r In Rome, Italy, some of the most beautiful, valuable, and long-standing apart-ment complexes are those located right next to the Pantheon. Covered in graffiti and disguised by its bland colourings, these buildings are shells within which generations of residents have been able to remodel, update, and sustain their changing lifestyles over decades and centuries. These complexes are the examples of resilient housing: Able to adapt to changes in inhabitants, func-tion, and climate, to maintain a sense of flexibility over time, and to be dynamic spaces capable of housing different groups of people and activities. The buildings have remained solid through flooding, military and religious uprises, and millions of tourists disrupting the landscape surrounding them.

esilient housing & systemsThis resilient design goal is similar to certain systems found in nature. One such example of resilience is a forest, which recovers from devestation such as a fire on many levels. Some plant roots, such as aspen trees, run extremely deep and thus are protected from the deadly temperatures, providing almost immediate recovery from the flames. In addition to these adapted plants, there are also dormant seeds, such as those of conifers, waiting in the soil to germinate and sprout to life. Some of these seeds have modified to the point of opening only when touched by the heat of a fire, the epitome of regeneration and resilience. In addition to the effects of a fire on the surrounding plants, wildfires can promote diversity in a habitat, as the regrowth of new trees means new habitats and food sources for different species that may not have been able to survive in the area before. This healing process is one of duality, as the forest is able to sustain itself immediately following a disaster, while being able to slowly replenish itself to perhaps greater strength than was originally possessed.

A resilient system, much like resilient housing, must be able to adapt in order to thrive. A system must be able to respond to a disturbance by resisting damage and recovering quickly. The ability to rebound after a particular stress is crucial in defining a resilient system.

natural systems

thriving forest

forest after fire

deep roots

new seeds

The Bakken Oil Shale Formation, active in North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Canada, is currently the largest oil accumulation in the United States, covering nearly 14,700 square miles. With up to 3.65 billion barrels in oil reserves, Bakken is booming with employment opportunities and the promise of quick wealth. One particular drilling sweet spot includes the town of Williston, North Dakota, whose population has increased from 12,000 residents in 2010 to nearly 25,000 by 2013, with predictions of population rocketing to 60,000 in the next three years.

site location

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2010

2011

2012

oil barrel production per month oil barrel production per month january 2010 - may 2012

oil barrel production per month january 2010 - may 2012

oil barrel production per month

Williston

Saskatchewan Manitoba

MontanaWyoming

South Dakota

DakotaNorth

Bakken Formation Map

from 2004 to july 2012

the number of jobs available in the oil and gas producing counties in north dakotahas increasedmore than 100%

These towns are being flocked to by young men, as promises of oil related employment in an otherwise bleak job market lure them to the desolate north-west regions. The men range in age and skill level from those without a high school diploma, roustabouts, that earn a palatable starting income of $34,680, to college graduates with related degrees and job experience, who can become foremen and drilling consultants, earning upwards $500,000 annually. In addition to their hopes of making an impressive income, the workers residing in the pop-up oil villages have a number of common characteristics. In order to succeed in the rigging industry, these men must be physically fit, able to handle the grueling hours and rigorous lifting and physically demanding machinery operation. The physicality of the jobs, as well as the 12-14 hour work days and the stress of being away from home for weeks, months, or years at a time results in the majority of the workers being no older than mid-thirties. Women working the rigs are a rarity, and many men are either single without a viable local dating pool, or cling to relationships from their hometowns.

Oil rig towns such as Williston, ND are comprised of a monoculture of men hoping to make enough money to support themselves and their families

while the boom lasts.

T h e a v e r a g e e m p l o y e e . . .

ranges in age from 18 to 35

malesingle

makes $98,000/year

pays high utility bills

lives in a man camp

works at a local oil rig

left family back home

works 10-14 hour days

works two weeks on, two weeks off

may suffer work-related injuries

is exposed to toxic chemicals daily

may be drinking contaminated water

physically fit

why do the developments along the Bakken Shale Formation require resilient housing?

The populations of these oil boom towns are rapidly outgrowing the available housing. This means that the rent on what little housing existed in this area before drilling began is quadrupling, rendering new employees unable to pay the inflated prices and forcing them to resort to sleeping in their vehicles or to pitch tents near the drill site. Some rigs that are near enough to towns will put their employees up in local hotels, but for most remote locations this is not a feasible option. Thus, makeshift villages of metal-sided buildings are beginning to rise up from the otherwise barren landscape. These “man camps”, as they are often referred to, act very much like dorm rooms or military barracks, offering minimal comfort and space with monthly high price tags. These camps are often deafen-ingly noisy from the loud machinery nearby, are infiltrated by dust particles, smell like the plastic residue of cheap building materials, and do not offer the comfort or community necessary to combat the brutal workdays employees endure.

f r a c k i n gcreation of fractures in rock formations in

the earth using pressurized fluid, generally for the

purpose of extracting natural gas or oil.

