by Sean Keithly
There is a sea change quietly taking place in waterfront development. Cities and other public entities are beginning to pay heed to the Earth’s warming climate and think proactively about how to respond to this change. In what could be as important an evolution in urban development as the ascendance of the high-rise building, floating structures are emerging as a new future development paradigm.
Of course, the concept of floating structures is nothing new – early examples were born of their contextual necessity or practicality, including floating fishing villages and floating logging camps built upon fallen timber. In modern cities, floating structures including residential buildings, offices, restaurants, public spaces, and infrastructure have been a relatively common form of development along waterfront areas. Now, the prospect of rising sea levels initiated by climate change is bringing about the need to re-examine the idea of floating development in ways that are not only practical and cost-effective, but also sensitive to their context environment and integrated with natural systems. The future of floating buildings may be in full-scale, complete communities – and an important part of a development strategy for areas prone to sea-level rise.
Public entities and private companies alike are working to craft such a strategy, especially in areas susceptible to the effects of climate change. One such collaborative, backed by Brad Pitt’s Make it Right Foundation and in partnership with UCLA’s Department of Architecture and Urban Design, has developed a pre-fabricated, modular, floatable house that normally sits on dry land, but can securely rise up to 12 feet in flood events. Attractive, affordable, and ecologically-friendly, the new units have an estimated cost of $150,000 and are on track to reach a LEED-Platinum® rating. The prototype was developed in response to the devastation of New Orleans neighborhoods wrought by Hurricane Katrina; scientists have predicted that such natural disasters may become more frequent in years to come as a result of changing climate patterns.
In another example, Rotterdam, the Netherlands, is an area especially susceptible to sea-level rise and is actively investing in climate-change resilient buildings. The Rotterdam Floating Pavilion is currently being built to showcase the city’s advances in water management and sustainable living. The structure will be a prominent feature on the city’s waterfront and composed of three distinctive half-spheres each rising nearly 40 feet. The pavilion will be built using sustainable materials, including a transparent foil that is approximately 100 times lighter than glass. The building’s heating and air-conditioning systems are entirely renewable, using solar energy for heat and surface water for cooling.
Many more “floating city” concepts are appearing around the world, largely in response to climate change. Floating development can provide an exciting new context and a host of new opportunities for waterfront areas in cities confronted with the threats of climate change. The challenge (and opportunity) is to do this in an eminently sustainable way, creating new prototypes for integrating buildings, infrastructure, and the natural environment.
