Nautilus

2019 Architecture and Environment -Disaster Relief Housing Project

One of the most pressing issues for disaster recovery is the housing gap, which is in essence an expanse of time, in some instances nearly two months, before housing is supplied to communities that were affected by natural disasters. The Nautilus project sought to drastically reduce this timeframe thus allowing the victims of such events to begin rebuilding their lives and gain back the sense of autonomy lost during the disasters.
The concentric nature of this design, inspired by that of the nautilus shell, lends to its ability to grow over time and accommodate a varying number of people. The structure is designed with cellulose-based prefabricated pieces so that the materials are lightweight, easy to construct and maneuver, and biodegradable. The aim of this project is to provide temporary housing to these communities as soon as the day of the event with the ability for these structures to stand for approximately two additional years.