All afloat

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Have you ever thought about living in a town that floats on water?

Let's face it, the world's population is more susceptible than ever to climate change and land scarcity. People are looking for unique sustainable solutions for housing and work. It has driven the need for innovation.

One such innovation comes to us from Rotterdam, the second-largest city in the Netherlands. It's the floating pavilion. It's a self-sustaining pavilion designed by the architect groups Deltasync and Public Domain Architects. Three semi-transparent domes cover a combined surface of about 1,000 sq m. Think of it as conquering the sea to develop new land.

A unique proposition

Why such a project? A couple of reasons. About 26% of the Netherlands is below sea level, and Rotterdam wants to be the World capital of CO2-free energy. Every strip of land and water is precious in such a highly dense country, and the city wants and needs to adapt to rising sea levels. It's innovate or sink. That's been the thinking over the past couple of decades.

The ‘Rotterdam Climate Initiative’ was established to study building construction in areas outside the dykes. The first result was the floating pavilion. It was designed to address the biggest challenges the country will face this century - land scarcity, climate change, urban growth, and deforestation.

Concrete, steel and foil elements were connected on a 2.5-metre layer of polystyrene. The floating domes are 3.7m high, and the total area equals 4 tennis courts. It’s an attractive conference and exhibition space designed to be relocated. It bridges the gap between the port and the city.

What makes it special?

The pavilion has three components - the floating foundation, the facade system and technical installations. The concrete shell system was chosen for the foundation since it's stable and can hold a lot of weight. To keep things sustainable and green, the building's climate control was based on passive solar design and stack ventilation the dome's geometry provided. They're low-tech solutions that rely on natural principles.

Here are some of its unique aspects:

• By using a floating foundation, buildings can be constructed directly on water and shipped to future destinations.
• The foil roof has three layers of air under pressure that insulates and keeps the interior warm. A part of the upper roof is covered with Vector Foiltec for an added layer of ultraviolet protection.
• The temperature in different rooms can be controlled thanks to the design. The exhibition room is sort of a public space with a roof and isn't extra heated. The conference room can be heated by using the warmth of the thermal connectors on the roof.

Lessons to learn

The pavilion was possible thanks to the city government's planning approach. Rather than adopt a top-down decision-making process, officials took a collaborative approach. They involved everyone from community groups to entrepreneurs.

Countries and cities are looking to reduce emissions and stave off the worst of global warming and climate change. Innovation will play a key role, particularly in the future of housing and workspaces. Rotterdam's unique solution is perhaps a template. Maybe floating cities and offices could be the future.