirits all live together in tolerance +harmony • The spirit of the land is to be respected and this has led to a series of rituals in the house’s location on the land. • The suggested ideal layout is to have the house facing east • The main door should not face west or south • Pond or well must not be located in the west of the house • Sanitary facilities are at the back away from the house – near the back fence
Ethnic Groups: • Khmer 90% • Vietnamese 5% • Other 4% • Chinese 1% Religion • Buddhism 96.4% • Islam 2.1% • Christianity 1.3% • Other 0.3% Cultural Influences • Indian • French • Chinese • Thai • Vietnamese
ENVIRONMENT ISSUES Deforestation has been a major concern for Cambodia. Also, Cambodia has relatively flat land which means it is prone to floods. Though open defecation is a social issue it has had an impact on the environment too. The river is getting polluted due to phosphorous released into the fresh water due human excreta.
Hammocks Boat Store Seating Wood Store
SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES Water should be collected from multiple sources for different purposes. Electricity can be generated through various sources. Sewer can be managed through Compost toilet. Loft farming is very handy in a flood prone area for economic and personal gain. Crop diversification and hydroponics are the ways for sustainable farming.
Typical ground floor house layout
Outdoor Space
daughter Entry
Kitchen
Sleeping/ living
Outdoor Space
Typical first floor house layout
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Site Geographically located 14.2km from the capital Phnom Penh Attributes • Large Road front access • Space for a dam – encouraged by the natural topography • Back up to a stream • Floods 1.5m above road level in wet season
Orientation The site is of a north-west orientation; giving the longer sides of the site the direction of west and East and the shorted ends the North and South Directions.
Size • 150m long by 15-50m wide • The shape of the site is determined by the curve of the river and the bend in the road
Topography • Characterized by a large man made hole – 3m deep + a valley that leads out to the stream • The whole site slopes away from the road down towards to stream Vegetation • Lush vegetation down towards the stream + in the ‘Hole’ in the site • Dryer/ sparser vegetation up near the road • Few trees within the site – This will allow for easy planning without the concerns about cutting down trees.
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Site Analysis
Berms to minimize flooding Due to the large amounts of rainfall the site needs to be manipulated to protect the Houses + community structures from excessive flooding. A set of contours are proposed to shape the land in such a way to direct the flood water away from the houses and community buildings. By raising these sections up above the flood line the rest of the site is manipulated to channel the water towards the dam or off the site towards the stream.
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Concept/Design influence
BUDDHIST RELIC (STUPAS)
HINDU
GOAT + WORK SHED
BAYON TEMPLE PROJECT BRIEF
GOPURA
PLACE TO WORSHIP/ COMMUNITY CENTRE
HOUSING
CAMBODIAN COMMUNITY
SHRINE OR PRAYER HALL (CHAITYA GRIHAS)
COMMUNITY
GOPURA ANGKOR WAT (HINDU TEMPLE) MONASTERY (VIHARAS)
HOUSING
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Master Planning HOUSING GATHERING SPACE
GOAT SHED
COMMUNITY
WORK SHED
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Master Plan
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Master Plan - axis
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Master Plan - circulation
truck motorbike pedestrian
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Sustainability
winds during dry season
winds during wet season
water tank solar panel
Use
Sources + filtration
Storage
Drinking + cooking
potable water harvested by rain or bore, Earthen pots. Easily available filtered by bio sand or ceramic pot filter, in Cambodia and traditionally solar stills used.
Sanitation+ Bathing potable water harvested by rain or bore, Water drums, timber tanks, washing clothes and filtered by bio sand or ceramic pot filter, plastic bottle tanks utensils solar stills Drinking water goats Dam water, stream water + washing
Trough for drinking & may be water drum for washing
Irrigation for agriculture
Dam water, stream water, waste water.
