The Tabasco Amphibiousproject is a proposal by Architect Juan Castaños for the Mexican government and other governments around the world to mitigate natural phenomena due to floods and climate changes on our planet. To support this proposal, Architect Juan Castaños founded the non-profit organization "FundacionAnfibia".
In late October and early November 2007, Tabasco Mexico witnessed a series of events that led to economic and social damage of historic proportions. Combining numerous meteorological conditions which in turn exceeded the capacity of existing infrastructure and demonstrated the need to increase every effort to prevent the effects of events of a similar nature.
Flood of 2007 City of Villahermosa Tabasco México.
Tabasco is located in the South East of México and the capital is Villahermosa.
•Territory of the State of Tabasco Mexico 2,626,700 Has.
•Inhabitants 2,238,603
•Flooding covered 80% of the Territory in year 2007
•That means that 2,101,360 Has. Where in the Water
•including 1,200,000.00 displaced from there homes in year 2007
Satellite View, Air masses from Europe and Asia. Photo by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrations U.S.A.
Hidro meteorological phenomena
Natural disasters are difficult to predict and any territory may be affected.Each year in Mexico, there have been recorded all kinds of events that alter the economy and society of different locations regardless of size.According to government estimates, the events that have had the greatest impact on the lives of the population, according to the damage they have caused, are what are known as:hydro meteorological phenomena.
History of Floding in Tabasco Mexico between the years 1985 - 2012 recorded by NASA Satelites. National Aeronautics and Space Administration image registering floods in 2007 around the world.
Identification of Flooded Areas in the State of Tabasco, Mexico (Nov 6, 2007)
Governmetal Actions.
A) 53 years ago in 1960 the three levels of government agreed on a solution to prevent damage and keep the economic growth of Tabasco through the construction of a system of dams on the Grijalva Delta System.
B) Comprehensive Flood Plan Year 2003 PICI Investment 2.600 Million Pesos.
C) Comprehensive Hydraulic Plan for Tabasco Year 2008 IPHIT Investment 8,000 million pesos In the field of public policy of flood control, these actions are aligned exclusively with the current thoughts of resistance but not adaptive.
According to the World Meteorological Organization, a comprehensive plan should consider all factors relating to damages or losses that may be incurred by the society because of a flood. The purpose of this is to maximize the potential associated risks.
Note: The federal government of Mexico, through the Ministry of the Interior and the Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources;government agencies are directly responsible for flood management and care. Their tools are the National Civil Protection System and the National Center for Disaster Prevention.
All rivers, lakes and coasts in Tabasco are within the jurisdiction of the National Water Commission.
The Tabasco Amphibious Project is an architectural, urban planning, engineering and new technologies. Alternative action to help society, government and other countries around the world that suffer great losses of human lives, flora, fauna, including the economy due to floods and climate change in our planet.
The Tabasco Amphibious Project is based on four vertebral elements:
1.-Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development For the State of Tabasco Mexico.
2.-Research Center for Development of Sustainable Amphibious Technology in the State of Tabasco Mexico.
3.-Interactive Water Museum of Tabasco Mexico.
4.-Finace Center for the Develoment for the Tabasco Amphibious Project
Introduction.
1.-Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development For the State of Tabasco Mexico.
Today it is a fact of climate change on our planet, and we have to have the vision of what we are currently experiencing, this change leads to the need to take safety measures and adaptation with the help of the Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development for the State of Tabasco.
With this Master plan we will anticipate to give a solution to the problem.We must evolve in the way we live now in our urban environment, to be able to combat the huge losses as a result of flooding in the interests of its people, otherwise we will continue to live in risk due to the changes and current weather conditions of our planet.
History.
This Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development for the State of Tabasco, is the technical and legal instrument for land territory ordinances that will determine the guidelines applicable to the whole area of study which involved several areas of the municipalities of Tabasco with flood history, also promoting the coordination of efforts for local, state and federal Government, to ensure a sustainable amphibious development in the state of Tabasco including a harmonious way of living for urban, social, cultural and natural Habitat.
