"VULNERABLE IN VIETNAM" PROJECT EXHIBITED AT EXPO 2020 DUBAI |
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(HELD OCTOBER 2021 - MARCH 2022) |
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Our project Vulnerable in Vietnam was exhibited throughout the month of October 2021 in the Global Best Practice Programme under the theme week 'Climate and Biodiversity'. This theme week focused on areas including climate change, disaster risk management, and at-risk areas.
Due to the pandemic, Expo 2020 Dubai had been postponed one year to 2021 - 2022. Dr. Elizabeth English gave presentations and attended a workshop at Expo events that took place during January 2022.
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BUOYANT FOUNDATION PROJECT FEATURED IN 'CNBC' VIDEO AND ARTICLE
September 27, 2022
The video and accompanying article by CNBC producer Lindsey Jacobson discusses how amphibious homes and floating cities could protect coastal and flood-prone communities from future sea-level rise and flooding. The work of the BFP is featured alongside Oceanix City, a prototype for a floating city in Busan, South Korea. Bjarke Ingels, founder of BIG, is the lead architect on the project. Also interviewed are Philipp Hofmann, CEO of Oceanix, Maimunah Mohd Sharif, Executive Director of the United Nations Human Settlements Program, and Elizabeth English, Founder and Director of the BFP.
See the video here (13:27)
Read the article here
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BBC REEL: HOW AMPHIBIOUS HOUSING IS TRANSFORMING LIVES
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The Buoyant Foundation Project was featured in "Game Changers", a video series sponsored by Expo 2020 Dubai's Global Best Practice Programme and Expo Live Programme in partnership with BBC StoryWorks. This video explores how innovation and community engagement come together to show how amphibious housing is transforming lives in Vietnam.
See the video here. (4:31)
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BBC REEL: KEEPING OUR HEADS ABOVE WATER |
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Approximately 18% of the world’s population is exposed to the risk of intense flooding. In the past, large-scale ‘hard engineering’ has been used in the world’s most frequently flooded areas; however, what happens to smaller communities that don’t have access to this infrastructure? For modern engineers, working with water and using strategies such as amphibious retrofits are solutions to helping these smaller communities stay safe.
See the video here (2:30)
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NRC PROJECT UPDATE
Funded by the National Research Council of Canada (NRC), our amphibious research pavilion underwent a monitored evaluation of its performance in Canadian climate conditions. The project was completed in March 2021. Due to COVID-19, we were unable to construct the prototype retrofit we had designed for an existing house in Quebec. Our project concluded with the development of preliminary design guidelines for amphibious construction in Canada with the intent of eventually supplementing the National Building Code to include amphibious design.
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In July, Elizabeth English (center) and 4th-year Waterloo Civil Engineering students Ryan Janzen (left) and Emmanuel Akpata (right) paid a visit to the BFP's NRC pavilion in Stormwater Retention Pond #2 at the University of Waterloo main campus. They documented the conditions and conducted maintenance on the NRC pavilion, and the six smaller platforms floating in the pond, each of which is testing a different buoyancy method.
The team is pictured with the canoe used to travel the perimeter of the pond to locate and inspect the six smaller platforms, and still wearing the chest waders they used to walk out to the main pavilion, seen floating in the background.
For more information about the NRC Pavilion, please visit:
2019 Ottawa Citizen
2020 Architecture Masterprize
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BFP AWARDED 2021 NFRF-E GRANT
Building on the NRC project for improving flood adaptation for First Nations subject to the effects of climate change, the Buoyant Foundation Project has had considerable success with recent grant proposals. The BFP received, among others, the New Frontiers in Research Fund - Exploration 2021 (NFRF-E 2021), awarded to support interdisciplinary research projects that explore new, high-risk high-reward research with the potential of creating meaningful change. The goal of this project is to create new flood resilience knowledge by combining Indigenous Traditional ways of knowing with Western science and engineering. This grant provides funding to support the BFP's research through March of 2024.
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ASSEMBLY OF FIRST NATIONS CLIMATE CONFERENCE |
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September 27 - September 29, 2022
The AFN 2nd National Climate Gathering brought together First Nations experts, leadership, youth, women, Knowledge Keepers and other professionals from across Turtle Island to explore solutions to climate change. A panel entitled "First Nations Facing Flooding in Canada" was organized by BFP research team member Dr. Brent Doberstein and included Dr. Laurie Pearce, Emily Dicken and Dr. Elizabeth English, all members of the BFP team. Dr. Arshad Khalafzai, Dr. Shirley Thompson and Dr. Myrle Ballard also participated on the panel.
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INTERNATIONAL CITY-WATER-QUALITY OF LIFE CONGRESS |
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October 17 - October 18, 2022
The International City-Water-Quality of Life Congress focuses on the relationship between aquatic and urban environments, and how to foster mutually beneficial relationships between the two environments. Dr. Elizabeth English has been invited to give a keynote address at the Congress, which takes place in Wrocław, Poland.
