Somewhat related to the concept of global climate change that will potentially innudate significant portions of urban areas (or maybe just a way to deal with growing land prices) the idea of inhabiting floating barges or houseboats is both new and old. I first heard the term amphibious architecture in reference to Dutch developments that float from shorelines to extend living areas beyond terra firma.
:: Dutch Amphibious Architecture - image via Speigel Online
A range of ideas around this has been covered before (such as the Garden Barges of London), as well as some inventive ways of looking at amphibious solutions. One covered here before is Das Schwimmhausboot, a mod- looking houseboat featured again recently on Treehugger.
:: image via Treehugger
Another interesting example via Treehugger is Waterpod "...a floating eco-habitat that recalls the work of Buckminster Fuller, Andrea Zittel, and Constant Nieuwenhuis." It is designed to be a completely self-sustaining community" Read more at this NY Times article on the project as well.
:: image via Treehugger
:: image via City Farmer News
Another method for this idea is the more artistic, such as this post from Inhabitat that features 'Junk Rafts'. "Brooklyn-based street artist, SWOON is in the midst of launching her third fleet of “junk rafts” — crafted from construction site cast-offs and recycled scraps, these eclectic floats are a cross between a stage-ship and art-raft. These ships are envisioned, by SWOON, as a manifestation of “bits of land broken off and headed to sea.”
:: images via Inhabitat
Finally, to ground the idea, there is a long historical precedent for this, as shown in a post from Strange Harvest about the Floating Church of the Redeemer, Philadelphia, 1847. I all comes full circle.
:: image via Strange Harvest
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Amphibious Architecture
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From Blue Moose Democrat, several interesting stories about climate change and the environment in today's news.In the most important story, India and China may soon pass major climate change legislation. This would put a big crimp in the conservative argument that the United States shouldn't lead on climate change legislation but rather only act if other nations do, too. Climate Progress quotes various reports that say, "India has approved in principle new trading plans centered on energy efficiency as part of efforts to shift to a greener economy to fight climate change, opening up a potential market worth more than $15 billion by 2015," and that "China's top legislature, for the first time in its history, is specifically addressing climate change with the review of a draft resolution, after hearing a report on the growing environmental problem Monday."
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