EasyChair Preprint 1308 PDF

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№ 1308
Envisaging the scope of amphibious architecture

in below sea level regions of Kuttanad
Nikhila Nelson
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July 18, 2019

Envisaging the scope of floating architecture
in regions of below sea level Kuttanad
ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF FLOATING

ARCHITECTURE IN BELOW SEA LEVEL
REGIONS OF KUTTANAD
Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement

for the eighth semester of the Degree of
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
of the University of Kerala
college seal
DISSERTATION
January 2019- June2019
Guided by: Submitted by:
Prof. PARVATHY SAGAR NIKHILA NELSON

Department of architecture,
TKM College of Engineering, Kollam
Department of Architecture
Thangal Kunju Musaliar College Of Engineering

Kollam- 691005, Kerala
UNIVERSITY OF KERALA
May 2019
Thangal Kunju Musaliar College Of Engineering

Kollam- 691005, Kerala
Department of Architecture
CERTIFICATE
Certified that this is a bonafide record of the
dissertation submitted by
NIKHILA NELSON
during the period of January 2019 to May 2019
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
Eighth semester, Degree of
BACHELOR OF ARCHITECTURE
of the University of Kerala
Guided by: Submitted by:
Prof. PARVATHY SAGAR NIKHILA NELSON

Department of architecture,
TKM College of Engineering, Kollam
Valued by
External examiner Internal examiner

DECLARATION
I hereby declare that dissertation named ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF
FLOATING ARCHITECTURE IN REGIONS OF BELOW SEA LEVEL
KUTTANAD, submitted to the Department of Architecture, TKM College of
Engineering, is a record of an original work done by me, under the guidance of Prof.
PARVATHY SAGAR, Department of Architecture TKMCE.
The information and given data in this report is authentic to the best of my knowledge
and is not submitted in any other university or institution for the award or any degree
or fellowship.
Kollam NIKHILA NELSON

10.06.2019
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I consider myself extremely privileged to have been guided by Prof. Parvathy

Sagar, Department of Architecture, TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, in
completing this dissertation paper and I am greatly indebted in her for her meticulous
guidance and advices and the efforts she put in to make this paper happen. I take this
opportunity to thank Prof. Jolly John, Dissertation coordinator, Department of
Architecture, TKM College of Engineering, Kollam for her valuable support
throughout the dissertation.
I place on record my deepest sense of gratitude to Dr. Dili A.S, Head of
Department, Department of Architecture, TKM College of Engineering, Kollam, for
providing the necessary facilities to carry out the project.
I am very grateful to Rafsal Ravoof, my friend for helping me gathering
information regarding Kuttanad and constantly supporting me in completing this
paper.
I am also thankful to the residents of Kuttanad who cooperated with me by
participating in survey.
Finally, I express my sincere gratitude to my family members and parents for
their constant support, prayers and encouragement over the years. Above all, I bow
my head before God Almighty for his blessings showered upon me in all my
difficulty.
Nikhila Nelson
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | ii

ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF FLOATING

ARCHITECTURE IN REGIONS OF BELOW SEA LEVEL
KUTTANAD
ABSTRACT
For centuries, Kuttanad has been the focus in agriculture as it is the only place in
India where paddy farming is done below sea level and also gained the fame “Rice
bowl of Kerala” for the past years. However, over the recent years, the situation has
changed and frequent floods with high intensity are occurring and successive damage
episodes are happening. The people of Kuttanad are now facing huge difficulties
during floods especially the recurring damages happening to their properties and
moving to some other safe places for shelter. Since Kuttanad is one of the most
vulnerable area for flood, proper technologies should be implemented here to provide
flood proof, safe and affordable structures for all residents of Kuttanad especially
because majority of them are farmers and belong to Below Poverty Line.
This report will explore and documents the various ways of protecting and creating
a sustainable living environment for residents in Kuttanad with the help of floating
architecture. This dissertation will answer the questions like “How can a structure sits
in ground can survive during floods?” In this dissertation, I focus on Amphibious
architecture, which is the technique to provide houses for flood residents functioning
both in land and water. Amphibious Architecture is cost effective and safe alternative
for permanent static elevation with improved recovery from the disaster and it is
achieved by buoyant foundations.
In order to ensure the well-being of the inhabitants, number of case studies are
analyzed and interacted with the residents of Kuttanad itself, for the purpose of
identifying key features that will facilitate the construction of amphibious houses in
Kuttanad. This report is a response to design challenges raised by recent disastrous
flood happened in 2018.
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………………...i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………………..ii
ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………… iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS………………………………………………………………… ⅳ
LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………..........ⅴ
LIST OF TABLES………………………………………………………………………...ⅵ
1.2 AIM………………………………………………………………………………...2
1.3 OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………………………...2
1.4 SCOPE……………………………………………………………………………..3
1.5 LIMITATION……………………………………………………………………...3
1.6 METHODOLOGY………………………………………………………………...4
2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE…………………………………………………...5
2.1.1 Basic principles of floatation…………………………………………..5

2.1.2 Water building typologies……………………………………………..6
2.1.3 Flood resilient amphibious construction……………………………..10
2.1.4 Parameters for designing an amphibious structure…………………..12
2.1.5 Types of floating foundations………………………………………..16
2.1.6 Materials for superstructure………………………………………….19
2.2 KUTTANAD……………………………………………………………………..24
2.2.1 Introduction…………………………………………………………..24
2.2.2 Geographical conditions of Kuttanad………………………………...25
2.2.3 Livelihood of Kuttanad………………………………………………27
2.2.4 Condition of Kuttanad during floodtime……………………………..28
3.1 LITERATURE CASESTUDIES:………………………………………………...32
3.1.1 Shotgun house, New Orleans………………………………………...32

3.1.2 Housing in Maasbommel, Netherlands………………………………36

3.1.3 House in Thames, UK…………………………………………………44

3.1.4 LIFT house, Dhaka, Bangladesh………………………………………49
3.1.5 Overall summary of literature case studies……………………………56
3.2 LIVE CASESTUDY………………………………………………………………57
3.2.1 Housing conditions in Kuttanad……………………………………….57

3.2.2 Emerald Pristine Island Resort………………………………………...60
3.2.3 Poovar Island Resort…………………………………………………..61
4.1 SURVEY FORM…………………………………………………………………..62
4.2 DATA COLLECTED FROM SURVEY………………………………………….64
5.1 Prototype 1…………………………………………………………………………67
5.1.1 Brief……………………………………………………………………67
5.2 Prototype 2…………………………………………………………………………69
5.2.1 Brief……………………………………………………………………69
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | ii

LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 2.1 Principle of buoyancy and stability .............................................................. 5

Figure 2.2 Bridge house in Achterhoek, Netherlands ................................................... 6
Figure 2.3 Static elevation ............................................................................................. 7
Figure 2.4 Pile dwelling ................................................................................................. 7
Figure 2.5 Houseboats in Kerala .................................................................................... 9
Figure 2.6 Amphibious dwelling ................................................................................... 9
Figure 2.7 Foundation block of Maasbommel project ................................................. 12
Figure 2.8 Floating greenhouse in Naaldwijk, Netherlands. ....................................... 17
Figure 2.9 Floating pavilion in Rotterdam ................................................................... 17
Figure 2.10 Concrete hull ............................................................................................ 18
Figure 2.11 Concrete hull used in floating building .................................................... 18
Figure 2.12 Steel platform pontoon ............................................................................. 18
Figure 2.13 Plastic bottles used for foundation ........................................................... 19
Figure 2.14 Map of Kuttanad region............................................................................ 24
Figure 2.15 Aerial view of Pallathuruthy bridge, Kuttanad......................................... 24
Figure 2.16 Aerial view of AC road in Kuttanad ......................................................... 25
Figure 2.17 Classification of Kuttanad region ............................................................. 26
Figure 2.18 People working in paddy fields ................................................................ 27
Figure 2.19 People engaged in agricultual activities ................................................... 28
Figure 2.20 Aerial view of flood affected Kuttanad in 2018 floods ............................ 29
Figure 2.21 House submerged in floodwaters ............................................................. 29
Figure 2.22 Flood affected single storeyed house with water marks showing the water
level it reached ............................................................................................................. 30
Figure 2.23 View of floodwaters from the first floor of a house ................................. 30
Figure 2.24 Two storeyed house with water level of about 80 cm .............................. 30
Figure 3.1 Shotgun house with buoyant foundation .................................................... 32
Figure 3.2 BFP floor plan and elevation ...................................................................... 33
Figure 3.3 Buoyant foundation materials..................................................................... 34
Figure 3.4 Comparison during three conditions .......................................................... 35
Figure 3.5 Houses during normal condition ............................................................... 35
Figure 3.6 Different stages during flood condition ...................................................... 35
Figure 3.7 Aerial view of Maasbommel project, 2005 ................................................ 36
Figure 3.8 Maasbommel houses .................................................................................. 37
Figure 3.9 Visualization of Maasbommel housing ...................................................... 37
Figure 3.10 Part of Netherlands at flood risk shown in blue colour ............................ 38
Figure 3.11 River Maas when flooded in 1995............................................................ 38
Figure 3.12 Prefabrication of concrete hull on site and placed into the dock of
amphibious homes ....................................................................................................... 39
Figure 3.13 Amphibious structure dock and mooring piles ......................................... 40
Figure 3.14 Amphibious homes during normal condition ........................................... 40
Figure 3.15 Maasbommel house- floor plan and elevation.......................................... 41
Figure 3.16 Amphibious homes durng flood conditions ............................................. 41
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iii