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NATIONAL ADAPTATION FORUM
October 25 - October 27, 2022
The Buoyant Foundation Project is participating in the National Adaptation Forum in Baltimore. The Forum gathers the adaptation community together to foster knowledge exchange and innovation on the topic of climate change adaptation. The BFP's participation in NAF includes a presentation entitled "Amphibious Architecture: An Innovative Strategy for Flood Resilience and Climate Change Adaptation".
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ASSOCIATION FOR PRESERVATION TECHNOLOGY ANNUAL CONFERENCE |
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November 7 - November 12, 2022
The Buoyant Foundation Project is participating in the Association for Preservation Technology International's annual conference taking place in Detroit. APT’s mission is to advance appropriate traditional and new technologies to care for, protect, and promote the longevity of the built environment. The BFP's participation in APT's annual conference includes a presentation entitled "Protecting Heritage Structures from Flooding with Retrofitted Amphibious Foundations".
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PUBLICATION OF ICAADE CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS TO BE RELEASED IN 2023
The publication of the proceedings of the first three International Conferences on Amphibious Architecture, Design and Engineering (ICAADE 2015, 2017 and 2019) is scheduled for release in mid-2023. These papers and abstracts address relevant research themes, history, case studies and challenges moving forward, and will be an important resource for future research on amphibious architecture.
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June 7, 2022
The amphibious community in Old River Landing, Louisiana, and its relationship to the Buoyant Foundation Project are explored in this visual essay. Author Casey Beal emphasizes the resilience of amphibious construction and the tight-knit nature of the community. Photographer Aaron Wynia visited the community and captured some of its amphibious structures.
Read the full article here
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'LIFE RAFT PODCAST' EPISODE 8: WHAT IF WE JUST... MADE OUR HOUSES FLOAT?
March 9, 2021
Elizabeth English joins Travis Lux and Lauren Malara of Life Raft for the final episode of their first season to discuss current developments in amphibious architecture and amphibious retrofit design as a novel solution for building urban resilience in flood-prone communities. The strategy greatly reduces the risks of displacement and psychological trauma and preserves communities' connection to place while respecting natural ecosystems. Life Raft Podcast is a podcast from National Public Radio that explores questions about living with climate change.
Listen to the podcast episode here (35:12)
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THE BUOYANT FOUNDATION PROJECT FEATURED IN 'R+T PARK' INTERVIEW |
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August 9, 2021
This interview piece by Alex Kinsella from David Johnston Research & Technology Park, a community-based research collective, discusses the Buoyant Foundation Project's key projects, including the NRC pavilion test prototype located in R+T Park's stormwater retention pond. The article also describes the development of amphibious housing strategies, inspired by the cultural character of historical New Orleans neighbourhoods.
Read the full article here
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BUOYANT FOUNDATION PROJECT FEATURED IN 'CBC' ARTICLE |
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December 16, 2021
Elizabeth English spoke to CBC about the construction process and benefits of amphibious retrofit. The article by Emily Chung also discusses the bureaucratic resistance to amphibious construction facing the Buoyant Foundation Project in the United States, despite the strategy's efficacy in preserving the significant cultural connection between local communities and the land.
Read the full article here
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THE BUOYANT FOUNDATION PROJECT FEATURED IN 'WATERLOO REGION RECORD' |
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August 16, 2021
Robert Williams' article discusses the Buoyant Foundation Project's work, from the implementation of amphibious retrofit strategies in various flood-prone communities worldwide to the current prototyping of amphibious housing designed for the Canadian climate.
Read the full article here
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VIDEOS BY WASTE-ED SHOWCASE THE BUOYANT FOUNDATION PROJECT |
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May 19, 2021
Waste-Ed is an eco-friendly retailer that spreads its message of sustainability by creating and sharing inspiring, purpose-driven, and solution-oriented content as well as curating eco-forward products. Their Instagram account, which has garnered a significant following for its posts showcasing environmental initiatives, posted a two-part short video series introducing the Buoyant Foundation Project, featuring amphibious retrofit animations and footage from retrofit projects in Vietnam.
See the videos here (2:00)
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AMPHIBIOUS ARCHITECTURE FEATURED IN 'ANTHROPOCENE' MAGAZINE ARTICLE
October 7, 2021
Award-winning science journalist and author, Emily Anthes, shines a light on the ground-breaking work of the Buoyant Foundation Project. In October 2021, Anthropocene Magazine's readers selected this article from September 15, 2018, as one of the most impactful among thousands of stories about environmental innovations and climate science in the previous three years. The 2018 article discusses how the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina increased the urgent need for viable solutions for flood-prone communities, and the subsequent research, design developments, and obstacles encountered by the Buoyant Foundation Project.
