Page 61 - JCAU-6-2

Journal of Chinese
Architecture and Urbanism Storytelling in regenerative architecture

existing policies and consider purchasing additional Based on our assessment, we conclude that
coverage specifically designed to address these risks. the animal had taken reasonable measures to
In conclusion, the collapse of the Norfolk coastal ensure the safety and stability of its burrow
region represents a significant and ongoing threat but was ultimately unable to fully mitigate the
to property and infrastructure in coastal regions risks associated with living in an underground
worldwide. As such, we urge all property owners environment. We recommend that property
and insurers to take proactive measures to assess owners in the area take precautions to monitor and
and mitigate these risks to minimize the financial assess the stability of the soil and rock formations
impact of future climate-related incidents. on their land to prevent similar incidents in the
As spring turned to early summer, the letters in my future.
lawn slowly healed. I noticed that my garden shrubs were In conclusion, while the incident involving
taking on the form of adjacent plants. I received a chatty the animal’s burrow was unfortunate, we
postcard from one of my sons. As a postscript he wrote in have determined that it was not the result of
his still immature handwriting, “Out of a handful of sand, any negligent actions on the part of the party
you will make the beginning of a magical garden.” concerned. We, therefore, recommend that any
damages or injuries resulting from this incident
A horse galloped past outside, its heavy hooves whirling be covered by the appropriate insurance policies
up dust from the path, darkening the skies. pertaining to neighboring homeowners.”
The days began to shorten. I read that it takes about The rainfall created pools at the base of the utilities in
three years to settle after a traumatic event. The waters my abandoned kitchen, causing electricity fuses to pop in
continued to rise. I felt I could weather any storm.
the circuit board. I clutched the attic ladder and peered
* down. The furniture was twisting and bobbing in the
The bungalow seemed to be inching towards the edge of the greywater. The solar panels had long fallen from the roof.
cliff. Soon, no doubt, it would succumb to gravity. I moved I would fish for one whenever it floated within reach, then
into the attic, carrying up possessions from the ground hang it until I received some sort of signal. As long as there
floor in airtight plastic boxes, mindful of my increasingly is a signal, a window to the world, there is hope. Power calls
sodden front lawn. The wooden gate had fallen into the the fly from the flytrap.
sea. *
My Inbox contained 33718 unread messages. I selected
one at random.
“On 20 October, we received a report of an
incident involving an animal that had constructed
an underground burrow on a piece of seafront
property in Happisburgh. Our investigation
revealed that the animal had been living in the
burrow for an unknown period of time, during
which it had evidently taken great care to create
an elaborate system of tunnels and chambers.
The incident occurred when the animal, most
likely a mole, experienced a collapse in one of the
tunnels. This collapse caused a significant amount
of damage to the burrow and also resulted in
injuries to the animal.
Upon further inspection, we found that the cause
of the collapse was likely due to a combination of
natural erosion and wear and tear on the walls
of the tunnel. We also noted that the animal had
been making ongoing repairs and maintenance to
the burrow, indicating a high level of awareness Figure 8. Bungalow VII. Source: Original work by the author
and concern for the safety and stability of its I drifted from a dream of a placid lake at dawn. I have
living space. come home. I am walking along a corridor, looking around

Volume 6 Issue 2 (2024) 14 https://doi.org/10.36922/jcau.1335