Amphibious Architecture

Living with a Rising Bay

A Report

Presented to
M.I.E.T Gondia, Dept. of Architecture

In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Requirements for the subject-head of
Research Skills

By,
Siddhant Kumar Deb
B.Arch. 7th Semester
Roll No. 27

2015-16

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 ABSTRACT

Amphibious Architecture: Living with a Rising Bay

Over the past century, sea level has risen magnificently along the coastlines all alongside the world
and climate scientists suggest substantial increases in sea level as a significant impact of climate
change over the coming century. This report explores the concept of creating a sustainable living
environment for seaside residents along the coastal regions as an alternative to permanent
construction on land in the event of a substantial rise in sea level.

This report will generate a flood-resilient design solution and various examples that are capable of
rising and falling with the water. In order to ensure the well-being of the inhabitants, I will analyse a
number of case studies, notably the Netherland’s water dwellings, New Orleans’s amphibious
residences and Sausalito’s floating communities, for the purpose of identifying key themes that will
facilitate the construction of a single-family amphibious residence in coastal areas.

This report is a response to environmental design challenges raised by ongoing atmospheric events such
as the gradual rise in sea level and where extreme flooding occurs due to failed coastal defences
exhibited catastrophic effects on coastal residences, its inhabitants, and the surrounding ecosystem.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I want to first and foremost thank God for presenting the opportunity
for me to proceed with this research study. I would like to extend a special thanks to
my family, and friends for their support
during the long nights and dull weekends, and for putting up and making me stay
awake throughout.
I know it must not have been easy.

I want to thank the Department of Architecture, M.I.E.T Gondia for

enabling me to expand my mind, enliven my passion, and grant me
experiences that I will carry the rest of my life.
I want to especially thank the faculty and staff.
Without you all it is just a building, and not architecture.

I want to give a special thanks to the research skill professor Prof.

SatyaLaxmi Naidu and Prof. A.D Shirodkar .They taught and
directed me much in the studio and were able to spend their time
and energy in reviewing this study.

I want to thank the Head of the Department

Prof. Shashant Chakradeo
who has kept a shear faith and allowed me to carry forward with this research study.

Finally, I would like to thank again

Prof. SatyaLaxmi Naidu and Prof. Shahshank Chakradeo.
I don’t know how
you manage all the students that you do, and remember all the projects and research,
theses, dissertations, and student work.
You people are a fantastic
advisor, inspiring architect,
Thank you for your time, energy, thought, and assistance these past 4
years. I have been able to grow due to your guidance and have
become a much better as a student and architect.

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Tables
List of Figures

Chapter 1 - Introduction

1.1 …………………………….Introduction
Chapter 2 - Climate Change &Water Dwelling Typologies

2.1 …………………………….Reality of Climate Change

2.2 …………………………….Why Live on Water?
2.2.1 …………………………..Urban Congestion
2.2.2………………………….. Proven Mitigation Method
2.2.3………………………….. Cost
2.3 …………………………….Water Dwelling Typologies
2.3.1 …………………………..Terp Dwellings
2.3.2………………………….. Static Elevation
2.3.3 …………………………..Pile Dwellings
2.3.4 …………………………..Houseboats
2.3.5 …………………………..Amphibious Dwellings
2.4 …………………………….Summary of Water Dwelling Typologies
Chapter 3 - Precedent Studies
3.1 ……………………………Introduction
3.2 ……………………………Sausalito Bay, California
3.3.1…………………………. Buoyant Foundation Project
3.3.2 ………………………….FLOAT House
3.4.1 ………………………….Maasbommel Waterdwellings
3.4.2 ………………………….Waterdwellings IJburg
3.5 ……………………………Summary of Precedent Studies
Chapter 4 Project House
4.1 ……………........................House Goals
4.2 ……………………………House Concept
4.3 ……………………………Conceptual Ideation of Building
4.4 ……………………………Project Description
4.5 …………………………....Architectural Plans
4.6 ……………………………Architectural Sections & Details
Chapter 5 Floating Calculations
4.14.1 ………………………...Determining Dead Load
4.14.2 ………………………..Determining Live Load
5.14.3 ………………………..Determining the Area of the Floating Body
5.14.4 ………………………..Density of Water
5.14.5 ………………………..Calculating Buoyancy
5.15 ………………………….Cost Estimate

Chapter 6 ……………………Conclusions
Bibliography

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 Chapter 1

Introduction

1.1 Introduction

Humans rely on heavy engineering, tidal barriers and riverside and coastal defences to protect our
built environment from flooding. The desire to live adjacent to water reflects our cultural heritage
and historic settlement patterns, and we continue to build on flood plains and other flooding-
prone areas. However, coastal defences, such as the river barriers in the Netherlands have proven
ineffective when it comes to a drastic rise in sea level.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) predicts a 16-inch rise in sea level by mid-
century and a 55-inch rise in sea level by the end of the century in the San Francisco Bay. A 16-inch
rise would potentially expose 281 square miles of Bay shoreline to flooding, and a 55- inch rise
would potentially expose 333 square miles to flooding. If no adaptation measures are taken, a 55-
inch rise in sea level will place an estimated 270,000 people in the Bay Area at risk from flooding.

-Kate Sheppard and James West on Thursday,June13, 2013 12:00pm

http://m.motherjones.com/environment/2013/06/climate-change-could-double-number-americans-
federal-flood-insuarance
-References from University of Waterloo, Chicago

Residents, businesses and entire industries that currently thrive under these sort of regions will be at
risk of flooding by the middle of the century if nothing is done to protect, elevate or relocate them.
In order to defend such communities against rising sea levels and flooding, long-term approaches to
building design must be considered that will provide alternative dwelling opportunities for coastal
residents.
As much as 90% of the 100 largest cities in the world are located on water. Furthermore, these cities
have a substantial amount of water in the city itself, in the form of lakes, rivers, canals, harbours,
bays or open oceans. The high complexity of the modern city requires a high level of flexibility so
that changing special requirements can find a place within the existing structures. Flexibility can
include fitting in a considerable amount of open space, or space that has low economic value, such
as building on water.

This report will act as an aid to develop design solution for an amphibious house in these kind of
coastal and urban reserve in response to the gradual rise in sea level. Solutions will/may include
waterproof materials and the protection of vital utilities, a barge that acts as the buoyant foundation,

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and vertical guidance poles attached to the barge that provide resistance to lateral forces from wind
and water. The development of an amphibious community is a long-term mitigation strategy that will
minimize the potential risk of flooding in coastal residences while maintaining public health and
wellbeing.

Chapter 2

Climate Change &Water Dwelling Typologies

2.1 Why live on water?

Currently, living on water is a niche market and is not considered equivalent to a house built on land
by the majority of the population in the world. But with an ever growing population that tends to
migrate towards water and the gradual rise in sea level, urban areas must consider expanding new
development on the water. Not only have water dwellings proven efficient in times of extreme
flooding, but the cost of building and living in a water dwelling can be significantly less than a
house built on land.

2.1.1 Urban congestion

Today, waterfront cities are beginning to recognize the negative consequences of such a massive
population movement into urban areas. In order to deal with the growing density of these urban
metropolises, the natural instinct is to build up and in, creating a much more dense area within
their city boundaries. However, urban sprawl has led to cities branching out in all directions to
accommodate the growing population migration.

With the majority of the worlds most populated mega-cities are located along the coasts and the
growing concern over the inevitable rise of ocean sea levels, a new typology for mitigating urban
congestion must be considered, such as building on water.

2.1.2 Proven Mitigation Method

Building on water is not a new method of mitigation. People have lived on and next to water for
centuries; building communities on floating reeds, elevating houses on piles, retrofitting boats to
become residences and designing amphibious architecture have been used to adapt to water regions
around the world. Now is the time for coastal regions to adapt to rising water levels by learning to
live with water, not defend against it.

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2.1.3 Cost

Figure 2a

Building on water is financially feasible at locations where building on land is expensive and where
there is little of no alternative space on land. Today, water dwellings can be built in numerous ways,
in multiple sizes with a wide range of foundation systems and materials. If you buy a house on water,
it is assumed that the materials and maintenance are equivalent to a house built on land, the only
essential difference being the foundation, not the structure.
The Make it Right Foundation designed a prototype amphibious residence in New Orleans. At 940
sq. ft. the price for one of these homes is $150,000 approximately 20% more than a house in New
Orleans. However, elevating a land built house to the required base flood elevation height costs
about $48,000. The cost of the house and the required elevation will leave the owners paying more
than the price for an amphibious house.
In addition, Dura Vermeer, a Dutch construction firm, have built over 30 amphibious homes along
the River Maas, with prices starting at $310,000 for a 1,300 sq. ft. home, approximately 17% less
than a typical 1,300 square foot house in Maasbommel.

-Bridgette Meinhold on 5th August 2009

- http://inhabitat.com/brad-pitt-unveils-floating-house-for-make-it-right-foundation/

Although factors such as location and market rates may affect the price of a house, water dwellings
have the capability to be built at a lesser cost while ensuring the safety of its inhabitants during a
sudden rise in sea level.