Graphic showing critical situation and risk of Flooding of the territory in Tabasco Mexico, Flood of 2007.
Justification.
The action taken with this proposal for a new Urban Development in Amphibious Cities is justified by the presence of various situations, among which are:
A) The State of Tabasco represents an important strategy area for the development of Mexico. Including their Industries in Petroleum, Livestock, Agriculture, Fisheries, Natural Resources and Tourism.
B) The location and vocations of their economic activities has a significant potential for the development of Amphibious cities.
C) Protecting lives and the common interests of the inhabitants from natural disasters such as floods. In place of stopping the economy due to the flooding.
D) The Amphibious cities will help in boosting the economic growth of these marsh lands and low lying areas, as well as rearranging the urban planning of the existing cities.
E) To protect the lives of its inhabitants, heritage and urban environment; by avoiding heavy losses, improving the economy of the State of Tabasco and it’s cities that are threatened by floods both now and in the future.
F) Tabasco has the most important hydrological system of our country and has concentrated 33 percent of Mexico's fresh water, because of its location and vocations of local businesses it has a significant potential for the development of Amphibious cities.
G) The Tabasco Amphibious project will improve the quality of life of its people, its government finances, the economy of the people and above all there will not be a stop to the economic development of the State of Tabasco.
H) It will cause an opening of investment opportunities, as well as being able to manage and take advantage of their natural resources by using sustainable Amphibious Architecture.
•Amphibious Urban Development during dry and flooding season.
Scope
Through the implementation of the Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development of the State of Tabasco. This is aimed at developing sustainable amphibious cities in the territory of Tabasco where its inhabitants can live and survive floods, based on floating structures built by the new amphibious technologies available and use these structures in different sectors such as housing, transportation, urban infrastructure, roads, bridges also in the Industry of agriculture, livestock, health, and education etc.
As these amphibious cities are an alternative where both developments the existing cities and the new amphibious cities program will coexist.
1.- History: Review Legal Bases, Federal Legislation, State Legislation, Evaluation of existing programs, federal and international, state and municipal level, conceptual and methodological framework.
2.- Diagnosis and Prognostic: Defining the Study Area, Natural Physical Environment, Physical Aspects and Cultural Heritage, Natural Resources usable, Environmental Issues, Risk Systems, Current Situation of the Regions of the State of Tabasco, socioeconomics, demography, urban image, Uses of land zoning, including the Housing System.
3.- Synthesis of Diagnosis and Pronostic: Synthesis of the strengths and weaknesses of the territorial urban planning ordinances of the state of Tabasco, Structure and operation of the State Urban System for long-term including the Analysis for a development model, taking in consideration the scenario in Trend and Context.
4.- Objectives and Goals for Amphibious Cities: General and specific objectives for Amphibious Urban Development and land ordinances, including Housing, Regional, Social, Cultural, Ecological, and Environmental.
5.- Policies and Strategies: For the environment and its’ relation with the Amphibious Urban Planning Ordinances, for economic activity in urban amphibious planning , For social context and cultural development in Amphibious Urban Ordinances. Solid strategies with the different sectors: Municipal, federal, private and social.
6.- Programs in Urban Ordinances: Programs for the Amphibious Urban Planning Ordinances statewide, : according to a sustainable model in the occupation andland use.
7.- Mechanisms and Instrumentation: Legal Instruments, for the administrative operation of the Amphibious Urban Ordinances and creating Financial instruments, for obtaining resources, coordination of actions and investments with the private, public and social sector.
8.- Mechanisms, Monitoring and Evaluation in Planning Human Settlements: Monitoring and implementation of criteria Amphibious Urban Ordinances, Feedback, Monitoring, Control and Evaluation of Actions.
Relationship & interconnection of the new Amphibious Development with existing cities. In the State of Tabasco Mexico.
