Home builders in the Midwest are going to want to take a long, hard look at the Tornado House designed by Hong Kong group 10 Design.
The way the Tornado House seeks to survive the howling winds and destructive debris carried by a tornado is by burrowing underground. The house can descend into the group in a matter of seconds using hydraulic lifts. Once the living unit is underground, the roof of the house locks to provide added protection. The roof covering is made of transparent Kevlar, which allows light in and keeps debris and rain out.
Ted Givens, one of the brains behind the Tornado House, envisions an entire community of these houses connected to a series of storm sensors. The design seems a little too futuristic for today's technology, but it is still something that should be considered by tornado-prone communities. The cost of continual rebuilding is probably more than what it would cost to build a tornado-proof community of homes.
Disaster-Ducking Houses
The Tornado House Burrows Underground During Extreme Weather
Trend Themes
1. Underground Housing - Exploring the concept of building houses that can descend underground for protection during extreme weather events, such as tornadoes.
2. Transparent Protective Materials - Utilizing transparent Kevlar or similar materials for roofs and walls to allow light in while keeping debris and rain out, enhancing safety and visibility.
3. Smart Community Design - Creating communities with interconnected storm sensors to provide early warning systems and facilitate efficient evacuation during extreme weather events.
Industry Implications
1. Construction - Opportunity for construction companies to innovate by developing underground housing designs and utilizing transparent protective materials.
2. Architecture - Architecture firms can explore innovative designs and technologies for underground housing and storm sensor-integrated communities.
3. Smart Home Technology - Smart home technology companies can develop solutions to integrate storm sensors and provide real-time alerts and automated responses during extreme weather events.