Figure 3.17 Section of Maasbommel floating house ................................................... 42

Figure 3.18 Flexible connection between two houses ................................................. 42
Figure 3.19 Flood condition ......................................................................................... 43
Figure 3.20 Normal condition ...................................................................................... 43
Figure 3.21 House in Thames ...................................................................................... 44
Figure 3.22 Section of Thames house .......................................................................... 45
Figure 3.23 Site plan .................................................................................................... 45
Figure 3.24 Basement plan .......................................................................................... 45
Figure 3.25 Ground floor plan ..................................................................................... 45
Figure 3.26 First floor plan .......................................................................................... 45
Figure 3.27 Foundation dock ....................................................................................... 46
Figure 3.28 Construction details .................................................................................. 47
Figure 3.29 LIFT house ............................................................................................... 49
Figure 3.30 Floor plan of LIFT house ......................................................................... 50
Figure 3.31 section showing two types of foundation ................................................. 50
Figure 3.32 Ferro cement foundation........................................................................... 50
Figure 3.33 water bottle foundation ............................................................................. 50
Figure 3.34 Different stages of construction................................................................ 52
Figure 3.35 Two phases ............................................................................................... 52
Figure 3.36 Details of rainwater cistern ....................................................................... 54
Figure 3.37 One storey elevated house in Mancombu ................................................. 57
Figure 3.38 One storey elevated house, Kainakary ..................................................... 57
Figure 3.39 Pile dwelling, Pallathuruthy ..................................................................... 57
Figure 3.40 Ongoing construction of pile dwelling, Kumbam .................................... 58
Figure 3.41 Pile dwelling under construction, Ponga .................................................. 58
Figure 3.42 Flood affected house, Ramankary ............................................................ 58
Figure 3.43 House made to rise using hydraulic jacks ................................................ 59
Figure 3.44 Example of vulnerable houses .................................................................. 59
Figure 3.48 Floating cottages of Pristine Island Resort ............................................... 60
Figure 3.49 Electric lines drawn to the cottage............................................................ 60
Figure 3.50 Water supply pipe from the supply main ................................................. 60
Figure 3.51 Poovar Island Resort................................................................................. 61
Figure 5.1 View of prototype 1 .................................................................................... 67
Figure 5.2 View of prototype 2 .................................................................................... 69
Figure 5.3 Prototype 2- ground floor plan ................................................................... 70
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iv

LIST OF TABLES
Table 1 Calculations for the depth of ferrocement foundation .................................... 51

Table 2 Calculations for the depth of water bottle foundation .................................... 51
Table 3 Comparison of literature case studies ............................................................. 56
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | v

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INTRODUCTION
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Kuttanad, which is known as the rice bowl of Kerala, is a region that has a deltaic
trough-like formation which is the resultant of the convergence of four major rivers-
the Meenachil, the Manimala, the Pampa and the Achenkovil, which drain into the
Arabian Sea through the Vembanad Lake, is heavily prone to flooding. There are
huge losses for the people residing here every year who are almost 70% below
poverty line. The scale of this disaster is very huge in Kuttanad which is having lots
of paddy cultivation and the only place where farming is done below sea level. There
are huge farms and since they are lying below sea level, the damages are caused easily
on monsoons and everything is being damaged by flood which occur suddenly. With
the occurring of flood, the residents are capable of adapting to the flood when the
intensity is small, even though it is difficult. But with the increase in the intensity of
flood, the residents are forced to move to other places or relief camps for shelter as
their houses and neighborhood will be drowned. During the last recent floods of 2018,
approximately 170,000 residents were moved to the relief camps. As the farms and
houses drown completely in water during floods, the lives of people are much
miserable and all activities will go down and freeze during this time and after the
flood there are huge losses to their properties and is such a pathetic situation. The
process and is continuing every year but still there are no effective schemes adopted
to tackle this issue so far. A new residence for people in Kuttanad should be designed
to withstand the rising water and frequent floods. Those residents should be safe,
flood proof, eliminating the rebuild process after flood and thereby provide healthier
and stable family. So it is high time to make a change in this scenario in this century
of technologies and innovations. Floating architecture is one of the solution to this
problem. Though it is not a new concept in the world of architecture, it is still not
adopted in Kuttanad where it can have application and possibility.
Floating architecture is the field of architecture which deals with the architecture
consisting of a floatation system at its base, to allow it to float on water. As a mean of
flood resilience, amphibious architecture which is a part of floating architecture is to
Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | 1

be adopted. Amphibious architecture adapts to dry and wet conditions without causing
any damage during or after flood. Amphibious architecture refers to buildings that sit
on dry land like ordinary buildings, except when there is a flood. During flood or if
there is a rise in the water level, they are capable of rising and floating on the water
surface until the floodwater recedes. The development of an amphibious community
is a long time strategy that will minimize the potential risk of flooding in Kuttanad
residences. A 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
to exactly the same place upon descent. This is a proven strategy that has already been
applied successfully in the Netherlands since 2005 and in rural Louisiana for about
forty years. Amphibious construction is an adaptive flood risk reduction strategy that
works in synchrony with a flood prone region’s natural cycles of flooding, rather than
attempting to obstruct them. The solution will also include waterproof material and
protection of vital utilities, design of buoyant foundation, vertical guidance pole
attached to the foundation, which provides resistance from lateral force caused by
wind and water. Thus when this technology is found to be suitable for applying in
regions of Kuttanad, then it will be of greater boon to Kuttanad when implemented.
1.2 AIM
The overall aim is to analyze the potentialities associated with floating architecture
which invariably will be the solution to rising water level and flood issues occurring
continuously in Kuttanad region which is lying below sea level.
1.3 OBJECTIVES
 To study the main principle behind floating architecture.
 To study and identify the problems of Kuttanad region and lives of people
residing there.
 To study the design parameters of floating buildings.
 To discover whether floating architecture is suitable for Kuttanad.
 To throw some light on improving the lives of Kuttanad people.
 To provide proper ideas of housing for people in Kuttanad.
 To find sustainable and affordable way of achieving floating architecture in

Kuttanad
 To study whether floating architecture can be helpful for agriculture in the
flood seasons.
1.4 SCOPE
 The scope of this study is to realize the problems of Kuttanad and different
types of floating architecture that is practiced and their benefits and how it can
be helpful in flood resiliency.
1.5 LIMITATION
 The study part is limited to the study of amphibious architecture and its
feasibility only in Kuttanad regions.

1.6 METHODOLOGY

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE
2.1.1 Basic principles of floatation

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.
The point through which the buoyant force acts is called the center of buoyancy; it is
located at the center of gravity of the displaced volume of fluid.
Fig1 (a) shows a floating body in equilibrium, with its center of gravity (CG) located
directly above the center of buoyancy (CB).
If the CG is to the right of the line of action of the buoyant force when the body is
rotated slightly counter clockwise as in fig1 (b), the floating body is stable.
If instead the CG is to the left of the line of action of the buoyant force as in fig1 (c),
the floating body is unstable. This differentiation between stability and non-stability
can also be made by referring to the point of intersection of the vertical axis (A-A)
and the line of action of the buoyant force (B-B).This point of intersection is known
as the metacenter (me).
It is clear from observing
figs1 (b) and (c) that a
floating body is stable if its
CG is below the me and
unstable if its CG is above
the me.
For stable equilibrium, in
case of a floating body,
metacentre lies above the
centre of gravity. For
unstable floating body, the Figure 2.1 Principle of buoyancy and stability
metacenter lies below the

centre of gravity, and for neutral equilibrium, me and CG coincides. Metacentric

height, in relation to a floating building, means the distance between the centre of
gravity and the metacenter.
The determination as to whether the CG is below or above the me (and therefore
stable or unstable respectively) can be made more quantitatively by using the
following equation to determine the distance from the CB to the me;
MB=I/Vd
where I=moment of inertia and Vd=Volume of water displaced.
Once distance MB is determined, the body can be judged to be stable if the me is
above the
body’s CG or unstable if it is below the CG.
2.1.2 Water 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 Figure 2.2 Bridge house in Achterhoek, Netherlands
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 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.
2.1.2.2 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 technique as
Figure 2.3 Static elevation discussed below

