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Has architecture solved the problem of flooding of houses? Any websites, photos, film of flood proof housing?
I remember seeing photos of tropical villages with the houses built right in the ocean on stilts, but was wondering if anyone is building flood proof houses on a large scale in the city? I have just seen a picture here and there like the one below, but that seems like these are only enterprising individuals. It seems to me that with all the flooding going on, this would be a great project for larger communities to be made safer. Just interested in reading more about it. I am surprised that this has not been a huge topic in the news for all coastal cities. Aren't architects working on this?
Creative Commons by Paul Keleher
Creative Commons by Paul Keleher
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The Dutch company Dura Vermeer is building houses that rise with flood waters:
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,377050,00.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/floating_ecohom.php
http://www.spiegel.de/international/spiegel/0,1518,377050,00.html
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/03/floating_ecohom.php
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Thank you so much everybody for your great work! Since I have no qualifications in architecture, I appreciate you all taking the time to orient us and hopefully begin a worthwhile topic for the future. This answer found 2 published resources for us to read that seem very innovative. Thanks again!
The answer is no in the since you are talking, but they are not far off. The houseboats are the closest thing I can think of to being flood proof. The houseboats are corralled by posts and the foundation is built on barrels of air. When the tide comes in the houses float out of the mud and wait between their posts until the tides recede; basically these houses are flooded everyday and they are fine.
There are also many places in the world that build bamboo huts on stilts, or use preventative measures like levees and dikes to hold back flood waters, houseboats will float, but there are limitations to every design. Water will always win, but we can try.
If you put a lot of money into a design which joins all of the technologies together: an anchor system in the ground securing your home in place, build your house on stilts, a backup system of floats in case your stilts are not tall enough or strong enough to withstand rushing water, and since you are on stilts you may topple in high winds so you should put up a wind break wall, and use the same walls to divert the force of the water around your structure.
It might work. Oh yeah you also need a rescue boat on each property so you can leave one day.
There are also many places in the world that build bamboo huts on stilts, or use preventative measures like levees and dikes to hold back flood waters, houseboats will float, but there are limitations to every design. Water will always win, but we can try.
If you put a lot of money into a design which joins all of the technologies together: an anchor system in the ground securing your home in place, build your house on stilts, a backup system of floats in case your stilts are not tall enough or strong enough to withstand rushing water, and since you are on stilts you may topple in high winds so you should put up a wind break wall, and use the same walls to divert the force of the water around your structure.
It might work. Oh yeah you also need a rescue boat on each property so you can leave one day.
Many coastal communities in the US require all homes in the floodplain to be built on "stilts", which are really pilings that go deep into the ground - like an iceberg, there's way more that you can't see below the surface than what is apparent in a picture like that. Areas that are subject to riverine flooding or intermittent flooding caused by inadequate flood control methods (i.e., New Orleans) generally didn't require homes to be built on pilings. If you have an existing home without pilings, it can be tremendously expensive to move the house, sink the pilings, and then reattach the home to the new pilings, which is why this solution has not been used all that often to retrofit existing homes.
Any structure or material that elevates a building above the level of potential flooding is a solution. Low-tech options using things like stilts or even dirt and rocks (or simply building where land is higher) have been available for as long as there have been houses. The only requirement is that these elevating structures remain stable and persistent during flooding and although this is not trivial it does not require contemporary architectural or engineering knowledge.
The recent advances that do apply are related to the ready availability of elevation maps and flooding data. Since we have this information there is no excuse for continually rebuilding at or below flood level.
The recent advances that do apply are related to the ready availability of elevation maps and flooding data. Since we have this information there is no excuse for continually rebuilding at or below flood level.
You can only build higher or float it. The inconvenience of floating is that it is expensive and all the pipes have to be able to move up with the house when there is a flood. Along the coast of GA and FA, people traditionally live on 2nd floor, or build on pillars, or make a mound of dirt to remain off the flood level. It is all useless if the water underground becomes salty (searise will do that with climate change) or when waste facilities become flooded.
Good Architectural and Environmental Design ALWAYS takes context into consideration when trying to achieve the BEST available solution (for the technology available at the time).
Even houses on stilts, if not properly engineered and sited (i.e. how and where placed on the property) could suffer from,
A) a massive Tsunami, for example, if located near a large body of water
B) Wind Uplift -- lifting the structure off its structural supports
C) and a structure on stilts can still collapse from the force of wind or water if the stilts are the wrong material, undersized or installed improperly.
You've seen video of houses swept off their foundations (or stilts) down stream in massive rains and floods, haven't you? A massive tsunami like the one we saw a few years ago, would not save a lot of structures --that under normal weather conditions, would fare OK in an average or even heavy storm.
The Design of structures ALWAYS is dependent on the actual site and location. The (local) earth, soil, weather, local climate etc., ALL influence and factor how long a structure remains viable (i.e. strong, durable & safe.) If,however, the property owner can't afford the structural members or systems required to meet certain climate conditions, it doesn't matter what technology is available-- as it might as well not exist if it isn't affordable and accessible to people. (Of course, you knew that already..)
So, part of lowering your risk of flooding has to do with site/location selection. If you avoid living in low lying areas or valleys, you are also less likely to have flooding. But again, you knew that.
Then why haven't Builders and Developers offered homes the last 50 years that avoid these kinds of floods? You know the answer: MONEY. Cost vs profit margin.
When designing a new structure (commercial or residential) you can have your Mechanical Engineer design a sewer/waste system for a home (that in MOST US jurisdictions) would likely NOT flood in a very heavy 2-8 inch rain storm (as long as it's NOT in a high risk location).
But that is not enough, you have to also have your architect and structural engineer design the kind of foundation system that prohibits water infiltration. Obviously, some systems are better than others.
Existing structures can be modified to become more flood resistant, but of course it costs more to do it as a retrofit, than if it had been done when the structure was first built.
There are some other factors that affect if your house will flood, like your local city's infrastructure system, the terrain, etc. Again, those are risk factor decisions you need to weigh BEFORE deciding to move into a community.
Even houses on stilts, if not properly engineered and sited (i.e. how and where placed on the property) could suffer from,
A) a massive Tsunami, for example, if located near a large body of water
B) Wind Uplift -- lifting the structure off its structural supports
C) and a structure on stilts can still collapse from the force of wind or water if the stilts are the wrong material, undersized or installed improperly.
You've seen video of houses swept off their foundations (or stilts) down stream in massive rains and floods, haven't you? A massive tsunami like the one we saw a few years ago, would not save a lot of structures --that under normal weather conditions, would fare OK in an average or even heavy storm.
The Design of structures ALWAYS is dependent on the actual site and location. The (local) earth, soil, weather, local climate etc., ALL influence and factor how long a structure remains viable (i.e. strong, durable & safe.) If,however, the property owner can't afford the structural members or systems required to meet certain climate conditions, it doesn't matter what technology is available-- as it might as well not exist if it isn't affordable and accessible to people. (Of course, you knew that already..)
So, part of lowering your risk of flooding has to do with site/location selection. If you avoid living in low lying areas or valleys, you are also less likely to have flooding. But again, you knew that.
Then why haven't Builders and Developers offered homes the last 50 years that avoid these kinds of floods? You know the answer: MONEY. Cost vs profit margin.
When designing a new structure (commercial or residential) you can have your Mechanical Engineer design a sewer/waste system for a home (that in MOST US jurisdictions) would likely NOT flood in a very heavy 2-8 inch rain storm (as long as it's NOT in a high risk location).
But that is not enough, you have to also have your architect and structural engineer design the kind of foundation system that prohibits water infiltration. Obviously, some systems are better than others.
Existing structures can be modified to become more flood resistant, but of course it costs more to do it as a retrofit, than if it had been done when the structure was first built.
There are some other factors that affect if your house will flood, like your local city's infrastructure system, the terrain, etc. Again, those are risk factor decisions you need to weigh BEFORE deciding to move into a community.
Also, Canadian builder & TV personality Mike Holmes has a TV show, "Holmes on Homes" (on Canadian cable tv) devoted to fixing the bad work of a previous contractor. His show tells you what was done wrong, and how it should have been done correctly.
In season 2, episode #2017, "Flooded Foundation", Holmes shows how to fix a leaking basement foundation. The DVDs of this show may be purchased on line (at retailers like at Amazon).
A slide show at the Holmes website shows them installing a water-proofing & drainage system for a leaking basement. But it would be better to watch the entire video episode for this topic (not just the still slide show).
But note, this system may not fix all leaky basement/flooding problems, depending on the existing conditions, building type, location etc.
And in some jurisdictions, the house like the one in the photo posted above in your question, would not meet zoning requirements for height limitations, handicapped accessibility, nor earthquake/structural bracing -- to just name a few issues.
http://www.holmesonhomes.com/makeitright/Holmes_Media/view_episode.php?season_id=64&episode_id=280
In season 2, episode #2017, "Flooded Foundation", Holmes shows how to fix a leaking basement foundation. The DVDs of this show may be purchased on line (at retailers like at Amazon).
A slide show at the Holmes website shows them installing a water-proofing & drainage system for a leaking basement. But it would be better to watch the entire video episode for this topic (not just the still slide show).
But note, this system may not fix all leaky basement/flooding problems, depending on the existing conditions, building type, location etc.
And in some jurisdictions, the house like the one in the photo posted above in your question, would not meet zoning requirements for height limitations, handicapped accessibility, nor earthquake/structural bracing -- to just name a few issues.
http://www.holmesonhomes.com/makeitright/Holmes_Media/view_episode.php?season_id=64&episode_id=280
No but God did...it's called a hill !!!
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