Amphibious Structures As A Solution To T

B.
ARCH DISSERTATION REPORT
Amphibious Structures As A Solution To The Flood-Prone

Region Of Majuli Island Assam; Case Of Kamlabari Village
Submitted By
Avantika Chauhan
B.Arch. IV Year
00426001618
Guided by
Ar. Madhur Varshney
ARCHITECTURE DEPARTMENT
BHAGWAN MAHAVEER SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, JAGDISHPUR
SONEPAT-131001 (INDIA)
GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY

2021-2022
CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION
I hereby declare that the dissertation entitled, “Amphibious Structures As A Solution To

The Flood Prone Region Of Majuli Island Assam; Case Of Kamlabari Village”,
submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the award of the degree of “Bachelors
of Architecture” in Architecture department, Bhagwan Mahaveer School of Architecture,
Jagdishpur, under the guidance of Ar. Madhur Varshney, Assistant Professor, Faculty of
Architecture, is my original research work, and the information taken from secondary
sources is given due to citations and references.
AVANTIKA CHAUHAN
(00426001618)
Date: 10.05.2022
Place: Jagdishpur, Sonepat (India)

CERTIFICATE
In the fulfilment of B. Arch. degree program, this is to certify that the above statement
made by the candidate is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief.
Prof. Raja C.P. Singh

Professor / Principal
Department of Architecture
Bhagwan Mahaveer School of Architecture, Jagdishpur
Ar. Madhur Varshney

Assistant Professor
Department of Architecture
Bhagwan Mahaveer School of Architecture, Jagdishpur
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my deepest gratitude from the core of my heart, to all the people
who helped me with my journey. Without their help, the completion of this research would
be impossible.
Firstly, I am highly in debited to Prof. Raja C.P. Singh - my principal Ar. Madhur Varshney
- my research guide for their continuous guidance, helpful comments, and tremendous
support at every stage of work. Without their valuable inputs, the research would not have
been able to reach its final form.
Secondly, I would also like to thank my Parents & Siblings for the continuous insights and
help they have provided to conduct my study along with their endless moral support. I am
also very much thankful to Apoorva Prakash and Shreyash Gupta for their help in
conduction of the case studies and friendly critiques during the process.
AVANTIKA CHAUHAN
(00426001618)
Date: 10 May 2022
Amphibious Structures As A Solution To The Flood-Prone Region Of Majuli Island Assam
ABSTRACT
Majuli Island located within the boundaries of Assam; India is regarded as the world’s
largest inhabited river island engulfed by the Brahmaputra River. Although Majuli is a
panoramic hotspot for diverse flora and fauna, yet constantly faces an alarming threat of
being consumed by the floods of the Brahmaputra River anytime. Brahmaputra River
changes its course over time causing hazardous threats to the local people resulting in loss
of livelihood.
However, people living here either move to safer places or rebuild their houses at the same
place for economic and social needs. This situation of people is causing congestion in cities
and wastage of resources. So, to provide a more suitable way of living, there is a need to
explore an architectural innovation that is suitable for flood-prone areas and could resist
the damage caused due to floods.
The report presented is an attempt to understand the possibility of building amphibious
houses for people living in this area. In this dissertation, I focus on Amphibious
architecture, which is a unique technique to provide houses for flood resilience functioning
in land and water. It is a space alternative for permanent static elevation with improved
recovery from the disaster and it is achieved by buoyant foundation.
Keywords: Floods; Amphibious Structures; Buoyant Foundations; Vernacular

architecture; Resilience; Majuli
Table of Contents
LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................................. 1
CHAPTER 1. SYNOPSIS .................................................................................................. 3
1.1 AIM ....................................................................................................................... 3
1.2 OBJECTIVE.......................................................................................................... 3
1.3 SCOPE .................................................................................................................. 3
1.4 LIMITATION ....................................................................................................... 3
1.5 NEED OF THE PROJECT ................................................................................... 4
1.6 METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................... 5
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE STUDY .............................................................................. 6
2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE ................................................................................ 6
2.1.1 Basic principle of floating ................................................................................... 6
2.1.2Water building typologies .................................................................................... 6
2.1.3 Flood resilient amphibious house ..................................................................... 10
2.1.4 Parameters for designing an amphibious structure ........................................... 11
2.1.5 Types of floating foundations ........................................................................... 15
2.1.6 Materials for superstructure .............................................................................. 17
2.1.7 Advantages of Amphibiation Over Elevation ................................................... 21
2.1 MAJULI ISLAND ................................................................................................... 22
2.2.1 Introduction to the study area in Assam ........................................................... 22
2.2.1.2 Assam and Floods .......................................................................................... 23
2.2.2 Geographical location of Majuli ....................................................................... 24
2.2.3 Condition of Majuli During floods ................................................................... 25
2.2.4 Population of Majuli Island .............................................................................. 26
2.2.5 Vernacular architecture of Majuli ..................................................................... 27
2.2.6 Conclusion ........................................................................................................ 32
CHAPTER 3. CASE STUDY ........................................................................................... 33
3.2 CASE STUDY 1: MAASBOMMEL, NETHERLANDS ................................... 33
3.2 CASE STUDY 2: THE LIFT HOUSE, DHAKA, BANGLADESH ....................... 46
3.2 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS ........................................................................... 59
CHAPTER 4. PROPOSAL AND CONCLUSION .......................................................... 61
4.1 PROPOSAL ............................................................................................................. 61
4.2 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................... 63
REFERENCES .................................................................................................................. 64
LIST OF FIGURES
• Figure 1- News clippings of articles related to flood and amphibious structure

• Figure 2- Archimedes’ principle of buoyancy
• Figure 3- Terp with Church and Houses in Hegebeintum
• Figure 4- Permanent static elevation of homes in south Louisiana.
• Figure 5- Pile dwellings in Germany
• Figure 6- Houseboat in Maharashtra
• Figure 7- Amphibious house in Netherlands
• Figure 8- Amphibious house working
• Figure 9- Comparison of normal and amphibious houses during flood conditions
• Figure 10- Four main components of Amphibious Houses
• Figure 11- Working of buoyant foundation
• Figure 12- Site section Amphibious Developments
• Figure 13- Concrete hull being prepared for foundation
• Figure 14- Floating pavilion in Rotterdam
• Figure 15- Floating pavilion in Rotterdam
• Figure 16- A house being constructed with timber
• Figure 17- Foundation made up of pneumatic stabilizing platforms
• Figure 18- Foundation made up of plastic bottles
• Figure 19- Lightweight steel construction
• Figure 20- Heydar Aliyev Centre / Zaha Hadid Architect;
• Figure 21- Ferrocement construction
• Figure 22- A house made of EPS panels
• Figure 23- Comparison of elevated house and amphibious house during flood
• Figure 24- In New Orleans, permanent static elevation disrupts a neighbourhood’s coherence and
changes its character
• Figure 25- Flood prone areas of India
• Figure 26- Majuli between the two channels
• Figure 27- Continuous erosion of the Majuli
• Figure 28- Shrinking of the Majuli island from 1911–2001
• Figure 29- Population distribution
• Figure 30- Typical floor plan of Mising Hut
• Figure 31- Mising house, granary, pig stay and duckary under the stilt
• Figure 32- Typical floor plan of Deuri tribe hut
• Figure 33- Deuri chang ghar, perforated floor, pig stay and duckary under the stilt
• Figure 34- Typical plan of a Sonowal Kachari House
• Figure 35- Sonowal Kachari house, fish catcher, duckary, granary, and cow shed
• Figure 36- Local materials -bamboo, straw, mud, thatch/coconut leaves, timber
• Figure 37- Maasboomel Site
• Figure 38- Floodable lands
• Figure 39- Location of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel,
• Figure 40- Connectivity of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel
• Figure 41- Orientation of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel
• Figure 42- Site context of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel
• Figure 43- Fabrication of concrete hulls on site
• Figure 44- A concrete hull is hoisted from the water into the dock of a amphibious home
• Figure 45- Positions and condition of Amphibious houses in normal and high-water levels
• Figure 46- Assembling of prefabricated wooden-frame houses
• Figure 47- Roof hoisting on top of prefabricated wooden-frame houses
• Figure 48- Flexible facility connections between two houses, before connection to the house
• Figure 49- Access Road and floating pier connecting amphibious and floating house
• Figure 50- Site sections showing floating and amphibious houses respectively
• Figure 51- Ground floor plan of amphibious House
1|Page
• Figure 52- Upper-level plan of amphibious House

• Figure 53- Lower-level plan of amphibious House
• Figure 54- Section of amphibious House
• Figure 55- Elevation of amphibious House
• Figure 56- (a)Amphibious house with garden and parking place, July 2005 (b) Same house afloat,
January 2011
• Figure 57- Floating homes seen from access road, July 2005
• Figure 58- Amphibious house afloat, January 2011
• Figure 59- The LIFT House
• Figure 60- Location of LIFT House along lakeside in Dhaka
• Figure 61- Connectivity of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel
• Figure 62- Orientation of the LIFT house along lakeside in Dhaka
• Figure 63- Site context of the LIFT house along lakeside in Dhaka
• Figure 64- Site context of the LIFT house along lakeside in Dhaka
• Figure 65- Ferrocement foundation
• Figure 66- Calculation for depth of Waste bottle foundation
• Figure 67- Waste bottle foundation
• Figure 68- The LIFT house 8-unit residence design
• Figure 69- The vertical guidance post in LIFT house
• Figure 70- The LIFT house static on ground during dry season
• Figure 71- The LIFT house floating on water during floods
• Figure 72- Service spine under construction with two horizontal lintel bands
• Figure 73- Workers testing the water bottle foundation model for live load capacity
• Figure 74- Service spine finished and instalment of first bamboo structure complete
• Figure 75- Diagram of the rainwater harvesting and storage systems
• Figure 76- Diagram of the composting latrine system
• Figure 77- Diagram of the composting latrine system
• Figure 78- Photovoltaic panel installed on a thatched roof in rural Bangladesh
• Figure 79- Ground floor plan
• Figure 80- First floor plan
• Figure 81- Section through compost storage and dwelling
• Figure 82- Section through rainwater cistern and dwelling
• Figure 83- Elevation of the LIFT House
• Figure 84- Interior views of the LIFT house
• Figure 85- Extrior views of the LIFT house
• Figure 86- Used water bottles foundation
• Figure 87- A house made of bamboo
2|Page
CHAPTER 1. SYNOPSIS
1.1 AIM
The primary aim of the research is to study and analyze the concept of amphibious
structures as a measure of minimizing and controlling the damage caused by the
Brahmaputra River floods in the Majuli Island of Assam.
1.2 OBJECTIVE
• To understand the fundamentals of the floating system in amphibious architecture

and the current system in it.
• To understand what an amphibious house is.
• To analyze its response and its architectural characteristics in areas prone to floods.
• To study the possibility of incorporating the amphibious structures in the Kamlabari
village of the Majuli island, Assam.
1.3 SCOPE
• To study the theories proposed by architects and engineers involved in amphibious

development.
• To explore materials that are stronger and lighter that can be used for these
structures.
• To study the new technologies which are being developed in this field.
• The study will focus on housing and the resilient technique of amphibious structures
used in vernacular homes of Majuli island.
1.4 LIMITATION
• The report is limited to analyzing the possibility of incorporating the use of

amphibious structures in the flood-prone Kamlabari village of Majuli Island,
Assam.
• The calculation of loads is not taken into consideration.
• Costing and estimation will not be done.
• The study and development will be limited to addressing the issue of flood
resilience in the individual housing units.
3 | Synopsis
1.5 NEED OF THE PROJECT
• Water is one of the greatest assets under the possession of mankind. It is a source
of life but when challenged, it also has the ability to destroy the whole life structure.
Throughout the history of mankind, floods have brought untold wealth and
prosperity to civilizations. Yet at the same time Flood is the most prevalent and
costliest natural disaster in the world which devastates both life and the economy to
a large extent.
• India faces floods almost every year, in varying degrees of magnitude. Based on the
statistical details available so far, it has been estimated that annually 7.17 mha. of
the area is affected by floods that claim 1654 human and 618248 cattle life annually.
Around 1.2 million houses are damaged by floods and the average annual losses in
monetary terms came to the tune of Rs 5649 crores.
Figure 1- News clippings of articles related to flood and amphibious structure
• Here we need to understand that floods are not something which we have to prevent,
it is the destruction of livelihood which has to be minimised or prevented.
• Amphibious Structures are characterized as the method of architectural adaptation
used to counteract and handle floods (long and short term). With this typology,
water and architecture will combine to create adaptive and efficient management
strategies.
4 | Synopsis
1.6 METHODOLOGY
5 | Synopsis
CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE STUDY
2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE
2.1.1 Basic principle of floating

