Phibious

Public Safety • Environmental Design
Public Safety • Environment Design

The Colourful Potholes

The Colourful Potholes

Introducing

Introducing

How it works

How it works

Why not just fix the potholes?

Why not just fix the potholes?

Budget

Budget

Roads potholes are managed by different municipal authorities with varying priorities and budgets.

Politics

Politics

Whilst cities prefer cost-saving, long-term repairs for pothole hotspots, cash-strapped municipal councils take a reactive “patch-and-dash” approach, fixing potholes quickly—often in poor conditions—resulting in rapid breakdowns and reoccurrence.

Lack of a Systemic Approach

Lack of a Systemic Approach

Fixing potholes only addresses the symptom. Eliminating them requires a systemic approach, including predicting poor drainage, weather patterns, traffic load, and implementing preventative road maintenance.

How about other Warning Systems?

How about other Warning Systems?

Traffic Cones

would float away during the floods

Traffic Cones

would float away during the floods

Road Barriers

a potential danger as they block off a big part of the road

Road Barriers

a potential danger as they block off a big part of the road

Other advantages of the coloured potholes

Other advantages of the coloured potholes

Low cost

Low cost

As in 2016, for a surface of 1 m2 (the size of a big pothole), we would need around 1 kg of hydrochromic paint, which cost 10 USD. In comparison, a pair of regular-size plastic road barriers that would sufficiently covers a single pothole costs 24 USD.(Souce: Alibaba)

Logistics

Logistics

A 20 kg plastic bucket measures 20 x 15cm whereas a plastic barrier stands around 30 x 100 cm. Storing and transporting the paints therefore would take less space, hence more cost and labour efficient

Different levels of warning

Different levels of warning

We painted the potholes with different colours to reflect different depths. Depending on the colours, automobilists could consider the levels of danger in real time and choose to adapt their speeds in case they can't avoid the holes.

Testing

Testing
Real-time Warning Levels

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Real-time Warning Levels

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Real-time Warning Levels

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Green

Small: 1-5cm

Green

Small: 1-5cm

Green

Small: 1-5cm

Blue

Medium: 6-10cm

Blue

Medium: 6-10cm

Blue

Medium: 6-10cm

Orange

Deep: > 10cm

Orange

Deep: > 10cm

Orange

Deep: > 10cm

Visibility

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Visibility

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Visibility

We tested with 3 different colours for 3 different levels of danger. As drivers would have little time to react to the danger ahead, the colours were chosen to intuitively reflects the levels of potential danger.

Durability

The reflective coating also allows the sensitive varnish to last up to 3 months, throughout summer, when it would be exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet rays from the Sun. This coincidentally, is also the duration of the monsoon season.

As the proposal wasn't designed to be a long-term solution, we were satisfied with this result.

Durability

The reflective coating also allows the sensitive varnish to last up to 3 months, throughout summer, when it would be exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet rays from the Sun. This coincidentally, is also the duration of the monsoon season.

As the proposal wasn't designed to be a long-term solution, we were satisfied with this result.

Durability

The reflective coating also allows the sensitive varnish to last up to 3 months, throughout summer, when it would be exposed to higher levels of ultraviolet rays from the Sun. This coincidentally, is also the duration of the monsoon season.

As the proposal wasn't designed to be a long-term solution, we were satisfied with this result.

First month

Highly visible

First month

Highly visible

First month

Highly visible

Second month

Adequately visible

Second month

Adequately visible

Second month

Adequately visible

Third month

Less visible

Third month

Less visible

Third month

Less visible

Reception

Reception

The idea was met with enthusiasm from local community and authority. We were off to a good start. 

The next step would be to find a long-term supplier and present the proposal to the city municipal.

Results

Results

On our way to the meeting with the district's urban planning department, we were informed that the project was axed due to new budget constraints and without any detailed explanation.


Vague as it sounds, that's just how things work in Vietnam, politically. As a consolation, we went back and continued to refine and develop the idea, waiting for a better occasion to bring it back to life.