earthquake Japan

can we design landscapes that catch the stuctures before they slide into the sea, thus preventing all the incredible debris we throw into the ocean..Although apparently the plastic gyre while frustruting, is apparently not as bad a pollutant as nuclear power plants and air-born toxics..You can make it look pretty – p ossibly, – but you can’t call it quits at that..

Architecture for Humanity – Cameron Sinclair has begun organizing his efforts

It’s unrealistically cost prohibitive to build structures substantial enough to deter tsunamis for all but the most key locations. Even then, if you build a big levy, Mom nature will build a bigger storm. I mean, did you see what that water did!? What would have stopped it?

The best “design” solution is to not build in locations that are only 3′ above sea level… IE most of Southern California / resort destinations… Give the ocean plenty of room and you won’t have these problems… if we leave the natural buffers, such as mangrove forests, intact, they will help protect the shores, prevent erosion, clean the water and provide wildlife habitat… maybe nature is the best designer and we should abide by her rules instead of using expensive and heavy handed methods in an attempt to have our way with her…

Just watch, instead of looking at aerial photos and saying,”OK, that’s the high water mark… lets not build any closer than that…” I guarantee that rebuilding in affected areas will begin as soon as possible…

They out designed the quake, but nothing is going to stop a 30′ wave. Their design and standards are great for earth quakes. This was as extreme as it gets and all indications are that there was little damage from the quake.. As my professor, who happened to be from Japan, used to say “never build in a flood plain” as I type from elevation 20 (not in a flood zone).

Trace you have really been all over the place lately, are you taking your ADD meds…?

Japan building up to the seashore is not a government conspiracy. We do it all over the place in the US. Japan is a tiny island and needs to make use of every square inch they have available. Have you been up to San O and seen the two nuclear reactors (AKA Dolly Parton) up there? They are on the coast, literally. They dump the hot water directly into the ocean. In fact, only one of the reactors has ever worked. The other one’s foundation settled immediately after construction and has never been used because it might not be safe…. Is that a government conspiracy too…?

How do you go from Japan earthquake, nuclear reactor, environmental building regulations to harbor seals at La Jolla? The reason they don’t like harbor seals is because they attract sharks. Sharks and swimmers (who often wear wetsuits and looks like seals) don’t go well together. Again, it’s not a government conspiracy, La Jolla just doesn’t want people being eaten at their main beach…

Balancing human and environment interaction is all about human safety. It’s best not to build in low lying areas near water and it’s best not to swim with harbor seals in shark infested waters…   

The jetty at La Jolla was built to create a protected area for children to swim, hence it’s original name “childrens beach”. The unintended result was that the seals also found it to be a perfect breeding ground and have taken over, hence it’s adopted name “seal beach”. Since it’s a man-made structure that created the conditions for the seals, should La Jolla just remove the jetty? God giveth and God taketh away… Could they build another jetty, in a less desirable area to swim and encourage the seals to move there? Could they build another swimming hole, just for kids and keep the seals out…? Since humans built the alcove it’s not so much an issue of “human population growth” as it is of “original intent”.