1. Focus site

Utuado is located in a mountainous region prone to riverine flooding and landslides. The lack of infrastructural connectivity hindered recovery efforts in the wake of Maria. I developed a process to spatially locate and design multi-use emergency centers.

2. Assessing environmental vulnerability

A network analysis performed on the existing roadmap found that 37% of households - mainly those in highland areas - have minimal access to any civic asset. The majority of Utuado’s assets are also located in the flood zone.

3. Identifying low-risk areas

By conducting an environmental vulnerability analysis, I identified locations for potential emergency shelters. These areas carry minimal risk: located on flat topography, outside the floodplain, and provide optimal access to underserved households. 

4. Designing a safety trail

Using a slope analysis and taking advantage of the existing road network, I designated a safety trail to connect underserved residential nodes to each other and to the newly identified emergency centers.

5. Programming a multi-use space

Emergency shelters can be programmed for productive uses: helicopter landing spots and camping grounds can operate as football fields and recreational space. Doing so would ensure ongoing maintenance and use of the site for the community’s benefit.