2.2 Water Dwelling Typologies

Water dwellings can be categorized by their foundations and their relationship to the water. These
dwellings include terp dwellings, static elevation, pile dwellings, amphibious dwellings and floating
dwellings. Some types have been used for centuries while others are relatively new, such as the
amphibious house, however each type has proven resilience in the event of rising water levels.

2.2.1 Terp Dwellings

A terp is an artificial earthwork mound

created to provide safe ground in the event
of a rise in water levels. (Figure 2a) The
first terps were built in the Netherlands,
dating back to 500 B.C., where tides from
the nearby rivers affected daily routines.
The terps were built up to 15 meters high,
and was intended to keep a house dry and provide
enough space for cattle and food storage. Around 1000 A.D., the inhabitants began to connect these

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 Figure 2b

mounds to prevent the sea from flooding their lands, commencing the formation of a permanent dyke
system.
The terp dwelling is connected to the land and remains dry until a maximum water level has been
reached. Although it intuitively feels safer and more secure than a floating dwelling, it is in fact less
safe because there are no means of escape during extreme and unexpected high water levels.
Today, few modern terps can be found throughout Europe, one such example is the Bridge House in
Achterhoek, Netherlands by 123DV Modern Villas.
In this case, the landscape architect removed the top layer of the soil throughout the property in order to
make the soil less fertile for the replanting of indigenous trees. The soil was then reused to form a raised
area beneath the house in the event of high water levels, resulting in a traditional Dutch terp
dwelling.

2.2.2 Static Elevation

One of the most common retrofitting methods

is elevating a house to a required or desired
Base Flood Elevation (BFE). When a house is
properly elevated, the living area will be above all
but the most severe floods (Figure 2b). Several elevation
techniques are available. In general, they involve
lifting the house and building a new, or extending the existing, foundation below it or leaving the
house in place and either building an elevated floor within the house or adding a new upper story.

2.3.3 Pile Dwellings

Pile dwellings are a type of housing built on top of concrete, steel or wooden poles and can be
found in shallow water, coastal areas, or lakes where fluctuations in the water level can be
predicted. This type of dwelling typically rests 8-15 feet off the ground and has been used
throughout the world as means of protection from water.
In Indonesia, Singapore, and other countries, "kelong" are built for fishing, but may double as
offshore housing. The "Nipa hut" is the primary type of housing found in the Philippines, and a
similar stilt house structure is also popular in Papua New Guinea. Thai stilt houses are often built
above freshwater, and the "Palafito" is found in the tropical river valleys of South America. Stilt
houses are also gaining popularity in the United States, particularly along the Gulf Coast and
Indian Ocean coast, where the threat of storms is severe.

Timber pilings have been used for

6,000years and continue to be one of the leading
types of driven piles. Timber is often used
in pile foundations because it is a readily
available and renewable resource. (2c)
Because it is light in weight, timber is also
more easily handled, driven and cut
than other types of piles. 2c According to the Federal Highway Administration,

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 timber pile foundation underwater will last indefinitely and timber piles partially above water can
last up to 100 years or longer if they are properly prepared and treated.

Concrete piles can be pre-cast or cast-in-place, and they can be reinforced, pre-stressed or plain.
They do not corrode like steel piles or decay like wood piles; also, concrete is more readily
available than steel. Pre-cast concrete piles are shaped and moulded according to shape, length and
size prior to being driven into the ground, while cast-in-place piles are poured into holes in the
ground where a rod has been previously driven and removed.

Steel pilings can be formed into many different shapes but the
most common steel pile types have rolled circular, X-shaped
or H-shaped cross sections. They are very strong and are
great for driving, especially in firm soil and can be easily cut
off and can also be easily joined by welding.
2.3.5 Amphibious Dwellings 2d

Amphibious housing is a dwelling type that

sits on land but is capable of floating.

(2d) During a sudden rise in water, a house
will be lifted by the water, provided either
by pontoons or a
hollow basement, in order to ensure it
remains dry, and will then return to the
ground as the water recedes. By sliding 2e
along two vertical mooring poles that are driven
deep into the ground, the houses are capable of rising vertically while restricting
horizontal movements on the water.
Although the amphibious house resembles a houseboat, there are some essential differences between
the two types. The hollow basement of an amphibious house is exposed when there is no water,
forcing designers to conceal the base in the ground or in water. The second difference is the
distribution of forces in the base. When the property is sitting on land it lacks the even upward force
of the water which it experiences when it floats, making the basement larger than that of the barge of
a houseboat. The biggest difference between houseboats and amphibious homes is their connection
to land. Typically, amphibious homes are designed where water levels are moderate but are rarely
prone to extreme flooding, therefore all utility services can be connected to the municipal pipes
whereas houseboats must contain all utilities within the structure. Examples of these houses can be
found throughout the Netherlands, most notably the Maasbommel water dwelling situated along the
River Maas.

A list of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of water dwelling can be found in Table 1.

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 Table2a

2.4 Summary of Water Dwelling Typologies

Although there are many types of strategies to defend against rising sea levels, amphibious
buildings are a proven flood protection strategy that gives a community enhanced flood resilience
and improves its ability to recover from disaster. When flooding occurs, the house vertically rises
with the water levels to remain safely above water then settles back into place as the water recedes.
In addition, comfort is guaranteed because all buildings will have the same facilities as a building on
land, including heating, cooling and ventilation and utilizes the same municipal pipes and electrical
connections.

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 Chapter 3

Precedent Studies
*References from The Thesis work of Canon. R. Manley, Georgia Institute of
Technology, August2014

. Index 2: MEET TYBEE ISLAND

CHAPTER 1: OCEAN ON THE RISE

SEA LEVEL RISE (causes) –

The climate of planet earth is warming with each passing year and a consequence of this climate
change is a rise in global sea levels. Data and scientific reports show that the level of greenhouse
gases in our atmosphere has been climbing which results in the raising of global temperatures.
Greenhouse gases such as methane, water vapour, and carbon dioxide (among others) prevent solar radiation,
when reflected off of the planet, from escaping our atmosphere. This retention of solar radiation leads to the
transmission of its energy into our atmosphere, whether this transmission is sensible or latent.1 Figure 1.1
shows data recovered by Charles Keeling regarding the increasing presence of carbon dioxide in our
atmosphere. It shows an increase of CO2 in our atmosphere from roughly 330 ppm (parts per million) in
1975 to ~380ppm in 2007. This data acquired at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii is irrefutable. This
report is one of many which confirm that C0₂ levels, along with other GHG levels, are increasing and as a
result the atmosphere is heating up. A major side effect of global warming is for sea levels to rise. When
simply put: ice melts and objects expand
when heated. Remote sensing and GIS analyses
have linked the melting of the ice sheets on
Antarctica and Greenland and the thermal
expansion of the oceans with elevating sea Stone,
Brian. The City and the Coming Climate:
Climate Change in the Places We Live.

Figure 1.1 (Mauna Loa CO2 Data)

Stone, Brian. The City and the Coming Climate:

Climate Change in the Places We Live

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Thus, sea level rise can be mainly attributed to global warming because both the melting of the
ice sheets and the expansion of ocean water are direct results of elevated temperatures.

SEA LEVEL RISE (projections) –

It should be noted that though the reports and projections use units of time to describe the occurrence
of sea level rise, time should be considered elastic for the purposes of planning and designing for sea
level rise. Several organizations, governmental bodies, scientists, and journals produce reports on sea
level rise, climate change, and projections for the future. Two of the most widely accepted bodies
(within the scientific community) for studies and data are the IPCC and NOAA.
The IPCC, also known as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, is a panel composed of
constituents of several governments and countries around the world. The IPCC was formed in 1988
by the United Nations and is the global body that establishes framework for studies being conducted
around the globe. The IPCC assembles reviews, comes to a consensus on findings, and publishes
data and findings. They do not conduct any studies themselves.2 The NOAA, also known as National
Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, is a branch of the United States Department of Commerce.
The NOAA is an administration strictly related to the United States and deals with a variety of topics
ranging from coastal phenomenon to storm tracking in the Midwest. The NOAA conducts their own
studies, research, and data collection. Both of these organizations produce findings on Global Mean
Sea Level Rise (GMSL), and the NOAA has more site specific (for the United States) data and
research on Regional Sea Level Rise.
NOAA derives much of their climate change projections and analysis from IPCC reports, in addition
to creating their own data specific to the United States. The data accumulated and synthesized by the
IPCC is obtained from unpaid scientists from around the world volunteer their findings for the
betterment of our planet.4 All the data, studies, and findings volunteered are synthesized into a report
by the IPCC. There have been five reports so far. The IPCC has produced reports which find that the
sea level IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change."

IPCC - Intergovernmental Panel on

Climate Change
About NOAA." NOAA. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
has been rising the past few centuries.

