URUS2 Code PAB017 URUS2 shows a new concept to make houses in wetlands. Amphibious houses, either floating or resting on soft grounds. The context of these houses is a collective artificial island, inspirated on the floating reed islands of the URUS-indians of Peru. These islands, autonomous and self-supporting, become metaphorical for this design. CONCEPT: Large parts of the Dutch landscape are situated below sea level. Often, these soils do not allow building activities without radically modifications to the natural conditions. URUS2 shows a new concept to build houses on these wetlands. Amphibious houses; capable either to float or to rest on soft soaked grounds. These houses can only become homes if they are related to a durable context. In this design the context becomes the major conceptual issue. The URUS Indians of Peru live on floating islands on the Titicaca lake. When centuries ago the Incas extended their empire, the Indians withdrawed from the shores to the lake. The main vegetation in their area is reed, which they use to build their floating islands. The 300 inhabitants have build up a lifestyle entirely around reeds. Apart from the composition of the island itself their huts and beds are made out of reed and for transportation they use reed boats. The islands vary in size from tiny ones (approx. 3 huts), to much larger communities with 40 huts or more. Nowadays the bigger islands have their own solar energy systems, telephone and several facilities such as a medical center and a school. These islands can be seen as an autonomously self-supporting organisms, strongly bound to nature. They become a metaphor for the design of URUS2. REFERENCES: The amphibious character of URUS2 makes it independent of physical surroundings. It can be placed or drifted anywhere, whether or not connected to the mainland. The population is mobile, using boats, amphibious transport systems, or while on the drift, they just wait until the island strands to shore. It doesn't refer to a specific landscape or context, but is autonomous in appearance and function and provides a sublime balance between men and nature. SITE PLAN: The artificial island forms the context for an amphibious community, which can be placed in wet areas, like; river delta's, lakes and accordingly to recent Dutch political decisions in future in inundated polders. The island as such is self-supporting in energy. It has it's own effluent systems and generates it's own drinking water by purifying rainwater. Of course, it's connected to modern communication systems. The houses on the island are placed in a non-hierarchical flexible grid and can be placed or removed independently. In shallow waters, the flexible surface of the island adjusts itself to the profile of the underground by means of the hydraulic plungers in concrete boxes. In deep waters, the island floats. PROGRAM: * 150 Houses designed accordingly the IFD methods (Industrial-Fexible-Deconstructable). * 3 Facility blocks containing; a school, shops, a social center, parking, collective technical facilities and a windpowerfield. TECHNIQUE: The island is compiled of hollow concrete boxes in a 7,5x7,5m. grid and an "artificial carpet" that is mounted between the boxes. Due to the flexibility of this construction, the island has the ability to adjust itself to the situation and shape of the underground. These boxes are the main part of the construction and are used as technical cellars of the individual houses. In the bottom of each box, 4 powerful hydraulic plungers are mounted and attached to a base-plate wich can reach the necessarily depths to stabilize the construction and keep the houses in all situations in a horizontal position. HOUSING: The technical concept of the houses is based on the surf-board construction. With light modular elements, the houses can be quickly placed and removed if necessary. Walls are built of polyester sandwich panels with a foamcore. Integrated "stringers" provide the stiffness of the panels. Doors and windows are integrated in the system. A light steel frame construction upon the concrete boxes provides the stability and carries the floors. Each house has a multi-orientated solar panel system on the roof to collect energy and to drain rainwater to selected storage tanks.