DISASTR Hotel

‘DISASTR Hotel’ was a fourteen day performance installation demonstrating how first world communities may need to respond in the event of a man-made or natural disaster.

The recent Queensland Floods, the devastating Christchurch Earthquake and the catastrophic, M9.0 Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami highlight that disaster can occur at any time.

‘DISASTR Hotel’ was an emergency relief shelter system demonstration based on the Hexayurt Project, an open hardware shelter technology design by Vinay Gupta.

The Hexayurt design is integral to the Networked Domestic Disaster Response project designed for handling domestic refugees in the event of a natural disaster, epidemic, industrial accident, WMD or other disaster events using standard hardware materials found at the US hardware supply chain Home Depot.

For this Australian demonstration of the Hexayurt Shelter System, materials commonly found at Bunnings hardware supply chain were utilised and appropriated.

‘DISASTR Hotel’ presented viable community models for water purification, waste treatment solutions, low voltage solar power, cooking techniques, emergency food supplies and 21st century survival techniques.

Demonstrating themes of individual responsibility, DISASTR Hotel invited one to consider their position on our dynamic planet system in which we inhabit. The Hotel also asked one to consider the imminence of disaster, and what is disaster in this now early 21st century age of crisis. The hotel concierge of economics also highlighted that living in the first world, we are all effectively one pay check away from checking into DISASTR Hotel!

‘DISASTR Hotel’ was commissioned by ‘The Right to the City’ and took take place on the grounds of Sydney University between the 7th-21st April, 2011.

Google Map Link to Location HERE.

©© D.V. Rogers *02011