(1) Lifting the house and building a
new or extending the existing foundation below it.
(2) 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
Figure 2.4 Pile dwelling
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 often built above freshwater and the "Palafito" is
found in the tropical river valleys of South America.
Timber pilings have been used for 6,000 years and continue to be one of the leading
types of driven piles. Timber is often used in pile foundations because it is a readily
available and renewable resource. Because it is light in weight, timber is also more
easily handled, driven and cut than other types of piles. According to the Federal
Highway Administration, timber pile foundation underwater will last indefinitely and
timber piles partially above water can last up to 100 years or longer if they are
properly prepared and treated.
Concrete piles can be pre-cast or cast-in-place, and they can be reinforced, pre-
stressed or plain. They do not corrode like steel piles or decay like wood piles.
concrete is more readily available than steel. Pre-cast concrete piles are shaped and
molded according to shape, length and size prior to being driven into the ground.
Cast-in-place piles are poured into holes in the ground where a rod has been
previously driven and removed.
Steel pilings can be formed into many different shapes but the most common steel pile
types have rolled circular, X-shaped or H-shaped cross sections. They are very strong
and are great for driving especially in firm soil and can be easily cut off and can also
be easily joined by welding. Although steel pilings can last up to 100 years, they are
prone to corrosion, especially when submerged in water.
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 Figure 2.5 Houseboats in Kerala
about 15 feet wide at the middle. The hull is made of wooden planks that are held
tightly by ropes and coconut fiber. 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
Architectenbureau Marlies Rohmer. The trend to build residences on water has
attracted many homebuyers in coastal countries.
2.1.2.5 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
Figure 2.6 Amphibious dwelling
vertical mooring poles that are driven deep into the ground the houses are capable of

rising vertically while restricting 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.
2.1.3 Flood resilient amphibious construction

Amphibious architecture is a flood mitigation strategy that works in synchrony with a
flood prone regions’ natural cycles of flooding, rather than attempting to obstruct
them. Although there are many types of strategies to defend against rising water
levels, amphibious buildings are a proven flood protection strategy that gives a
community defense against and improves its ability to recover from disaster. In
environmentally sensitive locations, amphibious construction “lives with” the
flooding, using the floodwater itself as the active agent to elevate a building. Rather
than creating barriers, amphibious strategies accept the presence of floodwater but
prevent it from causing significant damage to the building.
Amphibious structures are unlike floating units such as a houseboat. These houses
usually sit on the ground like any ordinary house, but when inundated rises up to a
predefined height and sinks back to its original position after the water recedes.
Movement is defined by the help of vertical guiding poles. Here the main working
principle is that a lightweight superstructure sits on a buoyant base similar to a ship’s
hull which is watertight, lightweight and strong.
Experiment with amphibious houses is common in countries with flooding problem,
though not in India. There is striking contrast between developed and developing
countries for the choice of material and construction technology. In Netherlands, USA
and Australia, the buoyant base is made of extended polystyrene (EPS) and
autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) of density 881 kg/m3 and 600-700 kg/m3
respectively i.e. lighter than water. Sometimes high performance reinforced cement
concrete (RCC) tanks is used for basement of buildings which float permanently in
deep water. Though RCC is heavier than water, these structures manage to float with
some part submerged due to buoyancy void. The lighter bases are always above the
water level and hence known to ‘dry-proofing’ while the RCC tanks uses ‘wet-
proofing’ concept. On the contrary, in developing countries of Bangladesh and Ghana,
cheaper materials are used which requires less technical infrastructure.
Amphibious design also includes the concepts of land use planning, site selection,
policy considerations and community resilience issues such as the place of
amphibious buildings in multiple-lines-of-defense systems. Amphibious engineering
addresses issues such as infrastructure, mechanical systems and utilities, system
components and selection criteria, and codification and certification concerns.
Amphibious construction is not a new concept: for over forty years, residents of Old
River Landing, Louisiana, have been retrofitting their fishing camps with expanded
polystyrene(EPS) buoyancy blocks and sliding sleeves fitted around steel guidance
posts embedded in the the ground. This configuration allows the houses to rise with
the floodwater, mitigating the damage caused by the seasonal flooding of the nearby
Mississippi River. Amphibious prototypes have been built in UK, Bangladesh, US
and Thailand and new projects are under development in France and Canada. Most
recent examples of amphibious buildings around the world are found in new
construction where they predominantly serve moderate to high income populations in
industrialized countries. However, amphibious architecture has much to offer to rural
and low income populations in developing countries as well, either by inclusion in
new low-cost housing projects or as a retrofit solution to increase resilience in flood-
prone regions.

2.1.4 Parameters for designing an amphibious structure

There are certain criteria to be followed to design an amphibious house
to be livable, functional and enjoyable. These house must be a valuable replacement
for normal home. The home must be adaptable and flexible. This home should replace
the existing home and as well as it should also able to float with the climate change.
To make them float during flood condition and make it recedes carefully after the
flood is a challenging process for the architects to design. In order to fulfill this role as
a functioning and desirable amphibious home certain criteria has been identified:
Capability to float, float line, buoyant foundation height calculation, Structure type
and utility access.
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. As seen in
the previous examples with the
supports of the mooring poles
and the simple calculation of the
buoyant foundation the house Figure 2.7 Foundation block of Maasbommel project
can make to float during flood. 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.

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 foundation 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 displace 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
inundates at that 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)
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 were 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.
Depth of the house submerged = the total weight of structure per sq.ft
The weight of the water
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 material 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 aluminum can be used
for the pedestrian walkway. The aluminum is low in maintenance and does not
become slippery in case of rain. The aluminum panel can easily be removed in case of
any maintenance problem.
2.1.4.7 Utility access
The utility access is a difficult criteria in designing an amphibious building or floating

building. All the utility services should be provided for these amphibious house 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 pipeline will also rise
with the dwelling. These pipeline 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 vertical 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 Fire safety
Amphibious homes should also be provided with the normal fire safety norms as the
normal residents. A minimum width of 10 feet walkway should be provided in the
Community Street or corridor for the fire fighters and also for people rushing out from
the home. The fire hose may be short to reach all the residents in the community so a
dry hose may run underneath the platform or garden near the structure. It can also be
adjacent to the other cables and pipe of the utility service. In case of fire the fire
brigade places a pump wagon on the mainland to fill the water in the dry hose. Each
residents should have a point where a fire hose can be connected.
2.1.4.9 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 maintain from the water
level because when the water level is low the dwelling will get stuck in the mud.
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 are 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 bottles
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 doesnot decompose and it provides therefore lifetime
durability. The moisture pickup over 30 years is measured at a maximum of 5-6%.
The material is 100% recyclable. EPS is waterproof and doesnot leachout 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.The
lightweight construction gives Flexbase 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.
Figure 2.9 Floating pavilion in Rotterdam Figure 2.8 Floating greenhouse in Naaldwijk,
Netherlands.

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, they cannot take on water and are
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.
Figure 2.10 Concrete hull Figure 2.11 Concrete hull used in floating
building
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 goes
down.
This floatation is cheap to
manufacture and can be stacked for
Figure 2.12 Steel platform pontoon
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 to be placed on Figure 2.13 Plastic bottles used for foundation
top of the floatation.
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 friendly
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 resistance to natural 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 inorder 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 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
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. 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 blocks. The blocks varies in size but are mostly
in 2m x 0.75m x 0.75m. These 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 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 required skilled labour to erect the structure.
Building can be erected with local support with minimum training and as a
result it save 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
 Chemical inertness
Disadvantages
 Geofoam should be treated to resist insect infestation. Insects like ants can
burrow into the geofoam and will weaken the material.
 Not extensively in use in Kerala

