FEATURED
Waterloo, Ontario: NRC Research Pavilion
With support from National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Buoyant Foundation Project has constructed an amphibious pavilion as an experimental facility to serve as a proof of concept of amphibious construction in Canada.
Vietnam: Amphibiation in the Mekong River Delta
The Buoyant Foundation Project has retrofitted four houses in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, as a supplementary system to the vernacular practice of elevating houses on stilts.
Illinois: Farnsworth House
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s 1951 Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, is one of the most famous examples of modernist domestic architecture. Despite being originally designed to hover above the projected 100-year flood depth, in recent years the Farnsworth House has increasingly suffered from floodwater damage from the adjacent Fox River.
Waterloo, Ontario: NRC Research Pavilion
Indigenous communities in Canada have a deep connection to the land they inhabit; however, increased flooding from climate change poses a risk to their wellbeing. With support from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), the Buoyant Foundation Project has constructed an amphibious pavilion as an experimental facility to prove the concept of amphibious construction in Canada. The pavilion will enable the monitoring and evaluation of material performance during freeze-thaw cycles and serve as a demonstration for Indigenous leaders who may be considering amphibious retrofit construction in their communities. This project's ultimate goals are to enable cost-effective retrofits for homes in flood prone areas in Canada and develop preliminary guidelines leading to the eventual inclusion of amphibious construction in the Canadian Building Code.
Prototype
Vietnam: Amphibiation in the Mekong River Delta
The Buoyant Foundation Project retrofitted four houses in the Mekong River Delta, Vietnam, as a supplementary system to the vernacular practice of elevating houses on stilts. This local practice is a traditional response to the annual flooding cycle that is inseparable from the geographic location. More extreme flooding is predicted to occur due to climate change. Amphibious retrofits are a means of providing increased flood resilience against physical damage to homes and possessions, disruptions to the local culture, and trauma related to displacement and repetitive loss.
Constructed
Jamaica: Port Maria and Bliss Pastures
Numerous low-income areas of Jamaica are subject to severe repetitive seasonal flooding. Lacking adequate government support, these communities require a flood mitigation strategy that is affordable and simple to implement. The communities of Port Maria and Bliss Pastures, Jamaica, are two communities that are significantly impacted by recurrent flooding. Flooding in these areas can cause substantial damage to homes and results in serious health risks due to overflowing open-pit latrines. Amphibious retrofits are a cost-sensitive strategy to keep inhabitants and their possessions safe during a flood.
Designed
Nicaragua: Casa Anfibia
In the Lake Managua Area of Nicaragua, there is a confluence of population, hurricane paths, and volcanic activity. A study of the site shows the social and economic benefits of an amphibious foundation system tailored to the local bamboo economy. The construction of amphibious housing would generate local assembly jobs and improve the quality of life for the people living in this tumultuous region.
Designed
Louisiana: Isle de Jean Charles
The Native American Biloxi-Chitimacha-Choctaw Band of Isle de Jean Charles, Louisiana, is rapidly losing its low-lying traditional homeland as sea levels rise while land subsides due to extensive sub-surface oil and gas extraction. Cultural ties to the land, combined with a lack of resources to relocate as a community, leave the remaining band members vulnerable to an ever-growing risk of flooding. Nineteen of the band’s twenty-six residences remaining on the island are already elevated; our solution targets the remaining seven low-lying structures.
Designed
Illinois: Farnsworth House
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe’s 1951 Farnsworth House in Plano, Illinois, is one of the most famous examples of modernist domestic architecture. It is an aesthetic orchestra of simplicity, transparency, and integration with its site in a floodplain. Despite being designed initially to hover above the projected 100-year flood depth, the Farnsworth House has increasingly suffered from floodwater damage from the adjacent Fox River in recent years. It is in dire need of a flood-proofing solution that preserves its iconic appearance of floating on the landscape.
Designed