Buba is a bio-inspired solution designed to prevent the overflow of rivers. It is composed of modules that capture, retain, and filter excess water on rivers, that can be later used for agriculture and domestic use. The modules grow in size as water flows into them, creating a barrier between the river and the land, forcing the rest of the water into the natural course of the river.

1. Buba
by Rumba
Castillo. Díaz. Gómez.Martínez.
Monterde.Pérez.Villazón
ADVISORS: Ricardo Guerrero.
Sandra Molina

2. scoping
process
01
02
03
Natural disasters (floods & rains)
are increasing in number
and intensity
CLIMATE
CHANGE
TLACOTALPAN
VULNERABILITY
CHALLENGES
& PROBLEMS
56% of population lives in poverty
Land susceptible to erosion
Birthplace of the jarocha culture,
part of Mexico’s identity
Constant floods in Tlacotalpan
Lost of productive land & houses
Consecuences in economy, culture
and environment
Migration of population due floods
Increase of diseases

3. BIOLOGICAL
INSPIRATION
From microorganisms, animals, insects
and complete ecosystems, we studied
the how to of nature to inspire
our design.
*Cocus nucifera, Polyrhachis sokolova, Fish-pole bamboo,
Red fire ant, Gentoo penguin, Carex rostrata, bacillus,
Leafhoppers, Barrel cacti, Lupin seed, Mangrove tree, Barking spider

4. Final Entities
MANGROVE
TREE
BARREL
CACTI
HUMAN
EPIGLOTTIS
This local entity has a structure
for water storage, consists of two
walls. The first wall is thin,
allowing the water flow inside to
contain it until it is required. It
contracts and bends depending
on the water storage. The second
wall prevents the water from
leaking as it is hard, thick and
resistant.
The Rhizophora mangle, native to
Veracruz, has an aerial root
system composed of rhizophores
that grow from the main stem as
counterforts. They provide
greater stability and grip to the
tree in muddy surfaces.
During swallowing, the larynx
moves upwards and the epiglottis
cartilage covers the respiratory
tract, preventing the entry of food
and directing it towards the
esophagus.

5. BUBA
BIO-INSPIRED SOLUTION TO RETAIN AND
PROTECT FROM THE OVERFLOW OF RIVERS
It is composed of modules that capture, retain and filter the excess of water from
rivers, that can be used for agriculture and domestic services.
As the water enters the capsules it grows in size providing a barrier between river
and land, allowing the natural course of the river.

6. HOW buba works
People position the module
near the river side
01
People attach the
module by adjusting the
poles to the ground
02
Water starts flowing into
the capsules
03
As the module grows it
acts as a barrier against
overflowing rivers
04
Water purifies by
inverse osmosis
05
Population can dispose
of the purified water by
accesing the valve
06

7. WATER storage & filtering
BARREL
CACTI
BUBA
APPLICATION
The water storing
tissue can increase
volumen by
expanding its surface
to store more water.
WATER
FILTRATION
*1.Gibson A.C. (1996) Special Topics in Water Relations. In: Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants. Adaptations of Desert Organisms. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg 2. Mauseth, J. D.
1995a. Collapsible water-storage cells in cacti. Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club 122:145 – 151 3. Udemy, Inc. (2018). Osmosis in Plants: What Does it Mean? (Udemy) Retrieved from Udemy
Web Site: https://blog.udemy.com/osmosis-in-plants/
Dry cactus
Cactus
with water
Buba increases its
size as it captures the
overflow water from
the river. In this way it
acts as a barrier.
INVERSE
OSMOSIS
The water captured
is filtered by inverse
osmosis with the use
of a membrane.
When the water is
needed, a valve is
open to obtain it.
Osmosis distributes
water through
selectively permeable
membranes to
maintain this proper
volume and pressure
of cactus

8. Closing mechanism
HUMAN
EPIGLOTTIS BUBA
APPLICATION
One way closing
mechanism that
allows water to enter
until container is full.
It is located behind
the first filter.
Made of a elastic
cartilage attached to
two ligaments. During
swallowing the
epiglottis moves
down to covering the
airway.
*1.Vandaele, D. J., Perlman, A. L., & Cassell, M. D. (1995). Intrinsic fibre architecture and attachments of the human epiglottis and their contributions to the mechanism of deglutition. Journal of
Anatomy, 186(Pt 1), 1–15. 2. Torres, B. (2013). Anatomofisiología de la deglución. http://diposit.ub.edu/dspace/bitstream/2445/42652/1/ANATOMOFISIOLOGIA_DEGLUCION.pdf
FIRST
FILTER
Against big objects
such as branches,
mud, trash to keep
Buba from breaking.