2.2 KUTTANAD
2.2.1 Introduction
Kuttanad is a region in South
Central Kerala which is popularly
known as the 'Rice bowl of Kerala',
because of its extensive paddy
lands and wealth of paddy crops.
This region which lies at the heart
of the backwaters in Alappuzha
district is fringed with coconut
palms and water bodies and mainly
crisscrossing canals. It is one of the
major tourist destinations of
Kerala. It is a vast area of partly
reclaimed land, covered with the Figure 2.14 Map of Kuttanad region
bright green paddy fields, separated
Figure 2.15 Aerial view of Pallathuruthy bridge, Kuttanad

by dykes. The unique feature about paddy cultivation in Kuttanad is that the level of
water is a few feet higher than the level of the surrounding land. It's the area with the
lowest altitude in India, and one of the few places in the world where farming is
carried out upto 2 meters below sea level.
Figure 2.16 Aerial view of AC road in Kuttanad
The major occupation in Kuttanad is farming, rice being the stable crop. Large
farming areas near the Vembanad Lake were actually reclaimed from the lake.
Kuttanad, the largest wetland eco-system in the Indian west coast, is a marshy delta
lying below the mean sea level and fed by four major rivers in its southern part viz,
Pampa, Achenkovil, Manimala and Meenachil and receives inflows from two major
rivers in its northern part ie, Muvattupuzha and Periyar rivers. This unique eco-system
supports a high density of population by allowing a multiplicity of livelihoods based
on inland marine, fisheries, rice, coconut, several allied enterprises and the water
tourism.
2.2.2 Geographical conditions of Kuttanad

Kuttanad has very peculiar geographical characteristics and configuration. Lying
between latitudes 90 8’ and 90 52’ and longitudes 760 16’ and 760 44’, the present
Kuttanad covers an area of 1157 square kilometers spread over the districts of
Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. It is one of the places in the world which is
lying below the sea level and the only place where farming is done below sea level.
This low lying Kuttanad is 0.6 to 2.2 m below mean sea level. Because of this reason,

the level of salinity of water and soil here is very high. Aerial view of Kuttanad
presents a picture of patches of land mass, floating over a conglomeration of rivers,
rivulets, canals and waterways. The deltaic formation at the confluence of four rivers-
Meenachil, Manimala, Pampa and Achencovil- which enter Kuttanad at different
points together with the low-lying areas in and around Vembanad lake contribute to
this unique geography in no small measure. These rivers drain into the Arabian sea
through the Vembanad lake. An intricacy of canals, rivulets and waterways
interconnect these rivers and consequently it is almost impossible to trace separately
any of these rivers in the region. The geographic area has a concave relief and slopes
towards northwest and reaches below sea level towards west where it joins Vembanad
Lake- a Ramsar site. Most of the vast expanse in this region is lying below sea level,
water logged almost throughout the year, subjected to continued flood submergence
and saline water intrusion during the summer months.
The Vembanad lake extends from Alleppey in the south to the Cochin Harbor in the
north where it opens into the Arabian Sea. Water in this lake is a mixture of saline
water from the Arabian Sea and fresh water from the river system. Cursory evidence
suggests that the whole of
Kuttanad region was reclaimed
from Vembanad lake over a period
of time. Geologically, Kuttanad
region can be categorized as a
recent sedimentary formation.
On the basis of geographical
characteristics and continuity with
Vembanad Lake, people generally
demarcate the region into Upper
Kuttanad, Lower Kuttanad and
North Kuttanad. What shapes this
perception is the people’s closer
relationship with land and water,
Figure 2.17 Classification of Kuttanad region
mode of transportation, isolation

from the rest of the region and the resulting cultural identity.
Based on the soils, geomorphology and salinity intrusion, Kuttanad is subdivided into
six agro-ecological zones (Fig.13) viz., (i) Upper Kuttanad (ii) Kayal lands (iii)
Vaikom Kari (iv) Lower Kuttanad (v) North Kuttanad and (vi) Purakkad Kari
Heterogeneity can be observed in Kuttanad with respect to some aspects like
incidence of flood submergence, degree of salinity and configuration of agriculture.
The havoc caused by flood is more serious in the lower reaches of Kuttanad. Degree
of salinity is least in upper Kuttanad and increases down stream and the ones
contiguous to the Lake are most vulnerable. Different soil types that exist along the
river system have given rise to variation in some agricultural practices. The soil is
silty clay which is highly impervious facilitating paddy cultivation but is extremely
acidic in reaction due to microbial oxidation of organic matter resulting in iron /
aluminum toxicity.
2.2.3 Livelihood of Kuttanad

Kuttanad is a unique heritage
of humanity with natural
beauty and enterprising
people. This region has high
density of population due to
the kayal reclamation for
paddy cultivation. Kuttanad
Figure 2.18 People working in paddy fields has always been dependent on
agriculture with its peculiar
geographical and topographical features. Hence the proportion of people dependent
upon agriculture is naturally high. The literacy level of Kuttanad is 93 percent,
slightly higher than the state average. Given the absence of alternative employment
opportunities, people irrespective of literacy level, depended upon paddy cultivation.
Among the poorer sections, the wages paid in kind, in the form of paddy for various
activities related to paddy cultivation acted as a protection from starvation. However,
since the late 70s the situation underwent a remarkable change with the availability of

rice and wheat through the public distribution system at subsidized rates. The land
reforms made most of the tenants proud owners of small pieces of land.
Kuttand cultivation has been highly labour intensive even from the very early days.
The kayal reclamations in Kuttanad provide a striking contrast to the reclamations
carried in European
countries like Holland and
Denmark in which the
labour played a more
significant and vital role
than in the former. The
cultivation operations in
the reclaimed lands also
required the service of Figure 2.19 People engaged in agricultual activities
huge army of labourers.

The agricultural workers form the backbone of Kuttanad cultivation. The entire labour
was hired, mainly because the work involved was arduous and had to be carried out in
the most unhygienic conditions with considerable risk to life even. Labourers and
their entire family work for the landlord as permanent farm servants. Each landlord
used to have one head labourer who was mainly responsible for the conduct of the
cultivation. Besides managing the operations, he has to keep constant vigil, day and
night, against breaches of bunds.
2.2.4 Condition of Kuttanad during floodtime

This section deals with problems of Kuttanad during flood times. The prime factor
influencing the environment of Kuttanad is water. Management of water in different
seasons holds the key to the environmental balance of Kuttanad. During the two
monsoons the excess discharge of water from the four rivers to the Vembanad Lake
causes floods in the entire Kuttanad region. However, as the level of sea is also high,
the pressure of sea water does not allow automatic flow of flood water into the sea.
Instead, the sea water may also enter Kuttanad adding to other flood hazards.

Flood causes untold misery to the life of the people. The floods cause breaching of
bunds, which in turn, destroys the standing crops. When water level rises above the
normal level, it causes great hardship to the people. During floods, the water
transport will be suspended. Floods also cause heavy loss of property. The fruits and
vegetables generally grown in the kitchen garden and home yard would be destroyed
completely by floods. During floods, the main roads connecting upper Kuttanad with
lower Kuttanad i.e., Thiruvalla with Thakazhy and Changanachery with Alappuzha
will be partly under water, with bus services and postal services suspended for days.
The occurrence of flood has become frequent in recent years15. Several measures
have been taken to prevent flooding of the region. The Thottappally spill way was
designed to deviate the flood waters from Kuttanad. Unfortunately, it was not
recognised that river system in Kuttanad was directly connected to the reservoir at
Thottappally. By the time the need for a leading channel to the reservoir was realised,
the construction of the spillway was over.
Figure 2.20 Aerial view of flood affected Kuttanad in 2018 floods Figure 2.21 House submerged in floodwaters
While floods cause untold miseries, it is not without some beneficial impact. In the
past, cultivation in Kuttanad was almost dependent on natural fertility of the soil. The
silt carried by the flood water had contributed to the fertility of the soil, since the
efforts to divert the water before reaching Kuttanad have not been fruitful. Informed
people of Kuttanad are of the opinion that fertility have already come down and they
are forced to use more and more chemical fertilizers to compensate the loss of
fertility. Another aspect to be noted in this context is that the construction of
permanent bunds has not been a solution to the floods in Kuttanad. In their anxiety to
encourage farmers to grow a second crop, successive governments have been liberally
financing the construction of permanent bunds around the paddy fields. Since 1971,

the Kerala Land Development Corporation has completed 908 kilometres of bunds in
Kuttanad, costing nearly Rs. 24 crores. In addition, there has been private construction
of bunds by individual farmers. The expectation that the Thottappally spill way and
Thanneermukkom bunds would solve the flood problem in Kuttanad hasbeen belied.
The fact is that, out of the forty five padasekharams where breaching of bunds
occurred during 1979, forty two had permanent bunds constructed by the Kerala Land
Development Corporation, couldn’t withstand the floods.
Figure 2.22 Flood affected single storeyed house with water Figure 2.23 Two storeyed house with water level of
marks showing the water level it reached about 80 cm
Figure 2.24 House on the edge of paddy field Figure 2.23 View of floodwaters from the first floor
of a house
Figure 2.26 Adversely flood affected single storeyed house Figure 2.27 Flood affected elevated house with almost
drowned ground floor

Figure 2.28 Flood waters on the compound only Figure 2.29 Minimum flood water level
Figure 2.30 House adversly affected by the

flood
Figure 2.32 Interiors filled with

floodwaters
Figure 2.31 Road and house drowned in floodwaters
Figure 2.34 Boats as the only means of

Figure 2.33 People moving to safer places to escape from flood transportation during floods

CASESTUDIES
3.1 LITERATURE CASESTUDIES:
3.1.1 Shotgun house, New Orleans
3.1.1.1 Project brief
Location: New Orleans

Completion year: 2006
Architect: Elizabeth English
Water type: Salt water
House type: Amphibious
Area: 700 sqft
Figure 3.1 Shotgun house with buoyant foundation
3.1.1.2 Introduction
Shotgun House was constructed as part of the Buoyant Foundation Project. The
Buoyant Foundation Project (BFP) is a non-profitable research program organized by
Dr. Elizabeth English in 2006. It was the first step to apply amphibious foundation to
the existing residence in New Orleans to prevent flooding. The typical style of house
in south of New Orleans is called as shotgun house consist of a narrow rectangular
frame. To test the buoyant test the house has been fitted with amphibious sub frame.
In this project, amphibious foundation is retrofitted into the existing residence so as to
float during flood conditions. As it retains the original residence, it is cheaper
compared to the complete amphibious construction and maybe suitable for Kuttanad
region as the whole new construction of houses in Kuttanad is a very difficult process
and also the cost can be reduced on application of this technique and this one does not
depends on the geographical area.

