margot krasojevic envisions dynamic seismic hotel in italy

based on italy’s history of earthquakes which are increasing in frequency, studio margot krasojevic architecture has proposed a hotel designed to reduce and contain its destruction following any seismic activity. accordingly, the building would be located in the western province near the city of naples.

seismic damper interlocking frames which ride out the tremor whilst reducing kinetic energy

margot krasojevic architecture’s proposal has a distinct program which involves the effects of earthquakes, tremors and dislocations in the immediate environment. indeed, the architecture is choreographed by the earthquake, responding to the movement and minimizing the impact of  destruction. the software used to develop the design involves simulations to  better understand the effects of dislocations in the landscape.

digital diagram of the hotel proposal 

the base plan consists of three separate elements which move away from each other when any activity is recorded by the hotel’s seismometers. the entire scheme sits in fact on a series of parallelograms acting as seismic isolators and are partly exposed foundations made of stacked rubber and lead plates. these light elements ride out the tremor whilst reducing kinetic energy. all in all, the entire proposal is a shock absorber attaching itself to the landscape as isolators lock down upon the first sign of seismic activity. anything above five on the richter scale is a potentially fatal situation and the building responds by dislocating and breaking apart — thus reducing the impact of destruction.

post tremor fault line: digital simulations help better understand the effects of dislocation in the landscape

early earthquake warning signs include water tray reverberations which act as both a landscape feature and tremor detection element. bird flight and the hotel aviary also indicate any incoming earthquake, this along with seismology readings and GPS receivers attached to the seismic damper foundations.

flooded landscape hotel walkways

building components are constructed from lightweight aluminium frame, annealed laminated glass panels and recycled plastic boards which are strong yet malleable and light — making it easier to drift from neighbouring elements and slide along the seismic parallelogram frame which they rest on. 

partly flooded hotel landscape

seismic isolator frames made of rubber and steel plates, stacked onto each other

sequence view showing the deformation and dislocation of the hotel base once seismic activity is detected

folded pre-tremor plan of the hotel

plan: post tremor dislocated building element

lightweight building elements sliding apart during tremors

the base plan consists of three separate elements which move away from each other when any activity is recorded

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lea zeitoun | designboom