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2.1 HISTORY AND DEMOGRAPHICS –

The state of Georgia is not famous for its coastline or beaches, though Georgia’s coastline is home to
a variety of rare, complex, and robust ecosystems that are not matched anywhere else in the world.
Moving south into the Florida coast or north into South Carolina’s coast produces a much different
picture, notably a less natural one. Of the 13 barrier islands that are found along Georgia’s coast,
nine remain in an undeveloped, natural state. Tybee Island is one of the four islands that have been
developed by humans.
When the Americas began to be colonized by Europeans these barrier islands were among the first
places to be settled. Some were founded as townships, including Tybee Island. Many rather than
becoming cities or towns, were inhabited in the form of isolated plantations that utilized slave labour.
Sea cotton, rice, indigo, and sugar cane were the main crops grown by these plantations and the
structures associated with this plantation development usually only included the residence of the
owner, slave quarters, and storage facilities. No form of subdivision was associated with this type of
Ownership/development, and because of this fact there was no existing precedent or population to
lead into full scale development. After slavery was outlawed, many of these plantation islands were
purchased as resorts and get-away by the emerging millionaires of industry and remained so
throughout the early 20th century.

As of today, all of the undeveloped islands have been repossessed or bought by the State of Georgia
Andrews, Jill. "Georgia Department of Natural Resources Interview."

Three of four islands which were established as townships and cities from the beginning continued
their growth throughout these periods and remain active and vital parts of coastal Georgia’s economy
today.

Tybee Island, is both an island and a city. It is located in Chatham County, Georgia 18 miles off of
the coast of Savannah. Tybee Island is located just south of Hilton Head Island and serves as the only
accessible beach on the northern coast of Georgia, the next closest being St. Simons Island which is a
2 hour drive and 100 miles further south. This location helps the beach on Tybee to play a vital role
in the success of the economy and livelihood of the citizens of Tybee.

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 Tybee Island has been an important locale
since the establishment of the colony of
Georgia. Tybee Island was founded in 1733 by
the founder of Savannah, James Oglethorpe.
The historic lighthouse on Tybee Island was the
third one built in America and guided British
ships into safe harbour. The island also was a
haven for pirates who harried the coast at that
point in time. One of the more notable villains
was Black Beard, whose treasure is still thought
to be buried somewhere on the island. Later on,
the island was a gathering point for the French
fleet during the Revolutionary War. This island is
rich in history and culture, and currently is a
place of leisure and vacation, with
a year-round population of 2,990 which swells
to 25,000-35,000 during the summer (Wolff
interview).

McKee, Gwendolyn. A Guide to the Georgia Coast.

Wolff, Paul. "Tybee Island City Council Member Interview."

Wolff, Paul. "Tybee Island City Council Member Interview."

Figure 2.1 (Near Infrared Satellite Image of "Census Bureau Homepage." Census Bureau
Tybee Island) Homepage "Easy Stats." Easy Stats. United States
Census Bureau

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3.1 Precedent Studies (contd.)

3.1.1 A Floating Tybee

LIVING ON THE WATER –

An ideal model of home must be liveable on land, during shallow and periodic inundation, and
during deeper permanent inundation. Several examples of cultures and technologies enabling people
to live on water in floating homes exist.
The following examples will not always be directly describing models and precedents which adapt to
rising sea levels, but contain technologies and principles that will be useful to understand for their
application. House boats, floating villages, floating neighbourhoods, amphibious architecture, and
buoyant foundation technology are all things that currently exist today which can be used to piece
together a model for living on the water.

The country which has made the most advances in and has the most occurrences of floating
architecture is the Netherlands. The four projects to be examined in the remainder of this chapter are
located in the Netherlands and employ technologies that have been nearly perfected by the Dutch,
enabling them to build comfortable and beautiful homes on the water. Of these projects, three are
developments of floating homes.

3.1.2 GOUDEN KUST AT MAASBOMMEL –

The first project to be examined is the Gouden Kust development at Maasbommel, Netherlands.
This project is applicable to this thesis because the Gouden Kust homes are not perpetually situated
on water, yet designed to accommodate flooding. This design makes these homes truly amphibious,
not aquatic. The homes spend most of the time resting on piers situated just off of a vehicular
accessible road on the bank of the Maas River which is prone to high tidal fluctuations and flooding.
When the high tide comes in or a flooding event occurs, the house rises with the water level.
This idea is made possible by the innovative concrete caissons that the amphibious homes rest upon.
These concrete caissons act as cellars for storage during normal terrestrial dwelling periods, but shift
to the role of pontoons when flooding events occur. Lightness is a huge factor in the design and
construction of these pontoons as well as the design and construction of the timber frame homes that
rest on the pontoons, attempting to maximize the efficiency of the buoyancy. The concrete caissons
weigh about 72 tons, while the timber frame homes weigh in at about 22 tons. In order to prevent
the homes from floating away when a flooding event occurs, there are two guiding poles driven into
the ground (in between two neighbouring homes) which are tall enough to allow the homes to
fluctuate in height with the highest anticipated water levels. The mooring poles which guide the
homes during flooding events are shown in Figures 3.a and 3.b.

Nillesen, Anne Loes., eroen Singelenberg, Gregor Fl ggen, Rowan Hewison, and Ilse
Crooy. Waterwonen in Nederland: Architectuur En Stedenbouw Op Het Water = Amphibious
Housing in the Netherlands: Architecture and Urbanism on the Water
"Amfibiewoningen, Maasbommel." Water in Zicht

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`

Figure 3a (mooring poles between the caissons of 2

neighboring homes)
(boiten.net/watervillasgouden-kust-maasbommel/)

While this system works well for flood damage

mitigation, it is not as simple as transferring this
technology and methodology over to a home that
is expected to have a habitual inundation and
rise in elevation due to the presence of raised
water levels.
This methodology is even less directly applicable
when one considers that the homes will
eventually move from an occasional inundation
and rise due to water levels to a perpetual state of
living on water. These homes on the Maas River
are inaccessible during flooding events. The
mechanisms in place that avert flooding do not
take access into account.
Figure 3b2 (mooring pole with infrastructure flex
piping)
(boiten.net/watervillas-gouden kustmaasbommel/)
A diagram showing the procedure of rising
with water levels is shown in
Figure 3cFigures 3d, 3e, and 3f are images
showing the practicality and visual appeal of
homes built to withstand and accommodate
flooding events.

Figure 3c (boiten.net/watervillas-gouden-kust-maasbommel/)

Figure 3e(Nillesen, Anne Loes., eroen Singelenberg,

Gregor Fl ggen, Rowan Hewison, and
Ilse CrooyAmphibious Housing in the Netherlands:
Figure 3d Architecture and Urbanism on the Water)

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 Figure 3f (sectional diagram showing
amphibious house rising with water
level) (boiten.net/watervillas-gouden-
kust-maasbommel/)

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3.1.3 WATERWONINGEN, IJBURG –

Another Dutch housing development that utilizes floating foundation technology to enable life on
water is Waterwoningen IJburg. Waterwoningen translates from Dutch to mean “Water Homes”, and
IJburg is an area on the I Meer (a lake) in Amsterdam. IJburg is an island built off of dredged sands
and is located in the Steigereiland neighbourhood. This development is home to differing styles of
residences, ranging from expensive single family homes to social housing with a higher density.
These houses differ from those previously examined at Gouden Kust because they are perpetually on
the water, and this results in some differences in design. The homes (and their utilities) are moored to
a jetty with a mooring pole system similar to Gouden Kust, though they are accessible at any water
height due to a flexible walk board system. The homes must not draw (have a below water profile)
more than 1.5 meters and float on a buoyant concrete caisson system which doubles as living space.
Half of the bottom floor’s (the caisson) profile is underwater. Sections and floor plans of a typical
home in this IJburg development is shown in Figure 3g

Figure 3h(an IJburg home being towed to the Figure 3i (http://www.rohmer.nl)

development after offsite construction)
(http://www.rohmer.nl)

Figure 3j
(Floors -1, 1, and 2 and
Cross Sections of a
typical IJburg home)
(http://www.rohmer.n)

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 Nillesen, Anne Loes., eroen
Singelenberg, Gregor Fl ggen, Rowan
Hewison, and Ilse Crooy. Waterwonen in
Nederland: Architectuur En Stedenbouw
Op Het Water = Amphibious Housing in
the Netherlands: Architecture and
Urbanism on the Water.

"Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer : /

Home /." Architectenbureau Marlies
Rohmer : / Home /.

3.1.4 WATERWONINGEN, IJBURG –

The final project to be looked to as an example of the feasibility, practicality, and desirability of
building and living on water is an individual home on the Amstel River which flows through
Amsterdam. The “Waterville Amsteldjik” is actually a project that is two separate houses on a
common floating foundation. The floating foundation is a semi-submerged basement space which
accommodates the bedrooms and bathrooms. Right above the waterline there is a continuous
window which allows light into the basement bedrooms. The model made by the architect
demonstrates the spatial layout of the building in Figure 3k

Figure 3k(exploded model showing spatial layout ROOF PLAN/FLOOR1/BASEMENT)

(http://www.plus31architects.com/)

This type of housing is unique to the aforementioned typologies because it does not require a
mooring pole. This building has a much lower centre of gravity than the others, being that it is only
two floors. This low centre of gravity would increase stability, freedom, and tow ability. The fact that
it is only two floors cuts down on the square footage available, making the design and layout of the
home even more important. This house is designed very well with a nice open layout as visible in the
interior shot shown in Figure 3l. The façade of the building, and the landward approach are also
nicely designed, demonstrated in Figures 3m and 3n .