Example: Low Lying areas as an alternative use in Amphibious Urban Development in the city of Villahermosa Tabasco Mexico.
Research Center for the Development of Sustainable Amphibious Technology for the State of Tabasco Mexico.
Introduction
The Research Center for Development in Sustainable Amphibious Technology will be the first installation for the Government of the State of Tabasco dedicated especially for research and development projects to alleviate flooding problems in the state.
(RCDSATSTM) is the "Center of Excellence" to assist in the operations and management of water in the state. The main objective of the Research Center is to develop, verify and transfer advanced information with other agencies such as national and international institutions to find solutions where human beings count on new life in the adaptation of climate change on our planet.
A) The flood of Tabasco in 2007 is regarded as the second most serious natural disaster in the history of Mexico.
B) Tabasco and its’ history have always been synonymous with water and flooding.
C) Recognized by the National Weather Service (NWS), Tabasco is the state where it receives more rain than the rest of the country.
D) Tabasco has the most important hydrological system of our country which supplies 33 percent of Mexico's fresh water.
E) The flood of 2007 affected socially and economically to the 17 municipalities of the state and 80% of its territory.
History
Currently the state of Tabasco does not have support to have it’s own Research Center; in which to develop advanced technologies, to interpret, solve and help with alternatives, which are currently established by the federal government.
By having such a Research Center it would be a great benefit by helping and supporting the state government in the constant challenge to alleviate the existing socio-economic problems directly affecting its population due to recurring floods in the state of Tabasco.
Problem
Why the state of Tabasco suffers and experiences constant floods?
1) Geographical location, becauseit is located onlyten meters above sea level.
2) The characteristics of thewarm humid climate that brings rain all year round, mainly in the summer monthsSeptember and October.
3) Irregular human settlements on the borders of rivers and low liying housing settlements.
4) Theeffects of climate change due to anthropogenic actions.
5) Poor management of thedam system that makes up the Grijalva River, this last factor that led to theflood in 2007 (Perevochtchikova M., & Lezama J, 2002).
Justification According to the damage report released by the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) of the United Nations (UN).The floods of October and November 2007 in Tabasco. Note: Excludes impacts and economic losses by floods before 2007.
Flood effects
Infrastructure, Livestock, Housing, Lack of Jobs, People Displayed, Enviroment, Agriculture, etc..
Objectives
A) Having a direct relationship with business and government to solve energy problems in the field of international competitiveness and requirements or problems of society.
B) To train highly qualified human resources specialized in applied research, development of clean energy technologies and innovation in the energy sector and the technology transfer of research outputs.
C) To promote regional small and medium size business that manufacture and market equipment for the use of renewable energy.
D) To meet specific demands applying research to technology development and innovation to help increase the level of international competition with the local and national business.
Benefits of the Tabasco Amphibious Project
Having a Research Center for Development of Sustainable Amphibious Technology for the State of Tabasco we are going to be able to promote better quality of the inhabitants life in areas such as Health, Goverment, Use of Renewable Energy, Environmental Protection, Business Conpetitiveness, New Companies, Jobs, Industries, etc,..
Scope
Amphibious Technologies System Benefits
Building Amphibious Housing in benefit of the populations affected by the floods of Tabasco Mexico.
As a local geographic characteristic, of the state of Tabasco, the inhabitants have to live with one of the most valuable elements in nature water and also floods. We strive to integrate technologies in architectural and urban development for surviving the flooding of our lands, without stopping production processes and to maintain our lifestyle in a natural way, with the support of the Master Plan of Sustainable Amphibious Urban Development for the state of Tabasco Mexico.
Construction proposal of Amphibious Housing Prototype for the cities affected by flooding. Prototype RA-01
The innovative design of the amphibious techonology will allow the house to be maintained in the ground when it is the dry season and when it is the rainy and flood season the house will rise according to the water level.
The Interactive Water Museum of the State of Tabasco Mexico.
