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Architectural Design with Storm Surges in Mind

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Use rot-proof materials

The  Iseami House in the Costa Rica jungle is built with plastics and metals that resist corrosion in flooding.

Building without using wood that can absorb water and become rotten is the best material for flood zones.

Build on stilts

This tiny prefab on stilts is sited in a flood plain meadow in an alpine river valley.

The construction of each hut is just an offset steel clad box on a steel platform with a wood deck on top.

Outdoor living is at a higher level, the decks comprise about half the space.

Make it aerodynamic

The Pearl from David Fanchon has a round dome shape that delivers Category 5 protection from high winds, storm surges and wild coastal weather.

Normally, I’d say a round house is not for everyone… but this?

Surround it

This vacation house for the fashion photographer José Manuel Ferrater, in Barcelona hardly looks like it’s in a flood prone region – but it is.

The dry white stucco is reminiscent of the parched dry desert.

The arid Costa del Azahar does suffer occasional winter flooding.

Carlos Ferrater surrounded the property with a reinforced perimeter wall which channels floodwaters around the vacation house property in the flat low-lying barren landscape.

Or go with the flow

This floating summer boathouse-cum-holiday home was designed by MOS Architects with an internal dock to bring the family boat right into its own floating “garage” underneath.

Gigantic steel pontoons keep the vacation house-cum-boathouse afloat.