Reconstructing independence on Sint Maarten
Rebuilding a resilient community with a circular neighborhood intervention
M. Dalinghaus (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
R.R.J. van de Pas – Mentor (TU Delft - Architectural Engineering)
J. de Krieger – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
P.L. Tomesen – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Building Product Innovation)
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Abstract
On September 6th 2017 hurricane Irma hit the island of Sint Maarten leaving 90% of the build environment destroyed and the tourist based economy to collapse. Funding for reconstruction stagnated due to corruption and a lack of proper building materials and building knowledge leads to poor reconstruction. Especially the poorer communities are left exceptionally vulnerable to natural disasters. Solutions to address their needs were the starting point for this project. The proposed intervention is there for an affordable hurricane resilient building system that firstly transforms Sint Maartens linear economy to a circular economy. By using local waste materials, and producing new building products from waste it improves the urban metabolism of the islands economy. Secondly it improves the socio-economic resilience by bringing together different actors to create a more resilient and productive actor network. On an urban scale the system can grow incrementally. In the final stage the program contains housing units with a communal space, a decentral recycling hub, a communal garden and commercial spaces.