Figure 3l(interior shot) Figure 3m(landward approach) Figure 3n(riverside façade)

(http://www.plus31architects.com/) (http://www.plus31architects.co (http://www.plus31architects.com/)

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SEGWAY –

These homes show that living in a floating home can be a desirable and pleasing reality. The technology
exists, as does the culture. The trick to using these models is to figure out how their principles can be injected
into various culture and conditions throughout the globe. Each of these examples is very site specific. The
amphibious architecture must be site specific as well.

3.2 GUIDELINES FOR DESIGN –

There is certain criterion that must be met for a amphibious house to be liveable, functional, and
enjoyable. The criteria established is working within the bounds of the adaptation plan proposed.

The house must be an adequate replacement for the terrestrial home to be sold by an owner in a
sending zone.
The home must also be adaptable and flexible, for not only does it have to be a desirable
terrestrial home, but it has to be a desirable floating home as well.
The transitional period between full time terrestrial dwelling and full time aquatic dwelling is
another enormous challenge to be addressed by this new architecture.

In order to fulfil this role as a functioning and desirable amphibious home, certain criteria has been
identified: Capability to Float; Entrance Height; Float Line; Structure Type; and Utility
Access.

3.2.1CAPABILITY OF FLOATING –

The most critical design guideline and factor is whether the home will actually be able to float.
Using two mooring poles as an aid to stabilization, as was seen in the Gouden Kust and IJburg
projects, leaves only a simple buoyancy calculation to evaluate whether the home will float. If the
weight of the entire home is less than the weight of a volume of water equivalent to that displaced by
the home than the home will float.
In order for this buoyancy calculation to accurately predict whether something will float, it must be
water-tight. This is the main challenge of designing amphibious homes. A water tight ground floor
must be designed that is structurally independent and without need of a foundation. This is why a
special concrete caisson with built in 1st floor walls is used, as shown in Figure 3o. The Caisson is
water tight, made of light weight concrete with hollow cores pre-cast into it. It acts as a slab and
foundation walls, and doubles as a water tight barrier.

Figure 3.o (cross section of a light weight concrete caisson showing hollow cores)

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3.2.1 ENTRANCE HEIGHT–

The entrance height is the section criteria to be established for any property owner wishing to build
a new water proof home. Though the public rights of way will remain for a considerable amount of
time, at some point vehicular access to these homes will be impossible. It is at this point that public
piers will be the right of way to access these marsh homes. The pier will be emerging from the ridge
which is at 17 feet above sea level. For this reason, the entrance to these homes will be at 17 feet.

Figure 3p (diagram showing jetty access in relation to pier)

3.2.2 FLOAT LINE –

The third criterion to be standardized across marsh development is the “float line”. The float line
is the line that denotes when the building will begin to float.
According to the buoyancy principle, if an object displaces a volume of water which weighs greater
than that object it will float. Likewise, if an object displaces a volume of water that weighs less than
the object, it will not float. Since a buildings square footage is static, the only variable that will alter
the volume of water displaced is height. This means, that is the sea level rises, more volume is
displaces, thus more weight. So as the sea rises, the building moves closer and closer to floating.
There is a certain point at which the volume displaced equals the weight of the building, and it will
float. This can be controlled, and needs to be so that the homes to be built in the marsh do not have
such a low float line that they create steep grade between the entry and the pier. The float line is to be
designed for five feet below the pier, at 12 feet. This is to maintain a 1 to 6 pitch at worst case
scenario. If the water rises and the grade becomes steeper, it will not matter because the pier will be
completely inundated at that point anyways.

This concept is demonstrated in Figures 3q.

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3.2.3 STRUCTURE TYPE –

In order to design for a specific float line, lightweight materials must be used. This is why
lightweight concrete is used when concrete is necessary, and why the caisson has hollow cores. A
further measure to reduced weight is to mandate that all construction be light-wood framing. This is
a typical tactic in the Netherlands. A schema of the general construction method is shown in Figure
3.r

Figure 3.r (Light wood frame construction to assist in controlling float line.)

3.2.4 UTILITIY ACCESS –

The final criterion that is critical to successful regulation and development of the marsh is to
standardize utility access points and methods. Due the public right of way eventually shifting to
being the pier leading off of the ridge into the marsh, the entrance to these floating homes will be
limited to facing the pier/current street. The utilities will use this forced access point into the home to
run water, sewage, and electricity. This is a necessary step because modern practices of burying
utilities will not be adequate for life on the water. Some sort of system for utility access has to be
developed that is functional on land and in water. Using the building entry as an access point for
utilities allows the future possibility of running the utilities between the home and the pier. This
criterion is shown in figures 3.s-3.t

Figure 3.s (3D diagram of utility chase

location within a prototype home)

Figure 3.t (Sectional diagram showing

utility functionality on land and in water)

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3.3 A NEW MODEL –

3.3.1 HOUSE 1 –
House 1 is a model showing 2 bedrooms, 2.5 baths with a library, kitchen, and office. The kitchen,
library, dining room, and office are all on the basement level and only accessible via the stairs from
the entry landing. This is shown in Figure 3.3.a. The master bedroom and the living room occupy the
main entry floor, as well as a private back deck. The front porch, used for entry is located on this
level as well, displayed in Figure 3.3.b. Figure 3.3.c describes the top floor which houses the guest
bedroom and bath, as well as open space to be used by the owner at will. Figures 3.3.d describe
elevations and sections of this home. Figures 3.3.e is a rendering of this home.

Figure 3.3.a (House Prototype 1: Basement) Figure 3.3.b (House Prototype 1: Entry)

Figure 3.3.c (House Prototype 1: Level 3) Figure 3.3.d (House Prototype 1: North and South

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Figure 3.3.e (House Prototype 1: Section) Figure 3.3.f (House Prototype 1: Exterior Rendering)

3.3.2 HOUSE 2 –

Prototype House 2 is a bit bigger than prototype 1. It is designed for more people. With 3 beds and
2.5 baths, the basement floor is occupied by two guest bed rooms, a guest bath, storage, a mechanical
room, and some open program space. The entry level contains the kitchen, dining room, living room,
a half bath, and a covered porch. The third floor is the master bedroom, the master bath, some open
program, and a green house. Figures 3.3.g-3.3.n are the architecture drawings describing this home.
Figures 3.3.o-and 3.3.p are exterior renderings.

Figure 3.3.g (House Prototype 2: Basement) Figure 3.3.h(House Prototype 2: Entry Level)

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Figure 3.3.i(House Prototype 2: Level 3) Figure 3.3.j (House Prototype 2: North Elevation)

Figure 3.3.k (House Prototype 2: East Elevation) Figure 3.3.l (House Prototype 2: South Elevation)

Figure 3.3.m (House Prototype 2: West Elevation) Figure 3.3.n (House Prototype 2: Section)

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Figure 3.3.o (House Prototype 2: exterior rendering) Figure 3.3.p (House Prototype 2: ext. rendering)

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 Chapter 4
Project House- An Amphibious Prototype

4.1 House Goals

This research study will develop an appropriate design solution for an amphibious house based on
the gradual rise in sea level.
Solutions will include waterproof materials and the protection of vital utilities, a structural sub-frame
that acts as the buoy, and vertical guidance poles attached to the barge that provide resistance to
lateral forces from wind and water. Based on the demographics around the globe, the average owner
occupied household size is approximately 3.25 persons per unit. Household income is oftentimes the
crucial factor in evaluating the size and type of housing that can be procured by any given
household. With about three persons per household, this project will be a single-family unit no more
than 2,000 square feet of living space. The house will be the equal of traditional houses on land,
including comfort, quality and price. Comfort can be defined as meeting the same building
requirements imposed on static houses including structural stability. Materials and maintenance are
equivalent to a house built on land and it should have the same lifespan as a static house, with the
only difference being the foundation system.

4.2 House Concept

Permeability can be defined as the state of a material that allows liquids or gases to pass through
it. The concept of permeability can be attributed to the surrounding salt flat environment where
water must pass through small and large openings in the levee systems in order to circulate.

Permeability can be accomplished in three ways: First, by creating recesses of building mass;
second, by creating protrusions of building mass; third, by distributing windows of various shape and
size on the elevations. A permeable morphology would produce positive effects at a building scale,
i.e. better air and light circulation, accessibility and visibility, and communication between interior
and exterior spaces.

