3 minute read
EFFECTS OF RISING SEA LEVELS
from An Island Of Island
by Equator>
Beach Erosion
More than 97 percent of inhabited islands reported beach erosion in 2004, of which 64 percent reported severe beach erosion. More than 45 percent of the country’s 87 tourist resorts have also reported severe erosion
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Tourism
The small island beach environment, rich marine biological diversity, tropical climate, and the worldclass hotels are the unique marketable assets of the tourism sector. Maldives is the “World’s Leading Dive Destination”and coral reefs thrive in a narrow temperature range and are highly sensitive to changes in temperature. Tourism would be heavily hit by beach erosion and coral reef degradation
Human Health
Heat strokes, deaths due to extreme weather events, water-borne diseases, vector-borne diseases
Imports
Heavy import dependency, limited food storage pose a severe food security risk to the population. The Maldives imports almost all food items other than fresh tuna and coconut. With the damage to Maldivians’ other economies, their ability to import goods will be affected
Infrastructural Damage
The average width of inhabited islands is 566 m; and on both inhabited islands and resorts 80 percent of the powerhouses and 75 percent of communications infrastructure are located within 100 m of coastline
Fishing
Tuna movement dependent on biophysical conditions. Tuna is the primary source of dietary protein for the Maldivians, and local fish consumption exceeds 50,000 metric tons a year. Reef fish is also a significant item of the tourist resort cuisine, and impacts on reef fishery will affect tourism and communities who depend on reef fishery as a source of income.
Water
The freshwater aquifer lying beneath the islands is a shallow lens, 1-1.5 m below the surface and no more than a few meters thick. Surface freshwater is lacking throughout the country. Freshwater aquifiers and saltwater intrusion will affect water security
Source: Author’s photograph
Malé is commonly overlooked or simply ignored when discussing the Maldives. To the majority of visitors to the Maldives, the city is merely the transition point from which they arrive and disperse to the other islands. The city is the side of Maldives the already severe problems that afflict it, the gradual loss of its livelihood and the increase in demographic pressure caused by Maldivians flocking to the city as an escape for the destruction of their islands will intensify the chaos and clautrophobia already in the city.
Typical Urban Block
Topographical Constraints
Much of Male’s problems are a result of its topographical constraints.
Horizontally:
Male has a history of land reclamation, but it has since reached its limit. The city has grown to the limit of its topography, beyond which the land slopes away very steeply, so they cannot continue expanding outwards to grow the city’s footprint.
Vertically:
The presence of a freshwater aquifer 1.5m below the surface of the city means that buildings on the island cannot pile their foundations deeper than 1.5m, which imposes an artificial height limit of 10 stories on all buildings in the city
Buildable
Buildable
Shavyani Atoll
Haa AlifuAtoll
Haa Dhaalu Atoll
Noonu Atoll
Raa Atoll
Baa Atoll
Lhaviyani Atoll
1,370 m
2,070 m
North Ari Atoll
North Male Atoll
South Male Atoll
South Ari Atoll
Vaavu Atoll
Area: 1.97 km2
Elevation: 1.8m
Population: 83,400 male; 69,950 female
Faafu Atoll
Dhaalu Atoll
Meemu Atoll
Thaa Atoll
Laamu Atoll
Gaafu Dhaalu Atoll
Gaafu Atoll
Gnaviyani Atoll
Seenu Atoll
No. of in-migrations annually
< 1000 people
1000 - 2000 people
2000 - 3000 people
3000 - 5000 people
5000 - 6000 people
>6000 people
Sea level rise: 0.0m
Sea level rise: 2.5m
Sea level rise: 5.0m
Population Density: 138,732 people / km2
273,304 people in 1.97 km2
Gross Floor Area: 10.24 km2
No. of Schools: 28
No. of Mosques: 21
No. of Fields: 10
No. of Hospitals: 8
MALE MAX
Population Density: 203,240 people / km2
400,383 people in 1.97 km2
Gross Floor Area: 15.00 km2
No. of Schools: 41
No. of Mosques: 31
No. of Fields: 15
No. of Hospitals: 12
EXISTING CITY
Population Density: 64,000 people / km2
127,079 people in 1.97 km2
Gross Floor Area: 4.76 km2
No. of Schools: 13
No. of Mosques: 10
No. of Fields: 5
No. of Hospitals: 4
An Island Of Islands
When the flood inundates the city, it isolates each urban block, turning them into islands. This project embraces the opportunity that this division of the city creates. Each urban island will behave autonomously, acting as their own architects to respond to the flooding. The myriad different responses and possible scenarios that occur creates a diversity of experiences.
In the island of islands, the density which was previously seen as counter to the creation of paradise, is instead vital as a generator of diversity that creates not just a singular paradise, but a multitude of paradises.
This introduces a way in which the elements of the city: density, diversity, morphology, and complexity come together to create a new form of urban paradise that defines itself in different terms. It is a paradise for everyone and no one; within the city, people have to search for their own paradise amid the spectrum of possibilities.
