Nandan’s Dream home
Nandan Mukherjee’s project, like the BFP’s retrofit work in Vietnam, was supported by the Global Resilience Partnership. His project was based around the creation of a sustainable and amphibious “Dream Home”, which could meet the needs of residents and float during floods. The home was designed in collaboration with local people, and made to serve as a home for the most disadvantaged members of the community. Although everyone is affected by flooding, those in poverty or facing other obstacles have less resources to recover after a catastrophe.
The process for design and construction prioritized the needs of the community. The home is made using bamboo, which is affordable and locally sourced, and constructed by local laborers. The home sits on a large buoyant platform. This is made by binding together recycled plastic barrels in a bamboo frame. It can float when the floods come, then settle back onto the ground when they recede.
Different members of the community had different desires for what they wanted in a home. The local children wanted a space where they could play, and so a play space in the attic was provided. A central courtyard provides space for all residents to intermingle. The homes capture and store rainwater, with storage space for 17,000 liters of fresh drinking water. This is enough to meet the domestic water needs for a family for six months. Meanwhile, hydroponic planting areas and a chicken coop provide produce and eggs, which residents can either eat themselves or sell for profit. These design moves ensure other elements of residents’ lives can also continue even during floods, like socializing and making an income. By providing residents with a space where their lives can continue throughout the flood season, including potential ways to produce food and income, this project aims to provide safety, security, and sustainability despite flooding.
