Special Announcement: 4th ICAADE Conference
The 4th ICAADE conference is scheduled for October 9th-11th, and will be held in Cottbus, Germany at Brandenburg University of Technology’s Institute for Floating Buildings. You can learn more by visiting the ICAADE website, and learn about past conferences here, where you can also sign up to receive updates.
What is Amphibious Architecture?
Amphibious architecture refers to an alternative flood mitigation strategy that allows an otherwise-ordinary structure to float on the surface of rising floodwater rather than being inundated. An amphibious foundation retains a home’s connection to the ground by resting firmly on the earth under usual circumstances, yet it allows a house to float as high as necessary when flooding occurs. A buoyancy system beneath the house displaces water to provide flotation as needed, and a vertical guidance system allows the rising and falling house to return to exactly the same place upon descent. Amphibious architecture is a flood mitigation strategy that works in synchrony with a floodprone region’s natural cycles of flooding, rather than attempting to obstruct them.
What is a Buoyant Foundation?
A buoyant foundation is a type of amphibious foundation in which an existing structure is retrofitted to allow it to float as high as necessary during floods while remaining on the ground in normal conditions. The system consists of three basic elements: buoyancy blocks underneath the house that provide flotation, vertical guideposts that prevent the house from going anywhere except straight up and down, and a structural sub-frame that ties everything together. Utility lines have either self-sealing ‘breakaway’ connections or long, coiled ‘umbilical’ lines. Houses that can be elevated can be amphibiated, usually at a significantly lower cost.