Archimedes’ principle: A body floating or submerged in a fluid is buoyed (lifted)
upward by a force equal to the weight of the fluid that would be the volume displaced
by the fluid. This force is known as the buoyant force.1
Figure 2: Archimedes’ principle of buoyancy; Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
2.1.2Water building typologies

According to the foundations and the relationship to the water, water dwellings can be
categorized into terp dwellings, static elevation, pile dwellings, amphibious dwellings
and floating dwellings. Some types have been used for centuries while others are
relatively new technique, such as the amphibious house. However, in the event of rising
water levels, each type has proven resilience.
2.1.2.1 Terp Dwellings
A terp is an artificial earthwork mound created to provide safe ground in the event of a
rise in water levels. The first terps were built in the Netherlands during 500 B.C where
tides from the nearby rivers affected daily routines. The terps were built up to 15 meters
high and was intended to keep a house dry and provide enough space for cattle and food
storage. Around 1000 A.D the inhabitants began to connect these mounds to prevent
the sea from flooding their lands, commencing the formation of a permanent dyke
system. The terp dwelling is connected to the land and remains dry until a maximum
water level has been reached. Although it feels safer and more secure than a floating
1
Nikhila Nelson, 2019, Envisaging the scope of amphibious architecture in below sea level regions of
Kuttanad, pp- 5
6 | Literature study
dwelling. But is not safe because there are no means of escape during extreme and
unexpected high-water levels. Today few modern terps can be found throughout Europe
one such example is the Bridge House in Achterhoek, Netherlands. The landscape
architect removed the top layer of the soil throughout the property in order to make the
soil less fertile for the replanting of indigenous trees. The soil was then reused to form
a raised area beneath the house in the event of high-water levels, resulting in a
traditional Dutch terp dwelling.2
Figure 3: Terp with Church and Houses in Figure 4: Permanent static elevation of homes
Hegebeintum, the Netherlands; Source: in south Louisiana.
education.psu.edu
2.1.2.2 Static Elevation
One of the most common methods is elevating a house to a required or desired Base
Flood Elevation (BFE). When a house is properly elevated, the living area will be above
all. Several elevation techniques are available. In general, they involve two techniques
as discussed below:
• Lifting the house and building a new or extending the existing foundation below
it.
• Leaving the house in place and either building an elevated floor within the house
or adding a new upper story.
2.1.2.3 Pile Dwelling

Pile dwellings are a type of housing built on top of concrete, steel or wooden poles and
can be found in shallow water, coastal areas, or lakes where changes in the water level
can be predicted. This type of dwelling typically rests 8-15 feet from the ground and
has been used throughout the world as means of protection from water. In Indonesia,
Singapore, and other countries these housing are called as "kelong" which are built for
fishing. The "Nipa hut" is the primary type of housing found in the Philippines and a
similar stilt house structure is also popular in Papua New Guinea. Thai stilt houses are
2
Heather Christine Anderson, 2014, Amphibious Architecture Living With A Rising Bay, pp- 8
often built above freshwater and the "Palafito" is found in the tropical river valleys of
South America.3
Figure 5: Pile dwellings in Germany; Source: Figure 6: Houseboat in Maharashtra; Source:

unesco.germany.travel https://www.freepressjournal.in/
2.1.2.4 Houseboats
Houseboats began with the conversion of ships and fishing vessels into livable
environments. These types of houses resemble a land-based property in its design and
construction yet are buoyant enough to withstand the forces of water. In India
houseboats are common on the backwaters of Kerala, on Dal Lake near Srinagar. House
boats in Kerala are huge slow-moving barges used for leisure trips. They are used to
carry rice and spices from different places in early times. These house boats are
considered as a convenient means of transportation. It is about 60 to 70 feet long and
about 15 feet wide at the middle. The hull is made of wooden planks that are held tightly
by ropes and coconut fibre. The roof is made up of bamboo poles and palm leaves. The
exterior of the boat is painted with protective cashew nut oil coat. The need for housing
brought many workers to transform old fishing boats into residential dwellings. Some
of the more modern examples of floating homes are those built by Dutch architects
including Waterstudio, Aquatecture, Factor Architecten and Architecten bureau
Marlies Rohmer. The trend to build residences on water has attracted many homebuyers
in coastal countries.4
3
ibid 9
4
ibid 11
2.1.2.4 Amphibious Dwelling

Amphibious housing is a dwelling
type that sits on land but is capable of
floating. During a sudden rise in
water a house will be lifted by the
water provided either by pontoons or
a hollow basement in order to ensure
it remains dry and will then return to
the ground as the water recedes. By
sliding along two vertical mooring
poles that are driven deep into the
ground the houses are capable of
rising vertically while restricting Figure 7: Amphibious house in Netherlands;
Source: anthroprocene
horizontal movements on the water.
Although the amphibious house
resembles a houseboat there are some essential differences between the two types. The
hollow basement of an amphibious house is exposed when there is no water forcing
designers to conceal the base in the ground or in water. The second difference is the
distribution of forces in the base. When the property is sitting on land it lacks the even
upward force of the water which it experiences when it floats making the basement
larger than that of the barge of a houseboat. The biggest difference between houseboats
and amphibious homes is their connection to land. Typically, amphibious homes are
designed where water levels are moderate but are rarely prone to extreme flooding
therefore all utility services can be connected to the municipal pipes whereas
houseboats must contain all utilities within the structure. Examples of these houses can
be found throughout the Netherlands most notably the Maasbommel water dwelling
situated along the river Maas.5
5
ibid 12
2.1.3 Flood resilient amphibious house

Amphibious house is a building that rest on the ground but whenever a flood occurs,
the entire building rise up in its dock, where it floats, buoyed by the flood water. The
buoyancy system beneath the house displaces water to provide flotation as needed, and
a vertical guidance system allows the rising and falling house to return exactly the same
place upon descent. It works based on Archimedes principle: The mass and the volume
of the house is less than that of water, and what determined its buoyancy.6
Figure 8: Amphibious house working; Source: The Hindustan Times, Cherry Maslen, October 19,
The house itself sits in the ground and the floating base is almost invisible from the
outside. Amphibious designs can vary to suit the location and owners’ preferences. The
amphibious design allowed the floor level to be set less than 1m above the ground level
instead of 2m, had the house been static. This enabled a 225sqm 3-bed dwelling to be
constructed over three floors in place of the existing 1-storey 90sqm house without
significantly increasing the ridge height, and therefore achieved full planning.7
These types of foundations are a proven, low-cost, low-impact flood protection strategy
that gives vulnerable regions to enhance the flood resilience and improve its ability to
recover from disaster. It is a sustainable flood mitigation strategy that allows an
ordinary structure to float on the surface of rising flood water than succumb to
inundation.
6
T S Adithya and K K Manoj 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 1114 012037
7
Formosa, 2014, The Amphibious House, Baca Architects
Amphibious construction is an adaptive flood risk reduction strategy that can works in
synchrony with a regions natural cycle of flooding, rather than attempting to obstruct
the flow of flood water. It is also a low impact Hurricane mitigation strategy that
provide flood protection without increasing exposure to strong winds.
Figure 9: Comparison of normal and amphibious houses during flood conditions; Source:
Anthropocene, Emily Anthes, September, 2018
An amphibious house consists of

following main components:
• Buoyant foundation
• Wet dock and debris control
• Vertical guidance posts
• Flexible utility connections
Figure 10: Four main components of Amphibious Houses;

Source: construction.org modified by author
2.1.4 Parameters for designing an amphibious structure

There are specific standards and guidelines to be followed to design an amphibious
house to be liveable and perfect replacement for conventional houses. For an
amphibious house to be of proper functioning the following criteria has to be followed:
2.1.4.1 Capability of floating
The most critical design guidance factor which decide whether the home will actually
will be able to float during flooding conditions. If the total weight of the entire home
including the dead and live load of the house should be less than the volume of the
water then the house can float. The buoyant foundation should also be water tight so
that it won’t develop any cracks. A water tight walls and floor should be taken into
consideration so that the structure stands independently without any extra support.
Light weight building materials should be used to make the building equivalent to the
volume of the water.8
2.1.4.2 Foundation
Foundation is the important part of the structure to support the light weight structure
and to float during flooding condition. Deep foundations are the structural component
that transfer loads into deeper layer of earth material than a shallow foundation. Deep
foundation includes pile foundation with driven pile, drilled shafts, and micro piles and
grouted in place piles. Structure design engineers are responsible for calculating the
pile design load and for providing other structural detail. With the site seismicity and
the factored load, the structural engineer should calculate and derive the foundation
technique and material for the proposed site condition.
2.1.4.3 Float line

The float line is the line that denotes when the building will begin to float. According
to buoyant principle, if an object displaces a volume of water which weights a greater
than the object then it will float. Likewise, if an object displaces a volume of water that
weighs less than the object then the structure will not float. The building will have a
static square or rectangular foundation the volume of water can be altered only by the
height of the building. This means that if the sea level rises the water volumes also
expands, so if the sea level rises the structure with less weight than the sea water will
float. The float line is to be designed for 5 feet below the pier if the water level rises
and the grade becomes steeper it will not because the pier will be completely inundating
at those points.
The basic equation for Archimedes force is as follows:
U = G / (A x P)
Where: U is the vertical drop below the water line (m) G is the dead load of the total
building construction (kN) A is the area of the floating body (m²) P is the density of
water (kN/m³)9
8
Nelson (n1) 12
9
ibid 13
2.1.4.4 Buoyant foundation height calculation

The Archimedes principle states that “the buoyant force of the submerged object is
equal to the weight of the fluid that is displaced by the object.” The depth of the
foundation is calculated by finding the dead load and live load of the entire structure.
The weight of the structure per square foot should be divided by the weight of the water
which equals the depth of house will be submerged when floating.
the total weight of structure per sq. ft
Depth of the house submerged =
The weight of the water
Figure 11: Working of buoyant foundation; Source: Formosa, The Amphibious House, Baca
Architects, 2014
2.1.4.5 Structure type