8000ft

waste wateraquifercemented

well

monitoring/storage

kickoff pointfracturesoilshale

% health effects related to oil & gas chemicals

In addition to the severe and immediate housing crunch, the areas in the Bakken Formation that are being depleted of oil have an expiration date. Though it is predicted that each well will produce for about 45 years, the dependence on and consumption of oil is steadily increasing globally. There is no guarantee that these wells will be able to produce, and thus provide jobs and support a growing population, in the next 5,10, or 50 years. 90% of the land in this area is being “fracked”, or obtained by hydraulic fracturing drilling, which leaves behind immense physical damage to the landscape. In addition to the negative health effects of those in the community due to poison entering water supplies, exces-sive amounts of wastewater produced, and increased carcinogens released from the drilling process, the landscape itself will be left scarred. Though the closing of a fracking site requires re-contouring and landscaping, physical reminders of the environmental degradation remain, including permanent concrete pads, left over equipment, water storage tanks, and metering systems. Though the oil rush is a critical component in the development of these towns, if we are not careful these areas may very well transform into ghost towns as quickly as they appeared. Resilient building and planning techniques must be implemented to ensure that this does not happen.

health effects related to oil & gas chemicals

design criteriaLike a forest, in order to be resilient the new housing for the Baken Shale must be twofold: offer a temporary, immediate option for housing along the oil fields, and then either be able to be removed with no consequences or detrimental effects to the landscape or be deployed and then transition over time to other uses. The result should be a design that meets the needs of the current inhabitants/employees in an immediate manner while not compromising the future use or richness of the site. Thus, it needs to offer an immediate band-aid solution while slowly working towards complete regeneration, much like the plants and animals in a forest that has faced a wildfire.

cultural limiting factorsIn addition to the long term environmental effects of oil drilling in the area, a large limiting factor in the design is the monoculture population. Because the people flocking to the oil rigs are predominately young, physically fit males separated from family and friends, the population lacks diversity necessary for a community to sustain itself successfully. Arguably the largest drawback to permanent residences in these oil towns are the lack of women. Without partners to settle down with, employees tend to return to their hometowns. As procreation typically requires both males and females, families in these towns are rarities, thus leaving a huge generational gap that will render the towns unable to function as current working men reach retirement age. In order to sustain the population, the demo-graphics must diversify.

Looking forward, another limiting factor in creating sustaining communities is the lack of guaranteed career opportunities in the towns as they begin to transition from oil dependency. When one well dries up, the employees will most likely be forced to either follow the supply to the next town, or return home and begin their search for a new career path.

morris architecture

Currently, pre-fabricated building companies such as Global Portable Building are designing sturdy, temporary, durable, and portable housing as quickly as they can to accommodate the influx of oil employees. Single wide trailers are also being utilized to provide relatively cheap and mobile lodgings, though both of these solutions lack the aspect of community and permanence needed to encourage growth in the areas and provide the support and comfort employees desire when they return from a grueling day’s work.

As for the abandoned oil rigs, many competitions have already been hosted to generate ideas of adapted uses for the equipment and site. One of these entries included Morris Architecture’s proposal that the deserted seaside rigs be transformed into luxury hotels on the water, accessible by boat and offering unique views and rental units. Another firm, Evolo, chose a more sustainable approach in suggesting a self-containing, multi-use structure completely dependent on solar and wind power for its power. It will take innovative transi-tions and concepts such as these to transform the deserted Bakken Formation dig sites into designs that will prosper even when the oil is depleted.

current temporary housing

Because there are so many employees rushing to the oil boom cities, there is a severe lack of adequate housing. To compen-sate, pre-fabricated single and double wide homes are being built in rows, mimicking the barracks found on most military bases. These residences offer the sole function of providing a warm place for workers to sleep in between shifts. As H & P drilling employee Mike Reynolds mentioned in an online housing thread

“All I need is a heated closet to sleep in a few hours a night. And even that is near impossible to find.”