Figure 3.2 BFP floor plan and elevation
3.1.1.3 Foundation
The shotgun house has been fitted with amphibious sub frame. It is attached to the
underside of the house and support the floating blocks made of Expanded Polystyrene
Foam (EPS). The sub frame is attached to the vertical guidance pole found in the
corner of the house which project outside from the ground to resists the lateral force
by wind and flowing water. When flood occurs the floating blocks will lift the house
with the block. The vertical poles will protect the house to go to other place because
of flood water.
3.1.1.4 Construction
The construction and the fitting process of the house is simple and basically works
like a floating dock. The process begins with drilling a pole into the ground and
inserting the vertical poles. A steel frame is constructed by using the c channel. The
house is then moved 4 to 5 feet to modify the plumbing and utility lines. The
plumbing and utility is made in two methods
(1) Self-sealing ‘break away’ connection that disconnect gas and sewer line when
house starts to rise due to flood water
(2) long, coiled lines that can stretch along with the house.
EPS blocks are connected to the sub frame and then the frame is connected to the
house. The house is then lowered where it rests on 3 to 4 feet from ground. Most of
the materials are lightweight materials. So it can be installed by two persons itself
without any machineries.
Figure 3.3 Buoyant foundation materials
3.1.1.5 Condition during flood
When flooding occurs, the flotation blocks lift the house, with the structural subframe
transferring the forces between the house, blocks and poles. The vertical guidance
poles keep the house from going anywhere except straight up and down on top of the
water. After the buoyant foundation is in place, the house remains supported on its
original piers except when flooding occurs.

Figure 3.4 Comparison during three conditions
Figure 3.5 Houses during normal condition
1 2
3 4
Figure 3.6 Different stages during flood condition
3.1.1.6 Conclusion
The finished prototype successfully demonstrates the ability of an existing residence

to rise and fall with the water and thus ensure the protection of the inhabitants and
their belongings. The buoyant bases allow the residents of New Orleans to protect and
preserve their existing vernacular homes and maintain neighborhood character. This
approach to flood mitigation is considerably less expensive ($20-25k US) than

permanent static elevation ($40-60k US). They alleviate any long-term deterioration
of protection resulting from soil subsidence and elevated sea level from global
warming, something that permanent static elevation cannot avoid. The house is not
permanently elevated and it is therefore less vulnerable to hurricane wind damage.
The Buoyant Foundation Project promotes restoration rather than demolition and
proves community resilience in extreme weather events and rising water levels.
3.1.2 Housing in Maasbommel, Netherlands
Location: Along the banks of Maas river

Architect: Dura vermeer, Factor Architecten, Boiten
Water type: Freshwater
Area: 2865 sqf
Figure 3.7 Aerial view of Maasbommel project, 2005

Figure 3.8 Maasbommel houses
The Netherlands is a country with a long history of mitigating flood damage and
adapting to flood risk. With 60% of the country below sea level, the development and
implementation of flood resilient infrastructure has become an important part of the
dutch culture. The flood threat in the Netherlands is not only related to rising sea-
levels. Rivers also pose a risk of flooding. This risk is increased by climate change as
it causes more frequent and extreme rainfall.
The program “Ruimte voor de

Rivier” (room for the river),
implemented in 1997,
included the development of
natural flood areas, where
water could be temporarily
stored in case of rising water
levels. This had large
consequences for the urban
development of these areas as
development of permanent
construction was no longer
allowed. One of these Figure 3.9 Visualization of Maasbommel housing

locations, Maasbommel (on the Maas river), became the site where the first
amphibious houses were realized in 2005 (specifically 32 real amphibious houses plus
14 floating house were realized). Amphibious architecture, structures designed to
function both on land and water, is a response to the risk of floods in low lying areas
such as the Netherlands. The amphibious houses are constructed along the
Maasbommel River and are able to rise with incoming water and return to their
original locations on the ground when the water recedes. Although the technology of
amphibious houses proved itself during a flood in 2011, the concept is only
moderately adopted in the Netherlands. In 2012 the total number of “water houses”,
which is the definition under which amphibious houses fall, was estimated at a several
hundred in the Netherlands.
3.1.2.3 Geographical conditions of Netherlands
Netherlands is a country with 60% of the country

lying below sea level and situated between sea and
rivers. Netherland is located on the delta and
experience flooding from rivers and from ocean
storms. Most communities in Netherland are
protected with dykes, levees and flood gates. But
some rural villages are located outside of these
flood protection structures. One of those rural
village is Massbommel located along Meuse River.
The Figure 3.10 Part of Netherlands at flood risk

shown in blue colour
earliest
inhabitants of the river area, between the
lower Rhine and the Maas
Rivers, began settling on elevated former
river channels called creek ridges. These
Figure 3.11 River Maas when flooded in 1995

river channels are separated by the lower laying areas called “komgronden” (roughly
translated: bowl-grounds) which flooded during the winter but were used for cattle
grazing during the summer season. By the 10th century, the population was increasing
and more land was required for agriculture and livestock. The land near the rivers was
drained for the purpose of cultivating, leading to the subsidence of the land and hence
more susceptible to flooding. In order to protect themselves from flooding, the people
constructed dikes thatdiverted floodwater from the upper sections of the river around
their cultivated land.
3.1.2.4 Foundation
The common way to achieve the floating concept is making a hull and building a light
weight house on top of it. This concept is used in all houseboats where a steel or a
timber hull will be used as a basis to build a house. A concrete hull which act as a
basement is adapted in these houses. Watertight 23 centimeter thick concrete hull was
prefabricated and later moved to its location. The weight of concrete hull was about
70 tons and the timber house was about 22 tons. The concrete hull is resting on six
concrete foundation pile.
The houses are built on top concrete basements that double as a buoyant foundation,
making it a water tight hollow space used for resident occupancy and flotation. The
concrete basements are constructed on site and reinforced with steel rebar. The
concrete is poured in detached pairs with each basement weighing in at 70 tons. Two
fifteen-foot steel vertical guidance posts are driven through the concrete slab and into
the banks of the river. When the guidance posts are in place, the concrete basements
Figure 3.12 Prefabrication of concrete hull on site and placed into the dock of amphibious homes

are hoisted into position and the wood-frame houses are constructed overtop of them.
Each pair is placed onto a concrete slab or on concrete piles. The concrete slab is used
for amphibious houses that typically rest on dry land. At a low water level, the houses
rest upon a foundation of concrete. The concrete piles are used as a base to rest upon
at a low water level for floating houses that typically reside in water year-round. To
keep the houses as light as possible the framework consists of timber. The houses are
joined by a steel bracing that straps two steel plates to the corners of each of the
concrete basements. These steel braces will allow both houses to rise and fall with the
water at the same rate. The roof is assembled on site and hoisted overtop the pre-
fabricated timber frame house. When water levels are high, the houses can reach a
maximum height of 18 feet by sliding along the two vertical guidance posts. The
vertical guidance posts restrict lateral movements from currents and waves, ensuring
that the houses will not float away in the event of high tides.
The 32 amphibious homes are

under normal circumstances
rest on concrete foundation and
also starts floating when the
water level rises and also
during flooding. The advantage
of these homes is that they are
Figure 3.13 Amphibious structure dock and mooring piles
more or less like ordinary homes

with parking space, a garden and
access from road. The inhabitant
feel that the house is floating only
during flood conditions. Two
houses are kept in place by the
support of two mooring poles. Figure 3.14 Amphibious homes during normal condition

