Watervilla / +31ARCHITECTS
Living on the water becomes more and
One of the solutions for the flooded land is
more popular in the Netherlands. It is
not to build dikes to protect it but regulate
not only becoming popular because
it and make big water basins out of it.
people are attracted by the sphere but
At one hand you can create nice urban
also because of the new approach of the
developments on the water and at the
government and urban planners to coop
same time you create buffer for rainy times.
with the new submerged water problems.
The only restrictions for the urban
Most part of the Netherlands lies beneath
development’s is that is has to float,
the sea level, to protect the land against
otherwise the basins can’t have a buffer
flooding, dikes and dunes have been built.
function.
Archetech - Page 136
Currently new problems are rising due
to the climate change; the big rivers that
Generally, there are two basic principles
enter Holland bring more water each year
for making floating constructions. The first
and the rainfall is increasing.
is the pontoon principle; you make a solid
platform that is lighter than the water. The
Because the sea level is higher at most
second principle is based on the ship; it is a
places the water has no way to go other
hollow concrete box which is open on the
than flooding the land.
top. Due to all the air which is in the open
box it gets the ability to flow.