Global campaign for safer urban communities

MANILA, Philippines - It takes only seconds to destroy what takes years to build.

Spurred by the devastation caused by typhoonOndoy (Ketsana) and driven by a powerhouse multidisciplinary group of organizations from the private, institutional, and government sectors, a project has been launched that aims to draw together the most innovative minds in the fields of architecture, design, and urban planning to develop sustainable and disaster-resistant housing for communities in tropical urban settings.

Design Against the Elements is a global architectural design competition meant to find a solution to the problems presented by climate change.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently reported that climate change is an actual occurring phenomenon, and it is linked directly to human activities that emit greenhouse gases. Climate change refers to the variation in the Earth’s global climate over time, ranging from decades to millions of years. Changes may be driven by internal processes, external forces or, as mentioned, most recently by human activities. No area of the world is more vulnerable to climate change than Asia and the Pacific. Climate change poses a dire threat to the region’s families, food supplies, and financial prosperity.

The winning design will be built as a prototype disaster-resistant and livable eco-village in Taguig City, Metro Manila. The village will be the first green and disaster-resistant community in the country. It will provide a model that can be studied and replicated in similar areas.