ATTIBELE

CONCEPT
RESILIENCY

PERIODE
2018

LOCATE
BANGLADESH

Resilient Homes Challenge

Design Overview

Local Context

Coastal regions of Bangladesh experience frequent and severe flooding, with floodwaters often rising 10 feet or more, rendering conventional stilt housing ineffective. Prolonged inundation contaminates agricultural land and freshwater wells with saline intrusion, leading to food insecurity, drought, and loss of livelihoods. Flood events are further compounded by outbreaks of waterborne disease caused by groundwater contamination from sanitation systems.

Traditional dwellings constructed from mud or timber are particularly vulnerable—suffering structural rot, rodent infestation, and irreversible damage after flooding. In Bangladesh, floods do not merely destroy homes; they threaten the social, cultural, and economic fabric of entire coastal communities.

Resilience Strategy | Adapt & Embrace the Flood

Based on an extensive study of historic flood events, the project proposes a resilient housing model that adapts to floods rather than resisting them. As many families are reluctant—or unable—to abandon their homes during flood events, the design prioritizes allowing residents to remain safely within their homes, even during extreme conditions.

The central design approach is to enable the house itself to float during floods and remain anchored during dry periods, offering security, dignity, and continuity of daily life.

Key resilience features include:

  • Adaptable floating structure that rises with floodwaters while maintaining dry interior spaces
  • Self-sufficiency, including a small vegetable garden and filtered rainwater storage
  • Aerodynamically tapered form and roof, minimizing wind resistance and turbulence during cyclones
  • Storm-secure openings with wind-resistant shutters to prevent structural uplift and roof failure
  • Integrated structural envelope, with overlapping roof and wall systems for enhanced strength
  • Rainwater harvesting tanks to ensure potable water during periods of saline groundwater contamination
  • Floating sewage and wastewater tanks, designed to remain operational during floods while preventing environmental contamination
  • Salt-tolerant landscape planting, supporting alternative livelihoods and ecological resilience

To protect against smaller flood events, a peripheral trench and earth bund system is proposed around each plot. Excavated soil is shaped into a raised bund, with both trench and embankment stabilized using reused fishing nets, reinforcing erosion control while repurposing waste materials.

Community Resilience

At a larger scale, the proposal extends beyond individual dwellings to address social isolation during floods. Floating, interconnected pathways are designed to link homes, enabling movement, access, and social interaction—particularly vital for elderly residents living alone. A shared floating community shelter, capable of adapting alongside individual homes, further strengthens collective safety and resilience.

Construction Process & Ease of Assembly

The construction system combines traditional knowledge with contemporary techniques, using materials that are locally available and easy to assemble. The structure employs chain-link mesh, aluminum or GI sheets, mud–cement mortar (10:1), and bamboo or steel poles, depending on regional availability.

The system is intentionally low-tech and community-buildable. With basic training, residents can construct the homes themselves without reliance on contractors.

  • Construction time: approximately 20 days
  • Labor required: two people per dwelling

The structural anchoring concept—adaptable to both flotation and rigidity—is informed by advanced architectural precedents, including floating structural systems developed by international practices, demonstrating scalability across diverse contexts.

Cultural, Gender & Universal Access Considerations

Material choices and construction techniques are selected for local accessibility, enabling the integration of traditional craftsmanship and artistic expression within the architectural language. This approach strengthens cultural identity, builds local capacity, and supports skill development among artisans—particularly women and marginalized groups.

The system is conceived to expand incrementally—from individual homes to clusters, villages, or entire towns—acknowledging that flooding is not a temporary condition but an enduring reality driven by rising sea levels.

While renewable materials such as bamboo contribute to environmental sustainability, the project places greater emphasis on cultivating social sustainability—empowering communities to endure, adapt, and thrive over time.

Design Outcome

The result is a hybrid resilient housing model that remains rigid during dry conditions and safely floats during floods through a pillar-anchored structural system. By combining architectural adaptability with community infrastructure, the project reframes flood-prone regions not as zones of crisis, but as places capable of long-term habitation, resilience, and dignity.