To make the structure float the selected material should be of light weight material. The
foundation is made up of a strong concrete hull or of any other material and the structure
above the foundation which will float should be made up of light weight material. These
materials should also be water proof material and should promote insulation and other
passive heating and cooling technique to be sustainable structure. A future measure to
reduce the weight of the building is developed by light weight wood framing doors and
windows.
2.1.4.6 Road and parking condition
A separate parking garage for the cars can be constructed for the residents. The parking
place can be provided near the house as in Maasbommel project or the parking lots can
be provided in place for all the houses in community. Residents can park their vehicles
in the parking garage and take bicycles or motorcycle to their dwellings. The parking
space can be differentiated from the other place by the use of material and with a level
difference. During flood condition these vehicles can be taken from the parking lots
and placed in some safer place. The residents can use boats can their transport or during
emergency conditions. The aluminium can be used for the pedestrian walkway. The
aluminium is low in maintenance and does not become slippery in case of rain. The
aluminium panel can easily be removed in case of any maintenance problem.10
10
ibid 14
2.1.4.7 Utility access

The utility access is a difficult criterion in designing an amphibious building or floating
building. All the utility services should be provided for these amphibious houses also
like any other normal residential house on land. The utilities will use this forced access
point into the home to run water, sewage and electricity. This is a necessary step
because modern practice of burying utilities will not be adequate for life on the water.
It is crucial that things such as height, utility access points, float lines, foot prints and
other items are uniform across the development are to be considered and also an easy
installation, flexible connection should be provided. As in Netherland the service
pipeline can be long and flexible fixed from the land to the amphibious house so that
when the structure rise with the flood water these long pipelines will also rise with the
dwelling. These pipelines will be long during normal condition when the structure rests
on the land but during flooding condition they will be suitable for the length. Another
type of pipeline can also be provided for floating and amphibious dwelling. It includes
the pipeline will break by itself when the structure starts to rise and when the building
recedes the connection can be fixed by an easy installation method. The lighting and
meter boxes can be placed above the entrance or in the entrance bridge so that they are
not fluctuated because of water. The cables behind the meter box are umbilical and will
vertically stretch as the house moves. The pipes passing to this meter boards and
distribution boards can be preferably metal pipes, ductile iron or coated steel can be
used.
2.1.4.8 Water maintenance
The salt water will erode the structure and also moving water can accumulate sludge
and other waste particle. With the year passes by a thick layer of sludge or waste
materials can accumulate and also will damage the utility connection to the building
and also erode the steel in foundation and walls. The house should be protected with
good material that will prevent the materials from corrosion because of water. After the
flood when the dwelling recedes down the flood water will bring any particles when it
returns. It should be checked and maintain that no particle gets stuck in the dock portion
of the structure. If anything, get struck then there will be a problem in smooth motion
of the structure. Minimum height should be maintained from the water level because
when the water level is low the dwelling will get stuck in the mud.11
Figure 12: Site section Amphibious Developments; Source: Amphibious Architecture and Design: A
Catalyst of Opportunistic Adaptation? - Case Study Bangkok
11
ibid 15
2.1.5 Types of floating foundations

A number of companies construct floating foundations using a variety of materials and
methods. Durability, cost and buoyancy are the key metrics that guided the invention
of current technologies, and will guide the development of future technologies. Early
Dutch houseboats used wood and steel hulls because they co-opted contemporary
shipbuilding technologies for residential purposes. However, due to maintenance
issues and the desire for more stability and comfort, newer houseboats typically use a
hollow reinforced concrete box called a concrete caisson. This foundation lies mostly
underwater, while the rest of the structure floats above. The environment within the
concrete box is similar to a basement and can function as additional mechanical storage
or living space. This foundation typology has transcended houseboats and many
floating buildings use them because of their durability and affordability. For floating
buildings, water depth is the main obstacle to using a concrete caisson foundation.
Since many of these buildings are manufactured offsite in dry docks, the building’s
foundation cannot exceed the depth of the waterways it must traverse; and the heavier
the building the deeper the caisson. If it does exceed this dimension, it can be hauled
over land, but this adds significant costs to the project. An alternative to concrete
caissons is flat buoyant foundations made from a hybrid of different materials; the
combination must be waterproof, durable, buoyant, and strong enough to support the
building. Unlike concrete caissons, these foundations are solid; they also draw less
water making them optimal for shallow water sites. Since they sit higher in the water,
they also tend to be less steady than the previous style, but engineers can account for
this in the foundation’s design. The different types of floatation foundations are as
listed below:
1. Expanded Poly Styrene (EPS) with concrete filling
2. Concrete hull
3. Pneumatic stabilizing platforms
4. Plastic water bottles12
12
ibid 16
2.1.5.1 Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) with concrete filling

This system is based on a core of
polystyrene foam EPS and a concrete
shell. This system gives the possibility to
build on water and results in less draught
so it can be used in more shallow waters.
On top of these advantages the system is
also unsinkable. Regarding the
environment the EPS (also known as
Styrofoam) is a non-toxic and totally
inert. EPS doesn’t decompose and it Figure 13: Concrete hull being prepared for
provides therefore lifetime durability. foundation; Source: floating homes limited
The moisture pickup over 30 years is
measured at a maximum of 5-6%. The
material is 100% recyclable. EPS is
waterproof and doesn’t leach out or
degenerate. Concrete is extremely long
lasting therefore its carbon footprint is
reduced over time. EPS is 96% air. It can
create foundation from 10 sqm to several
thousand sqms. They are unsinkable and
conform to the strictest requirements.
Figure 14: Floating pavilion in Rotterdam;
The lightweight construction gives Flex
Source: inhabitat.com
base floating platforms a considerable
buoyancy and therefore also a large load bearing capacity. This system gives the
possibility to construct on water at any sheltered location. Two existing references of
EPS construction are the floating pavilion in Rotterdam and the floating greenhouse in
Naaldwijk, Netherlands. 13
2.1.5.2 Concrete hull
The hull is made from concrete which
means there is no rusting and
condensation is minimal. These are
hollow boxes of reinforced concrete, with
enough buoyancy from the interior
airspace to support the concrete as well as
the structure. Its designs include shock-
absorbing connectors, incorporated
structural cleats and pile rings, because
the structures are monolithic and sealed,
Figure 15: Floating pavilion in Rotterdam;
they cannot take on water and are
Source: inhabitat.com
13
Rutuja Shekade, Amphibious Architecture in India, pp -59
unsinkable unless broken. Ferro cement is cheap. They’d be fairly easy to connect to
one another and small ones could be easily built on board. This is the most promising
technology for protected waters.
2.1.5.3 Pneumatic Stabilizing Platforms
A Pneumatic Stabilizing Platforms
consists of multiple cylinders, made of
steel or concrete or plastic. The air,
which is enclosed in the cylinder by the
deck on the top side and on bottom side
by the water gives the platform its
buoyancy. A disadvantage with open
containers is that as depth increases,
the air is compressed and displacement Figure 16: A house being constructed with
goes down. This floatation is cheap to timber; Source: constructor.org
manufacture and can be stacked for
easy transport.
2.1.5.4 Plastic bottles
It utilizes plastic 2 ltr beverage bottles,
which are extremely common,
incredibly cheap and resistant to
seawater. These bottles can be banded
together into hexagonal grids of 7
bottles each. The grids are then stacked
and layered to form a buoyant lattice.
Some sort of rigid surface then needs
Figure 17: Foundation made up of pneumatic
to be placed on top of the floatation. stabilizing platforms; Source: the millennial project
2.0
2.1.6 Materials for superstructure
2.1.6.1 Timber Work
Advantages
• Heat retaining
• Soundproof
• Moisture proof
• Rot proof
• Fire proof
• Termite proof
• Windproof
• Healthy and environment Figure 18: Foundation made up of plastic
friendly bottles; Source: the millennial project 2.0
Disadvantages
• Timbers tend to silver or look old if left natural and unpainted.
• Timber maintenance can seem to be higher than other building materials.

2.1.6.2 Light weight steel
Advantages
• The strength-weight ratio
of steel is highest in all
materials, so it can be used
to build large span space.
• Has good performances to
withstand strong winds.
• The unique intensity and
toughness of steel makes
lightweight steel structure
houses have better Figure 19: Light weight steel construction; Source:
resistance to natural gbaikal.com
disaster.
• Having a greater flexibility in architectural design, structural reconstruction
can be easily carried out and non- load bearing walls can be removed,
replaced, reconstructed easily.
• All steel products are recyclable and the coefficient of recovery can come
to 66%, which is the highest in all artificial materials. Also, steel can be
recycled without degradation.
• Steel can be processed into many prefabricated parts and standard and
traditional parts in order to reduce the waste of construction site and save
the cost of the project.
2.1.6.3 GFRC (Glass Fiber Reinforced Concrete)
Glass fiber reinforced concrete is an
engineered material that contains
cement, polymers, and glass fibers
that are ingrained in the cementitious
matrix. The properties are influenced
by the glass contents, mix design,
and production process. GFRC is
mainly used for external applications
since it increases its load-bearing
capacity. It produces an extremely Figure 20: Heydar Aliyev Centre / Zaha Hadid
Architect; Source: Archdaily.com
lightweight yet durable material.
Advantages
• GFRC concrete can be cast in thinner sections and is therefore as much as 75%
lighter than similar pieces cast with traditional concrete.
• GFRC is light weight allowing for lighter foundation and reduces shipping
costs.
• High strength can be obtained by using GFRC, being tough and resistant to
cracking. It has a high ratio of strength-to-weight.
• Since GFRC is internally reinforced, other types of reinforcement are not
necessary that may be complicated for complicated molds.
• Since the materials have a fiber coating, they are unaffected by the
environmental effects, corrosion attacks, and other harmful effects.
• It is sustainable because it is uses less cement than equivalent concrete and also
often uses significant quantities of recycled materials so GFRC is qualified as
sustainable.
Disadvantages
• Lack of expertise in the existing contractors

