Floating architecture in the landscape: climate change adaptation ideas, opportunities and challenges

Penning‐Rowsell, Edmund C.

doi:10.1080/01426397.2019.1694881

Cited by 13 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 16 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Experimentation with floating housing has so far attracted action from innovative entrepreneurs rather than established construction companies (Penning-Rowsell, 2020). These entrepreneurs can mainly be conceived as regime outsiders, as in the niche experiments literature (Kivimaa et al, 2017;Sengers et al, 2016) and the experiments, thus, are primarily private-led.…”

Section: Analytical Framework: Urban Climate Experimentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Empirical studies have pointed to difficulties of niche experiments in influencing existing regimes and wider processes of change (Kivimaa et al, 2017;Sengers et al, 2016). Regarding floating housing, available research foresees bleak prospects for establishing a niche, due to uncertain legislative status and standards, weak links to ongoing spatial plans, lack of consensus regarding appropriate technology and uncertain environmental impacts (de Graaf, 2009: 92ff;Penning-Rowsell, 2020). Moreover, lack of knowledge and skills among developers and municipalities, and fear of unknown risks among buyers, are also seen as limiting the implementation of floating housing (de Graaf, 2009: 92ff;Penning-Rowsell, 2020).…”

Section: Analytical Framework: Urban Climate Experimentationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Second, there are also large variations in the motives expressed for these floating innovations, compared with what we had expected. In the international literature on floating houses, their climate profile and ability to manage sea-level rise is a key argument (de Graf, 2009(de Graf, , 2012Lin et al, 2019;Moon, 2014;Penning-Rowsell, 2020). Seeing floating houses as a strategy to facilitate climate-proof waterfront housing is also reflected in Swedish media coverage.…”

Section: Analytical Comparison Of Floating Housing Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For the others, the floating houses follow the same energy-efficiency requirements as land-based houses. Of the other motives found in international literature, the ideas of space-replacing lack of land or creating innovative touristic destinations (de Graf, 2009(de Graf, , 2012Lin et al, 2019;Moon, 2014;Penning-Rowsell, 2020) do not feature at all in the Swedish context. Sweden is, by international comparison, sparsely populated, except for the expanding city centres.…”

Section: Analytical Comparison Of Floating Housing Experimentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Insufficient analytical attention has been given to challenges relating to planning and implementation. However, a recent paper provided a discursive exploration of opportunities and challenges in floating housing innovation (Penning-Rowsell, 2020). In terms of empirical studies targeting implementation practices, de Graaf's doctoral thesis on urban water management innovations includes one case study of mechanisms for mainstreaming floating urbanization in the Netherlands, a country where water-based living represents a longstanding tradition and "a normal way of housing" (de Graaf, 2009(de Graaf, , 2012Huang-Lachmann & Lovett, 2016:39).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 4 more Smart Citations

Stuck in experimentation: exploring practical experiences and challenges of using floating housing to climate-proof waterfront urban development in Sweden

Storbjörk

Hjerpe

2022

J Hous and the Built Environ

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

With climate change already underway, cities are looking for ways to deal with its effects. To balance urban waterfront development and climate adaptation, floating housing is presented as a promising solution—however it has not been studied sufficiently. This paper explores floating housing as urban climate experimentation, targeting vision/motivation, practice and upscaling in a national context where support mechanisms and traditions are absent. Interviews with innovation entrepreneurs and municipal planners involved with planning and building floating districts show that, with one exception, the Swedish initiatives are at odds with the theoretical assumptions behind urban climate experimentation. Initiatives are neither challenge-led in terms of climate risk nor inclusive and community-based. Rather, the small-scale private entrepreneurs are pioneers in offering unique living on water as one-off innovations. While allowing experimentation, municipal planners are less convinced by the effectiveness and appropriateness of upscaling. Floating housing may contribute to local identity building and place marketing, but are riddled with implementation challenges regarding shoreline protection, privatization/accessibility, limited market interest and urban development fit. While the floating houses themselves withstand flooding, thus safeguarding individual house owners, they do not protect the land-based city with its vulnerable waterfront development patterns. Results thus suggest the limitation of floating houses in shifting development pathways and strengthening urban climate proofing.

show abstract

Section: Analytical Framework: Urban Climate Experimentationmentioning

confidence: 99%