Water drums
Aquaculture
Rain water, naturally treated waste Dam water
Ground Water: bore well can be implemented on site as per the brief to tap the underground water table. The exact location for the well will have to be checked at site. Surface Water: The water from the stream running behind the site can be utilised for different purposes on site. There are also methods of collecting dew drops for potable water. The methods can be applied during the months of November, December, January & may be February when the night time temperature is relatively low compared to day time. One of the methods is to tie a plastic bag around a bunch of leaves and the water is collected in the morning. It is recommended that different sources should be utilised to harvest water for different purposes.
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Entrepreneurial Opportunity
Dairy goats: Opportunity to produce milk and yogurt for the community and possibly sell dairy products
future street side stall Loft farming :The site is in flood prone area. So the crops should not be washed away. Loft farming is farming on stilts. Timber stilts are erected on the agricultural land and vegetables that grow with climbers are harvested. This way during dry season one can have crops growing on the ground as well as on the stilts
Fruits & vegetables: Opportunity to grow banana, coconut, morning glory, figs, paw paw, cauliflower, buk choy, mushrooms etc.
Aquaculture:
Carp + catfish are important fish species for farming. Normal size of pond to manage is 500 m2. The walls should be 1.5 - 2m high for scale fish and 2.5-3m high for catfish. Release 10-15 catfish/m2; 3-6 silver carp/m2 & 1-2 tilapia/m2. Submersible pumps to change 20-30% of water every month. Ph levels to be maintained for healthy fish breeding. Feeding twice a day with 50% rice bran + 10% broken rice + 10% soya beans+ 30% fish trash.
Dam Farming: Certain edible plants, such as Chinese water spinach and water chestnuts, can be cultivated in the dam. Limiting the number of plants will ensure enough oxygen in the water at night to sustain the whole dam eco system. Other plants which grow in ponds without additional inputs, such as azolla, duckweed or water hyacinth, can be used as green manure or compost to enhance soil fertility, or as fodder for fish and livestock. Hydroponics:
This is basically growing plants in water instead of soil. The plants are grown in small containers which are filled with water. These containers again can be kept on stilts and we can grow different crops on the ground. Herbs are popular choice to grow by hydroponics.
Agriculture: The North East side of the site has been zoned for agriculture and farm use – blending into the vegetation that leads down into the stream. . Rice is staple food of Cambodia and grows in abundance. Along with rice; common vegetables grown are bamboo shoots, snow beams, bottle gourd, mushroom, kaffir lime, carrots etc.
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Vegetation
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Palmyra Palm
Bambusa bamboo
Fig Tree
Banana tree
Morning Glory
Existing Tree
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Community Centre PROGRAM FOR COMMUNITY CENTRE • A community building for the inhabitants – which can be used in many different ways – for festivals, religious gatherings, smaller social gatherings, covered area for children to play, temporary shelter for remaining RAW families etc. • Raised 2.5 meters above the ground (ground level being the current road height) • It is a central building – accessible from all areas of the site • A potential greeting space for visitors to the village • All made from bamboo except for supporting footing structure • The community building is one of the central buildings encountered upon entry to the site. It acts as the greeting room to the whole community. It is positioned next to the housing zone as to create a connection between the residential zone and the work zones – neatly tying the village together
Each of the 12 families who will occupy the houses have been dedicated a one structural member that supports the roof of the building on the periphery. The structure is symbolic in nature to the social organisation of Cambodian culture. The building also displays the use of bamboo as a building material. The open plan of the community centre gives flexibility for the use of space.