• Extensive planning during design phase needed
• Requirement of Free Space and Equipment Area during construction
• Price advantage only when done on scale 1
2.1.6.4 Ferro cement
Ferro cement is the method of
applying a mixture of cement, sand
and water in layers on wire mesh and
steel reinforcement. It is light in
weight than the concrete and also it is
waterproof due to its cement content
and application methods. Metals
commonly used is iron or some type
of steel. It is used to construct
relatively thin, hard, strong surfaces
and structures in many shapes such
as hulls for boats, shell roofs and
water tanks. Ferro cement is a high
versatile form of reinforced cement.
Figure 21: Ferrocement construction; Source:
It is a type of thin reinforced concrete
construction in which large amount of small diameter wire meshes are uniformly
placed throughout the cross section. Mesh can be a metal or any other suitable material.
Mortar is used instead of concrete Portland cement. Its strength depends on two factor
cement mortar mix and the quality of the reinforcing material.
Advantages
• Basic raw materials are readily available in most countries.
• Fabricated into any desired shape.
• Low labour skill required.
• Ease of construction, low weight and long lifetime.
• Low construction material cost.
• Better resistance against earthquake.
Disadvantages
• Structures made of it can be punctured by collision with pointed objects.
• Corrosion of the reinforcing materials due to the incomplete coverage of metal
by mortar.
• It is difficult to fasten to Ferrocement with bolts, screws, welding and nail etc.
• Large no of labors required.
• Cost of semi-skilled and unskilled labors is high.
• Tying rods and mesh together is especially tedious and time consuming.
2.1.6.5 EPS (Expanded Poly Styrene)
Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) or
Extruded Polystyrene (XPS) is a
Geofoam that is manufactured into a
large lightweight block. The blocks
vary in size but are mostly in 2m x
0.75m x 0.75m. This geofoam is a
light weight void fill. It is used in
many applications such as light
weight fill, green roof fill,
compressible inclusions, and thermal
insulation and sometimes it is used in
drainage also. EPS panel is used in Figure 22: A house made of EPS panels; Source:
bartelsvedder.nl
prefabricated structure for walls,
roofs, and foundations. EPS insulated panels offer an innovative option related to
construction as well as maintenance as compared to traditional constructions.
Advantages
• Prefabricated EPS panel do not require skilled labour to erect the structure.
Building can be erected with local support with minimum training and as a
result it saves the labour cost as well.
• Minimum maintenance
• Design flexibility is a attractive advantage in prefabricated construction and
panels are available in different thickness.
• Low density but it gives high strength.
• A cubic meter of EPC with a density of 16 kg/m3 has a buoyancy of 984kg.
• Long-term R-Value (“R” is the resistance to heat flow)
• Energy efficiency
• Constant thermal resistance
• Measurable energy savings
• Low cost
• Dimensional stability
Disadvantages
• Geofoam should be treated to resist insect infestation. Insects like ants can
burrow into the geofoam and will weaken the material. 14
2.1.7 Advantages of Amphibiation Over Elevation
2.1.7.1 Performance During Flood Events
Unlike houses elevated to a fixed level, amphibious houses can easily accommodate
varying levels of floodwater. A house with permanent static elevation will be damaged
when the depth of flooding exceeds the height to which it is elevated, while amphibious
homes are able to adapt to variable flood levels by rising as the water rises. The long-
term degradation of protection that affects PSE due to soil subsidence and rising sea
levels is alleviated by an amphibious building’s ability to maintain an elevation that is
always above the surface of the water. The vertical guidance posts may easily be
extended if increases in flood depths are predicted.
Figure 23: Comparison of elevated house and amphibious house during flood; Source:
preventionwebnet.com
2.1.7.2 Social Benefits

Compared to static elevation,
amphibious systems are less
disruptive to residents’ everyday
lives. Buildings with permanent
static elevation remove their
occupants from street level,
requiring long flights of stairs or
the expense of installing an
elevator. This presents an ongoing
inconvenience to residents as well
as creating a significant
impediment for the elderly and Figure 24: In New Orleans, permanent static elevation
disrupts a neighbourhood’s coherence and changes its
others with impaired mobility.
character; Source: preventionwebnet.com
Amphibious buildings,
conversely, are only slightly elevated off the ground to accommodate buoyancy elements,
thereby enabling a greater degree of accessibility. Aesthetically, statically elevated house
14
Nelson (n1) 23
may produce significant voids at street level whereas amphibious houses help preserve the
original character of a neighbourhood.
2.1.7.3 Economic Benefits
Amphibious construction also offers economic benefits compared to ordinary
construction. In new construction, an amphibious system represents an additional cost
over conventional construction due to the need for a more elaborate foundation system.
As a percentage of the total cost of new construction, this represents an additional 5 to
10 percent, but it provides a means to avoid the much greater costs associated with
flood damage.
Amphibious retrofitting offers considerable cost savings in comparison to permanent
static elevation. This is because PSE requires the replacement of the entire foundation
system, whereas an amphibious retrofit retains the existing foundation, merely
supplementing its ongoing gravity load-bearing function with systems to provide
vertical guidance to resist lateral loads and buoyancy to provide uplift. Detailed cost
comparisons show that amphibious retrofits on average range from 1/3 to ½ of the cost
of PSE.
In severe flood events, houses with amphibious retrofits are subject to less damage than
those with no flood mitigation strategy or even those with no flood mitigation strategy
or even those with PSE. The cost savings vary on a case-by-case basis, but amphibious
construction generally offers significant benefits when compared to alternatives. 15
2.1 MAJULI ISLAND
2.2.1 Introduction to the study area in Assam

The study area selected is Assam. Assam serves as a major gateway to the north-eastern
corner of India. It shares borders with the countries of Bhutan and Bangladesh and is
surrounded by the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura
and Meghalaya, which together with Assam, are called seven sister states of the
country. To the east of Assam lay Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Manipur, to the
west lay Bangladesh and Tripura, whereas Mizoram and Meghalaya lay to the south of
Assam.
The state is rich in water resources and has vast tracts of fertile land. Assam is also the
third-largest producer of petroleum and natural gas in the country and has ample
reserves of limestone. With its five national parks and 18 wildlife sanctuaries, the state
is a biodiversity hotspot. Other potential areas of investment include power and energy,
mineral-based industries, tourism and crude oil refining.
15
Elizabeth English, Thriving with water: Developments in amphibious architecture in North America
2.2.1.2 Assam and Floods

Assam is situated in a high rainfall area with an average annual rainfall 0f 2,546 mm.
About 60-70 per cent of the monsoon rain is received within a span of 3-4 months
during May to August. Because of high rainfall in the state and upper its neighbouring
areas, The Brahmaputra and Barak, the main two rivers cause major problems in the
form of flood, erosion and drainage congestion in the plane districts. The recurring
floods have extensively damaged the rural economy of the state with accounts of
extensive sand casting of once fertile land specially on the North Bank of Brahmaputra
as well as river bank erosion throughout the state, forcing rural family to migrate to
towns.
The occurrence of multiple waves of flood during the monsoon period extensively
damage crops, kills livestock and brings untold misery to the people. The number of
people affected and the amount of damage have increased steadily over time. The
National Flood Commission had estimated the area vulnerable to floods in Assam at
31.06 Lakh hectares against 335.16 lakh hectares for India. Assam, given the extensive
size of its plains and flanked by hills on either side of both the rivers, is the most flood
prone state of the region. It accounts for 9.4% of India’s total flood prone area. Based
on the incident and extent of flood the state is categorised into two broad areas:
chronically flood affected and occasionally flood affected.16
Figure 25: Flood prone areas of India; Source: mapsofindia.com
16
Parth Champaneri, 2018, Disaster Resilient Houses, pp 22
2.2.2 Geographical location of Majuli

In north east India, in the
disaster-prone state of
Assam, Majuli Island is
surviving for its identity.
The world's largest
inhabited river island
encompassed by the
Brahmaputra River. Majuli
is at the risk of being
swallowed by the
Brahmaputra River
anytime.
The river Brahmaputra
divides into two channels- Figure 26: Majuli between the two channels; Source:
the northern Kherkutia mapsofindia.com
Channel and the southern
Brahmaputra Channel between Dibrugarh and Lakhimpur Districts and both the
channels join again about 85 km downstream at Ukhalchuk forming Majuli, the largest
inhabited River Island in India.
The width of the island (North-South) varies between 10 to 15 km. The Majuli Island
is a part of Majuli Revenue Circle. As per the revenue records, the area of Majuli
revenue circle in the year 1950 was 1245.12 sq-km. It included entire reach of
Brahmaputra water body up to the left bank along Sibsagar, Jorhat and Golaghat
districts. But as per Survey of India map, the area of Majuli Island was only 733.79 sq
km in the year 1914.
The Majuli island is an administrative Sub-division under Jorhat district. The island
represents a colourful rainbow of cultural integration with 70% of its population
belonging to tribal communities such as Mishing, Deori, Kachari and Koch Rajbongshi.
It has a population of 1.68 lakh as per 2011 census. Majuli Island has been under serious
attack by the mighty Brahmaputra. Loss of land mass on account of erosion of
Brahmaputra River bank has been regular feature for Majuli island.
The fury of the floods that Majuli encountered in 2017 can gauged by the fact that at
least 50,000 people were affected by the flood and 49 villages and 1760 hectors of crop
were damaged. Majuli has shrank from 1256 sq km in 1971 to only 524 sq km in 2016
loosing half of its area, 67 villages have eroded away by Brahmaputra Floods. The way
to reach Majuli is a two-hour ferry ride from the mainland. The island is known for it's
rich biodiversity, native tribal population residing in stilted homes. 17
17
Baleshwar Singh, 2011, Influence Of Landform And Geomorphic Process On Topographic Evolution Of
A River Island
2.2.3 Condition of Majuli During floods

Majuli as the world’s largest riverine island has been severely affected by floods and
the damages caused as a result to a severe extent. After the great earthquake of 1950,
the island has witnessed tremendous changes in its morphology due to continuous
changes of river channels. The great earthquake has swelled up the river bed of
Brahmaputra by 3–4 m due to the deposition of heavy silts, which resulted in bankline
erosion and floods in the island year after year. A distinct characteristic of the island is
the presence of numerous mid-channel bars or islets (locally known as Chapori)
resulting from the braided nature of the river Brahmaputra. Apart from these, there are
numerous beels (wetlands), ox-bow lakes, and rivers in the island, which cover 14% of
the total geographical area of the island.
Today, Majuli faces the dual fury of flood and bank erosion. Floods occur more than
once a year. Recurring floods have been affecting the ecological balance, physical
landscape, as well as biodiversity in Majuli. The flood causes havoc amongst people
and their livestock living on the island. The continuous erosion rips off the geographical
area gradually. The river island is receding every year: Of an area of 1345 sq km in
1891, no more than 640 sq km of land was left in 2008.Since 1991 out of 244 villages,
35 have been razed by the river. Studies indicate that if this process goes on, the island
will disappear in the next 15–20 years. Uncontrolled and indiscriminate development
along with ineffective flood control measures for the island have led to ever-increasing
flood damages in spite of the millions of moneys invested in the flood management
sector during the last decades. The density of population on the island in 1901 was 24
persons per sq. km, which went up to 146 persons in 1991. As per 2001 the density of
population is 364 persons per sq. km in Majuli. This figure is higher than the 340
persons per sq km in the whole state of Assam. The decreasing total geographical area
coupled with increasing population is creating economic instability and ecological
imbalance on the historic island. The flooding, which causes loss of lives and damage
to property, creates a sense of insecurity in the minds of the people.18
Figure 27: Continuous erosion of the Figure 28: Shrinking of the Majuli island
Majuli; Source: Deepika Jauhari research from 1911–2001; Source: Deepika Jauhari
research
18
Siddhartha K. Lahiri, 2014, Morphotectonic evolution of the Majuli Island in the Brahmaputra valley of
Assam, India inferred from geomorphic and geophysical analysis
2.2.4 Population of Majuli Island

Majuli is historically rich. It has been the mainstay of Assamese civilization for the past
five hundred years. The dwellers of Majuli are mostly of tribal folk. These ethnic tribes
are the Misings, the Deuris and the SonowalKacharis who migrated to Majuli centuries
ago. The population distribution of these three tribes is as follows:
Figure 29: Population distribution; Source: Author
The ethics and culture of these tribes are as follows:

1. The Misings – The Mising tribe of Assam is concentrated mainly on the
northern banks of river Brahmaputra. They are believed to be of Mongoloid
origin and has settled along the banks of the river Brahmaputra mainly in upper
Assam. They belong to the greater Tani community which comprises many
tribes of Arunachal Pradesh. The Misings are the mixture of East Asian as well
as the Southeast Asian sub-race of Mongoloid Race.
2. The Deuris - The Deuris are religious and were originally from the priest and
worshipper community and depended mostly on agriculture for their livelihood.
They migrated from a place called ‘Sadiya’ which is located in the present
Tinsukia District of upper Assam.
3. The Sonowal Kacharis -The Sonowal Kacharis are amongst the royal dynasties
and are scattered in the districts of Sibsagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and in states of
Nagaland and Arunachal Pradesh. During the reign of Ahom king some of the
Kachariswere engaged in gold washing of the river sand. Hence, they were
called the Sonowal or the goldwasher.19
Figure: Mising, Deuri and the Sonowal Kachari tribe; Source: Google images
19
Aamirah Salam, 2021, Tales of Traditions, Aspects of Adaptations and Stories of Sustenance of the
Largest River Island of the World, pp 2089
2.2.5 Vernacular architecture of Majuli

2.2.5.1 Mising Tribe Hut
Stilt Bamboo Hut of the Mising Tribe–
The Misings constitute 44% of the total population of Majuli and they are the most
important and dominant tribal community of Majuli. They build their traditional vernacular
houses by using locally available wood, bamboo, cane, reed, thatch etc. Misings are an
extension of Burmese Mongoloid origin, they believed in staying in stilt houses.
A typical Mising house has following characteristics:
• Entry to the house is from the east side.