These steel columns are

driven deep into the ground.
Even in the extreme flood
condition the structure will be
in place and can withstand the
current of flowing water with
help of these steel column.
These steel column are
Figure 3.16 Amphibious homes durng flood conditions connected by steel framework.
The houses connected also limits the waves on the structure. Two houses weights
around 200 tons. As the water level rises the houses will rise along with the mooring
poles. The amphibious will be lifted out of their docks, and that will be filled with
water. A constant descent should be maintain after the flood, for that the docks should
be maintain obstacle free at all time. If anything got struck underneath the house as
the water withdraws, there will be problem in constant descent of the structure. The
Figure 3.15 Maasbommel house- floor plan and elevation

basis of structure of the house is to provide a light weight structure on top of concrete
box. The basic timber structure was prefabricated and then assembled in the site. The
roof was made up of steel and wood and then covered with PVC roofing in site and
then lifted up to the structure. The arched roof lower towards the dyke side and rising
towards the east, provide good view from living room and master bedroom looking
towards the lake.
Figure 3.17 Section of Maasbommel floating house
3.1.2.6 Services
Figure 3.18 Flexible connection between two houses

The house gets all the facilities like other houses in Netherland. The house is heated
by the central heating system with natural gas. It has connection with water, sewage,
electricity and gases network like all other houses. The only difference is the
connection between the house and the pipeline on the land. Between each pair of
houses there is a connection from the dock to sides of the houses. The length was this
connection is oversized for normal condition but it will remain connected in the
flooding condition. The flexible pipelines are made for both amphibious and floating
houses.
3.1.2.7 Flood condition
From 12th to 14th January these structures had final test. The water level rose above
7mts since 1995, that area flooded. Warning has been given to estate owner a day
before. All cars were removed from the parking lot and owners were known about the
situation. When they woke up on next morning they found that they were not
connected to dry condition to land. The inhabitants used boats to get to the land.
There seems a minor discomfort as these problem occur once in twelve year. When
the amphibious homes descents to its original position everything went well. Nothing
got stuck in the docks and the structure came back to its original position.
Figure 3.20 Normal condition Figure 3.19 Flood condition

3.1.2.8 Conclusion
The concept of floating has proved in various places in small scale test, the
Massbommel design, where 14 houses are floating continuously from 2005 and 32
Amphibious homes during flood on 2011 has proved to meet the requirement of the
floating structure. Of course both the houses required regular maintenance, but there
was no alteration was done since the construction. The owner of the house expressed
their views in various interviews. There were no reports of uncomfortable due to
waves by the water. The Massbommel project provides extraordinary way to live on
and near the water.
3.1.3 House in Thames, UK

Location: Along the banks of

Thames river
Architect: Baca architects
Water type: Freshwater
Area: 2050 sqft
Figure 3.21 House in Thames
This UK’s first amphibious house is located adjacent to the River Thames in Marlow.
Based on the practices pioneering non-defensive approach to make space for water
within the built environment - the house marks a valuable and critical contribution to
both architectural design and flood resilience discourse.
The 250 tonne house, which sits on the ground within a purpose made dock, is able to
rise upto 2.7m when a flood occurs, buoyed by the flood water; whilst remaining
connected to all utilities through flexible servicing. Built on the banks of the River

Thames in Buckinghamshire, the house is the first to secure Planning, Building

Regulations and to be constructed in the United Kingdom.
Figure 3.22 Section of Thames house
Figure 3.23 Site plan Figure 3.24 Basement plan
Figure 3.25 Ground floor plan Figure 3.26 First floor plan

3.1.3.3 Foundation
Figure 3.27 Foundation dock
The house uses technology from marine and bridge construction as well as
conventional building to create an elegant solution to flooding that is also attractive
and complimentary to the setting. The flotation attributes, including the guide-posts,
slide-gear and flexible services are expressed in the architecture as is the industrial
weather screen skin. The triple height glazed facade allows views of the river from all
floors. The northern elevation provides a simple complement to neighbouring houses.
The unique 225sqm house, which is located just 10m from the river’s edge and within
a Planning Conservation Area the house, also provides an intelligent and contextual
response to its setting. The design was tailored to overcome the challenges of having
no vehicular access to the site, limited space to work and needing all plant and
materials to be brought across the river via a lightweight chain ferry. This pioneering
prototype house passed a full float test before client occupation.

The dwelling is set between four galvanized steel columns termed ‘dolphins’. A
bespoke running mechanism is fixed between the house and guide posts to facilitate
smooth vertical movement as the house rises and falls. The dolphins hold the house
true and level against the river current during a flood.
Figure 3.28 Construction details
3.1.3.5 Services
Services connect the house with land. Insulated and flexible pipes run along the side
of the house, within the wet dock, to pump wastewater into a treatment tank set in the
ground.

3.1.3.6 Flood condition
Figure 3.27 House in Thames during different conditions (a- normal, b- rising water, c- flood condition)
Figure 3.28 Sectional view
3.1.3.7 Conclusion
This amphibious house demonstrates that architecture, engineering and flood

strategies can be holistically combined to create beautiful buildings that allow
occupants to enjoy living near water safely.

3.1.4 LIFT house, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Water Type: Salt water

House Type: Amphibious
Buoyancy Material: Hollow Ferro
cement and Bamboo frame work
filled with plastic water bottle
Size: 570 sq.ft
Figure 3.29 LIFT house

The LIFT House (Low Income Flood proof Technology) project was designed and
constructed in Dhaka, Bangladesh as a solution for sustainable housing for low
income communities in flood prone areas. It is an approach to housing that provides
all the basic service to its residents without connection to the city service system,
through the use of indigenous material and local skills. The lift house provides a low
cost flood resilient housing that is amphibious, functioning both in land and water.
The two amphibious units of the lift house floats upward with the rising flood water
and return to ground level as the flood water recedes.
Amphibious architecture is cost effective and safe alternative to permanent static

elevation and it is achieved by the design of buoyant foundation. Instead of relying on
the struggling service system of the city, the lift house is self-sustaining in providing
basic services without relying on city infrastructure by using passive resources such as
solar power, natural ventilation, rainwater harvesting and composting toilet.

Figure 3.30 Floor plan of LIFT house
3.1.4.3 Foundation
Two types of amphibious foundation were used in this

house.
(1) a hollow Ferro cement structure
(2) bamboo frame filled with empty used water bottles
Figure 3.32 Ferro cement foundation
Figure 3.31 section showing two types of foundation
Figure 3.33 water bottle foundation

The depth of the foundation was calculated by finding the dead and live load of the
structure.
Table 1 Calculations for the depth of ferrocement foundation
Table 2 Calculations for the depth of water bottle foundation
The Ferro cement foundation was 14’ x 10’ with ribs of reinforced concrete.
For water bottle foundation, 8000 used water bottles were collected from local hotel

Figure 3.35 Two phases
Figure 3.34 Different stages of construction

3.1.4.5 Services
3.1.4.5.1 Service spine
The service spine is constructed out of brick and reinforced concrete. Kitchen,
bathroom, composting toilet storage tank and two types of water cisterns are located
in this structure. The interior of the cistern is lined with a layer of Ferro cement in
order to stop moisture penetration. The foundation for the service spine is concrete
slab on grade with a 15 inch thick perimeter brick wall. The wall of service spine is 10
inch thick with two lintel bands of concrete. Two sets of three lintel band across the
interior of service spine in order to prevent the buckling of brick wall. The top slab is
usable exterior space accessed through the second floor of the dwelling. Thus is will
make it safe during flooding. It has a concrete floor with a bamboo railing that is
attached with a steel rod, concrete and steel clamps
3.1.4.5.2 Electricity
Electricity is derived from two 60W solar panels. Two Canadian solar panel is
connected with a local solar batter, wiring and fixtures to provide electricity for 1 fan
and 5 energy saving light fixtures for each unit. A network of electrical wiring is
threaded throughout the bamboo wall and roof panels. A large slack in the wire that
connects the solar panel above the toilet roof to the solar battery inside the dwelling
allow the units vertical movement during flood. Solar power is very desirable and has
a high initial cost for the quantities of power consumed by these income group. The
lifestyle of the urban poor requires minimal electricity to carry on their daily
activities, making the solar energy on the ideal source of power for a city blessed with
an abundance of sunlight.
3.1.4.5.3 Sanitation
In Bangladesh the access to the urban sewerage system is very limited. The LIFT
House redirects the responsibility of sewage disposal from a large centralized system
to an onsite composting system, turning the urine and solid waste into resources that
residents can use. The composting latrines divert urine and deposits into the soil of the
garden through an underground pipe where it can be used as a fertilizer. By diverting
the urine from solid waste, the latrine system in the lift house is less prone to leaching