Examples of Permeability

Recessed Mass Protruding Mass Varying Window

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4.3 Conceptual Ideation of Building

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5.4 Project Work
*an authentic work by Heather Anderson
(e-mail shared by the designer herself)

Water Type: Salt Water

House Type: Amphibious
Buoyancy Materials: Steel Barge w/ EPS Blocks
Size of House: 1,785 ft²
Size of Barge: 1,589 ft²
2bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms

The house is made out of timber and sits within a steel barge. The reason for timber construction is
that wood is a light building material. A steel barge is used due to its low corrosive rate in salt water
and is not harmful to the water on which it floats.
Leachable metals, such as zinc, lead and copper cannot be used because of the pollutants they release
as soon as they come into contact with the water. To ensure necessary ballast and waterproofing,
concrete slabs are inserted on top of Expanded Polyurethane Foam blocks inside the barge. The
wooden structure on a concrete foundation within a steel barge gives the house a low centre of
gravity, which promotes stability. In addition, spaces were arranged symmetrically to promote added
ballast. (Figure 4a)

4a : Exterior Perspective

4b : Exterior Perspective
To keep the houses in place, they have all been
connected to two steel mooring poles, by means of a fixed connection. The construction allows

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houses to move up and down with the water level. The mooring poles are positioned diagonally at
opposing sides of the house, giving the greatest stability and lease amount of lateral movement.

Residents enter the house from the entrance ramp. A series of steps are located in front of the
entrance ramp on top the deck that takes residents to the front door. Once inside, residents will notice
the foyer floor is raised to the same height of the exterior deck, causing the space to appear smaller
at the entrance. However, once residents descend 18 inches down the steps, the interior opens up to
the kitchen, dining and living room, giving the illusion of a vast space. All areas of greater weight
are centrally positioned throughout the house, including the kitchen and upper level bathrooms, in
order to promote added stability. The first floor is comprised of public areas, including the kitchen,
dining and living room. Added storage space and a half bathroom are also located on this level. Vast
windows on the first level frame the exterior scenery and allow natural light to penetrate the spaces.
Larger windows are oriented towards the North-East in order to minimize interior overheating and
direct sunlight from entering, while smaller windows are oriented towards the South-West to ensure
enough light penetrates the house.

4c Exterior Perspective 4d : Exterior Perspective

The bedrooms are situated on the second level with two full bathrooms and a laundry room. Both
bedrooms contain a 90 degree corner window to allow for added views as well as smaller
windows for added natural lighting. The master bedroom contains its own bathroom while another
full bathroom is located in the hallway. A balcony extends from the top of the stairs out to the
South-West corner of the house. From this vantage point one has a view out to the salt ponds and
the adjacent San Francisco Bay.

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 4e : Exterior Perspective

The windows on the second level alternate in shape and size. A sloped triangular window begins at
the second level and ends at the roof line in order to allow natural light to penetrate the hallways and
to create architectural interest. Windows along the South-West side are characterized by the addition
of skylights. The skylights are oriented perpendicular to the exterior windows and form a 90 degree
angle with the windows. The skylight/window is further characterized by steel angle frames that act
as sun shading louvers and add architectural interest.

Figure 4f Interior Hallway Perspective

The exterior deck space is characterized by a wooden deck that wraps around the entire house. A 34”
railing frames the deck and allows residents to be worry-free from children and pets falling into the
water. A large deck adds structural stability to the home as well as added outdoor space.

4g : Exterior Perspective 4h : Exterior Perspective

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 4i : Exterior Perspective

4j : Exterior Perspective 5.4k4.:1Exterior.11:ExteriorPerspectivePerspective

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33 | P a g e
 4l : Exterior Perspective

4m : Exterior Perspective

4n : Exterior Perspective

4o : Exterior Perspective

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 4p : Exterior Perspective
Chapter 5
Floating Calculations

The principle of floating buildings is based on Archimedes’ Law. It states that, “any mass completely
or partially submerged in a fluid (gas or liquid) at rest is acted upon by an upward, or buoyant, force
the magnitude of which is equal to the weight of the fluid displaced by the body. The volume of
displaced fluid is equivalent to the volume of an object fully immersed in a fluid or to that fraction of
the volume below the surface for an object partially submerged in a liquid. The weight of the
displaced portion of the fluid is equivalent to the magnitude of the buoyant force. The buoyant force
on a body floating in a liquid or gas is also equivalent in magnitude to the weight of the floating
object and is opposite in direction; the object neither rises nor sinks. If the weight of an object is less
than that of the displaced fluid, the object rises. An object heavier than the amount of the fluid it
displaces, though it sinks when released, has an apparent weight loss equal to the weight of the fluid
displaced.” (Britannica.com)

Practically seen, the Archimedes principle allows the volume of an object to be measured by
measuring the volume of the liquid it displaces after submerging, and the buoyancy of an
object immersed into a liquid to be calculated.

For any immersed object, the volume of the submerged portion equals the volume of fluid it
displaces. E.g., by submerging in water half of a sealed 1-liter container, we displace a half-litre
volume of fluid, regardless of the container's contents. If we fully submerge the same container, we
then displace one litre of liquid that equals exactly to the volume of the 1-liter container.
An empty 1-litre plastic bottle released in the air will fall down due to the gravitational force of
Earth acting on it. If the same bottle is released under water, the same gravitational force acts on it,
but it will be pushed upwards towards the surface of the water. The extra force that pushes the bottle
upwards comes from the up thrust or Archimedes force. The basic equation for Archimedes force is
as follows:

U = G / (A x P)
Where:
U is the vertical drop below the water line (m)
G is the dead load of the total building construction (kN)
A is the area of the floating body (m²)
P is the density of water (kN/m³)

5.1 Determining Dead Load

Dead loads shall include self-weight of all items of permanent nature that will act continuously
throughout the service life of the building. ASCE provides material load values in terms of pounds
per square foot (lb/ft²) and pounds per cubic foot (lb/ft³), depending on the material. Most of the
values are given in pounds per square foot because the depth value of the material is included in
the load whereas certain values are given in terms of pounds per cubic foot in order to
accommodate varying thicknesses of materials.

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The weight of the materials can be calculated by multiplying the amount of area (ft²) that each
material comprises and by the material load (lb/ft²). For example, the wood planking has an area of
780 ft² and a load of 3.2 lb/ft², therefore it has a total weight of 2,496 lbs contributing to the
structure. Other materials with a higher density can be calculated by multiplying the material
volume (ft³) with the material density (lb/ft³). For example, the steel pontoon wall has a volume of
51.5 ft³ and a density of 492 lb/ft³, therefore it has a total weight of 25,338 lbs. Load and density
values can be found in Table 4 & 5.

After adding up the total amount of weight, the building has a total weight of 140,172.6 lbs. The
weight value is then converted to kiloNewtons for the purpose of this equation. The total dead load
is 623.52 kN.

5.2 Determining Live Load

According to ASCE, a live load is a load produced by the use and occupancy of the building or other
structure that does not include construction or environmental loads, such as wind load, snow load,
rain load, earthquake load, flood load, or dead load. Minimum uniformly distributed live load for
residential dwellings is averaged at 40 lb/ft².
By multiplying this number by the total square footage of the building (2609 ft²), the total weight is
104,360 lbs. The weight value is then converted to kilonewtons for the purpose of this equation. The
total live load is 464.22 kN.

5.3 Determining the Area of the Floating Body

The area of the building can be calculated by multiplying the length and width of the barge structure.
In this instance, the barge has a length of 49 feet and a width of 35 feet and a total area of 1715 ft².

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This value can be converted to square meters for the purpose of this equation, totaling 159.33 m².
The same method can be done for the second story, totalling an area of 894 ft² or 83 m². The total
area of the building can be found by adding up the both floor areas, totalling 242.33 m².

5.4 Density of Water

The density of seawater varies with temperature and salinity of the water. As temperature increases,
density decreases. Inversely, as salinity of the water increases, density also increases. Although the
density of seawater varies at different points in the ocean

5.5 Calculating Buoyancy

The basic equation for floating construction is as follows:

U = G / (A x P)
Where:
U is the vertical drop below the water line (m)
G is the total load of the total building construction (623.52 kN + 464.22 kN)
A is the area of the floating body (242.33 m²)
P is the density of water (10.06 kN/m³)
Equation Values:
U = 1,087.74 kN / (242.33m² x 10.06 kN/m³)
Therefore:
U = .45 m
The vertical drop of the building below the water line is approximately .45 meters
or 1.5 feet. Based on Archimedes Principle of Buoyancy, the house is capable of carrying
a maximum load of 3,715 kN or 835,165 lbs.

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 Chapter 6
Conclusions

When looking at how we manage water and design in its close proximity, the immense scale of the
challenge of flooding that we are now facing becomes clear. Climate change, and its many effects -
including increasing sea levels, more severe precipitation and increased flood risk – is already being felt,
however its true effects will be measured in decades. This is the timeframe within which planning, design
and development should operate. The buildings and places that we create in the next ten years will form
the backbone of an amphibious lifestyle for the next few decades and beyond.
In order to prepare for the future, designers and builders must not look at the limitations of water, but
at the opportunities it presents.

