ISABEL RUBIO ARROYO | Tungsteno
Coastal flooding worldwide surged by almost 50% between 1993 and 2015, according to a study by Nature Communications. And the future looks more alarming: by 2050, coastal areas currently home to 300 million people could face annual inundation. As climate change accelerates, mitigating the impact of flooding is crucial for our survival. Here’s how architects and designers are building resilience into structures—one innovative solution at a time.
Architectural innovation against flooding
"While many buildings are decades old, new innovations in architecture and construction practices are showing how buildings can survive major flooding events without leading to a total loss of property," says TrapBag, a company that designs flood control systems. The company sees a need for more flood-proof housing: "Even if a new building is not currently in a flood zone, that may change in 20 or 30 years."
One example of a building designed with flooding in mind is the Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on the Boston waterfront. It was designed to be elevated above the projected flood level for rare events that are expected to occur once every 500 years. Additional protective measures include berms as barriers and a perimeter drainage system. These features help to reduce the risk of flooding while supporting the hospital’s ability to remain operational—should water reach the ground floor, equipment and workstations can be quickly relocated to higher levels.
Other notable examples include the Bundanon Art Museum in Australia, which features an underground structure and an elevated bridge that allows water to flow underneath; the St Petersburg Pier in Florida, designed to withstand extreme storms thanks to its elevated infrastructure and efficient drainage systems; and the Merrion Cricket Club in Dublin, which uses waterproof concrete and movable barriers for protection. In the UK, the Michael Baker Shed is raised on a sturdy base to keep key areas above flood levels. Meanwhile, DC Water's headquarters in Washington, D.C., was built above the floodplain, while the Pérez Art Museum Miami uses porous soils, rain gardens and native vegetation to defend against rising waters.
Over millennia, fire and floods have sculpted the landscape surrounding the Bundanon Art Museum. Credit: Architizer
How to flood-proof buildings
Very few buildings are completely flood resistant, but their resilience varies according to location. "A home is typically considered flood-resistant if it can experience at least three days of floodwaters without sustaining significant or non-cosmetic damage," says Trapbag. In flood-prone areas, experts recommend building the house on higher ground and opting for raised foundations—between 60 and 90 centimetres high—to keep the structure above the water level.
To reduce the risk of flooding, it is also important that the land around the house is designed to drain water efficiently. The American Society of Landscape Architects suggests preserving natural ecosystems such as waterways, creating parks that manage water, and using green infrastructure such as transportation networks that cleanse and absorb flood water.
The St. Petersburg Pier in Florida has an elevated infrastructure. Credit: St Petersburg Pier
In particularly vulnerable areas, houses are built on stilts or floating platforms to keep them above water. Some houses in Thailand, for example, use steel pontoon platforms. It is also important that they have wind-resistant features, such as reinforced windows, to prevent damage from high winds.
The Tsunami House or how to protect your home from flooding
Even water-resistant houses are designed with the expectation that they might flood. To prepare for this, floors and walls are coated with special sealants, and critical components such as electrical installations, appliances and heating/cooling systems are elevated. One notable example is the curious "Tsunami House" located in Washington State. The ground floor windows are designed to break in the event of flooding, relieving pressure on the walls. The entire ground floor, including the furniture, is made of waterproof materials.
Flood-resistant materials include concrete, glazed brick, foam insulation, steel, treated wood, ceramic tile, waterproof adhesives and epoxy paint. One way to protect buildings against floods is to surround them with concrete walls or flood levees. Some companies offer flexible solutions, such as stackable structures filled with sand or gravel that can be quickly erected as a defence against water.
The Pérez Art Museum Miami uses porous soils, rain gardens and local vegetation to protect itself from water. Credit: ArquitectonicaGEO
The resilience of buildings is also critical because of the health impacts of flooding. Floods can cause injuries, drowning and exposure to contaminated water, increasing the risk of diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and malaria. In the long term, floods can aggravate existing health conditions and have significant psychological effects. It is therefore essential to have infrastructure that can withstand such disasters.
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