The result of these trailor-like homes are miles of white boxes that lack the sense of warmth, comfort, and place that residences typically elicit.

military housing

NFL health requirementstypical man camp plan

man camp =+

One of the main reasons the families of the employees choose to not follow their significant others to the oil shale is because they have become attached to the home and city where they currently live. Many don’t want to leave the place and people they love to move to an area with frigid temperatures, unattractive homes, and a landscape barren of all natural beauty. The environment created by these “man camps” is one that does not lend itself to becoming a true “home”, instead serving as merely a temporary resting place for employees.

A key characteristic that differentiates these trailors from a typical family home is the placement of the communal core, or hearth, of the residence. The hearth of each of the employee houses are generally the living quarters - shared bedrooms filled with dorm-style bunk beds and other necessary furniture. Thus there are multiple hearths in each home, individual to each resident. This differentiates from the hearth of most other single family homes, which tend to be a space where occupants of the home can come together as one, typically a kitchen or living room. The placement of the man camp hearths are focused on the individual, creating a sense of isolation and lonesomeness, both undesirable characteristics for a successful communal living space.

man camp hearths (bedroom 1 + 2)

typical home hearths (kitchen/living room)

what is causing this lack of sense of place? what is causing this lack of sense of place? what is causing this lack of Instead of these man camps, housing for the Bakken Oil Shale should be individual residences and whole communi-

ties that are desirable, beautiful spaces to inhabit

even after the oil boom has ended. even after the oil boom has ended. even after the oil boom has ended

In addition to the interior programming deficits of each individual home, these camps lack community spaces and connections that are necessary for a thriving neighborhood. A successful community that draws and retains inhabitants contains parks, gardens, community centers, and other public spaces that encourage friendly interaction between neigh-bors and creates a draw for those families in the market for a house.

Perhaps due to this lack of a sense of place within the new boom-town housing, though the structures themselves are expected to stand the duration of the 45 year lifespan of the oil shale, the occupants of the housing are turning over at a rapid rate. Men often work only a few years at the rig, until they either save up enough money, find other employment closer to their families back home, or get injured and are unable to perform their daily duties. When they are finished with their time on the rig, they have no need or desire to continue living in the camps, and move out, freeing valuable space in the residence for a new employee.

In addition to the interior programming deficits of each individual home, these camps lack community spaces and connections that are necessary for a thriving neighborhood. A successful community that draws and retains inhabitants contains parks, gardens, community centers, and other public spaces that encourage friendly interaction between neigh-bors and creates a draw for those families in the market for a house.

Perhaps due to this lack of a sense of place within the new boom-town housing, though the structures themselves are expected to stand the duration of the 45 year lifespan of the oil shale, the occupants of the housing are turning over at a rapid rate. Men often work only a few years at the rig, until they either save up enough money, find other employment closer to their families back home, or get injured and are unable to perform their daily duties. When they are finished with their time on the rig, they have no need or desire to continue living in the camps, and move out, freeing valuable space in the residence for a new employee.

inclusive community with characteristics that

draw residents in

closed community with characteristics that

repel potential residents

a d e s i r a b l e s p a c e :

creates a sense of community

encourages tenant interaction is warm and comforting

is energy efficient

is not polluted with toxins

offers community ammenities

is not segregated

is aesthetically pleasing

is inhabitable after oil depletes

p h a s i n g

Though the entire plan of the residential spaces in an oil boom town such as Williston, North Dakota must be reworked to adequately meet the needs

of the occupants, the need for immediate housing must be addressed. Though ideally the ugly white boxes will be demolished, until more perma-

nent, functional, and aesthetically pleasing housing is built, the current housing must transition in phases.

williston, north dakotaa city stretched to its limits williston, north dakotaa city stretched to its limits williston, north dakota

electricity

water

parking

waste/landfills

current usage: 971 megawattsprojected usage by 2032: 3030 megawatts

population

Basin Electric to install 2 power plants in area, with 345 kilovolt transmission line to Williston

city water available new water treatment plant produces 14 million gallons/daywell water often contaminated and unsafe

many forced to live in their cars due to lack of housingstores like Walmart are restricting parking lots to customers only

city landfill and collection services past capacity

52% increase from 2005 to 2013

s i t e

m a i n s t r e e t

c u r r e n t t o w n

willistonnorth dakota

How can I createtemporary, immediate housing

that meets the needs of current oil rig employees

while ensuringresiliency of the scarred landscape

after fracking is completed?