Amphibious buildings are a proven, low-cost, low-impact flood protection strategy that gives a
community enhanced flood resilience and improves its ability to recover from disaster. When
flooding occurs, the water dwelling vertically rises with the water levels to remain safely above
water then settles back into place as the water recedes. Successful amphibious foundation systems
are functioning in the Netherlands, Louisiana and Sausalito, among others, where they provide flood
protection that is both more reliable and more convenient than can be obtained from permanent
static elevation.

This research work provides a stabilised data for development of amphibious structure with variable
changes according to the architect and the resident. Especially, the steel barge foundation will prove
success in both durability and as a floating foundation in salt water. Unlike the precedent studies,
added concrete slab on top of the steel barge will help improve ballast in the foundation. Systems
such as underfloor heating and the specific arrangement of windows will help facilitate the residents
in times of changing climates. Like the precedent studies, the residence is built symmetrically to
ensure the foundation remains even, however the contemporary façade and interior of the residence
are built to accommodate various nature of residents. By building the residence within the existing
levee system, wave action is minimized. The series of stability crests and berms are also capable of
carrying municipal pipes and cables, thus ensuring the residents that an amphibious house will have
the same amenities as a house built on land. Comfort is guaranteed because all buildings will have
the same facilities as a building on land, including heating, cooling and ventilation. Quality of the
building is not compromised because the official building requirements for floating buildings are
the same as on land.

The increased attractiveness of living on the water after centuries of dreading inundation indicates that
the population feels that rising water levels are not to be feared, but to be embraced. Open water adds
variation to a landscape and invokes feelings of tranquillity and space, along with attractive views.
Amphibious buildings are similar to those on land. Although construction techniques vary, only the
foundations are essentially different from their equivalents on land. In terms of cost, buoyant
foundations are similar to filled-in land or foundation piles. Building on water is financially feasible at
locations where land is expensive and where there is little or no alternative space on land.

The patterns of development are being set now all along the world. Planning, design and construction
has not evolved sufficiently to face a future of increased flood risk with confidence. However, as we
have seen from the precedent studies, new alternative thinking and innovation is coming to the

38 | P a g e
forefront. The long-term view that is necessary in taking account of climate change also enables us to
view other issues with the same horizon of opportunity – facilitating new solutions to spatial
planning and the location of settlements, best practice in building design, infrastructure development,
and environmental flood defence.

It is time to evolve a new relationship with water, to ask what is possible of design and
construction, and begin to look towards a flooded future with confidence and imagination.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Archimedes Principle. Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2014. Web. 21 Jan, 2014.

<http://Britannica.com/>.
BCDC Living with Water. San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, Oct. 2011. Web. 21 Jan. 2014.
California Legislature. Cargill Salt Ponds Hearings. Sacramento: Senate
Publications, 2002. Print.
Cheng, R. T., and Gartner, J. W. Harmonic Analysis of Tides and Tidal Currents in South
San Francisco Bay. Estuarine, Coastal, and Shelf Science. 1985. Web. 24 Mar.
2013.
Climate Action Plan for San Francisco. San Francisco Department of the Environment,
Sep. 2004. Web. 14 Aug. 2013.
Deep Foundations. Department of Transportation, Dec. 2000. Web. 2 Feb. 2013.
English, Elizabeth. Amphibious Foundations and the Buoyant Foundation Project:
Innovative Strategies for Flood-Resilient Housing. Ontario: University of
Waterloo School of Architecture. 2010. Print.
Floating Houses Ijburg. Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer, n.d.. Web. 23 Nov. 2013.
<http://rohmer.nl/>
Grossi, Patricia, & Robert Muir-Wood. Flood Risk in New Orleans. Risk Management
Solutions. 2006. Web. 2 Feb. 2013.
Metz, Tracy. “Rebuilding After Katrina.” Architecural Record 194.6 (2006): 140-142.
Print.
Meyer, Han, & Dale Morris & David Waggonner. “Dutch Dialogues.” SUN 13 Apr.
2009: Print. 13.
Morphopedia. Morphosis Architects, Inc., 2014. Web. 2 Feb 2014.
National Flood Insurance Program. FEMA, n.d.. Web. 14 Aug. 2013.
<http://fema.gov/>.
Nillesen, Anne, & Jeroen Singelenberg. Waterwonen in Nederland. Rotterdam : NAi
Uitgevers/Publishers, 2011. Print.
Oosthoek, K. Dutch River Defenses in Historical Perspective. Environmental History
Resource, Web. 24 Mar. 2013.
Page 90
Patton, Cynthia. Turning Salt Into Environmental Gold: Wetland Restoration in the South
San Francisco Bay Salt Ponds. Oakland: Save San Francisco Bay Association,
2002. Print.
Pile Installation Demonstration Project. San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. East Span
Seismic Safety Project. California Department of Transportation, Jun. 1999. Web.
12 Oct. 2013. <http://dot.ca.gov/>.
Prosun, Prithula. The LIFT House. Ontario: University of Waterloo, 2011. Print.
Shaffer, Kathy. Houseboats: Aquatic Architecture of Sausalito. Pennsylvania: Schiffer
Publishing Ltd., 2007. Print.
Redwood City General Plan. City of Redwood City, 11 Oct. 2010. Web. 14 Aug. 2013.
Royal Institute of British Architects. Living With Water: Visions of a Flooded Future.
London: RIBA, 2007. Print.
Van der Pol, Johan. Flood Proof Architecture. Climate of Coastal Cooperation.
Netherlands: Coastal and Marine Union, 2011. Print.

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 WEBOGRAPHY

A special acknowledgement to Heather Christine for her positive response on the topic Amphibious
Architecture and sharing her authentic work and designs presented at the Faculty of California
Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo

handerson@ringlerassociates.com

The conference held at icaade2015.com

www.icaade2015.com/researchpapers/topics/amphibious-architecture

www.unesco-ihe.org>sites>default>files

www.academia.edu>Amphibious_architecture_and_design_a_catalyst_of_opportunistic_adaptation_
during_flood_mitigaion

www.buoyantfoundation.org

www.water.uwaterloo.ca>newsletters>WI_N>Amphibious_architecture

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42 | P a g e
 RESEARCH SKILLS
A REVIEW OF RESEARCH PAPER ON AMPHIBIOUS
ARCHITECTURE

TITLE: AMPHIBIOUS FOUNDATIONS PROJECT: INNOVATIVE

STRATEGIES FOR FLOOD-RESILIENT HOUSING

AUTHOR- Dr. Elizabeth English, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo School of

Architecture, Canada
english@ecenglish.ca

PUBLISHED AT- The International Conference on Urban Flood Management sponsored by

UNESCOIHP and COST Action C22, "Road Map Towards a Flood Resilient Urban Environment",
November 25-27, 2009 Paris, France.

DATE OF PUBLISHING- November 26, 2009

WEB ADDRESS (URL)-

http://www.buoyantfoundation.org/pdfs/ECEnglish_ParisUFMpaper_nov2009.pdf

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Abstract-
Amphibious foundations are a cost-effective, resident-friendly alternative to permanent static
elevation for housing in areas where rising flood waters are not accompanied by high flow speeds.
There is growing awareness that homeowners in established neighbourhoods are resistant to
permanent static elevation, a strategy that disrupts a neighbourhood’s appearance and causes daily
inconvenience, with no assurance of providing sufficient protection in an extreme flood event.
Amphibious foundation systems retain a home's close proximity to the earth and relationship to the
street by supporting the house at a slightly raised elevation under normal circumstances. When
flooding occurs, the house floats to as high a level as is necessary to remain safely above water, then
settles back into place as the water recedes. Successful amphibious foundation systems are
functioning in Maasbommel, Netherlands, and at Raccourci Old River, Louisiana, where they
provide flood protection that is both more reliable and more convenient than can be obtained from
permanent static elevation.

Two new amphibious houses have recently been completed in New Orleans, and a prototype
amphibious house for slum dwellers has begun construction in Dhaka, Bangladesh. In urban areas,
amphibious foundations help encourage the preservation of established neighbourhoods and existing
architectural character. Homeowners in South Louisiana in general and New Orleans in particular are
facing difficult decisions about how to comply with new flood protection regulations that privilege
permanent static elevation at the expense of accessibility and neighbourhood character. The absence
of substantial improvements to the levees means that in most neighbourhoods the risk of flooding
above typical permanent static elevation levels remains significant. The Buoyant Foundation Project
is developing an amphibious foundation system for retrofitting traditional New Orleans elevated
wooden “shotgun” houses, so that displaced residents will feel safe in returning home to rebuild their
communities. Amphibious foundations are a proven, low-cost, low-impact flood protection strategy
that gives a community or a region enhanced flood resilience and improves its ability to recover from
disaster.