The iconic and futuristic architectural Master Design; The Drop of Water, is inspired by nature and our eco-system, above all the symbol of life for our species on earth.
The beauty this design achieves in its Amphibious architecture, forms and spaces is where its author Arch. Juan Castanos places the creation of this project, directly associated with water; one of the four basic elements of stability in the creation of our planet, whether its beneficial or destructive, it has a direct impact on humanity.
Introduction
The launch of the Interactive Water Museum in Tabasco Mexico responds largely to a massive outreach strategy to materialize in a timely manner with society the importance of water and the adaptation to flooding in our state as well as the new Amphibious Science and technologies that will be applied in our territory.
Responding to the various government policies, and in some cases initiatives of private enterprise, Universities and other institutions. The development of this interactive museum is bringing in a friendly, but serious turn of science and technology to the general public.
History
We have as main features of the Interactive Museum of Science and Technology the following:
The Science Centers are concerned with contemporary science explaining its importance and application through interactive assemblies that are far from a purely historical conception of the traditional museum.
In these interactive centers visitors are encouraged to participate, to manipulate the displays to interact freely with these activities.
The exhibits are designed as educational objects, not as collectibles. The educational function of the exhibits enhanced with specific programs to support formal education.
Its contents may include various scientific technological topics at a time, engaging in a specific branch of scientific knowledge as physics , biology or another specialized science, in explaining technological uses in industry.
Justification
The Interactive Water Museum in Tabasco Mexico , Is the answer to the social appropriation of science and technology needs for the future Tabasco.
Knowledge, education ,participation and productive use of leisure time are the ingredients that make The Interactive Museum visit an unforgettable experience.
The Interactive Water Museum is the ideal environment to explore, touch, feel, understand and become familiar with the basic social sciences integrating all human creative expressions.
Making one of the most important research centers in Mexico and Latin America, related to knowing the value of water within the framework of sustainable development.
Objectives
A) To promote a strengthening raise of awareness in the population, in regards to the culture of water in the State.
B) To promote environmental education in regards to water and our environment.
C) To value the greatest treasure of Tabasco; rivers, lakes, ponds and swamps, and promoting actions for preservation and conservation.
D) Encourage our inhabitants to adapt to our urban and natural environment in relation to climate change on our planet.
E) Promote education at all levels in the interplay of water and humans. F) Give the service of a research center to share with national and international institutions the technologies applied to mitigate flood problems.
Scope
A) Promoting tourism.
B) Attracting domestic and foreign tourists.
C) Promoting the use of rivers .
D) Promoting fishing tours and recreational tours.
E) Economic impact throughout the area.
F) Create a Architectural landscape including sightseeing areas.
G) Will improve the urban image and enhancement of the city of Villahermosa Tabasco.
H) The Museum will Create a tourist attraction for national and international visitors. i) Will boost the economy of the city.
Guiding Principles
1. - Education
2. - Water Culture
3. - Art
4. - Research
5. – National & International Tourism
6. - World Architectural Icon
7. -Development in New Technologies
Introduction
The Finance Center for the Development of the Tabasco Amphibious Project Its main purpose is to promote national and international economic cooperation, strengthening the economic development of the state of Tabasco through the development of the Tabasco Amphibious project .
Financial integration can be achieved in several ways. It can occur as a result of formal efforts to integrate financial markets with private partners, typically those who participate in a regional integration agreement in this sense, integration may include removing restrictions in the financial transactions by companies from countries in the same agreement and harmonization of standards, taxes and regulations among members of other countries.
History
According to new reports in 2012 from the financial institution, the World Bank, it was time for the financial sector in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) to expand sustainably in new directions, encouraging economic activity and financial inclusion in the State of the Municipalities of Tabasco Mexico.
Identifying the source and acquire funds for the development of the Tabasco Amphibious Project to benefit the people of the State of Tabasco, Mexico.
Financial integration is the process by which a country‘s financial markets are more closely involved and are able to participate in markets around the world.
