STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS:

●​ COLUMNS- Trees were used as the major column component of the shelter. Trees
provide more durability because of their natural foundation from their roots. The choice
of a palm tree or coconut tree is recommended to prevent branches from falling off, but
at the same time should not be too tall to resist wind.
-As an additional support to tree columns, bamboo was pierced underground and knotted to the
tree column to resist wind.
●​ Walls- Weaved bamboo was used as walls because they require less use of bamboo
and are lighter than raw bamboo. This type of walling also allows survivors to easily
carry these materials in case of relocation. Wall coming from the North East is also
removable and can function as a door. Wall bracings were established in every partition
to provide additional strength.
●​ Roof- The bahay kubo, Ifugao house, and Fa-bo building in Japan inspired the roofing
system of the design. The use of palm trees with bamboo bracings is well-known in
bahay-kubo and other vernacular architecture because of its insulation capacity. At the
same time, the overhang and steepness of the roof came from the concept of the Ifugao
house. In the Fa-bo design, carbon fiber carries the lateral load from the ground by
making some overhang of the shelter buried underground. Just like how the carbon fiber
holds lateral load from the ground, the roofing structure of the system was also
programmed the same way for wind resistance.
Although using a hip roof is more recommended than a gable, gable roofing is more
time-efficient than the hip roof. The 40-degree angle provided by UAP for roofs to resist wind
was also met in this design.
●​ Floors- The floor used bamboo for elevation and was filled with leaves that provided
more comfortable space.
●​ Connections- the design connections used a lashing knot capable of adjoining poles.
The lashing knot is known for its durability and simplicity in tying and untying. This type
of connection also allows the structure to be more adaptable to changes, modifications,
and the addition of spaces.
●​ Openings- Due to the tropical climate, large openings were provided at the upper portion
of the shelter to provide more winds from coming in. During rainy days, the openings
may be closed with large palm trees intersecting the center column.
SWOT ANALYSIS
Strength
-Near the ocean, mountain, and sandy area
-Elevated from the ground
-Possible location of Spring

Weaknesses
-Not suitable for hunting
-May be habitable by strange animals
-Far from the mangroves and forest (for possible exploration and hunting)

Opportunities
-Easily detection for rescue missions (near the shore)
-Fair view of everything below it
-Availability of spring means fresh water that can be consumed.
-Near the ocean: good for fishing
-Not highly elevated, means accessible

Threats
-Possible landslide
-High solar radiation during daytime
​ The given site location is a tropical island with regular rainy days. The island consists of
forested areas, mountains, sandy areas, and mangroves surrounded by the pacific ocean. On
the west coast, an unknown island is located 30 km from the current location of the survivors.
Trapped and no other way to get home, the challenge is to create a temporary shelter from any
raw materials available from nature or some debris from the plane that crashed.

LOCATION:
​ In choosing the location, the main concern should be safety, accessibility, and availability
of fresh water. Among the types of land present on the island, I've immediately crossed out the
unknown island, forested area, and mangroves as my first choice. The unknown island may be
habitable by cannibals and other wild animals. Furthermore, its resources are unknown, and it is
too time-consuming to build a raft to cross the island. A forested area is usually a home for wild
animals and has too many distinct trees shading the outside view. It is not rescue-friendly and
may cause survivors to lose their way in and out. Mangroves are the same as forests, only
located on coastal water. Mangroves may contain fresh water, but it is unsafe to live in as it has
a high possibility of crocodiles and a rising water level. Choosing a sandy area and the
mountain is the safest against predators; they are also accessible and can be easily located by
air and water rescues. However, the sandy area has no trees, which makes it too exposed to
the sun's heat. Sand can't also hold the shelter's foundation, which may cause the structure to
collapse during rainy and stormy days. My first thought was to build a temporary shelter on the
mountain. Despite its elevation against flooding, the availability of fresh water is high due to the
presence of springs and rivers. However, the injured survivor may not be capable of traveling
that high. It consumes too much energy from going up and down to find new resources and
explore other locations. So instead of settling in a sandy area or at the mountain's peak, I chose
to locate the temporary shelter at the lower but elevated part of the mountain. It is close to the
sandy area, ocean, and mountains for easy access to food, fresh water, and rescue. The
mountain's elevation made the shelter construction less complex by requiring a reasonable
amount of stilts.

THE SHELTER:
​ Although the chosen location may be the best, it has weaknesses and disadvantages.
The design of the shelter was made to give solutions to these problems. As a tropical island, the
heat of the sun is inevitable. The shelter adopted cross ventilation via a roof gable. In this way,
more fresh air will be accommodated inside. The wind would also pass through both openings,
preventing the shelter from collapsing. For columns and support, trees were utilized because of
their ability to withstand strong winds. Bamboo poles also braced trees to support each other
and prevent severe swaying during a storm. Following a standard height may not be essential,
but it was still considered in the design of this shelter. However, considering the severely injured
person, the shelter may have a height of 2m and above, as the standard by UNHCR. The
shelter's shape was also based on a triangular truss, which was believed to be the strongest
shape to carry loads. Walls adopted weaved bamboo style because it is lightweight and
consumes lesser natural resources. To allow for relocation and flexibility, walls and roofs were
established part by part so that the whole structure won't be affected if one part was damaged.
The shelter's dimension may be 4m x 2m to give allowance for circulation and airflow.