SELF SAFE MODULAR HOUSE

Every year, with the merciless impact of climate change, countless natural disasters unfold across the world. In the face of this harsh reality, Bangladesh, situated so close to the Bay of Bengal, bears the brunt of these disasters in its coastal belt. I designed this special modular house with the poorest, most struggling people in mind—thinking of their pain, their loss, and their longing for safety. Each part of this house is built as a module, and each connection is also a module, allowing it to be moved effortlessly from one place to another. It is so easy to make, using local materials, at a low cost. This house is not just a shelter; it is a symbol of love for those who repeatedly lose their homes, a promise that, despite their hardships, they can rise again. This is a home that protects them from disaster, giving them a chance to stand tall once more, with a future they can finally believe in .

The module size was determined using basic ergonomic principles. A standard bed measures 3 ft × 6 ft, with an additional 3 ft circulation space required beside it. By arranging beds with adequate circulation, the layout naturally developed into a 12 ft × 12 ft module. Since the design is intended for rural families who typically live together in groups, a larger 12 ft × 12 ft module was chosen instead of a smaller 6 ft × 6 ft unit to provide comfortable shared living space.

In this project Locally available materials are used: bamboo, bamboo sheets, terpal, and precast RCC footings. The RCC footings are precast, so they can be made in advance and used later; they are also reusable and can be relocated. I chose bamboo as the structural material because it is easily available in our country, grows rapidly, and has a low carbon footprint. It is also reusable. I used terpal because it can be reused and easily transported from one place to another.

GI sheet are not use for the roof material instead of terpal, because once GI sheets are damaged, they have to be discarded. Terpal, on the other hand, can be reused for other purposes. Also, I did not use concrete or bricks as the structural material in place of bamboo, because concrete and bricks are very difficult to relocate and cannot be reused; they have to be broken down.