Flood-Proof Bamboo Houses Designed by 82-Year-Old Female Architect Transform Lives in Pakistan Countryside
Pakistan's first female architect has constructed flood-proof bamboo dwellings to combat climate change. Discover how these actions saved several families during the 2022 flood.
Yasmeen Lari, an architect from Pakistan, is currently working on constructing flood-resistant homes made from bamboo to help her fellow citizens withstand climate change. Some of these sample homes were significant in saving multiple families during the catastrophic monsoon floods nearly two years ago.
Architect's Initiative to Develop Flood-Proof Bamboo Houses
(Photo : Eleonora Albasi via Unsplash)
Lari, now 82 years old and Pakistan's first female architect, chose not to pursue a career in projects in the megacity of Karachi that would have cost several millions of dollars to create innovative bamboo homes resistant to flooding.
During the disastrous monsoon floods 2022, one-third of the country was submerged in water. Families have been spared from the most grievous impacts of the flooding due to some of the trial bamboo houses established in the communities during that time.
As mentioned, deeply pierced bamboo frameworks in the village's elevated dwellings provide protection from swift-moving water and ensure that the structures remain steadfast against uprooting pressure. The mud homes, called 'chanwara' in the local language, are an upgraded version of the original single-room residences scattered over the landscape of the southern Sindh province and Rajasthan state in India.
Moreover, only materials readily available in the area, such as lime, clay, bamboo, and thatching, are reportedly required for making houses. With easy instruction to locals, they can be assembled for approximately $170, about one-eighth of the cost of a house constructed out of cement and brick.
Additionally, more than a year after the most significant floods in the country's history, tens of thousands of people are still homeless in rural Sindh, and substantial portions of farmland are still covered in water that has not moved.
Thus, some of Karachi's most noteworthy structures are the work of the architect, who had his training in the United Kingdom. These buildings include brutalist architecture like the headquarters of Pakistan State Oil and a series of luxury mansions.
Pakistan contributes to global greenhouse gas emissions of less than 1%. On the other hand, it is one of the countries most susceptible to severe weather consequences. According to scientists, the wind and rain are becoming more unpredictable due to climate change. Since the poorest populations in Pakistan are located in the most vulnerable places, the need to battle floods in this country is now more critical than it has ever been before.
Based on a collaborative analysis conducted by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, it was projected that Pakistan would suffer economic losses and damages amounting to $32 billion and that the country would require $16 billion for rehabilitation and reconstruction.
Therefore, at this time, Lari is promoting the idea of expanding the project to include one million homes constructed using materials readily available in the area, thereby offering new employment opportunities to the most disadvantaged regions. She also mentioned that she considers it a form of co-construction and co-creation because every person has an equal opportunity to design and bring comfort into their own home.
Furthermore, the Royal Institute of British Architects has acknowledged Lari's efforts by bestowing upon her the Royal Gold Medal in 2023 in recognition of her commitment to utilizing architecture to bring about positive change in the lives of individuals.