• Bedroom and sleeping spaces are in the North side.
• Double height front portico generally used for grinding & handloom-related
activities.
• Stilt platform is 5 to 7 feet high in order to accommodate handloom and pig stay
under it.
• The animals living under the stilt floor also get a warmer living space.
• Living spaces are huge - a big hall with a centrally placed open kitchen for a large
joint family. Places around the fireplace act as a family interactive space. The
fireplace keeps the house warm during winter.
• The houses have perforated flooring for ventilation from the bottom.
• Traditional granary on the raised platform which acts as storage for food and pulses.
• The stilts also provide protection from wild animals especially from elephants as
it’s believed that they do not attack houses built on stilts and therefore doesn’t
destroy the granaries.
• The grains in raised platforms also get protected from moisture, flood, insects, and
rodents20
Figure 30: Typical floor plan of Mising Hut; Source: bibliomed.org

Legend:Front verandah 2. Back verandah 3. Fireplace 4. Sleeping space 5. Courtyard for
grinding 6. Space for Head of family 7. Guest sitting place 8. Store 9. Pig stay under stilt
floor (below 4, 6 & 7) 10. Handloom space
20
ibid 2091
Salient structural features of a typical Mising house –
• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of1000mm.

• Column: Separate bamboo column for flooring and roofing.
• Flooring: Wooden flooring over bamboo stilt platform.
• Wall: Bamboo split wall without plastering.
• Roof: Thatch roofing over bamboo truss
Figure 31: Mising house, granary, pig stay and duckary under the stilt; Source: ijcrt.org
2.2.5.2 Deuri Tribe Hut

Stilt bamboo Chang Ghar of Deuri tribe–
The Deuri tribe constitute 31% of the total population of Majuli. The Deuri people build
their traditional houses by using wood, bamboo, cane, reed, thatch etc. They believe in
staying in Chang Ghar (raised platform hutment).
A typical Deuri house has following characteristics:
• Entry to the house is from the east side.

• Bedroom and sleeping spaces are on the north side.
• They enjoy their drinks in the cantilevered portion of the entrance veranda.
• They also built their houses on stilts which includes a big hall with a central kitchen
for a large family. The area surrounding the fireplace acts as a family interactive
space. The fireplace keeps the house warm during winter.
• The lower part of the house is used as an enclosure for the animals.
• The animals living under the stilt floor also get a warmer living space.
• The floor is perforated for better ventilation and they used it to pass the unnecessary
victuals to the animals.
• Deuri people cook special meals in Dudepati– an attached change and dine sitting
around the fireplace.
• A raised platform remains enclosed to the house for cleaning.
• Apart from the main building, a traditional granary is also built on raised platform
next to main building.
• The grains in raised platforms are hence protected from moisture, flood, insects and
rodents.21
21
ibid 2094
Figure 32: Typical floor plan of Deuri tribe hut; Source: bibliomed.org
Legend:
1. Verandah 2. Drinking platform 3. Sleeping space 4. Sitting for elders 5. Kitchen &
fireplace 6. Hall 7. Store 8. Handloom space in entrance courtyard in front of 1 &
2. 9. Pig stay under the stilt floor (below 3, 6 & 7).
Salient structural features of a typical Deuri house –
• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of

1000mm.
• Column: Separate bamboo column for flooring and roofing.
• Flooring: Wooden flooring over bamboo stilt platform.
• Wall: Bamboo split wall without plastering.
• Roof: Thatch roofing over bamboo truss.
Figure 33: Deuri chang ghar, perforated floor, pig stay and duckary under the stilt; Source:
bibliomed.org
2.2.5.3 Sonowal Kachari house
Constituting 18% of the total population of Majuli, The Sonowal Kacharis are another
major tribal community of Majuli. Unlike Misings and Deuris, Sonowal Kachari people
build their traditional houses in the ground with raised plinth by using wood, bamboo, cane,
reed, thatch etc.
Typical Sonowal Kachari house has following characteristics:
• The typical house of Sonowal Kacharis is two sloped single ridge house for joint
family system.
• Main Entry to the house is from South side.
• The interior is divided into partitions for sleeping and has a wide verandah where
from the entry is made to the rooms.
• Kitchen is generally kept detached from the main house but connected by the
corridor.
• In Sonowal Kachari tradition, kitchen has three divisions based on the use of the
spaces. ‘Thapana’ is a place where prayer is done which is made of clay raised from
the floor. This is the most sacred place of the house where only the family members
can enter.
• They construct the walls of the houses with bamboo mesh and plastered with cow
dung and mud plasters.
• Apart from the main house there is a traditional granary on raised platform,
cowshed, poultry shed, ring well and pond.
• They have a chotal (courtyard) in front of their houses.22
Figure 34: Typical plan of a Sonowal Kachari House; Source: ijcrt.org
Legend: 1.Bed space 2. Corridor 3. Prayer room 4. Dining space 5. Fire space 6.
Granary 7. Courtyard 8. Fish pond. 9. Ring well 10. Poultry shed 11. Cow shed
Salient structural features of a typical Deuri house –
• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of

1000mm.
• Column: Bamboo column for supporting roof.
• Flooring: Earth flooring over raised plinth.
• Wall: Bamboo mesh wall with cow dung & mud plastering.
• Roof: Thatch roofing over bamboo truss.
22
ibid 2095
Figure 35: Sonowal Kachari house, fish catcher, duckary, granary, and cow shed; Source: ijcrt.org
2.2.5.4 Construction materials
Figure 36: Local materials -bamboo, straw, mud, thatch/coconut leaves, timber; Source: ijcrt.org
In vernacular architecture, only locally available materials are used in construction.

1. Bamboo
Bamboo is the most common building material that is used for building
construction. Bamboo has high Tensile strength and highly ductile (earthquake-
proof) in nature. It is cost effective, sustainable, readily available, workable and
easily replaceable or partially replaceable.
2. Straw
Straw is the baled up dead plant stems of a grain crop, once the seed head has been
harvested from the plant. It has virtually all its seed heads removed, and contains
no leaves or flowers. It is a lifeless material, with a analogous chemical composition
of wood. Straw is used as an energy efficient roof covering materials. It is easily
available local material and required no skill labour.
3. Mud
Mud is a mixture of water, cow dung, and clay. It is the most commonly used as
plastering materials in vernacular architecture. It is easily available, cheap, and
workable. It is used as a plastering material for bamboo mesh walls and as floor
finishing material. Mud mixed with cow-dung has anti-termite properties.
4. Thatch / Coconut Leaves
Thatching is the technique of roofing with dry vegetation such as straw, water reed,
sedge, rushes, or heather, layering on the roof frame so as to shed water away from
the roof. It is a very old roofing method and has been used extensively in Majuli
5. Timber
Timber is one of the most commonly used materials in the vernacular architecture.
From flooring to roof truss, beam and columns, timber is used in many parts of
house as an alternative to bamboo.
6. Tools
Various types of knives are used for cutting purposes, each having its own
individual utility. The khonta is used for digging purposes and ropes for tying
purposes. Ropes for tying purposes and hammers are used for beating the timber
or bamboo to create the desired joinery.23
2.2.5.5 Roofing
Primary objective of vernacular architecture of Majuli is to provide shelter. The essence of
shelter is to provide enclosed space achieved by covering the structure. Most popular form
of roof is the pitched roof sloping on two sides and with gables at each end. In these types
of roofs ridge takes some load while rafters take the most of the load. These roofs are able
to carry burden of cladding such as thatch and reed. Pitched roofs have large overhangs to
protect the wall from rain and sun.24
2.2.5.6 Floors and Floor Finishes
• Floors are either used for human activity or animal activity. Floors are on the
ground or raised platform above the ground level
• Usually for the ground floor the upper layer of soil is removed and filled with
more stable materials and then compacted
• Often in floors are plastered with mixture of cow dung and clay
• Compacted earth in Sonowal Kachari house
• Wooden planks over bamboo frame work in Mising and Deuri houses
2.2.6 Conclusion
The wet tropical environments of both Majuli and North east India create a typical
architectural style. The traditional vernacular architecture of Majuli has following
characteristics:
• Open lay-out of living and family spaces

• Significance of the rectangular and L-shaped layout
• Sloping roofs and protruding eaves as response to tropical rain, wind and other
natural elements
• Grilled windows and porous walls as response to tropical sun glare and humidity
• Some tribes build their houses in the stilts as response to overcome flood and wild
animals.
The vernacular architecture of Majuli is not only an Indian style of traditional architecture
but also it shows a gesture of cross-boundary and multi-cultural architectural styles of
south-east Asia. The studies carried in these three ethnic tribes – the Misings, the Deuris
and the Sonowal Kacharis highlight the uniqueness of traditional adaptation of planning.
The holistic amalgamation of society with locally available construction materials, labour,
technology, and climate goes on to prove the sustainable aspects that exists in the rural
architecture in this part of the world.
23
Amal Barman, 2020, IJCRT, Vernacular Architecture of Majuli, pp 11
24
ibid 12
CHAPTER 3. CASE STUDY

Dutch landscape is currently highlighted by a new way of living on the water such as
floating and amphibious houses to adapt to a sea level rise and floods. In Gouden Kurst,
Maasbommel is an innovative approach was taken in 1998. Bangladesh is known for two
things: poverty and floods. It is a delta country burdened with draining large amounts of
water from surrounding countries and a heavy monsoon season that have caused numerous
severe floods with large scale destruction throughout the country. The LIFT House: an
affordable, flood-resilient housing solution for the low-income families of Dhaka.
3.1 CASE STUDY 1: MAASBOMMEL, NETHERLANDS
Figure 37: Maasboomel Site; Source: by author
3.1.1 Introduction
• Location: Maasbommel, Netherlands
• Area: 266 Sqm per unit
• Architect: Dura Vermeer and Factor Architecten
• Buoyancy Material: Concrete with Rebar
• Project Year: Started in 1998 completed in 2005
Two-thirds of the Netherlands would be flooded without
the protection of dikes. Large portions of the country are
situated below sea level, which makes them extremely
vulnerable during floods after even minor fluctuations in
water level. 25
Figure 38: Floodable lands;
Source: Association of Provincial
Authorities, 2004
25
Waterland: Water Information Network, ‘History of Dutch Water Management
33 | Case study
3.1.2 Evolution of Amphibious Structure
Figure: Timeline showing the origin of Amphibious houses in