Read the full article here
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AMPHIBIOUS RETROFIT FEATURED ON 'THE WEATHER CHANNEL'
October 11, 2021
Elizabeth English was interviewed on the Weather Channel and discussed retrofitting homes with buoyant foundations and the work of the BFP.
See the video here (5:15)
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'MASHABLE' VIDEO SHOWCASES AMPHIBIOUS RETROFIT |
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December 2, 2021
A video by Teodosia Dobriyanova at Mashable featuring installation animations from the Buoyant Foundation Project explains how the process of amphibious retrofit transforms existing structures into "giant flotation devices". The video explores the origins of the Buoyant Foundation Project, highlighting rising floodwater as an increasingly urgent global issue.
See the video here (1:31)
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AMPHIBIOUS HOUSING FEATURED IN 'GEOGRAPHICAL' ARTICLE "ADAPT TO SURVIVE" |
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January 12, 2022
From mangrove seawalls in Indonesia to reflective cooling coatings in South Africa, Bryony Cottam spotlights innovative initiatives on the front line of climate change. Included in the article is a discussion with Elizabeth English on how amphibious retrofit strategies are becoming more and more necessary in places that didn't need it previously as climate change becomes an increasingly urgent issue worldwide.
Read the full article here
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AMPHIBIOUS HOUSING FEATURED IN EARTHER ARTICLE ON CLIMATE SAFE HOUSING
July 13, 2021
Molly Taft explores the climate-safe housing strategies of fire-resistance and amphibious retrofit. Taft explains how the Buoyant Foundation Project's amphibious housing projects demonstrate how climate-proofing strategies can be inexpensive but can also be impeded by outdated regulations. The article describes how amphibious retrofit aims to buy time for communities living in flood-prone areas so they are not forced to move.
Read the full article here
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PANEL AND POSTER PRESENTATION AT INTERNATIONAL ADAPTATION FUTURES CONFERENCE, INDIA |
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Elizabeth English presented the work of the Buoyant Foundation Project at a panel and poster presentation as part of the 6th International Climate Change Adaptation Conference. Originally scheduled for 2020, the conference was postponed due to COVID-19 and held remotely from New Delhi from October 5th - October 8th, 2021.
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ARCHITECTURE SANS FRONTIÈRES QUÉBEC PUBLICATION |
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Our NRC Pavilion was recently featured in Cohabiter avec L'eau: a compilation of flood-resilient buildings published by Architecture Sans Frontières Québec in collaboration with the Montreal Metropolitan Community. This document was presented at an online round table event on June 10th, 2021, organized by Architecture Sans Frontières Québec and the Montreal Metropolitan Community.
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MARIA OTTONI |
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Maria has completed her Master of Architecture degree at the University of Waterloo, where she was enrolled in the Collaborative Water Program. She is interested in nature-based and community-centred design solutions for mitigating and adapting to floods at the urban and architectural scales. Maria has worked as a Research Assistant with the Buoyant Foundation Project for more than two years. Maria’s thesis focuses on proposing flood risk reduction solutions for an impoverished riverine community in Brazil. She is now an architectural intern with ABA Architects Inc. in Waterloo.
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ALEXA MEGAN HOLDER |
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Alexa is an undergraduate student in the architecture program at the University of Waterloo and works as a research assistant with the Buoyant Foundation Project. Her recent studio work has focused on urban rivers and resilience in the face of climate change, and she is excited to continue to explore those ideas. Her work with the BFP currently includes website development and compiling the ICAADE Conference Proceedings.
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THE TEDx MANHATTAN BEACH TALK |
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In a TEDx Talk at Manhattan Beach, California, Dr. Elizabeth English discussed how amphibious designs allow flood-zone communities to maintain their vibrancy. The talk addresses the origin of her non-profit organization, the Buoyant Foundation Project, and presents how her research responds to real needs in Vietnam, Canada, Nicaragua, South Carolina, Louisiana, and other vulnerable locations around the world.
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OUR PAST NEWSLETTERS |
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Catch up on our previous newsletters!
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Amphibiation Nation V.4: Winter 2021
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BFP amphibious housing project in Vietnam was featured on UN-Habitat's Urban Agenda Platform, recent press, featured research, awards, publications and more.
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Amphibiation Nation V.3: Summer 2020
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TEDx talk at Manhattan Beach, BFP selected for EXPO 2020 Dubai, ICAADE 2019 Conference, update on the NRC Pavilion, new BFP website, awards, recent press, papers and more.
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Amphibiation Nation V.2: Summer 2019
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ICAADE 2019, amphibious housing project in Vietnam, flood-resilient housing for First Nations communities, interviews, awards, recent press, and more.
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Amphibiation Nation V.1: Summer 2018
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Prototypes installed for amphibious housing project in Vietnam, NRC Pavilion prototype nearing test phase, recent press, and meet the BFP team.
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