Artificial Sinkhole Preparedness Education Tool Kit

2021 @ Design Academy Eindhoven


The project discusses deeply and investigates about artificial sinkholes such as what causes them to form, and what are. The artificial sinkhole is a new type of urban disaster for society. It is not happening regularly which results in not paying much attention to it compared to other disasters such as earthquakes or storms. However, the fact that it does not happen regularly, artificial sinkhole occurs in unexpected places, seasons or times that harm people directly or indirectly. As society develops and urbanises, at the level of government, artificial sinkholes should be classified higher and also be prepared by doing the preparedness education through real activity before, it happened and do the action.

The artificial sinkhole is created when city urbanisation development undermines the structure of the underlying rock. Roads, buildings and other types of city infrastructure cause water to collect in certain areas and wash the supporting rock layer away. Accurately predicting the location and the time of occurrence is relatively hard. Artificial sinkholes mostly occur in sudden minutes and lead to extensive damage, especially in urban areas and to the people who live nearby or pass by the roads. Also, it causes massive losses in socio-economic levels such as infrastructure and finances. This toolkit is made especially for the situation of a person falling into a sinkhole or witnessing a person fall on it. Hence, by throwing packages to the person who falls in, when the package is received, the person should start to make products to escape from the sinkhole. The products can be easily made by mixing with a specially provided powder, soil and own saliva.

Photography by Nawon Koo 

Research booklet written and researched by Nawon Koo