WATER SHORE HABITAT, UNESCO

Categories: COMPETITIONS FLOOD

WATER SHORE HABITAT
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION -FIRST PRIZE-
Netherlands 2010-11
(THE PROJECT IS NOW UNDER DEVELOPMENT WITH DURA VERMEER, THE ROTTERDAM AUTHORITIES AND UNESCO FLOOD RESILIENCE PROGRAM)

The Netherlands, and by extension Rotterdam, is in danger of being covered by water due to multiple causes mainly sea level rise, river discharge, rainfall and ground water levels.
If this is to be a serious undertake, one must plan for worst case scenario; that is, major sea coverage in the distant future can be a reality.

The heightening of dikes or the raising of land with sea sand, is inflexible, and per definition, bound to be covered at some time.

We propose planning for worst case scenario, while offering solutions for the short and medium term. These solutions are aimed at the new residents of the harbour area as well as the community of Rotterdam and beyond.

THE LANDSCAPE
The industrial harbour area, is topologically transformed to engage with the water environment. Instead of negating it’s surroundings, it embraces it, by allowing water ponds to show the current water level, and take extra water in during serious flooding. This works as a dynamic landscape and as a visual flood alarm.

THE CORE
Taking advantage of the shipping culture in the harbour, and the innovation and design centres on site, the technology and know how is invested in the construction of elevated housing and working units, these structures are raised to be able to cope with up to 8 meters of flooding. Crowned by cranes, they are able to gather emergency living units in case of extreme scenarios.

THE FLOATING PLUGIN SERVICES
By using traditional barges or FLEX FLOAT systems, floating services surround the shore, offering parks, recreation, sport activities, energy systems or even agricultural /greenhouse vegetable production. Due to their mobility, they can be exported, rented or sold to other harbours, but more importantly, they can be reshuffled locally to cater for special events, as Olympics or emergency scenarios.

As a collective, they allow for new urban cores to grow in the harbour with a close understanding of the dynamics of the river bed, while offering the know-how to the local community and abroad.