9. RESISTANCE & grip
MANGROVE
TREE
BUBA
APPLICATION
Structure of grip and
support composed of
buttresses that provide
structure to the central
part on uneven
surfaces increasing the
base area.
The aerial roots above
the ground provide
stability to the tree
transmiting the tension-
compression forces for
a better grip in unstable
surfaces.
*1.Méndez-Alonzo, R., Moctezuma, C., Ordoñez, V. R., Angeles, G., Martínez, A. J., & López-Portillo, J. (2015). Root biomechanics in Rhizophora mangle: anatomy, morphology and ecology of
mangrove’s flying buttresses. Annals of Botany, 115(5), 833–840. http://doi.org/10.1093/aob/mcv002 2. De Menezes NL. 2006. Rhizophores in Rhizophora mangle L: an alternative interpretation
of so-called ‘aerial roots’. Annals of the Brazilian Academy of Sciences 78: 213–226. http://www.scielo.br/pdf/%0D/aabc/v78n2/a03v78n2.pdf

10. = 73. 49L
= 220.47L
= 1,600,626.33L
x 6 KM
CAPACITY
BUBA’S
1.65m
0.6m
1,600,626.33
LITERS = PER PERSON IN
TLACOTALPAN
6 KM
BUBA’s modules
protect
P
a
p
a
l
o
a
p
a
n
r
i
v
e
r
20L 20L
of Papaloapan
River
+

11. Nature’s
unifying
patterns
NATURE IS RESILIENT TO DISTURBANCES
The design can withstand massive and strong water
currents. Its size changes with the amount of water that
enters and the material is tough enough to protect from
perforations.
NATURE RUNS ON INFORMATION.
The first valve doesn’t permit any fluid to get out. Once
the water is inside the capsule it can only exit through a
second valve (of manual use only).
NATURE IS LOCALLY ATTUNED
AND RESPONSIVE.
Our design is responsive to the change of the river’s
volume, also the model anchors to the uneven ground.
NATURE RECYCLES ALL MATERIALS
Our model has a filtration station that works by inverse
osmosis and gravity. This filtered water can be disposed
manually and at any time that is convenient for the
people.

12. Nature’s
unifying
patterns
NATURE OPTIMIZES RATHER
THAN MAXIMIZES
The design contains the same water that’s endangering
the population and not resources that don’t exist in those
conditions.
NATURE USES ONLY THE ENERGY IT NEEDS
AND RELIES ON FREELY AVAILABLE ENERGY
The model allows the same excess of water to be the one
creating the barrier, rather than affecting the
environment.
NATURE REWARDS COOPERATION
Buba helps communities to join and cooperate with each
other to place it riverside in order to protect their homes.
Installation is simple yet it takes teamwork.
NATURE BUILDS USING ABUNDANT
RESOURCES
Our model mechanism works with the excess of water,
from floods, eliminating the need to use energy or
intrusive infrastructure (dam) to protect from this natural
disasters.

13. VALUE
PROPOSITION
Maintain the daily life making the most of excess
resources. Buba is a design concept that empowers
the communities, providing control and security
during overflows.
It is composed by modules that capture and retain
water from floods, it forms a barrier using the
natural resource for the later benefit of the
community. With this we protect the identity and
unique culture of Veracruz, sheltering the local lifes.
USER
SEGMENT
7,600
inhabitants 144 comunities
143 rural
1 city
TLACOTALPAN, VERACRUZ
Main
resource: land
(susceptible to erosion)
Constant
catastrofic floods
$260 million for
reconstruction

14. next steps
CURRENT DESIGN
LIMITATIONS
OBSTACLES
TO OVERCOME
-Surface irregularity along
the river
-Obstruction of the grill
caused by branches, mud
and other objects.
-Expand the barrier, more
than 6km
-Transportation of filtered
water
UNKNOWN
FACTORS
-Lifespan of the material
in the real
environmental
conditions
-Response of the
community to participate
in the project
-River Velocity during the
flood
NEXT
STEPS
-Propose the materials for
Buba, with bio-inspired
characteristics
-Perform tests in similar
conditions
-Calculate budget
-Involve the local
community
-River overflow exceeds the
capacity
-Acceptance by the inhabitants
-Budget from government
-Constant monitoring and
maintenance
-Filtered water is for domestic
and agricultural use, not human
consumption

15. Team makeup & dynamic
BIO-DESIGN
AND ENVIRONMENTAL
TECHNOLOGIES
We are a team composed by innovation and design engineers. We
created a schedule with goals established and in each due date we
checked the development of our problem solution. Together we came
up with the scope and concept idea.