If Only… by Ted Givens of 10 Design


If only… homes could respond to the destructive power of nature, says Ted Givens of 10 Design


If only we could create buildings that work with and not against nature, then the perceived destructive forces within the natural world would turn into something beautiful rather than something to be feared. Architecture should not seek to dominate nature, merely respond to it.

The Tornado Proof House achieves this by drawing inspiration from an eclectic mix of natural and man-made phenomena. The structure mirrors the mechanism of garage doors, and its response to external factors is akin to that of the survival instincts of a turtle. The result is a revised conception of what a home should be.

Kinetic architecture is the innovative concept behind this Tornado Proof House. A series of simple hydraulic levers are used to push the home in and out of the ground and deflect and warp the outer skin in response to external stimulation.

Neighbourhoods would become interwoven through sensor networks, and after warning sirens are activated entire suburbs could fold into the ground in seconds. The whole neighbourhood behaves as an organism fit for a collective response to the challenges brought by the natural environment.


Ted Givens, 10 Design

Ted Givens is a founding partner at award-winning architecture firm 10 Design. His work combines research, design innovation and collaboration and he has explored ways in which to tackle homelessness in a sustainable way, building skins that purify air and famine resistant housing.

10design.co








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