"Kiribati Floating Houses," a competition organized by Young Architects Competitons, was about finding a design proposal that would respond to climate change and rising ocean levels. The first place went to Marcin Kitala's project inspired by the myths of Oceania. Congratulations!
The winning concept entitled. "Riiki" is a response to the danger threatening the island state of Kiribati, which may soon become the first completely submerged country, and its inhabitants will be forced to emigrate.
The floating island system, presented by the author, draws inspiration from the myths of Oceania, the processes shaping Pacific islands and the local culture of Kiribati. The name of the project, "Riiki," comes from the Gilbertian language spoken on Kiribati. The word, derived from the name of a god, means, among other things, the act of creation.
The houses can be independently expanded
© Marcin Kitala
island modules
Marcin Kitala, an architect at Kurylowicz & Associates, designed floating platforms of varying nature that can freely connect or disperse with each other, providing both self-sufficiency and cooperation at the micro and macro levels. Each of the pentagonal modules has a side length of fifty meters and an area of four thousand three hundred square meters. The platforms can accommodate from one to thirty residents, in one to five homes. The design avoids a high density of buildings to preserve the current character of Kiribati's low-rise and green-surrounded development.
Each house is also autonomous in basic terms, with residents able to expand independently. Depending on the number of householders, not only the size of the house changes, but also the volume of the home greenhouse, water purification capacity, vegetable garden area or solar cells.
Each module has a specific function
© Marcin Kitala
floating settlement
The five-sided platforms allow for many design possibilities. The settlement can be enlarged or reduced in size or freely dispersed as needed. The city is built and dismantled piece by piece just like Pacific islands created by nature. All modules have a specific function. Some are residential, others are gardens and wild beaches. The new islands can be agricultural, technical or manufacturing. They are used for work, relaxation, leisure and celebration. Connected together, they form a single community that can cope with many problems, thanks to its ability to adapt and reconfigure.
See also Marcin Kitala's earlier project titled 1000 Homes of Nature.
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illustrations courtesy of Marcin Kitala
