Floating Architecture

Abstract

Due to the rising concerns of global warming, sea level rise, and land shortage, it is reasonable to consider alternatives ways of inhabiting the planet such as reside on bodies of water. For this reason, this research aims to compare a variety of floating architectures to analyse their sustainable practices and to develop criteria that can help designers to build more sustainable urban landscapes in water environments. For a floating architecture to be sustainable it is necessary to define sustainability and its possible design contributions toward a sustainable development. Therefore a table of thirteen criteria was proposed in order to examine and assess floating architecture at urban and architectural scales. The criteria can be widely adapted to all kind of floating architectures, this including past, existing and future. Examining the criteria proposed in this thesis will enable architects to have a better understanding of the future floating architecture.