Amphibious/Floating House

The idea of the Amphibious House basically targets the concept of flood resistant house in low land areas. It
provides safe shelter to the people living in the house. This concept is based on the principle of Buoyancy. The
amphibious architecture helps in allowing water to flow rather than creating obstruction. Approaching this concept
helps in planning and recognizing the beneficial aspects of seasonal and occasional flooding. It means that
allowing not only to live with water, but to expand with it.

Amphibious construction is a low-impact hurricane mitigation strategy that provides flood protection without
increasing exposure to strong winds. It is an innovative approach that is rapidly gaining acceptance and finding
application around the globe. Amphibious foundations are a proven, low-cost, low-impact flood protection
strategy that can increase a flood-prone community's resilience in the face of disaster.

The Amphibious homes are under normal circumstances rest on concrete

foundation and also starts floating when the water level rises and also
during flooding. The advantage of these homes is that they are more or
less like ordinary homes with parking space, a garden and access from
road. The inhabitant feels that the house is floating only during flood
conditions. When flooding occurs the water dwelling vertically rises with
the water levels to remain safely above water then settles back into places
as the water recedes.

“If the water is high then a stilt house is ideal, but a floating house is the ultimate solution to flooding since it
would just float as soon as floodwater rises,” Architect Felino Palafox Jr said.

Structural concept to consider:

 Foundation that has a floating mechanism made of rubber boats, plastic bottles or kawayan (bamboo).
Like the concept of a raft, this mechanism will enable houses to float during onslaught of typhoons and
massive flooding.
 Use of light materials, like bamboo, as part of the entire house.
 Extruding columns made of concrete materials will be installed in the four corners to hold the entire
structure even if it floats. This is to ensure that the houses won’t move along with the flow of the flood.
 House designs will have extending roofs or wind deflector to prevent roof destruction caused by strong
winds.