SOCIAL ORGANISATION IN CAMBODIA FICTIVE KINSHIP
THOA
KLOEU
sibling or child adoption
brotherhood
RURAL COMMUNITY
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SENSE OF PRIDE IN COMMUNITY AND ITS MEMBERS
COMMUNITY BUILDING
CONCEPT
ELEVATION
Community + work shed plan 1:50 SITE ENTRY/ EXIT BAMBOO PLANTATION
UP
GATHERING SPACE COMMUNITY CENTRE DRIVEWAY UP
UP
UP
AGRICULTURE
UP
WORK SHED
BAMBOO PLANTATION
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Work Shed + Goat Shed WORK SHED • • • • • • • • •
RAW has specified a workshop approximately 8 meters x 6 meters 2.5 meters above the ground (from current road level) An area needs to be provided for working I.e. Work bench, open space and an area for storage To store items such as timber, tools, goat feed Highest level of security as possible Cooling and ventilation for workers’ inside All made from bamboo except for supporting structure This building is mirroring the gathering space and is a highly key building, as it is from this space that the rest of the village gets built. This has meant the building is positioned towards the centre of the community buildings as it is needed to be easily accessible from all areas of the site whilst also allowing for deliveries and car access.
WORK SHED GATHERING SPACE • An attached or Non-attached 8 meter x 6 meter (approx.) gathering area with tables + Chairs + Small kitchen • This is a part of the work shed brief, it is positioned opposite the work shed and the community centre to create a multi-use space a potential ‘semioutdoor’ room that the community centre flows out to- where they can access the kitchen for events/ gatherings. • The kitchen of the gathering space is positioned with close proximity to the edge of the agricultural section – allowing for easy access to grown produce. GOAT SHED • Designed for Asian Dairy Goats, RAW has specified a goat shed approximately 6 meters x 8 Meters • 2.5 meters off the ground (from current road level) with access by ramp up to shed • Feeding troughs along the long sides of the space so that the goats can be fed inside • Roof must extend out over the feeding troughs to ensure the food stays dry • Provide Ventilation for the goats • Ensure the structure is sturdy enough to house the goats without risk of them breaking it and escaping. • The goat shed is located away from the housing and the communal/gathering spaces due to the sound/smell from the goats. • Close to the agriculture area and the goat can be free range.
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GOAT SHED
Goat Shed plan 1: 50
FEEDING TROUGH
AGRICULTURE
KIDDING PEN
FEEDING TROUGH
USING THE SAME RAMP, THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF EXTENSION ON SOUTH SIDE OF GOAT SHED
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Housing
PROGRAM FOR FLEXIBILITY
• Providing housing for 12 Families • 5m x 4m elevated, bamboo construction on concrete posts (to avoid white-ants and flooding) • The houses have been split into two zones along either side of the dam to allow for maximum access. • Separate housing for each family • Separation between each house- Fencing , gates etc. • Small vegetable garden for each family • Small toilet/ wash room on each house block • Raised off the ground 4 meters (ground level being the current road height) • Climatically responsive design – ensuring maximum comfort for the inhabitants • Socially and culturally responsive design – creating an enjoyable community feeling for the whole site • The roof catches maximum rain water. • Vertical green wall surrounding toilet and kitchen allowing privacy and a chance to make fresh produce. • All made from bamboo except for supporting structure
LIVING ROOM
PARENT’S ROOM
DAUGHTER’S ROOM
SON’S ROOM
GRAND PARENTS/ EXTENDED FAMILY
KITCHEN TOILET
SITE SECTION 24
The above diagrammatic representation is in chronological order of a typical rural Cambodian house. • The open space/verandah on level 1 is followed by living room. Next is the parents bedroom. Unmarried daughters bedroom is given the next preference. Sons tend to sleep wherever possible. • Extended family members or grandparents also tend to move in together. • Aged parents can ask their daughter and her husband to move in with them to take care of them.
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House 1.0 LEVEL 1.A
GROUND LEVEL
HOUSE 1.A
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LEVEL 1.B
LEVEL 1.B1
ROOF PLAN
LEVEL 1.A1
HOUSE 1.B
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House 2.0 LEVEL 2.A
GROUND LEVEL
LEVEL 2.B
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LEVEL 2.AB1
ROOF PLAN
LEVEL 2.AB2
House 2 options GROUND LEVEL
FIRST LEVEL
SECOND LEVEL
ROOF
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Elevations
NORTH ELEVATION
SOUTH ELEVATION
EAST ELEVATION
WEST ELEVATION
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Axonometric
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Model
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