Maasbommel, Source: by author
34 | Case study
3.1.3 Location and Connectivity

The Dutch town of Maasbommel is part of the municipality of West Maas en Waal, in
Province of Gelderland, Netherlands. The amphibious project is situated outside the dike
ring in recreational area that is particularly vulnerable to flooding.26
Figure 39: Location of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel, Source: by author
Figure 40: Connectivity of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel, Source: by

author
26
Wikipedia; Maasbommel
35 | Case study
3.1.4 Climate and Site Orientation
Figure 41: Orientation of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel, Source: by

author
3.1.5 Site Context
Figure 42: Site context of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel, Source: by
author
36 | Case study
3.1.6 The foundation: floating concrete hull

In the Maasbommel project 23-centimeter-thick concrete hulls, weighting over 70 tons,
were prefabricated on site, then hoisted into the water, moved to their location, put in place,
and after that the wooden houses could be built on top.27
The floating and semi-floating homes are similar in construction: a concrete barge with a
relatively light timber-frame construction on top. The concrete barges weigh 72 tonnes
each, while the timber-frame constructions weigh around 22 tonnes. The low centre of
gravity gives added stability. The concrete barges are made from ordinary concrete with an
aggregate to render them waterproof. The joints are reinforced with an additional water-
resistant sealing strip. The barges are approximately 2 metres high, and as such can only be
used as basements or, if part of the home is designed with a split level, as bedrooms.28
Figure 43: Fabrication of concrete hulls on Figure 44: A concrete hull is hoisted from
site; Source: Project review: Floating the water into the dock of a amphibious
Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011 home.; Source: Project review: Floating
Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011
3.1.7 The amphibious home concept

As said, the Maasbommel project features two different types of houses. Fourteen
houses are floating in water permanently. The other 32, under normal
circumstances, rest on a concrete foundation in a dock dug out of the talus of the
dyke. They are so called ‘amphibious’, they will adapt to the situation, and start
floating as soon as the water level rises. An advantage of these amphibious houses
is that they are more or less the ordinary home, including a garden, access from the
road and a parking place. Also, the inhabitants will only feel that their house is
floating when the area floods. In Maasbommel these floods, with water levels above
7 meters + NAP, occur on average once every twelve years.
27
2011, Project Review: Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands, pp 7
28
Urban Green-Blue Grids, Amphibious homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands
37 | Case study
3.1.8 Orderly rise and descent
Figure 45: Positions and condition of Amphibious houses in normal and high water levels;
Source: from Project review: Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011, modified by
author
38 | Case study
Each pair of two houses is kept in place by two mooring pylons. These steel columns have
been driven deep into the ground and extend up to twelve meters above NAP level. Even
in case of extreme floods flowing over the dyke, the houses will be kept in place and will
be able to withstand currents you would find on open seas. To keep both houses that share
the set of mooring pylons stable they are connected by a steel framework. The fact that the
houses are connected also limits the influence of waves on the structure, as the two houses
together weight over 200 tons.
The concrete hull of an amphibious house rests on six concrete foundation piles. The same
six piles are used to give a level basis for the floating homes at extremely low water levels.
As water rises the houses will slide up along the mooring pylons. The amphibious houses
will be lifted out of their docks, that will fill up with water. To ensure an orderly descent
after a flood, the docks and their surroundings need to be kept free of any obstacles at all
time. If anything got stuck underneath a house as the water withdraws, this could hinder a
level touchdown. The maintenance instructions provided with the project should ensure the
attention of the owners and the estate manager for this matter.
3.1.9 Architecture and engineering

The basis of the architecture and building engineering of the houses was to build a light
weight structure on top of the concrete boxes. In this way the centre of gravity is kept as
low as possible, ensuring maximum stability of the house while afloat. The basic timber
frame structure, identical for all the houses, was prefabricated in the Czech Republic, and
then transported to Maasbommel to be assembled on site. The roof, made out of steel and
wood and covered with PVC‐roofing, was build on site and then hoisted on top of the
houses.
The houses are designed based on the view of the water and the landscape: the arched roofs
are low on the side of the dyke, rising towards the east, where the living room and master
bedroom look out over the lakes north of the river Maas. To emphasize the individual
expression of the houses different colours are used, while a variety of materials (wood,
Trespa HPL panelling and stucco) forms a composition in each façade.
The distribution of weight over the concrete hull was calculated, to ensure a level position
in the water. Because about 70% of the entire weight is in the concrete itself and another
25% in fixed parts of the construction, balancing the house proved not to be necessary.
While the house weights 97 tons, the average interior, including inhabitants, is only 4
tons.29
29
Project review, (n26) 9
39 | Case study
Figure 46: Assembling of prefabricated wooden- Figure 47: roof hoisting on top of prefabricated
frame houses; Source: Project review: Floating wooden-frame houses; Source: Project review:
Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011 Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011
3.1.10 Water, sewage, electricity and gas

The basic facilities of the house hardly differ from those in ordinary houses in the
Netherlands. The house is heated by a central heating system on natural gas, equipped with
radiators. It has connections to the water, sewage, electricity and gas networks like any
other house would have. The difference is in the connection of those facilities between the
house and the pipelines on land. Boiten engineered an ingenious connection system, as
illustrated below, that connects the amphibious houses. Between each pair of houses there
is connection from the bottom of the dock to the side of the house. The length of this
connection is oversized for ordinary conditions, but long enough to remain connected when
the water rises. The floating houses are connected with the same type of flexible pipelines,
but for these houses a main line is situated underneath the floating pier that leads to the
houses.30
Figure 48: Flexible facility connections between two houses, before connection to the house.;
Source: Project review: Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011
30
ibid 10
40 | Case study
3.1.11 Infrastructure
The amphibious houses are accessed by a road, running along the dyke at 7,4m above NAP
level. A floating pier connects the floating homes to the same road. Though all facilities
(electricity connections, sewage pumps, etc.) have been placed above flood level, the road
itself is no longer accessible in case of a flood. When the amphibious houses start to float,
once every twelve years on average, the road will flood and inhabitants will have to use a
boat to get to the houses. In case of emergencies, fire fighters and ambulance personnel will
not be hindered by a small flood. In case of higher water, they will use boats as well.
Figure 49: Access Road and floating pier connecting amphibious and floating house.; Source: by
author
3.1.12 Further Safety Measures

The final and most crucial measure to ensure the safety of the inhabitants is a good
maintenance plan combined with a 'user manual' for the houses. The estate manager and
the owners will have to check the systems around the floating piers and most importantly
the facility connections and the docks of the floating homes. When a flood is announced,
the user manual states when to inform inhabitants and run an extra check on all crucial
points.31
31
ibid 10
41 | Case study
3.1.13 Site Sections
Figure 50: Site sections showing floating and amphibious houses respectively.; Source: Urban Green-
Blue Grids, Amphibious homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands
3.1.14 Amphibious House: Floor Plans

(a) Ground Floor Plan
Figure 51: Ground floor plan of amphibious House.; Source: Issuu,

Amphibious Architecture, Elizabeth Fenuta
42 | Case study
(b) Upper-Level Plan
Figure 52: Upper-level plan of amphibious House.; Source: Issuu,

(c) Lower-Level Plan
Figure 53: Lower-level plan of amphibious House.; Source: Issuu,

43 | Case study
3.1.15 Amphibious House: Section and Elevation
(a) Section
Figure 54: Section of amphibious House.; Source: Issuu, Amphibious Architecture, Elizabeth Fenuta
(b) Elevation
Figure 55: Elevation of amphibious House.; Source: Issuu, Amphibious Architecture, Elizabeth
Fenuta
44 | Case study
3.1.16 Site Views
Figure 56: (a)Amphibious house with garden and parking place, July 2005 (b) Same house afloat,
January 2011; Source: Project review: Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011
Figure 57: Floating homes seen from access Figure 58: Amphibious house afloat, January
road, July 2005; Source: Project review: 2011; Source: Project review: Floating Homes,
Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011 Maasbommel, Netherlands,2011
3.1.17 Inference
Changing environmental and development conditions, climate change impacts including
sea level rise, increasing populations, and urbanization, can lead to increases in the
flooding risks and water-levels in river communities. The Maasbommel houses can adapt
to these changes, always adjusting with the changes in the river level. Although rising sea
levels will likely lead to the abandonment of some coastal communities, this area of
Maasbommel can, theoretically, continue to be habitable for generations to come due to
the adaptive nature of these homes.
45 | Case study
3.2 CASE STUDY 2: THE LIFT HOUSE, DHAKA, BANGLADESH
Figure 59: The LIFT House; Source: Project review: prosunarchitects.com
3.1.18 Introduction
• Location: 120/3, Darussalam Mirpur Rd, Dhaka, Bangladesh
• Area: 100 Sqm
• Architect: Prithula Prosun
• Buoyancy Material: Hollow Ferro cement foundation and a bamboo frame
foundation filled with used plastic water bottles
• Project Year: Started in 2009 completed in 2010
The LIFT (Low Income Flood-proof Technology) House is a response to the need for
sustainable, affordable housing in flood-prone areas of Dhaka for the urban poor. The city
of Dhaka is incapable of providing basic services, such as access to water, electricity, and
a sewage system. The LIFT house is self-sustaining in providing these services without
relying on the city infrastructure. The house is designed to be constructed in any low-lying
location within the urban and peri-urban areas of the DMA.32 Prithula Prosun, a graduate
student in architecture at the University of Waterloo, has recently designed and built the
first engineered and code complaint amphibious house in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is also
believed to be the first engineered amphibious housing project constructed outside the
Netherlands and the United States. She calls the project LIFT House, which stands for Low
Income Floating Technology. It was designed for implementation communities situated in
low-lying, flood prone areas of Dhaka, and has the capability of floating in rising water.33
32
Prithula Prosun, 2011, The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna, pp 58
33
Elizabeth Fenuta, 2010, Issuu, Amphibious Architectures pp 226
46 | Case study
3.1.19 Location and Connectivity
The house is situated in capital city of Bangladesh, Dhaka beside a pond and close to the
road that runs through the grounds of the HBRI in order to easily demonstrate the benefits
of the project to visitors.
Figure 60: Location of LIFT House along lakeside in Dhaka, Source: by author
Figure 61: Connectivity of Amphibius houses along lakeside in Maasbommel, Source: by

author
47 | Case study
3.1.20 Climate and Site Orientation
Figure 62: Orientation of the LIFT house along lakeside in Dhaka, Source: by author
3.1.21 Site Context
Figure 63: Site context of the LIFT house along lakeside in Dhaka, Source: by author
48 | Case study
3.1.22 The Foundation