and will naturally compost at a higher rate. It is placed in the second level accessible
from the top surface of the service spine. The latrine pans are custom to divert urine
and solid waste with a slope of 25 degrees with water traps to eliminate undesirable
smell and flies. This system does not contaminate the pond or groundwater since
bacteria cannot travel more than 12 feet horizontally and 3 feet vertically. The two
families of the LIFT House have access to hygienic sanitation that is ecofriendly,
technically appropriate and has no additional utility costs.
3.1.4.5.4 Rainwater cistern
The water in the city becoming scarce even for the planned, upper class communities
within Dhaka. The LIFT house project depends only on harvesting and recycling
rainwater through non mechanized system. The two water cisterns combined have a
capacity of 48,000 liter which will be adequate for 10 residents throughout the dry
season. Rainwater is collected from the roof and top slab of the service spine in the
first cistern and passes through a filter that traps dirt and insects. If a small particle of
dirt enter the cistern the natural sedimentation process will settle these particle at the
bottom of the cistern. Residents have access to this collected rainwater via a hand
pump located on the top of the service spine. Used water is then collected through a
bio sand filter pipe that removes bacteria, chemical and other unwanted things. This
filtered grey water is then accessed through another hand pump for secondary use like
for toilets, washing.
Figure 3.36 Details of rainwater cistern

3.1.4.6 Materials
Bamboo was chosen as the building material for the amphibious dwellings due to its
versatility, light weight, environmental benefits and low cost. The bamboo was 3 inch
in diameter and cut into varied length depending on the usage. Two holes were drilled
at every hollow section of the bamboo. These poles were then submerged in a diluted
chemical mixture, a combination of water, boric acid and borax which protects the
bamboo from insects attack. The holes in bamboo will allow the mixture to pass
through the interior cavities breaking the starch content that attracts the insects. Two
types of connection were used (1) a metal rod inserted tightly through a pre drilled
holes across two members (2) hand tied nylon rope that counteracted the tendencies of
the member to pull apart. The prefabricated columns of four long bamboo poles with
small stiffeners were the first member created.
Roofing is one of the most important design elements for Bangladesh. The LIFT
House roofing was designed to be light weight, affordable and maintainable. The
common material choice of corrugated tin was rejected due to inappropriate climate
and thatched roof due to scarcity of material in urban area. Bamboo was used in 3
layers for roofing. The topmost layer is exposed. Mulli bamboo skins were used of
roof which is most durable part of the plant. Galvanized metal wire was used to tie the
bamboo to support frame by hand. The roof system is custom designed based on
indigenous methods to suit the amphibious dwellings. Doors of the house are made on
site to overcome to difficulty of varying sixe of openings in bamboo wall. Bamboo
was also used in the stairs railing that spanned from the ground floor level and
become the railing on the second floor.
3.1.4.7 Conclusion
The LIFT house has proved to be low cost amphibious homes for Bangladesh people.
Using of low cost material and locally available material can improve the vernacular
character of the place and also efficiency of the structure. Its implementation was
successful and people living in it are satisfied with the facilities but its effectiveness
during a flood condition was not available but it did floated or were successful on the
test.

3.1.5 Overall summary of literature case studies
Sl.n
SHOTGUN HOUSE HOUSING IN HOUSE IN LIFT HOUSE
o MAASBOMMEL THAMES
1 WATER TYPE
Salt Fresh Fresh Salt
2 COST PER UNIT
150,000 $ 310,000 $ 840,000 $

3700 $
(20% more) (17 % less) (20% more)
3 FOUNDATION
Sub-frame with EPS Concrete hull with Ferro cement and

Concrete hull
blocks rebar water bottles
4 PLOT AREA (Sqft)
700 2865 2250 570
5 MAXIMUM HEIGHT THAT CAN BE STRETCHED (ft)
13 18 9 15
6 ADVANTAGES
-Attached homes
-Uses existing
minimize sway
house -locally
from waves, vast
-Maintains available
interior space -Prefabricate
neighboring materials are
-Levee berm -Better and vast
character used
allows house to interior space
-Retrofit is -low cost
rest on land,
cheaper than structure
minimizing
static elevation
corrosion
7 DISADVANTAGES
-Visible EPS -Height of house

foundation -Proximity to causes sway by -Proximity to
system neighbors waves neighbors
Table 3 Comparison of literature case studies

3.2 LIVE CASESTUDY

3.2.1 Housing conditions in Kuttanad
A Variety of housing types are now presently seen in Kuttanad regions. Some houses
completely destroyed and damaged by the recent flood of 2018, some which are partly
destroyed, some new stilt houses or static elevated houses, new stilt houses under
construction and some other houses which are now raised by piles using hydraulic
jacks ie, elevating the existing houses. Thus floating building typologies are now
recently seen in the regions of Kuttanad.
3.2.1.1 Static elevation
Figure 3.37 One storey elevated house in Mancombu Figure 3.38 One storey elevated house, Kainakary
3.2.1.2 Pile dwellings
Figure 3.39 Pile dwelling, Pallathuruthy

3.2.1.3 Pile dwellings under construction
Figure 3.40 Ongoing construction of pile dwelling,

Kumbam
Figure 3.41 Pile dwelling under construction, Ponga
3.2.1.4 Houses destroyed by flood
Figure 3.42 Flood affected house, Ramankary

3.2.1.5 Houses lifted using hydraulic jacks
Figure 3.43 House made to rise using hydraulic jacks
3.2.1.6 Heavily flood prone houses at the edge of AC canal
Figure 3.44 Example of vulnerable houses Figure 3.45 Example of vulnerable houses
Figure 3.47 Example of vulnerable houses Figure 3.46 Example of vulnerable houses

3.2.2 Emerald Pristine Island Resort
Figure 3.50 Water supply

pipe from the supply main
Figure 3.48 Floating cottages of Pristine Island Resort Figure 3.49 Electric lines
drawn to the cottage
STRUCTURAL Form is rectangular with sloping roof. Living room, bedroom, toilet and
DESIGN sit out with light weight materials for the superstructure. Built on a
floating ferrocement platform. Wooden poles are inbuilt in the platform
which are connected to the platforms using rope.
FOUNDATION Concrete hulls.
MATERIALS Platforms of laminated ferrocement. Walls built with Teak wood panels
USED or gypsum boards with thermocol in between and thatched roofs.
SERVICES Services such as sewage tanks, electrical, etc are incorporated within the
float. A single float consists of two cottages each having a separate
sewage collection tank 5 ft deep. The 19 cottages have a single STP.
Electric lines are brought through underground cables and taken through
holes incorporated in the floor during the time of manufacture.

3.2.3 Poovar Island Resort
Figure 3.51 Poovar Island Resort
STRUCTURAL Form is rectangular with sloping roof. Living room, bedroom, toilet and
DESIGN sit out for the superstructure with light weight materials. Built on a
floating mass platform. The floating mass is made hollow structured
made up of ferro cement
FOUNDATION Concrete hulls or pontoons of size 7x4.6 m.
MATERIALS Sandwiched laminated panels for walls made of ferrocement. Teak wood
USED panels and thatched grass roofs. Bison panels are fixed on the timber
framework of the roof by using coconut timber reapers. Brown tiles for
flooring.
SERVICES Services and utility lines are drawn from the shore through pipes simply
laid in water to the floating cottages.
Sewage from the toilets is taken out through pipes which are connected to
the main sewer of the hotel through underground.

SURVEY
4.1 SURVEY FORM
 With the frequent flooding in Kuttanad and its adverse effects, which would
you prefer?
☐Relocation
☐Adaptation
 During flood times, what you actually do?
☐Stay at the home itself
☐Take refuge in other safer homes
☐Move into relief camps
 Do you think lack of implementation of proper technologies are the reason for
the worsening of damages caused by flooding?
☐Yes
☐No
 Are you aware of floating architecture?
☐Yes
☐No
 How much do you know about floating homes?
☐Zero knowledge
☐Some vague idea
☐Average/general idea
☐High knowledge
 Which forms of floating architecture/dwellings are you familiar with?
☐Terp dwellings
☐Static elevation
☐Pile dwellings/Stilt buildings
☐Houseboats
☐Amphibious dwellings

 How much do you know about amphibious houses?