It involves the removal of barriers to foreign financial institutions, in some countries or around the world, to operate overseas or cross-border provision of financial services.
This may involve the connection of banking markets, stock and other financial markets for drafting of this great vision of initiatives and will impact the state, municipality or country by creating a sustainable project for the benefit of the inhabitants.
Justification
The economic and trade cooperation to achieve progress and the consolidation of an innovative, dynamic, transparent, equitable and balance effective access.
Promoting economic growth and development to overcome asymmetries by the complementation of the economies of the countries and promoting the welfare of all sectors of the population, which will reduce poverty, alleviating the problems attributed to natural disasters such as floods.
The 10 costliest disasters in Mexico, 1985-2007
Objetives
A) The social and human development with equity and inclusion to eradicate poverty and overcome inequality in the region.
B) The strengthening of political dialogue among state members to ensure an opportunity for consensus to strengthen the economic integration of the countries of the North, Latin America, Europe and Asia with the participation of the Tabasco Amphibious Project on the international stage.
C) The eradication of illiteracy, universal access to quality education and regional recognition of studies and qualifications.
D) Energy integration for sustainable and fair resources of the region.
E) The incorporation of sustainable projects to generate jobs in the regions.
F) The development of an amphibious infrastructure for the interconnection of the region and among our people, according to criteria of sustainable social and economic development.
G) The protection of biodiversity, water resources and ecosystems, as well as cooperation in disaster prevention and the fight against the causes and effects of climate change.
H) Financial integration by adopting mechanisms compatible with the economic and fiscal policies of the states members.
H) The energy integration for the integral, sustainable and fair resources of the region.
I) The development of practical and effective mechanisms to overcome asymmetries, thus achieving an equitable integration.
J) Universal access to social security and health services.
K) The industrial and productive integration, with a focus on small and medium enterprises, cooperatives, networks and other forms of productive organization.
L) The definition and implementation of policies and projects of common or complementary research, innovation, technology transfer and production in order to increase capacity, sustainability and scientific and technological development itself.
M) The promotion of cultural diversity and expressions of memory ,knowledge and wisdom of the people of the region, to strengthen their identities.
N) Citizen participation through interaction and dialogue mechanisms.
Guiding Principles
The initial strategy to establish the mechanisms for collaboration and support fundraising for the Research Center for the Development of Sustainable Amphibious Technologies is making cooperation agreements with Universities and Technical Colleges in the country and abroad for the mutual benefit between our people, for linking academic and University research to the operational plan of the Research Center.
The second line of action is bonding with Chambers and Associations of Tabasco along with national and international ones, for both urban and rural sustainable production projects.
The third course of action is to participate in federal programs, along with the productive sectors of the state, such as the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), Ministry of Social Development (SEDESOL ), Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), PEMEX, CFE and trusts and federal building institutional programs such as CNA, FIRCO, CONACYT, FIRA and Rural. Finance.
Scope
Finally, in the framework of the United Nations Organization (UN), the Research Center will link the United Nations Program for Development (UNDP), which provides grants for sustainable human development.
There are other UN programs that promote development in collaboration with governments and non-governmental organizations, such as the Nations Fund Population Fund (UNFPA) and the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which promotes sound ecological practices worldwide.
These lines of action were complementary to those already established by the agencies and institutions that are linked to the programs and objectives of the Research Center.
Dedications
To Mexico, and other countries I am offering this Modest Presentation, my time and dedication, contributing as an architect in helping with this project to improve, preserve and learn to live with the water in our Beautiful Country.
And to serve as a foundation for inspiring new talents in giving solutions to people throughout the world, designing new Amphibious cities do to the effects of climate change and floods, with deep respect for all the people who have lost their homes. belongings but especially their loved ones as a result of a flood. My most sincere condolences.
God Bless. Juan Castanos
Special dedication and tribute to my father for all his advice and dedication in support of this modest work. Eng. Juan Castaños Lopez R.I.P. December 27 of 2012