Architecture as a metaphor We think that architecture is a metaphor of nature. Looking from this perspective, our “role model” has to be found in the natural environment, which contains an infinite number of complex living structures. Natural structures, better than any human achievement, can help us find a way to design a new sustainable community. For this reason, our conceptual mainframe for the DAtE competition was the study of “corals”, which can be easily compared to our cities (because they have to satisfy similar requirements). 1 - Coral is the formal and behavioral inspiration for our design, a self-organizing living system which is highly capable of reacting and smoothly adapting to changes and external influences. Corals are marine organisms in class Anthozoa of phylum Cnidaria typically living in compact colonies of many identical individual “polyps”. (Wikipedia) 3 / 17 CORAL CITY: self sustaining and disaster resistant eco-village 2 - A Voronoi tessellation diagram, which smartly adapts to the geometry of the lot, proliferates throughout the area and subdivides it into optimal cells. Coral colonies form the physical structure of the coral reefs that develop in tropical and subtropical waters. (Wikipedia) 3 - Individual buildings consist of clusters of modular living units (similar to each other but at the same time subtly varied to adapt to local conditions) which coherently work as a whole. A coral “head,” which appears to be a single organism, is a colony of myriad genetically identical polyps. (Wikipedia) 4 - Buildings have a proper ring-like shape which allows optimal structural performances in relation to stresses caused by earthquakes and typhoons. Coral reefs are also useful as a protection against hurricanes and other extreme weather. (Wikipedia) 4 / 17 CORAL CITY: self sustaining and disaster resistant eco-village 5 - Cells are permeable and perforated. This minimizes the opposition of buildings to strong winds and allows them to pass through and flow away from the inner courtyards. Corals can be perforated and have porous skeletons. (Wikipedia) 6 - Precipitations are collected and drained out through an interconnected system of canals, in order to minimize the effects of heavy rains and flood. The polyps interconnect by a complex and well developed system of gastrovascular canals allowing significant sharing of nutrients and symbiotes. (Wikipedia) 7 - Buildings and main distribution paths are detached from the ground, on piles, in order to still offer a safe and enjoyable environment in case of massive flooding. Perforated corals allow water to flow through them. (Wikipedia)
CORAL CITY: self sustaining and disaster resistant eco-village 8 - Roofs and parking areas are massively covered with pv panels, which assimilate solar energy and offer a sustainable and eco-compatible way to self-finance the construction. Most corals require sunlight and obtain the majority of their energy and nutrients from photosynthetic unicellular algae called zooxanthellae. (Wikipedia)