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Introduction-
In the aftermath of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, many homeowners in southern Louisiana are
required to comply with new government regulations in order to retain their eligibility for flood
insurance. For most, this means elevating their houses to comply with the new Base Flood Elevation
(BFE) requirements issued by FEMA (the US Federal Emergency Management Agency).
Furthermore, in the absence of significantly improved levees, many New Orleanais who do not face
official requirements to elevate their houses remain concerned about their safety and wish to
improve their protection from flooding. Permanently elevating houses, in some areas by as much as
12-15 feet, may be FEMA's solution to the problem of flooding but it creates new problems, such as
difficult access to living areas, loss of neighbourhood character and increased vulnerability of the
structure to wind damage. With permanent static elevation, even if a house is raised to the BFE or
higher, it can still flood in an extreme event. In the meantime, residents must live with daily
inconvenience and a reduced quality of life in the hope of avoiding flooding in a future event that is
statistically very rare indeed. A look at floating docks and houseboats suggests that there may be an
alternative approach, one that would allow a house to remain close to the ground under normal
conditions but rise as much as necessary, even if far above the BFE, when flooding occurs. Figure 1:
Permanent static elevation of homes in south Louisiana. This is the flood mitigation strategy
currently promoted by US government agencies.

Background-
In February 2006, six months after Hurricane Katrina, I found myself questioning how I, in my position
of Associate Professor - Research at the Louisiana State University (LSU) Hurricane Centre, could help
New Orleanians scattered across the country feel that it was safe to return home, to reverse the diaspora
that had siphoned away the people who were New Orleans' heart and soul, the city's authentic cultural
source and creative force. For me this meant, could I direct my work in a way that might serve to
mitigate the dissolution of New Orleans' core culture? It became for me a mission to devise a way to
make the shotgun houses in the old New Orleans neighbourhoods truly protected from flooding, so that
the people who used to live in them would feel that it was safe to return and that restoring them was not
an exercise in futility; so that the old neighbourhoods could be re-established, so that New Orleans’
unique culture, currently displaced, fragmented and endangered, would not become extinct. Endangered
plants and animals are protected by the federal government, but who protects endangered human
cultures? What could an academic researcher in a technical field do to counteract a set of social and
political forces that had compounded into what appeared to be nothing short of a cultural genocide?
Might not restoration of the physical habitat encourage

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restoration of the culture? Demolition and rebuilding would not re-establish the pre-Katrina
neighbourhoods, community culture, and culture of community that had flourished there; we would
do better if we could "save the shotgun". In fact, the shotgun houses themselves are critical players
in this project, because the uniqueness of New Orleans culture is, I believe, in no small part due to
shotgun house typology. The strong sense of community at the heart of New Orleans cultural life is a
direct response to an absence of privacy in a shotgun house that serves to foster social interaction,
both within the house and among the houses in a neighbourhood of shotguns. Shotgun houses need a
flood-proofing strategy that does not compromise the relationship of the house to the street or to the
other houses in the neighbourhood. What they do not need is permanent static elevation, which is
occupant-unfriendly, neighbourhood-disruptive and unable to provide sufficient protection in an
extreme flood, but which is the only elevation strategy approved by the US National Flood Insurance
Program (NFIP) and thus the only one FEMA has allowed. A buoyant foundation is a relatively
inexpensive, unobtrusive retrofit to a shotgun house that provides it with buoyancy blocks and a
vertical guidance system interconnected by a light structural frame, so that the house rises to float on
the water when flooding occurs and settles back into its original place when the water recedes.
Unlike such risk-concentrating, traditional flood mitigation strategies as levees and floodgates,
buoyant foundations diffuse risk and increase a community's resilience. In action, buoyant
foundations work with flood water rather than trying to fight it.

Amphibious Housing in Louisiana-

There is a growing number of cost-effective amphibious houses around the world. Best known are
the amphibious houses designed and built earlier this decade by Factor Architecten and
DuraVermeer at Maasbommel in the Netherlands. In rural areas of south Louisiana, there have been
clusters of amphibious housing functioning reliably for over thirty years. Raccourci Old River in
Point Coupee Parish is one such location. The lake that is called Old River was once a part of the
Mississippi River, and remains connected to the Mississippi at one end; thus the water level in Old
River rises and falls with the Mississippi's spring floods. Unhampered by building codes in these
rural areas, local residents and vacationing fishermen devised an amphibious foundation system that
has been keeping their homes and fishing camps dry for over three decades. Large blocks of EPS
(expanded polystyrene, or Styrofoam) are secured underneath the home which has been raised to an
elevation 3 - 4 ft. above the ground. Long poles or pipes are sunk into the ground near the corners of
the house. When flooding occurs, the EPS blocks raise the house. Sleeves that have been placed
around the poles and attached to the structural frame of the home are able to slide up and down,
allowing the home to rise and fall with the level of flooding.

Figure 2: Amphibious houses in rural Louisiana, dry in September, floating in February.

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 Figure 3: An amphibious house in rural Louisiana, the same house in September
and in February.

Make It Right FLOAT House in New Orleans

Actor Brad Pitt launched the Make It Right (MIR) Foundation in 2007, promising to give to former
residents of the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans 150 affordable, sustainable and storm-resistant
new homes. Morphisms Architects designed the amphibious FLOAT House for MIR. It was
completed just a few weeks ago in October 2009. The base of the house is a "chassis" formed of EPS
encased in fiberglass-reinforced concrete. It acts as a raft, allowing the house to rise vertically by
sliding on two guide posts that pass through sleeves in the chassis, one at each end, inside the house.
The house can float up to twelve feet as water levels rise.

Figure 4: The FLOAT House, New Orleans. Elevation, interior guide post and sleeve detail.

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 Lakeview Amphibious House in New Orleans
This house in the Lakeview neighbourhood of New Orleans was built by a contractor as a
commercial spec house. It was completed more than a year ago, but to date it has not been occupied.
Due to difficulties with the permitting process, the contractor has been unable to obtain a Certificate
of Occupancy. The house appears to be supported on a hollow steel box that provides its buoyancy.
The box rests on a concrete slab-on grade. Four wood vertical guidance posts are set near the
corners of the house. Each post is attached to the house by two steel sleeves welded to the steel box.
The sleeves are capable of sliding up and down on the posts.

Figure 5: Lakeview House, New Orleans. Elevation and detail of connection to post.

LIFT House in Dhaka, Bangladesh

This prototype of a low-cost, sustainable amphibious house for urban slum-dwellers broke ground in
November of this year in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Initiated and designed by Prithula Prosun, currently a
Master of Architecture student at the University Of Waterloo School Of Architecture, each
independent structure consists of two to eight floatable bamboo dwellings clustered around a shared
courtyard. A stationary brick base supporting the dwellings contains plumbing, utilities and rainwater
storage cisterns. Each two-room amphibious bamboo dwelling unit provides living and sleeping
quarters for a single family.

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 Figure 6: The LIFT House in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Eight-unit and two-unit clusters.

Figure 7: The LIFT House in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Concrete and brick base structure under construction; buoyancy block made of recapped,
recycled plastic bottles.

The Buoyant Foundation Project-

The Buoyant Foundation Project (BFP) is a non-profit research initiative founded in 2006 at the
LSU Hurricane Centre with the goal of designing and implementing retrofittable buoyant
foundations for New Orleans "shotgun" houses.

What is a Buoyant Foundation?

A buoyant foundation is a type of amphibious foundation that is specially designed to be retrofitted to an
existing south Louisiana shotgun house. It allows the house to sit just above the ground like a normal
elevated house under normal conditions, but to rise up and float safely on the water when there is a
flood. It has a structural sub frame that attaches to the underside of the house and supports the flotation
elements, or buoyancy blocks. Extensions of the structural sub frame attach to the tops of vertical
guidance poles near the corners of the house that telescope out of the ground to provide resistance to
lateral forces from wind and flowing water. When flooding occurs, the flotation blocks lift the house,
with the structural sub frame transferring the forces between the house, blocks and poles. The vertical
guidance poles keep the house from going anywhere except straight up and down

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on top of the water. The elements of the structural sub frame are inserted underneath the house in
pieces. Most of the pieces are small and light enough to be installed by two persons without
machinery. After the buoyant foundation is in place, the house remains supported on its original piers
except when flooding occurs. Utility lines have either long, coiled “umbilical” lines or self-sealing
“breakaway” connections that disconnect gas and sewer lines when the house begins to rise.

Figure 8: Schematic diagrams of the buoyant foundation system.

In 2007 our team of LSU Hurricane Centre faculty and students successfully constructed and tested a
full-scale prototype buoyant foundation system installed on a platform structure representing the full
width (13 ft.) and 40% (24 ft.) of the full length (approx. 60 ft.) of a typical shotgun house.

Figure 9: Full-scale testing of prototype buoyant foundation system.

Construction of prototype; stability test showing floating platform tilted due to unevenly
distributed sandbags representing imbalanced live load.

Preservation and Sustainability Considerations-

Buoyant foundations preserve traditional shotgun houses. They are considerably less expensive
($20-25k US) than permanent static elevation ($40-60k US). They alleviate any long-term
deterioration of protection resulting from soil subsidence and elevated sea level from global
warming, something that permanent static elevation cannot avoid. The house is not permanently
elevated and it is therefore less vulnerable to hurricane wind damage.

