Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Exploring the Potential of Floating Structures in Enhancing Flood Resilient Design

Abbey Collins Victor, Ferdinand F O Daminabo PhD

Abstract

As climate change worsens, both coastal and flood-prone regions face increasing challenges related to sea-level rise, storm surges and other unpredictable weather conditions. Traditional flood mitigation strategies now fall short in addressing these threats as they evolve which shows the need for more adaptive and resilient design solutions. This paper now explores the potential of floating structures as an approach to enhancing flood-resilient design in numerous contexts. It draws information from existing literature on floating structures and flood resilient design and important case studies, as well as literature on the chosen case studies. The study explores floating structures as an additional supplement to flood resilient design, not a replacement, as while buoyant architecture can offer long-term adaptability and reduce damage during floods, integrating it with other flood resilient design elements further improves its design. The paper also highlights the technical and design considerations as well as the challenges and limitations of building floating structures. By exploring the design, performance, and implementation of floating architecture this paper contributes to the growing discourse on architecture for flood-prone areas and offers insights to architects and other researchers alike.

Keywords

Floating Architecture; Resilient Architecture; Flood-Prone Areas; Flood-Resilient

References

Ali, R. A., Muntaqa, A., & Ahmed, H. (2024). Resilient architecture: A sustainable approach to rebuilding low-cost community shelters in flash flood-prone areas. Turkish Journal of Sense of Place and Urban Studies, 2(1), 1–18. Ambica, A., & Venkatraman, K. (2015). Floating architecture: A design on hydrophilic floating house for fluctuating water level. Indian Journal of Science and Technology, 8(32), 1– Ameh, H., Badarnah, L., & Lamond, J. (2024). Amphibious Architecture: A biomimetic design approach to flood resilience. Sustainability, 16(3), 1069. FEMA. (2015). Home Builder’s Guide to Coastal Construction: Technical Fact Sheet Series. Federal Emergency Management Agency. Habitat, U. N. (2018). Tracking Progress Towards Inclusive, Safe, Resilient and Sustainable Cities and Human Settlements. SDG 11 Synthesis Report—High Level Political Forum Hansen, C. L., Bredmose, H., Vincent, M., Steffensen, S. E., Pegalajar-Jurado, A., Jensen, B., & Dixen, M. (2024). Resonant response of a flexible semi-submersible floating structure: Experimental analysis and second-order modelling. Journal of Fluid Mechanics, 982, A7. Huebner, S. (2025). Floating and stilted structures as strategies in coastal climate adaptation: Local monsoon adaptation practices and implications for flood risk management. Climate Risk Management, 100719. https://boatlifts.gr/en/gallery/candock-floating-docks/08-pedestrian-floating-bridges https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/ganvie-the-venice-of-africa/ https://grist.org/buildings/embracing-a-wetter-future-the-dutch-turn-to-floating- homes/#:~:text=As%20sea%20levels%20rise%20and%20supercharged%20storms%2 0cause,populated%20Netherlands%2C%20demand%20for%20such%20homes%20is %20growing https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/sealevelclimate.html https://publicdelivery.org/makoko-floating-school/ https://publicdomainarchitects.com/project/floating-pavilion-rijnhaven-rotterdam/ https://waterarchitect.com/rotterdam-floating-pavilion/ https://www.modec.com/business/service/floater/semisub/ https://www.waterstudio.nl/ Lannes, D. (2017). On the dynamics of floating structures. Annals of PDE, 3(1), 11. Neumann, B., Vafeidis, A. T., Zimmermann, J., & Nicholls, R. J. (2015). Future coastal population growth and exposure to sea-level rise and coastal flooding—a global assessment. PloS ONE, 10(3), e0118571. Olthuis, K. (2010). Float!: Building on water to combat urban congestion and climate change. Rehman, S. H. U. J. A. (2020). Floating Architecture. JAMIA MILLIA ISLAMIA, New Delhi. Van Long, N., Cheng, Y., & Le, T. D. N. (2020). Flood-resilient urban design based on the indigenous landscape in the city of Can Tho, Vietnam. Urban Ecosystems, 23(3), 675– Varkey, M. V., & Philip, P. M. (2022). Flood risk mitigation through self-floating amphibious houses—Modelling, analysis, and design. Materials Today: Proceedings, 65, 442–447. Wang, C. M., & Tay, Z. Y. (2011). Very large floating structures: Applications, research and development. Procedia Engineering, 14, 62–72. Watanabe, E., Wang, C. M., Utsunomiya, T., & Moan, T. (2004). Very large floating structures: Applications, analysis and design. Centre for Offshore Research and Engineering, National University of Singapore. Core report, 2. Zevenbergen, C., Veerbeek, W., Gersonius, B., & Van Herk, S. (2008). Challenges in urban flood management: Travelling across spatial and temporal scales. Journal of Flood Risk Management, 1(2), 81–88.

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY