It's been upsetting to witness the recent coastal devastation for many reasons, not least of which is the proof positive that global warming has hastened an onslaught of extreme weather patterns. In addition to fostering stronger hurricanes and typhoons, the warming of the planet is melting the polar icecaps, which will cause sea levels to rise significantly in the near future, potentially flooding low-lying coastal areas like Bangladesh, the Maldives, parts of Holland, and even parts of the eastern seaboard of the U.S. (yes, that includes New York, Boston, and Washington D.C, folks)
So how do we prepare for a potential future water world? How do we find a sense of security without living in fear of disaster? Some forward thinking (and perhaps pessimistic) architects have been designing structures with global warming in mind. From houses that resist flooding by standing high above ground, to those that take a passive approach by starting out in water, here are three residential designs whose greatest feature is foresight.
AMPHIBIOUS HOUSES
Architects in the low-lying Netherlands are particularly concerned over future flood potential, and response to this problem, architect Koen Olthuis has created some astoundingly beautiful water dwellings. What differentiates these from standard houseboats is "a patented technique whereby the foundation of the construction can be transformed into a float. A foam core is encased in concrete, with steel cables securing it against the pull of potential currents."
POLE HOUSES
A company based in Hawai'i has taken a traditional building style that traces its roots back to indigenous Polynesian, Japanese and African cultures, and applied 21st century principles to create sustainable prefab dwellings that hold up to earthquakes, hurricanes and high water. Tim Cornell began building his Pole Houses in 1988 and now offers five basic plans as well as customized plans for buyers with specific needs. Pole Houses use large diameter wood poles to create a skeleton frame that bears the entire load of the home, making both interior and exterior walls moveable without disrupting the structural integrity (making it semi-modular).
MONOLITHIC DOMES
One interesting finding of the recent spate of hurricanes in the gulf coast region is that a particular type of building structure seems to hold up extremely well to the ravages of hurricane wind and water where other buildings fail miserably. The reinforced concrete dome - or "Monolithic Dome as one company has branded it - has shown time and time again that it is up to the task of surviving hurricanes. After hurricane Katrina blew through Biloxi, Mississippi, the New Life Family Church, a concrete dome building, was the second tallest structure in the city left standing. Similarly, a couple in Pensacola, Florida own and rent a "Dome of a Home" Monolithic Dome beach house, which has been through three major hurricanes - Dennis, Ivan and Katrina, and survived all intact. Concrete dome technology is definitely something which should be considered as reconstruction begins on the devastated regions of the gulf coast.
