Architecture

Hurricane house screws itself down in wild winds

Hurricane house screws itself down in wild winds
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House is envisioned for the Louisiana wetlands
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House is envisioned for the Louisiana wetlands
View 16 Images
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House, depicted buried in the landscape
1/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House, depicted buried in the landscape
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would feature wind turbines
2/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would feature wind turbines
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would sport solar panels
3/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would sport solar panels 
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would make use of the fact that hurricane winds always move counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere (and clockwise in the southern hemisphere)
4/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would make use of the fact that hurricane winds always move counter-clockwise in the northern hemisphere (and clockwise in the southern hemisphere)
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House was originally commissioned for a spa in Kunming, China, but is now envisioned for the Louisiana coastline
5/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House was originally commissioned for a spa in Kunming, China, but is now envisioned for the Louisiana coastline
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would direct floodwater away from the house
6/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would direct floodwater away from the house
"The excavated ground is pushed away whilst the artificial island surrounding the building acts as a canopy moving water away from the building," says Krasojevic
7/16
"The excavated ground is pushed away whilst the artificial island surrounding the building acts as a canopy moving water away from the building," says Krasojevic
Architectural drawing of the Self-Excavation Hurricane House
8/16
Architectural drawing of the Self-Excavation Hurricane House
Architectural drawing of the Self-Excavation Hurricane House
9/16
Architectural drawing of the Self-Excavation Hurricane House
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be enclosed by an artificial island designed to flush flood water away from the main living area
10/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be enclosed by an artificial island designed to flush flood water away from the main living area
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be stationary until a hurricane hit, when high winds would turn the structure like a screw, anchoring itself into the ground and lowering its profile
11/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be stationary until a hurricane hit, when high winds would turn the structure like a screw, anchoring itself into the ground and lowering its profile
Those familiar with Margot Krasojević know not to expect a dull, run of the mill design from the experimental architect and her latest work doesn't disappoint
12/16
Those familiar with Margot Krasojević know not to expect a dull, run of the mill design from the experimental architect and her latest work doesn't disappoint
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would sport a reinforced concrete anchor that would be connected to cable foundations pinning the home into the ground
13/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would sport a reinforced concrete anchor that would be connected to cable foundations pinning the home into the ground
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would use the hurricane winds to slowly turn part of the structure along its helicoid retaining wall, burying itself as it turns
14/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would use the hurricane winds to slowly turn part of the structure along its helicoid retaining wall, burying itself as it turns 
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be enclosed by an artificial island designed to flush flood water away from the main living area
15/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House would be enclosed by an artificial island designed to flush flood water away from the main living area
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House is envisioned for the Louisiana wetlands
16/16
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House is envisioned for the Louisiana wetlands
View gallery - 16 images

Those familiar with Margot Krasojević's work know not to expect a dull, run of the mill design from the experimental architect and her latest project doesn't disappoint. The highly-conceptual Self-Excavation Hurricane House would use the power of the wind to dig itself into the ground when a hurricane strikes.

Like the revolving sail bridge and offshore floating prison, the Self-Excavation Hurricane House is best considered as food-for-thought rather than a practical plan. In this case, the project would make use of the fact that hurricane winds always turn in a counter-clockwise direction in the northern hemisphere (clockwise in the southern hemisphere).

The basic idea is, as the winds increase in speed, they would provide enough force to move the home's sculpted sail-like form along a helicoid retaining wall, and, along with hydraulic pivots, allow it to bury itself into the ground to lower its profile and protect itself from the wind's buffeting. Think of a screw being turned into some wood and you're not too far off. The house would be enclosed by an artificial island designed to flush flood water away.

The Self-Excavation Hurricane House was originally commissioned for a spa in Kunming, China, but is now envisioned for the Louisiana coastline
The Self-Excavation Hurricane House was originally commissioned for a spa in Kunming, China, but is now envisioned for the Louisiana coastline

The Self-Excavation Hurricane House's main living area would be constructed from a precast reinforced concrete frame, with rubber-coated concertina wall sections providing the flexibility required to enable movement. A reinforced concrete anchor would be connected to cable foundations pinning the home into the ground. Presumably there would be a way of unscrewing it and raising the home back up once the winds died down, but this isn't addressed in the concept proposal.

"The excavated ground is pushed away whilst the artificial island surrounding the building acts as a canopy moving water away from the building," says Krasojević. "Solar panels line the island's floor plate panels and edged by a ring of turbines, the turntable like design consists of sixty-four separate timber sections that act as an irrigation field directing rain and floodwater away from the building, these contained sections are deeper closer to the building in order to help with efficient drainage, they act like a water screw."

The Self-Excavation Hurricane House was originally commissioned for a spa in Kunming, China, on behalf of the Yunnan metallurgical group, but is imagined here in the Louisiana wetlands.

Source: Margot Krasojević Architecture

View gallery - 16 images
6 comments
6 comments
Bruce H. Anderson
I would hope that the berm surrounding the home and whatever pump system is devised would handle the storm surge. This concept is definitely more "food for thought" than "something to chew on."
Gregory
Didn't see a lot of livable space in the house and it sure takes up a lot of room for two people. Once the storm has passed, how is the un-screw powered?
Bruce Golden
while article correct that overall northern hemisphere hurricane wind pattern is counterclockwise ... locally over such a house, winds are straightline (gradually shifts direction depending upon location relative to the center) ... so basic theory is wrong
highlandboy
If the eye of the cyclone were to pass directly over the house the wind direction would change 180 degrees. So screw would unscrew.
Mik-Fielding
Could this already be the daftest idea of 2018? There must be plenty of ways to make a building hurricane proof, without screwing it into the ground when the wind blows. As for the images, they look like some sort of abstract computer art more than anything remotely architectural, perhaps indicating what this project is, an abstract fantasy ...
Juanjo
All of the comments above are indeed common sense. I think this is basically a good ad for the architects and 100% "food for thinking". I may also find a nice use of Autocad. But nothing more. From an engineering point of view it is just a beautiful and vaporous winged winter dream.