re ig oy

g pl

implement an efficient man camp that can be removed with minimal damage at the end of the oil boom

create a housing community that will endure even after the oil is depleted

t w o e x t r e m e s

-or-

place barrack-style camps within wall separating

boom commu-nity from

downtown

when oil is depleted,

community is disassembled

and men return to hometowns

as community expands, more barracks are

added

yearsyearsyears

drugs

landscape

robbery

cat calling

problems

efficient man campsThe influx of men to work on the oil rigs has led to increased crime and safety concerns for the city. One extreme way to deal with this issue architecturally is to create an ideal man camp that allows fcomplete efficiency for the worker. These would merely be places to sleep, with maximum space utilization that is concientious of the workers’ lifestyle. The camps would be reminiscant of military barracks, and would be surrounded by a large gate that would act as a buffer between the town of Williston and the camp. Thus the men can continue their unique lifestyle choices with minimal interference to the town. Perhaps these barrack arrangements would even make obtaining drugs and crude behaviors more prevelant, but that only increases efficiency further for the clientele. When the oil runs out, the town could just disap-pear, and the town of Williston would carry on as it had before the boom.

X 183600 ft2

200 ft per person

solutions

no women

containment

non - permanence

high density

PLANSCALE 1/16” = 1 0”

N

Due to the oil boom, Williston’s population is expanding quicker than its housing can be built

A lack of sense of place and community contricutes to many men leaving after only a short while on the job

Inefficiently built trailer homes lead to exhorbant utility bills for occupants

Williston is currently a monocul-ture of men, which results in a community lacking appeal for women and those with families

current issues

resilient community transitionThe second option for resiliency within the Williston community is one of transition. Instead of restoring the community to its state prior to the oil boom, this proposal allows for Williston to transform into a larger, more diverse, and rich town. Pre fabricated homes similar (though more energy efficient and aesthetically pleasing) to the current man camps would be arranged in a way so as to promote a sense of community, provide an environment safe and comfortable for families to reside, and eventually be able to sustain itself even after the oil has been depleted.

trailers placed in courtyard forma-

tion

men begin to bring families to

new communities

courtyar uses begin to develop

and change

anchor such as university or renew-able energy draws

residents

oil depleted, commu-nities fully transitioned

yearsyears

single family 1occupancy 3

single family 2occupancy 5

workers’ dorm 1occupancy 6

workers’ dorm 2occupancy 6

PLANSCALE 1/16” = 1 0”

N

private space

CONTEXTSCALE: /32” = ’0”

public space

N

courtyard phasing

EAST ELEVATION

WEST ELEVATION 1/16” = 1’0”

1/16” = 1’0”

NORTH ELEVATION SOUTH ELEVATION 1/16” = 1’0” 1/16” = 1’0”

34

5

6

7

89 10

11

121314

1234567891011121314

concrete footingcontinuous beaminsulation

finished floordoorcontinuous beamwindow finish ceiling foam in place insulationrafter2x6 deckingWRBstanding seam

metal roof

subfloor

12

the rigs

the people

the landscape

the homes

a f t e r t h e b o o m

community anchors

williston state college

resilient community transition

renewable energy farm

Williston is currently home to Williston State College, a two year community college that was established in 1907. if the college was to transition to a more established four year university, the community would attract students, faculty, and industry that would benefit from highly educated graduates. In addition, graduates would feel a connection to the area and thus would have a greater liklihood of wanting to settle down perma-nently in Williston, potentially raising a family and contributing to the economic growth of the city outside of the oil boom.

Saudi Arabia’s economy is com-pletely dependent on oil exporta-tion. The country realized however, that tthey had to make a transition if their economy was to survive once all of their oil is drilled. Currently, their most intelligent workers are hard at work developing plans to transition their economy from oil-relient to becoming the world’s first exporter of kilowatts of energy from renewable sources. On a much smaller scale, Williston too could consider transitioning it’s efforts towards producing wind and solar farms, employing citizens currently working at the oil rigs to work instead on these new tech-nologies.

efficient man campzero footprint

ficient man campo footprint

ficient man camp

If the efficient man camps were implemented, they could be removed without any remnants of the camps having ever existed. Essentially, it would be as though Williston never had experienced the oil boom. The flimsy materials of the barracks would be disposed of (they were only designed to last a few years regardless), the fracking stations sealed, and the men would return to their hometowns. The small town of Williston would be happy to see the crime-ridden town behind the man camp walls disappear so it can return to its

former state.

man campswilliston, north dakotakrista doelder fall 2013