Life Lessons from the Landscape: Spatial Education for Earthquake Preparedness

<p>Architecture can be conceived and designed as an active participant in enhancing awareness of the prevalence of seismic activity by illuminating the unremitting transformation of the landscape and providing places where interaction is focussed around seismic issues. The continued awareness of changes to our landscape, potential loss of life, property, and national cultural or historical artefacts is an important means by which future preparedness can be encouraged. This thesis argues that an awareness of the message to safeguard one's future and one's family's futures could be understood through a spatial experience. This thesis proposes an architectural approach for seismically active contexts using a specific site – a recreational reserve called Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt – as a design research case study. The site is of great geological significance to the Wellington region and New Zealand as its natural landmarks can be used to measure and publicly witness the direct effects of seismic movement along the Wellington Fault line which runs through the centre of the site. The thesis uses architecture to transform the site into a living memorial, which recognises the past devastating earthquakes in New Zealand and provides for the commemoration of losses from future damaging earthquakes should public preparedness not improve. The architecture also functions as an earthquake education facility and geologist research facility in order to enhance the educational experience of the site. The intention of the thesis is to use architecture as a means of actively enhancing public awareness of the need to understand and prepare for the effects of seismic activity.</p>

Life Lessons from the Landscape: Spatial Education for Earthquake Preparedness

<p>Architecture can be conceived and designed as an active participant in enhancing awareness of the prevalence of seismic activity by illuminating the unremitting transformation of the landscape and providing places where interaction is focussed around seismic issues. The continued awareness of changes to our landscape, potential loss of life, property, and national cultural or historical artefacts is an important means by which future preparedness can be encouraged. This thesis argues that an awareness of the message to safeguard one's future and one's family's futures could be understood through a spatial experience. This thesis proposes an architectural approach for seismically active contexts using a specific site – a recreational reserve called Harcourt Park in Upper Hutt – as a design research case study. The site is of great geological significance to the Wellington region and New Zealand as its natural landmarks can be used to measure and publicly witness the direct effects of seismic movement along the Wellington Fault line which runs through the centre of the site. The thesis uses architecture to transform the site into a living memorial, which recognises the past devastating earthquakes in New Zealand and provides for the commemoration of losses from future damaging earthquakes should public preparedness not improve. The architecture also functions as an earthquake education facility and geologist research facility in order to enhance the educational experience of the site. The intention of the thesis is to use architecture as a means of actively enhancing public awareness of the need to understand and prepare for the effects of seismic activity.</p>

The Representation of Earthquakes in Hindu Religion: A Literature Review to Improve Educational Communications in Nepal

In Nepal, after every large earthquake, local people appear to be motivated to get better prepared for future earthquakes. However, their motivation vanishes before effective preparation, mainly due to the lack of earthquake education in their community. Promoting up-to-date scientific knowledge to a society living under high earthquake hazard is important and contributes to reduce the related risk. The dissemination of information in Nepal lags far behind modern seismological knowledge, and part of the local population still believes in religious explanations and stories about earthquakes. We run an educational program in Nepal to make people better aware of earthquakes and to improve their preparedness through obligatory school education, but the dichotomy between scientific and religious visions of earthquakes remains a challenge. For more efficient acceptance of earthquake preparatory advices, it is important to better perceive the religious narration of earthquakes and to include these in the educational communications. Thereby, we reviewed the main sources of Hindu literature and gathered relevant and interesting explanations on earthquake evidences and causes. The primary religious interpretations of earthquakes in different Hindu texts are related to the Gods and their actions, and some sources also include physical descriptions of earthquakes related situations or processes. We found that most of the stories, causes and explanations of earthquake do not match with the concepts of modern science, yet there are exceptions such as a historically old advice to leave buildings during the shaking. The collected findings are important not only from a religious literature review perspective, but also and mainly to develop an inclusive and more efficient strategy to communicate about earthquake related topics in the classroom as well as with the public in Nepal.

