OLTHUIS, KOEN / KEUNING, DAVID
Float! Building on Water to Combat Urban Congestion and Climate Change proposes a new way of building: on water instead of on land.
Although the concept may seem revolutionary, it is an obvious solution to overcrowded metropolises. The majority of world cities are situated on the water and have too little space where its most needed: in the city centre. Building on water allows inner-city areas to expand.
Floating buildings have many advantages. They are both flexible and mobile. A buoyant structure can be moved to make space for a new building, decreasing the need for the demolition of development that still has a productive economic future. Floating buildings outwit changing water levels by rising and falling with the tide and, in doing so, promote a more responsible water management. They leave no scars on their sites, permitting planners to actively meet the demands of the moment.
Its up to the architects of the climate-change generation to respond to the worlds spatial needs with smart, sustainable proposals. Float! Will help them do just that.