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A house when retrofitted with a buoyant foundation looks essentially the same as it did before,
unlike a house with permanent static elevation. The original traditional architecture and the
relationship of the house to the street are preserved. New Orleans neighbourhoods retain their
original, unique character.
The use of buoyant foundations is an approach to flood mitigation that disperses risk rather than
concentrating it. They are a low impact solution that improves community resilience. They promote
restoration rather than demolition, which is a much more sustainable response to local housing
needs. They preserve a form of traditional vernacular housing that is particularly appropriate for the
local climate and made of a particularly appropriate local material (native cypress is termite-, mole-
and rot resistant) that is no longer available and thus irreplaceable.
Future directions-
We are currently exploring the use of Thermoplastic Timber, a new structural material made of
recycled plastic bottles, reinforced with fiberglass from recycled automobile bumpers, to replace the
steel in the structural sub frame and telescoping vertical guidance poles.
We are also exploring the use of containers filled with recapped recycled plastic water bottles to
replace the Styrofoam in the buoyancy blocks. Our goal, with proper funding, is to install buoyant
foundations on 300 shotgun houses in New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward in the next eight to ten years.

Conclusions- Amphibious foundations are a proven, low-cost, low-impact flood protection strategy
that can increase a flood-prone community's resilience in the face of disaster. Why fight floodwater
when you can float on it?

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 RESEARCH SKILLS
REVIEW OF RESEARCH PAPER ON FLOAT House

TITLE: FLOAT House

AUTHOR- Jamie Ludwig, ‘Rebuilding Nola’- The Make it Right Foundation

 PUBLISHED AT- “The Float House: Designing Homes for Environmental Conditions” UCLA
News Week

DATE OF PUBLISHING- September 22, 2010

WEB ADDRESS (URL)-http://morphopedia.com/information/the-float-

house-designing-homes-for-env

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Description-

 Make It: Affordable

A new approach to mass-producing low-cost homes that respond to local culture and climate

The FLOAT House optimizes the efficiency of mass-production, while respecting New
Orleans’s unique culture and context. The Ninth Ward’s colourful vernacular houses, which
local residents have traditionally modified and personalized over time, reflect the
community’s vibrant culture. The FLOAT House grows out of the indigenous typology of the
shotgun house, predominant throughout New Orleans and the Lower Ninth Ward. Like a
typical shotgun house, the FLOAT House sits atop a raised base. This innovative base, or
“chassis,” integrates all mechanical, electrical, plumbing and sustainable systems, and
securely floats in case of flooding. Inspired by GM’s skateboard chassis, which is engineered
to support several car body types, the FLOAT House’s chassis is designed to support a
variety of customizable house configurations.

Developed to meet the needs of families in New Orleans’s Lower Ninth Ward, the FLOAT
House is a prototype for prefabricated, affordable housing that can be adapted to the needs of
flood zones worldwide. The FLOAT House is assembled on-site from pre-fabricated
components:

• The modular chassis is pre-fabricated as a single unit of expanded polystyrene foam coated
in glass fibre reinforced concrete, with all required wall anchors, electrical, mechanical and
plumbing systems pre-installed. The chassis module is shipped whole from factory to site, via
standard flatbed trailer.
• The piers that anchor the house to the ground and the concrete pads on which the chassis
sits are constructed on-site, using local labour and conventional construction techniques.
• The panelised walls, windows, interior finishes and kit-of parts roof are prefabricated, to be
assembled on-site along with the installation of fixtures and appliances. This efficient
approach integrates modern mass-production with traditional site construction to lower
costs, guarantee quality, and reduce waste.

Make It: Float

A flood-safe house that securely floats with rising water levels

Global climate change is triggering ever-harsher floods and natural disasters. Nearly 200
million people worldwide live in high risk coastal flooding zones, and in the US alone,
over 36 million people currently face the threat of flooding. The FLOAT House prototype
proposes a sustainable way of living that adapts to this uncertain reality.

To protect from flooding, the FLOAT House can rise vertically on guide posts, securely
floating up to twelve feet as water levels rise. In the event of a flood, the house’s chassis acts
as a raft, guided by steel masts, which are anchored to the ground by two concrete pile caps

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 each with six 45-foot deep piles.

Like the vernacular New Orleans shotgun house, the FLOAT House sits on a 4-foot base;
rather than permanently raising the house on ten foot or higher stilts, the house only rises in
case of severe flooding. This configuration accommodates a traditional front porch,
preserving of the community’s vital porch culture and facilitating accessibility for elderly and
disabled residents.

While not designed for occupants to remain in the home during a hurricane, the FLOAT
House aims to minimize catastrophic damage and preserve the homeowner’s investment in
their property. This approach also allows for the early return of occupants in the aftermath of
a hurricane or flood.

Make It: Green

A high-performance house that generates and sustains its own water and power needs

On track for a LEED Platinum Rating, the FLOAT House is an innovative model for
affordable, net-zero annual energy consumption housing. High-performance systems sustain
the home’s power, air, and water needs, and minimize resource consumption:

• Solar Power Generation: The roof supports solar panels that generate all of the house’s
power, resulting in net-zero annual energy consumption. The chassis incorporates electrical
systems to store and convert solar power for daily use, and to give back to the electrical
grid during the temperate fall and spring months.

• Rainwater Collection: The sloped concave roof collects rainwater, and funnels it to cisterns
housed in the chassis, where it is filtered and stored for daily use.

• Efficient Systems—including low-flow plumbing fixtures, low-energy appliances, high

performance windows, and highly insulated SIPs (Structural Insulated Panel) walls and
roof—minimize water and power consumption, and lower the lifecycle cost for the
home owner.

• High-grade energy efficient kitchen, appliances and fixtures maximize durability and
reduce the need for replacement.

• Geothermal Heating and Cooling: A geothermal mechanical system heats and cools the air
via a ground source heat pump, which naturally conditions the air, minimizing the energy
required to cool the house in the harsh summer months and heat it in winter.

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 Location:
1638 Tennessee Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America 70117
Client:
Make It Right Foundation

Size:
945 gross sq. ft. / 88 gross sq. m

Program:
This single family residential unit is organized according to the planning characteristics of
the shotgun house, a ubiquitous residential type of New Orleans. The primary living
spaces: living room, kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms are aligned end-to-end within a 16’
x 58’ bar, and accessed from a parallel corridor, referred to as a gallery in this building
typology.

Date:
2007 - 2009

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 Construction:
2008 - 2009

Type:
 Residential
Project Credits
Morphosis Team
In Collaboration with
 UCLA Architecture and Urban Design (AUD)
Make It Right Consulting Architect
 John Williams Architects
UCLA AUD Chair
 Hitoshi Abe
Make It Right Sustainability Consultant
 William McDonough and Partners
UCLA Professor / Advisor
 Richard Weinstein
LEED for Homes Provider
 Contects Consultants and Architects

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Bibliography-

Jamie Ludwig “Rebuilding NOLA: The Make it Right organization is turning the 2005 Hurricane
Katrine tragedy into an ongoing triumph-one home at a time” Green Building & Design.
Guerrero Bowen + Howel LLC Vol. 1,No. 3, 60-67.

“Make It Right” Lotus 155: Geography in Motion(Sept. 2014). 124-125.

“A Floating House” This New House. DIY Network (October 20, 2010). Episode DTNH-105H.

“The Float House: Designing Homes for Environmental Conditions” UCLA News Week
(September 22, 2010).

“The Thom Mayne Experience” bbm 31 (Summer 2010). 162-167.

McKee, Bradford. “Float House”Designobservor.com (October 7, 2009).

Luke, Michael “Lower 9 floating house unveiled” WWLTV.com (October 6, 2009).

Block, Melissa. “In New Orleans, Home Floats To Withstand Floods” All Things Considered.
NPR (October 5, 2009).

Smith, Erin. “Redefining the Edge: Life without Levees.” Places (2009). 25-29. .

Cuff, Dana. “Design After Disaster.” Places. (2009). 4-7. .

Dominguez, Sally. “The Blue Pages.” Monument(June/July 2008).

Dah-young, Chung. “Make it Right/ The Architecture of Community relief.” Space 483(February
2008). 62-83.

Colop, Andrew; Fraser, Alayna; Lawrence Amanda Reeser; Schafer, Ashley; Stoel, Elizabeth;
Tang, Fred; Tejchman, Filip; Verona, Irina. “This is not a House: A New New Orleans.
” Praxis (January 2008). 16-25.

Pogrebin, Robin. “Brad Pitt Commissions Designs for New Orleans.” The New
York Times (December 2007).

MacCash, Doug. “FLOATING IDEAS ‘Make it Right' house design ideas range from far-out to
fantastic.” The Times–Picayune (December 2007).

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 Sink or Swim: Designing for a Sea Change. The Annenberg Foundation Trust (December 2014).
28-29.
Carol McMichael Reese, Michael Sorkin, and Anthony Fontenot New Orleans
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