With the Mission Statement ' Making sustainable and healthy real estate accessible to all ' In the thought of the two students of TU Delft (Hagonoy and Pieter Ham), she was looking for a solution for living in an overflowing area in the Philippines. As a graduation job, she designed amphibious buildings that – like the Finch modules – are circular, healthy, beautiful and durable. With these amphibious buildings, large steps can be taken in improvements in life situations of the people (in Hagonoy).
Photo: Pieter Ham in a flood-ridden house
PhD Research by Pieter HAM
From TU Delft Global Initiative (http://www.delftglobal.tudelft.nl) Pieter has now received a PhD fund with which he can further build the project for the next 4 years. Initially a pilot project will be started in Hagonoy in which a number of prototypes are to be built. In Parallel, in 2017, we are looking for investors who want to invest in good quality rental properties. The construction of the dwellings is done by local people using local building materials.
At the moment people – due to lack of finances – can build a house with difficulty. Because of the flooding the houses are becoming badly damaged, one does not get to improve the quality of the house. After all, scarce resources must always be used for damage recovery. A part of the project is therefore to look for a way to make living affordable, for example by entering a system of housing corporations, whereby by default rental housing is offered a maintenance package.
Pieter is supported from the office of Finch buildings in Amsterdam by Mr. John Viljoen who is involved in the developments for one day a week. Prashant Knijtijzer – who has supervised both men in their graduation – continues to give guidance to the project that is known to us under the name "Finch Philippines".
"We are now able to build and test four pilot versions. Pieter is also investigating a strategy for extending this housing project to various areas and countries with similar problems, "says the Lords. We wish them every success!
Background
In 2014, she was Knijtijzer – architect, founder and owner of Finch buildings – in the Philippines. Here he was confronted with the often very difficult conditions under which the people live there. In particular, floods make some areas of the Philippines increasingly difficult to inhabit: climate change is painfully felt here! Back in the Netherlands – Waterland by excellence – the statues of Jord continued to occupy. At the same time, Pieter and Mary were looking for an international graduation with social impact, and both plans came together.
