DESIGN OF INFRASTRUCTURE
Editorial
Infrastructure boggles ones mind, we are completely surrounded by it though invisible to our eyes and hence completely overlooked. Today more so our life styles are entirely embedded within a supporting network of technology
and its paraphernalia. Lets put technology aside for a second, can any building actually work without water, gas, electricity supplies or drain facilities? A unanimous no; so how can the design of such important parameters and life
sustaining elements be overlooked since all and every built structure however profound or mundane is sustained by the ever-growing network of services and facilities?
The work is not miniscule even if considered for one building or one family dwelling but is colossal and threatens to overpower the society. Once the infrastructure is laid below the grade level it is impossible to work, amend, or revisit the structure as it is not only phenomenally expensive but an impossible feat in removing the population inhabiting over and around it. Eventually the infrastructure over the years wears thin with the population advances and the demands of the now obsolete and stretched to it maximum layout of wires, cables, pipes and passageways.
Hence why then something of that dire almost life changing importance be ignored or considered ugly? The technological advances in the late twenty first century are immense; small chips can detect the surface and subliminal reading of the earth movement. We can therefore use technology to its maximum yet still the development or the design of infrastructure for the built environment is a task that the stakeholders and politicians of our country are wary to address. Newer urban or maybe rural developments in the scenario of the built environment include some aspects, but the productivity still lacks the demands of the current century.
Risk Free Schools in Pakistan – A Comprehensive School Safety Framework and Approach To Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Text: Anoushe Khan
Visuals: Courtesy FOCUS
School safety is a phenomenon dealing with policies and practices that lead to creation of a safe, secure and enabling learning environment within and outside a school building. Risk reduction in education emphasises on building a culture of resilience and safety through education, teacher training, training on school level risk assessments, building and retro-fitting school and finally strengthening disaster preparedness in education.
It is said that “earthquake doesn’t kill people -buildings do”. So how those buildings are designed and built, and where they are located, is critical to their ability to withstand different types
of natural hazard. Natural disasters have no borders, it could happen anywhere and anytime, but what is important is the wisdom & effective planning before undertaking any development
project. Multi-disciplinary skills are required to make a structure more aesthetic, attractive and cost-effective, however, one critical and fundamental element is always lacking and often ignored,
is how a structure could be made resilient to different types of natural hazards. Because our preference has been more focused on the aesthetic and architectural designs rather resiliency to any
disaster.
If the multi-disciplinary skills are utilized effectively keeping the element of risk reduction on priority, no doubt risk could be reduced and the ratio of causalities by the failure of structure can
reduce as well. The skills of architects, engineers, planners and surveyors can be collectively utilized to make such safe havens as part of a quality built environment opportunity.
Focus Humanitarian Assistance an affiliate of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has been active in Pakistan since 1998 and its Comprehensive School Safety framework is tailored for the geographies it serves and is unique for the institutional capacity it brings to bear. FOCUS plays its direct role in disaster preparedness and response at one hand side in the mountainous and coastal areas of Pakistan, and also its in-direct role for sensitizing community, stakeholders at other hand side, for getting conscious for site selection of infrastructures to be constructed and how to be safe within the existing buildings in emergencies. It has been involved in risk anticipation and identification of hazards through mapping and GIS based analysis. FOCUS Pakistan has been advocating legislation for school safety and implementing programmes for awareness and has been providing disaster response equipment to schools.
Infrastructure boggles ones mind, we are completely surrounded by it though invisible to our eyes and hence completely overlooked. Today more so our life styles are entirely embedded within a supporting network of technology
and its paraphernalia. Lets put technology aside for a second, can any building actually work without water, gas, electricity supplies or drain facilities? A unanimous no; so how can the design of such important parameters and life
sustaining elements be overlooked since all and every built structure however profound or mundane is sustained by the ever-growing network of services and facilities?
The work is not miniscule even if considered for one building or one family dwelling but is colossal and threatens to overpower the society. Once the infrastructure is laid below the grade level it is impossible to work, amend, or revisit the structure as it is not only phenomenally expensive but an impossible feat in removing the population inhabiting over and around it. Eventually the infrastructure over the years wears thin with the population advances and the demands of the now obsolete and stretched to it maximum layout of wires, cables, pipes and passageways.
Hence why then something of that dire almost life changing importance be ignored or considered ugly? The technological advances in the late twenty first century are immense; small chips can detect the surface and subliminal reading of the earth movement. We can therefore use technology to its maximum yet still the development or the design of infrastructure for the built environment is a task that the stakeholders and politicians of our country are wary to address. Newer urban or maybe rural developments in the scenario of the built environment include some aspects, but the productivity still lacks the demands of the current century.
Risk Free Schools in Pakistan – A Comprehensive School Safety Framework and Approach To Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR)
Text: Anoushe Khan
Visuals: Courtesy FOCUS
School safety is a phenomenon dealing with policies and practices that lead to creation of a safe, secure and enabling learning environment within and outside a school building. Risk reduction in education emphasises on building a culture of resilience and safety through education, teacher training, training on school level risk assessments, building and retro-fitting school and finally strengthening disaster preparedness in education.
It is said that “earthquake doesn’t kill people -buildings do”. So how those buildings are designed and built, and where they are located, is critical to their ability to withstand different types
of natural hazard. Natural disasters have no borders, it could happen anywhere and anytime, but what is important is the wisdom & effective planning before undertaking any development
project. Multi-disciplinary skills are required to make a structure more aesthetic, attractive and cost-effective, however, one critical and fundamental element is always lacking and often ignored,
is how a structure could be made resilient to different types of natural hazards. Because our preference has been more focused on the aesthetic and architectural designs rather resiliency to any
disaster.
If the multi-disciplinary skills are utilized effectively keeping the element of risk reduction on priority, no doubt risk could be reduced and the ratio of causalities by the failure of structure can
reduce as well. The skills of architects, engineers, planners and surveyors can be collectively utilized to make such safe havens as part of a quality built environment opportunity.
Focus Humanitarian Assistance an affiliate of Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) has been active in Pakistan since 1998 and its Comprehensive School Safety framework is tailored for the geographies it serves and is unique for the institutional capacity it brings to bear. FOCUS plays its direct role in disaster preparedness and response at one hand side in the mountainous and coastal areas of Pakistan, and also its in-direct role for sensitizing community, stakeholders at other hand side, for getting conscious for site selection of infrastructures to be constructed and how to be safe within the existing buildings in emergencies. It has been involved in risk anticipation and identification of hazards through mapping and GIS based analysis. FOCUS Pakistan has been advocating legislation for school safety and implementing programmes for awareness and has been providing disaster response equipment to schools.
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