109 Architectes recently took home the third prize at the 12th annual ThyssenKrupp Elevator Architecture Awards with their design for for the Disaster Prevention and Education Center in Bakırköy, Istanbul. A total of 287 projects from 59 countries were submitted to the competition. Participants were required to propose an Istanbul Disaster Prevention and Education Center on a 27,000m2 piece of land. The center will be equipped with educational resources including audiovisual equipment, simulation systems to recreate the experience of natural disasters, first aid supplies and emergency communication systems. In the center, a planetarium, library, information boards and meeting halls will serve to inform visitors. More images and project description after the break.
Disaster prevention is about communication and information: it’s about a reliable network. The flow of information before a disaster is essential to prepare for effective reactions during and after a catastrophic event. Once a disaster occurs, that same communication network is crucial for assessing the needs of victims in the disaster zone and advising action. It also enables the delivery of moral support to emergency crews under duress. On a more tangible level, a physical network of roads, railways and airports allows supplies and rescue workers to move quickly between the site and safe areas.