Two types of amphibious foundations were used in the LIFT house. An amphibious
foundation allows a house to become buoyant, meaning it has the ability to float when
surrounded by water. The LIFT house required a low maintenance, low-cost solution using
local materials and labour that would be suitable for the urban poor of Dhaka.
Two solutions were designed to test the efficiency and reliability of the foundations-
1. A Hollow Ferrocement Structure
Figure 64: Calculation for depth of Ferrocement Figure 65: Ferrocement foundation, Source:
foundation, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prithula Prosuna Prosuna
2. A bamboo frame filled with empty used water bottles
Figure 66: Calculation for depth of Waste bottle Figure 67: Waste bottle foundation,
foundation, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Source: The LIFT house, thesis
Prithula Prosuna by Prithula Prosuna
3.1.23 The Initial Design

Prosun’s original design began as an 8-unit residence, but the experimental prototype
constructed has 2 units. Figure xxx is the initial rendered plan of the ground level displaying
the showers, composting toilets, service stairs, and a vegetable garden, Dual access is
provided allowing compartmentalization of living spaces. The amphibious housing units
made of bamboo are attached with steel connectors to the brick service spine.
49 | Case study
Figure 68: The LIFT house 8-unit residence design, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prosuna
3.1.24 How it works

Each of the two-unit dwellings is primarily made of bamboo and provides living and
sleeping quarters for a single family. The central brick spine houses the plumbing, utilities
and rainwater storage cisterns. The vertical guidance system is comprised of a steel pipe
that is cast into the masonry service core with a slit cut along the front, facing the bamboo
house. Inside the pipe, a smaller steel pipe (approx. 1 foot in length) is inserted that slides
up and down inside the main pipe. The smaller pipe is attached to the bamboo dwelling
with metal plates that pass through the slot in the larger pipe. 34
34
ibid 227
50 | Case study
Figure 69: The vertical guidance post in LIFT house, Source: prosunarchitects.com
Buoyancy of the bamboo dwelling units is achieved using two different systems: one of the
dwellings has a hollow ferrocement foundation, the other is a bamboo frame foundation
filled with recapped empty water bottles. The steel vertical guidance system attaches the
bamboo dwellings to the brick and concrete service spine and the dwellings slipe up and
down vertically.35
Figure 70: The LIFT house static on ground Figure 71: The LIFT house floating on water
during dry season, Source: during floods, Source:
prosunarchitects.com prosunarchitects.com
35
ibid 227
51 | Case study
3.1.25 The service spine

The service spine is constructed out
of brick and reinforced concrete.
Kitchens, bathroom, composting
toilet storage tanks and two types of
water cisterns are located in this
structure. The interior surfaces of the
cisterns are lined with a layer of
Ferro cement in order to stop
moisture penetration. The
foundation for the service spine is a
concrete slab on grade with a 15”
thick perimeter brick wall with a
height of 12”. The walls of the
service spine are 10” thick with two Figure 72: Service spine under construction with two
horizontal lintel bands, Source:
lintel bands of concrete, one halfway
prosunarchitects.com
up, and the other at the top to
strengthen the brick wall. Two sets of three lintels span across the interior of the service
spine to reduce the risk of buckling of the brick walls. A line of dowels is also inserted at
both the top and bottom connections of the brick walls to the concrete slabs for a stronger
connection by preventing rotation. The top slab of the service spine is a usable exterior
space accessed through the second floors of the dwellings, making it a safe space for
exterior activities during a flood. This exterior space has a concrete floor and with a bamboo
railing that is attached with steel rods, concrete, and steel clamps.36
3.1.26 The Construction

At the beginning of November 2009, soil tests were initiated on the site. Excavation began
on November12, 2009 and lasted for four days. On the fifth day, reinforcement for the
concrete slab was set in place and two days later, concrete was poured for the foundation.
On November22, 2009 the team began constructing the brick walls for the central service
spine to house the composting latrines and rainwater storage cisterns, which took 12 days
to complete. While the masonry service spine was being constructed, bamboo was also
obtained to construct the amphibious housing units and was later chemically treated. The
first buoyancy element was then created for testing, using empty recapped plastic water
bottles encased in a bamboo frame. Then the bamboo encased water bottle buoyancy
element was tested with live load; four team members stood on top of the buoyancy element
to test its capacity. Next a ferrocement frame was prepared in order to create one of the
buoyant foundations. By January 5, 2010 the bamboo frames for both units were completely
erected and ready to be clad. Next, woven bamboo cladding was attached to the bamboo
structural frames of each unit to create the walls and windows. On January 26, 2010 the
36
Prosun (n32) 60
52 | Case study
LIFT house was fully completed and the opening ceremony was held on site in Dhaka,
Bangladesh.37
Figure 73: Workers testing the water bottle Figure 74: Service spine finished and instalment of
foundation model for live load capacity, first bamboo structure complete, Source:
Source: prosunarchitects.com prosunarchitects.com
3.1.27 Water, sewage and electricity

Water
A catchment area of 570 sq. ft. and the city’s annual rainfall of 100 inches allows the house
to collect a maximum of 100,000L of rainwater. The two water cisterns combined have a
capacity of 48,000L which will be adequate for 10 residents throughout the dry season.
Rainwater is collected from the roof and the top slab of the service spine in the first cistern
and passes through a filter that traps dirt and insects. If small particles of dirt enter the
cistern, the natural sedimentation process will settle these particles at the bottom of the
cistern. Water is taken from 1ft above this level. Residents have access to this collected
rainwater via a hand pump located on top of the service spine. This is the primary source
of water for activities such as cooking, bathing, and washing clothes. Drinking water is
further boiled. Used water from these activities is collected through a biosand filtration pipe
that removes pathogens, chemicals, and all other unwanted substances. This filtered
greywater is then accessed through another hand pump for use as the secondary source of
water, mainly for toilets, washing, and irrigation. This method maximizes the collected
rainwater to fulfil all water needs of the residents.38
37
Fenuta (n33) 227
38
Prosun (n32) 61
53 | Case study
Figure 75: Diagram of the rainwater harvesting and storage systems, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prosuna
Sanitation
The sanitation system of Dhaka is a
wasteful user of precious potable water
and electricity The LIFT house
redirects the responsibility of sewage
disposal from a large centralized
system to an on-site composting
system, turning urine and solid waste
into resources the residents can use.
The composting latrine system is
designed to fit the principles of the
Sulabh Toilet. This low-cost, hygienic
dual pit latrine system was designed
and applied in India by Sulabh, an
organization dedicated to providing the
poor with access to affordable toilets.
Unlike the Sulabh toilets, the LIFT
house composting latrines divert urine
and deposit into the soil of the garden
through an underground pipe where it Figure 76: Diagram of the composting latrine system,
can be used as fertilizer.39 Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prosuna
39
ibid 64
54 | Case study
Electricity
Electricity is derived from two 60W solar panels, one for each dwelling of the LIFT house.
Two Canadian manufactured solar panels were donated by Centennial Solar Inc. Each panel
is connected with a local solar battery, wiring and fixtures to provide electricity for 1 fan
and 5 energy saving light fixtures for each unit, one on each floor of the dwelling, one at
the front door, one in the kitchen, and one in the toilet area, for a period of 6 hours a day.40
Figure 77: Diagram of the solar energy system in Figure 78: Photovoltaic panel installed on a
each dwelling of the LIFT house, Source: thatched roof in rural Bangladesh,
The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Source: The LIFT house, thesis by
Prosuna Prithula Prosuna
3.1.28 The LIFT House: Floor Plans
Ground Floor Plan
The two amphibious dwelling is connected to the service spine. The dwelling 1 is made of
empty used bottle foundation and the dwelling 2 is made up of hollow ferrocement
foundation.
Figure 79: Ground floor plan, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna
40
ibid 66
55 | Case study
First Floor Plan

The first floor is accessed by internal staircase. At this level, the service spine is useable
and consists of toilets, kitchens.
Figure 80: First floor plan, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna
3.1.29 Sections of the LIFT House
Figure 81: Section through compost storage and dwelling, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prosuna modified by author
56 | Case study
Figure 82: Section through rainwater cistern and dwelling, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula
Prosuna modified by author
3.1.30 Elevation of the LIFT House
Figure 83: Elevation of the LIFT House, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna
57 | Case study
3.1.31 Site Views
Figure 84: Interior views of the LIFT house, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna
Figure 85: Extrior views of the LIFT house, Source: The LIFT house, thesis by Prithula Prosuna
3.1.32 Inference
The LIFT House represents Bangladesh: an embodiment of what is important to the
country, its people, its environment, its economy, and its water. The house can become a
symbol of the country’s reaction to climate change, where the rise in sea levels is not seen
as a threat, but a circumstance to which one adapts. The house reconciles this land with its
water. It is a balance between the old and the new, indigenous materials with modern
technology. It responds to the crisis of floods, environmental degradation, and the housing
needs of the urban poor. These major issues are all currently being tackled by the country,
which is why the LIFT house became part of the national dialogue.
58 | Case study
3.2 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS

S.no Parameters Maasbommel The LIFT House Inference
Project
1. Location Maasbommel, 120/3, -
Netherlands Darussalam
Mirpur Rd,
Dhaka,
Bangladesh
2. Year of 2005 2010 -
completion
3. Area 266 Sqm per unit 50 Sqm per unit -
4. Max rise 18 feet 5 feet -
during
flood
5. Buoyancy Concrete with Hollow Ferro
In both the studies, the
Material Rebar cement material used for the
foundation and a foundation efficiently
bamboo framesolves its purpose of
foundation filled being buoyant and float
with used plastic during flood conditions
water bottles but the recapped empty
plastic water bottles used
in one of the two LIFT
houses is remarkable.
Since it not only reuses
the harmful plastic waste
but also allows easy
replacement of any
damaged bundle, without
affecting others, in case of
any bundle damage.
6. Super Timber for Bamboo for Both the projects used
structure dwelling units dwelling units and light weight locally
material and steel for roof masonry for available materials for the
service spine construction, i.e, timber
and steel in Maasbommel
and bamboo and clay
bricks in LIFT house that
reduces the cost
considerably.
59 | Case study
S.no Parameters Maasbommel The LIFT House Inference

Project
7. Vertical Foundation Foundation Boxes In each of these case
Guidance Boxes come in come in semi- studies, housing units are
System semi-detached detached pairs, joined by sharing a
pairs, connected connected by a common element that
by a deck, each deck, each pair is provides lateral resistance
pair is set is set set is set into a and is responsible for the
into a niche in niche in the river vertical movement. For
the river bank bank and held the amphibious houses in
and held there by there by 2 large Maasbommel, two houses
2 large steel steel posts which share a platform that
posts which are are responsible for provides lateral stability.
responsible for the vertical For the LIFT house, a
the vertical movement. central, fixed masonry
movement. spine provides both
stability and vertical
guidance.
8. Buoyant 70-tonne Buoyancy is In Maasbommel, 70% of
Foundation concrete boxachieved from the entire weight of the
provides two different house is in the foundation
buoyancy and systems: one of which shifts its centre of
forms the
the dwellings has gravity towards bottom
basement on
a hollow and stabilizes the house
which the
ferrocement while floating
wooden foundation, the
superstructure is
other is a bamboo
built. frame foundation
filled with
recapped empty
water bottles.
9. Services Flexible pipes It is self- The LIFT house is a self-
are attached to sustaining in sustaining house which is
city providing these independent on the
infrastructure services without services provided by local
relying on the city city infrastructure which
infrastructure makes it more efficient
and usable in remote areas
which are severely
affected by floods.
60 | Case study
CHAPTER 4. PROPOSAL AND CONCLUSION

