Micromanagement.
To protect and preserve the Tonle Sap Lake for the future will be impossible without getting the inhabitants involved in the process. A lot of big problems don’t ask for big solutions. For example to deal with the problem of solid waste a system can be set up were the inhabitants can exchange separated waste for rice, utilities or tickets to shows. A similar system has proved its value in the favelas of Curitiba in Brazil. We very much believe that micromanagement will be of vital importance to make a real change.
The happy community.
To generate a positive change in people’s attitude towards their environment you have to appeal to their sense of community. Improving living conditions within the communities should not be limited to only physical health. Communal spaces where people can meet and relax have proved to be very beneficial for people’s mental wellbeing. A happy community will be easily motivated to actively care for their environment.
Therefore we found it crucial to create a form of public space within the organic tissue of the floating villages. We created three typologies; a tower, a lavatorium and a hospital.
F(l)o(a)cal points.
Each structure works as a center of interest or activity. The colorful shapes of the structures stand out the environment and are recognizable from far away.
The tower serves as an educational center. The structure can be used as ordinary school but also provides a broader use. The large platform can be used for a wide range of leisure and educational activities. Cinema or concerts evening can be organized in which locals can exchange waste for an entrance ticket. Communal chickens and allotments can be installed, fed or fertilized with organic waste.
The lavatorium is a hybrid structure.
The ground floor is a sanitary unit with showers, toilets and places to wash clothing. The ‘lavatorium’ refers to the old structures in European cities were people would come together to do their washing. The first floor houses a research center. Here local wildlife and the chemical balance of the water can be monitored and reported. In the core of the building a helophyte filter treats all wastewater before it is being released back into the lake.
The hospital is modular structure. The separated modules can be towed around lake were the need for medical assistance is most urgent. Each elements houses consultation rooms, a sanitary unit and waiting room.
Local, responsible and self-sufficient.
All the volumes are made from local responsibly produced wood and painted with environmentally friendly paint. The structures can be assembled by the local population under professional supervision. Each typology is an self-sufficient entity that minimizes energy use and waste output.