Challenges in the Preservation of Disaster Remains – Example of the Chelungpu Fault Preservation Park

Taiwan is located along the boundary of the Eurasian and the Philippine Sea plates and experiences tens of thousands of earthquakes each year. Based on historical records, Taiwan has had several earthquakes of magnitude greater than 7.0. Notable and deadly quakes occurred in 1906 (Meishan Earthquake), 1935 (Hsinchu-Taichung Earthquake), and 1999 (Chi-Chi Earthquake). Statistically, Taiwan has had a major earthquake every 30–60 years. Therefore, earthquake museums are needed for long-term earthquake education and geoheritage exhibitions. Earthquake museums highlight disaster risks and preparedness information. The purpose of preserving earthquake remains is to educate visitors about Taiwan’s natural disasters and provide a memorable experience that inspires earthquake preparedness. The Chushan trench across the Chelungpu fault is a good example of Chi-Chi Earthquake rupture. This trench has recorded the five most important earthquake events on the Chelungpu fault. Although the Chelungpu Fault Preservation Park (CFPP) has worked to preserve these earthquake remains, they have been threatened due to seepage over the years. The aim of this paper is to analyze trench seepage and explore the development of an anti-seepage model, to provide a reference for the preservation of earthquake remains and museum development worldwide.

Bringing Earthquake Education to Schools in Nepal

The Seismology at School in Nepal program aims to prepare rural communities for the next big earthquake.

AFTERSHOCK GAME: Bermain dan Belajar Mitigasi Gempa Bumi dengan Cara yang Menyenangkan

Indonesia's position in the ring of fire and the great earthquake experience on Lombok Island a while ago led to the education and mitigation of earthquakes is very important. These two things should be introduced early on and carried out continuously. The mitigation of earthquakes in school-age children will be more effective through a fun game as learning activity as well as educational tools. Aftershock Game is a non-digital card game specially designed to teach players to take attitudes quickly and precisely in the event of an earthquake. Playing activities while learning by using Aftershock Game has been conducted at MI Tazhib Kekait, one of the earthquakes affected locations. 90 elementary school children on 3rd-5th grade played this game as disaster mitigation education. This game was conducted in 15 small groups of 4-6 people. Activities are accompanied by a facilitator for 15-20 minutes per group, then at the end of each game students are required to give feedback on the Aftershock game. The performance of the game's aspect assessment shows that Aftershock Game is easy to play, fun and has high replay ability with a mean score of 8.89 out of a maximum score of 10. The game's design aspect also shows good value (mean score 8.32). Repairs are required on illustration and packaging boxes to be more durable when used. Educational materials on the earthquake and the mitigations are well delivered, with comprehensive content (mean score 8.82). Aftershock Game is an earthquake education game that is easy to play, interesting and comprehensive. This game is suitable for school aged children and can be developed as a community educational tools regarding the mitigation of earthquakes

Educational seismology in Nepali schools: tailored solutions to start a program

&lt;p&gt;Nepal is located above the convergent India-Eurasia plate boundary and has repeatedly experienced devastating earthquakes. During the 2015 magnitude 7.8 Gorkha earthquake, an often-reported experience was that people were not aware of the threatening seismic hazard and have insufficient level of preparedness. An important source of the problem is that earthquake-related topics are not part of the school curriculum. Earthquake education reaching a broad group of the population early in their lives is therefore strongly needed.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We have established an initiative in Nepal to introduce seismology in schools, which relies on two pillars: a low-cost seismic network with stations installed in schools (presented in another session) and educational activities in schools on earthquakes and the related hazards. For classical teaching, we have prepared educational materials adapted to the Nepali school system, labels and language. By using these materials, not only students in the schools but also local people in the community can learn earthquake education and follow guidelines for better preparedness. We also developed educational sessions using Raspberry Shake low-cost seismometers, for example to record earthquake waveforms and to allow learning-by-doing classroom activities.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;For efficient implementation, we have organized a 2-day workshop for the school teachers to prepare them for the new teaching, which was presented by experts in the field and included lots of discussion to find the adapted level. Moreover, during our field visits, we give special lectures and also perform earthquake drills with the students. Well-prepared educational materials such as flyers and stickers are distributed to students, and demonstration tools for physics to schools. All the material from our project is freely available on our program&amp;#8217;s website: http://seismoschoolnp.org.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;We have started the program by choosing 22 schools in the region, and establishing direct contact with the teachers, principals and the local communities. We found this was an efficient way to implement the project, especially in rural areas. The preliminary and personal feedbacks reflect that this program is well received. A survey-based evaluation on the program&amp;#8217;s impact on the local community is being carried out, and we plan to present results at the conference. We hope that the project is able to help this region to prepare for future earthquakes, and we seek that the initiative is spread to other regions &amp;#160;to make earthquake-safer communities across Nepal.&lt;/p&gt;