4.1 PROPOSAL
As we studied in the report, about the damage caused by floods in flood prone areas of
Assam specifically Majuli and how amphibious houses can be used to counteract and
handle floods in these areas. This tested and emerging technology is a flood-mitigation
approach that is adaptable, cost-effective, and can preserve the community integrity of
Majuli and other flood-prone areas. By implementing the technology of an amphibious
structure which is its ability to float and come back to ground with respect to the water
level, we can reduce the damage of resources caused by floods.
A proposal has been presented here to fight against the flood damages caused in Majuli.
Some key guidelines which should be followed while designing an amphibious structure
are-
• Floating capacity
• Buoyant foundation
• Super structure
• Material services
• Height of the vertical guideposts
According to these guidelines some recommendations for the construction of an
amphibious house on our selected area and which can be followed in numerous numbers
of places in Majuli is presented here.
Recommendations –
As the people of this area are of low economic strata and are extremely comfortable with
their own vernacular architecture. Keeping this in mind, we would provide some low-cost
material recommendation also which will not destroy their architecture style and make
them feel same as they feel today about their space.
4.1.1 Buoyant foundation
Many materials for buoyancy of amphibious house are readily available in the market
worldwide. But for this area I would recommend to choose used water bottles which is
incredibly cheap and with this we can help our environment as well. As studied in the LIFT
House, Dhaka, it is extremely sustainable and successful technique.
Figure 86: Used water bottles foundation; Source: squarespace.com
61 | Proposal & Conclusion

4.1.2 Material used for superstructure

As we know lightweight materials are required for the construction of amphibious
house, so bamboo can be a good option. It had been used extensively as the traditional
construction material in Majuli from ancient time onwards and bamboo joinery is the
traditional craft skill used by the people here. Bamboo as a building material has high
compressive strength and low weight. Thus, weight of a bamboo building is less than
that of a masonry building and is suit to the soil whose bearing capacity is low. A
prefabricated unit of bamboo or wood can be constructed within the factories and
possible to transport and install at the site of construction.
Figure 87: A house made of bamboo; Source: housing.com
4.1.3 Roof
EPS panels within a wooden structural frame work is preferred for roofing. It repels water,
prevents humidity and bacterial growth. As its closed porous structure consist of 98% air,
it is light, and does not place additional load on building. EPS application is quick and easy
due to its flexible and light weight structure. Therefore, it saves time and keep labour costs
low. The cost of EPS products for construction sector is lower by approximately 1/3
compared to other alternative products. It provides excellent thermal insulation and the
material is heat, cold and fire resistant in nature.
4.1.4 Services
It is suggested to use flexible pipes to connect the houses to the city infrastructures but it is
also known that during floods these connections generally collapses in the remote areas.
So, it is suggested to build a house with solar panels to generate electricity and rainwater
harvesting systems to utilize the rainwater. Thus, this house has minimum dependency on
city infrastructure.

4.2 CONCLUSION
Water is one of the greatest assets under the possession of mankind. It is a source of life
but when challenged, it also has the ability to destroy the whole life structure. India faces
floods almost every year, in varying degrees of magnitude. The country faces massive
devastation as an unfortunate consequence of these floods in various different states.
Around 1.2 million houses are damaged by floods in the country almost every year. Assam
is one of the most severely affected flood-prone regions of the country in which lies the
world's largest riverine island "Majuli". Majuli island is an administrative subdivision
under the Jorhat district and always lies at the risk of being swallowed by the Brahmaputra
River anytime.
Therefore, the primary aim of the research is to study and Analyse the concept of
amphibious structures as a measure of minimizing and controlling the damage caused by
the Brahmaputra River floods in the Majuli Island of Assam. The study clearly envisages
the importance of bamboo-based amphibious housing as an effective solution to overcome
the possible difficulties caused by rising water levels during floods in Majuli. This tested
and emerging technology is a flood-mitigation approach that is adaptable, cost-effective,
and can preserve the community integrity of Majuli and other flood-prone areas. Keeping
in mind the rich and the diverse architecture of Assam, as well as the economic value of
the different materials available for the amphibious type of construction, certain key
considerations have been introduced to meet up with the requirements and the demand of
the communities in the area.
Therefore, on the basis of the five key guidelines i.e. Floating capacity, Buoyant
Foundation, Superstructure, Material services, and Height of the vertical guideposts,
several recommendations have been highlighted in the research to develop flood mitigation
techniques and methods in the Majuli Island. Primary objective of the study is not to reap
away from the natural force of the water but rather it is about developing with the
constraints that it poses. Any hindrance in the natural processes contributes to devastating
ecological imbalance and hence development with the natural forces should be a priority in
our development rather than manipulating the natural forces for our benefit. Investing in an
amphibious housing strategy as a flood resilient method can contribute in a similar direction
and can also lead to the overall development of the flood-affected areas.

REFERENCES
i. Anderson Christine, (2014) Amphibious Architecture Living with a rising bay

ii. Nelson Nikhila, (2019) Envisaging the scope of amphibious architecture in below
sea level regions of Kuttanad
iii. T S Adithya and K K Manoj 2021 IOP Conf. Ser.: Mater. Sci. Eng. 1114 012037
iv. Prosun Prithula, (2011) The LIFT House [www] Available from:
https://uwspace.uwaterloo.ca/handle/10012/5787 [Accessed 11May2022]
v. Thakur Manish, 2020, Aquatecture: Dwelling units designed to work with water
vi. Fennuta Elizabeth (2010) Amphibious Architectures, [www] Available from:
https://issuu.com/lizfenuta/docs/amphibious_architectures_thesis/244 [Accessed 5
March 2022]
vii. Sarma Alee, (2014) Landscape Degradation of River Island Majuli, Assam (India)
due to Flood and Erosion by River Brahmaputra and Its Restoration
viii. Formosa, (2014) The Amphibious House, Baca Architects, [www] Available from:
https://www.architecturalrecord.com/ext/resources/Issues/2017/April/continuing-
education/Amphibious-House-What-is.pdf [Accessed 119 April 2022]
ix. Elizabeth English (2016), Thriving with water: Developments in amphibious
architecture in North America [www] Available from: https://www.e3s-
conferences.org/articles/e3sconf/pdf/2016/02/e3sconf_flood2016_13009.pdf
[Accessed 9 March 2022]
x. Champaneri Parth, (2018) Disaster Resilient Houses
xi. Baleshwar Singh, (2011) Influence Of Landform And Geomorphic Process On
Topographic Evolution Of A River Island [www] Available from: https://www.idc-
online.com/technical_references/pdfs/civil_engineering/INFLUENCE%20OF.pdf
[Accessed 22 April 2022]
xii. Siddhartha K. Lahiri, 2014, Morphotectonic evolution of the Majuli Island in the
Brahmaputra valley of Assam, India inferred from geomorphic and geophysical
analysis
xiii. Aamirah Salam, (2021) Tales of Traditions, Aspects of Adaptations and Stories of
Sustenance of the Largest River Island of the World, [www] Available from:
https://www.bibliomed.org/mnsfulltext/218/218-1618166179.pdf?1648208930
[Accessed 2 May 2022]
xiv. Amal Barman, (2020) IJCRT, Vernacular Architecture of Majuli, [www]
Available from: https://ijcrt.org/papers/IJCRT2007175.pdf [Accessed 6 May2022]
xv. Waterland: Water Information Network, ‘History of Dutch Water Management
xvi. 2011, Project Review: Floating Homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands, [www]
Available from: https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/case-
studies/amphibious-housing-in-maasbommel-the-netherlands [Accessed 15 April
2022]
xvii. Urban Green-Blue Grids, Amphibious homes, Maasbommel, Netherlands
xviii. Resiliency, Case Study, Flood Mitigation, [www] Available from:
https://resiliency.lsu.edu/case-study-maasbommel-netherlands [Accessed 6Aprl
2022]
xix. Das Mayuri, An assessment of Redistribution of Population in Majuli Island due
to river bank erosion [www] Available from:
https://iussp.org/sites/default/files/event_call_for_papers/iussp13.pdf [Accesssed
29 April 2022]
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B.

ARCH DISSERTATION REPORT

Amphibious Structures As A Solution To The Flood-Prone

Ar. Madhur Varshney

GURU GOBIND SINGH INDRAPRASTHA UNIVERSITY

I hereby declare that the dissertation entitled, “Amphibious Structures As A Solution To

Place: Jagdishpur, Sonepat (India)

Prof. Raja C.P. Singh

Ar. Madhur Varshney

Keywords: Floods; Amphibious Structures; Buoyant Foundations; Vernacular

• Figure 1- News clippings of articles related to flood and amphibious structure

• Figure 52- Upper-level plan of amphibious House

• To understand the fundamentals of the floating system in amphibious architecture

• To study the theories proposed by architects and engineers involved in amphibious

• The report is limited to analyzing the possibility of incorporating the use of

1.5 NEED OF THE PROJECT

Figure 1- News clippings of articles related to flood and amphibious structure

CHAPTER 2. LITERATURE STUDY

2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE

2.1.1 Basic principle of floating

Figure 2: Archimedes’ principle of buoyancy; Source: Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.

2.1.2Water building typologies

2.1.2.3 Pile Dwelling

Figure 5: Pile dwellings in Germany; Source: Figure 6: Houseboat in Maharashtra; Source:

2.1.2.4 Amphibious Dwelling

2.1.3 Flood resilient amphibious house

An amphibious house consists of

Figure 10: Four main components of Amphibious Houses;

2.1.4 Parameters for designing an amphibious structure

2.1.4.3 Float line

2.1.4.4 Buoyant foundation height calculation

2.1.4.5 Structure type

2.1.4.7 Utility access

2.1.5 Types of floating foundations

2.1.5.1 Expanded Polystyrene (EPS) with concrete filling

• Timber maintenance can seem to be higher than other building materials.

• Lack of expertise in the existing contractors

• Better resistance against earthquake.

2.1.7.2 Social Benefits

2.1 MAJULI ISLAND

2.2.1 Introduction to the study area in Assam

2.2.1.2 Assam and Floods

Figure 25: Flood prone areas of India; Source: mapsofindia.com

2.2.2 Geographical location of Majuli

2.2.3 Condition of Majuli During floods

2.2.4 Population of Majuli Island

Figure 29: Population distribution; Source: Author

The ethics and culture of these tribes are as follows:

2.2.5 Vernacular architecture of Majuli

• Entry to the house is from the east side.

Figure 30: Typical floor plan of Mising Hut; Source: bibliomed.org

Salient structural features of a typical Mising house –

• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of1000mm.

2.2.5.2 Deuri Tribe Hut

• Entry to the house is from the east side.

• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of

Figure 34: Typical plan of a Sonowal Kachari House; Source: ijcrt.org

Salient structural features of a typical Deuri house –

• Foundation: Bamboo columns are inserted underground up to a depth of

2.2.5.4 Construction materials

In vernacular architecture, only locally available materials are used in construction.

• Open lay-out of living and family spaces

CHAPTER 3. CASE STUDY