☐Zero knowledge
☐Some vague idea
☐Average/general idea
☐High knowledge
 Will you be willing to have amphibious homes?
☐Yes
☐No
 As means of resisting flooding, which one would you prefer?
☐Elevated/Stilt structures
☐Amphibious structures
 What are the factors/reasons that prevent you from shifting to an amphibious
community?
☐Cost
☐Fear of trial/failure
☐Other reasons
 In amphibious dwellings, which one would you prefer?
☐Whole new amphibious construction
☐Retrofit/ use buoyant foundation in existing buildings

4.2 DATA COLLECTED FROM SURVEY
 With the frequent flooding in Kuttanad and its adverse effects, which would
you prefer?
20%
Adaptation
Relocation
80%
 During flood times, which would you prefer?
9% Stay at the home

itself
17%
Take refuge in
other safer homes
74% Move into relief

camps
 Do you think lack of implementation of proper technologies are the reason for
the worsening of damages caused by flooding?
15%
Yes
No
85%

 Are you aware of floating architecture?
21%
Yes
No
79%
 How much do you know about floating homes?

1%
Zero knowledge
16%
some vague data
40%
average/general
idea
43%
high knowledge
 Which forms of floating architecture/dwellings are you familiar with?

2% 4%
Terp dwellings
15%
Static elevation
17% stilt/pile dwellings

62%
houseboats
 How much do you know about amphibious houses?
5% 1%
zero knowledge
some vague data

24%
average/general
70% idea
high knowledge

 Will you be willing to have amphibious homes?
21%
Yes
No
79%
 As means of resisting flooding, which one would you prefer?
34% Elevated/stilt
structures
Amphibious
66%
 What are the factors/reasons that prevent you from shifting to an amphibious
community?
10% cost
24% fear of
trial/failure
66% other reasons
 In amphibious dwellings, which one would you prefer?
Whole new
36% amphibious
construction
Retrofit
64%

DESIGN PROTOTYPE
5.1 Prototype 1
Figure 5.1 View of prototype 1
5.1.1 Brief
Units: 2
No. of family members per unit: 5
No. of floors: 2
Area of one unit: 1600 sqft
Foundation: Concrete hull
Foundation depth: 90 cm
Materials: Ferrocement
Weight:
Maximum height it can reach: 2.7m

Figure 5.2 Prototype 1- ground floor plan
Figure 5. Prototype 1- first floor plan

5.2 Prototype 2
Figure 5.2 View of prototype 2
5.2.1 Brief
Units: 1
No. of family members per unit: 4
No. of floors: 1
Area of one unit: 1600 sqft
Foundation: Plastic bottles
Foundation depth: 120 cm
Materials: Bamboo, EPS Panels
Weight:
Maximum height it can reach: 3.5 m

Figure 5.3 Prototype 2- ground floor plan

INFERENCE
 This research realizes the scope of floating architecture in regions of below sea
level Kuttanad which is heavily prone to flooding
 Floating architecture can be a permanent flood mitigation strategy which can
be used in Kuttanad and could resist the frequent flooding happening in this
area.
 Amphibious dwellings can be more suitable and important in the Kuttanad,
since it works in synchrony with the Kuttanad’s natural cycles of flooding
which is necessary for the farming rather than obstructing it.
 The scope of adopting amphibious structures which is a part of floating
architecture as flood mitigation strategy in Kuttanad is high because now there
already exists different types of floating architecture like static elevated
structures, stilt or pile dwellings, houseboats.
 Amphibious structures have been successfully implemented in different parts
of the world as a flood mitigation strategy and thus it can be implemented in
Kuttanad also.
 When successfully implemented, Kuttanad could stand as a development
model for the world.
 Floating modules needed for construction are costly and since 70% people
residing in Kuttanad are below poverty line the cost for construction will be a
great issue.it will be successful only if the government take essential initiatives
regarding this and a mass production of this floating houses should be
promoted, only thus the cost could be minimized.
 Kuttanad is known as the rice bowl of Kerala and also the only place where
farming is done below sea level, so floating farms as part of floating
architecture has a great scope and thus the contribution of Kuttanad in food
production can be increased.
 Materials used in the construction should be lightweight. The observed
common material used is ferro-cement concrete hulls as the floatation base
with lightweight sandwiched panels for walls.

 Corrosion resistant materials should be used since the flood water is mainly
saltwater.
CONCLUSION
Amphibious buildings are proven low impact flood protection strategy that gives a
community enhanced flood resilience and improves its ability to recover from
disaster. When flooding occurs the water dwelling vertically rises with the water
levels to remain safely above water then settles back into places as the water recedes.
Successful amphibious foundation system are functioning in the Netherland, New
Orleans, Sausalito and Bangladesh, they can provide flood protection that is more
reliable and more convenient than the permanent static elevations. The LIFT house in
Bangladesh has proved low cost and sustainable building using locally available
material and the house provides service system by not depending on government.
This dissertation has proved the stability and workability of existing
amphibious residences and its importance in Kuttanad. With the reference of the
different case studies and detailed description of the building material, the
construction technique of the amphibious structures, sustainable and low cost
amphibious structure can be built in Kuttanad. This residents can also be like normal
residents on land because all the same amenities as a building on land can be provided
including heating, cooling and ventilation. The waterfront development can be
developed by developing these amphibious dwellings. Quality of these structures is
also maintained same as the building on the land.

BIBLIOGRAPHY
 Elizabeth English. Amphibious Foundations and the Buoyant Foundation

Project: Innovative Strategies for Flood-Resilient Housing. Ontario:
University of Waterloo School of Architecture. 2010. Print.
 BCDC Living with Water. San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development
Commission, Oct. 2011. Web. 21 Jan. 2014
 Buoyant foundation project (no date) < http://www.buoyantfoundation.org/ >
 Fenuta, E. (2010) Amphibious architectures: The buoyant foundation project
in Post-Katrina New Orleans
 Case study overview- Netherlands https://climate-
adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/case-studies/amphibious-housing-in-
maasbommel-the-netherlands/11310092.pdf
 Amphibious architecture_living with a rising bay
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1
&article=2318&context=theses
 A case study on Kuttanad
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/22785/11/11_chapter3.pdf
 Thriving with water: developments in North America-Academia.edu research
paper
 SYMBIOSIS: Adaptations within Dutch Architecture and Urban Planning
Practices in Response to a Changing Climate-pdf
 https://climate-adapt.eea.europa.eu/metadata/case-studies/amphibious-
housing-in-maasbommel-the-netherlands
 Kuttanad backwater development project pdf
https://s3.amazonaws.com/academia.edu.documents/32858826/KSSF_and_Ma
tprop-Kuttanad_Backwater_Development_Project.pdf
 www.alappuzha.com/pages/kuttanad
 www.keralatourism.org/destination/kuttanad-alappuzha/59
 www.urbangreenbluegrids.com/projects/amphibious-homes-maasbommel-the-
netherlands/

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Envisaging the scope of amphibious architecture

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July 18, 2019

ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF FLOATING

Dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement

Guided by: Submitted by:

Prof. PARVATHY SAGAR NIKHILA NELSON

Thangal Kunju Musaliar College Of Engineering

Thangal Kunju Musaliar College Of Engineering

Certified that this is a bonafide record of the

during the period of January 2019 to May 2019

in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the

Eighth semester, Degree of

of the University of Kerala

Guided by: Submitted by:

Prof. PARVATHY SAGAR NIKHILA NELSON

External examiner Internal examiner

I hereby declare that dissertation named ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF

FLOATING ARCHITECTURE IN REGIONS OF BELOW SEA LEVEL

KUTTANAD, submitted to the Department of Architecture, TKM College of

PARVATHY SAGAR, Department of Architecture TKMCE.

Kollam NIKHILA NELSON

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | i

I consider myself extremely privileged to have been guided by Prof. Parvathy

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | ii

ENVISAGING THE SCOPE OF FLOATING

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iii

2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE…………………………………………………...5

2.1.1 Basic principles of floatation…………………………………………..5

3.1 LITERATURE CASESTUDIES:………………………………………………...32

3.1.1 Shotgun house, New Orleans………………………………………...32

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | i

3.1.3 House in Thames, UK…………………………………………………44

3.2.1 Housing conditions in Kuttanad……………………………………….57

4.1 SURVEY FORM…………………………………………………………………..62

4.2 DATA COLLECTED FROM SURVEY………………………………………….64

5.1 Prototype 1…………………………………………………………………………67

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | ii

Figure 2.1 Principle of buoyancy and stability .............................................................. 5

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iii

Figure 3.17 Section of Maasbommel floating house ................................................... 42

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | iv

Table 1 Calculations for the depth of ferrocement foundation .................................... 51

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | v

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | i

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | 1

 To find sustainable and affordable way of achieving floating architecture in

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | 3

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | 4

2.1 FLOATING ARCHITECTURE

2.1.1 Basic principles of floatation

metacenter lies below the

Department of Architecture, TKMCE Page | 5

centre of gravity, and for neutral equilibrium, me and CG coincides. Metacentric

2.1.2 Water building typologies

2.1.2.1 Terp dwellings

A terp is an artificial earthwork mound

cattle and food storage. Around 1000