Floatscape Living: Intergeneration housing at sea
“The thesis advocates for a pragmatic shift from attempts to solve the housing crisis in Britain. Acknowledging the impossibility of affording a home in the future, the thesis aims to create a typology supporting the cohabitation of younger and older generations. Inspired by Chinese multi-generational living practices, this model aims to address housing challenges within shared households.”
The project began by exploring our personal and political perspectives on a specific topic. I focused on the housing crisis politically, while personally examining intergenerational living and how different cultures adapt to multigenerational housing.
For my thesis, I chose the UK to evaluate intergenerational living's effectiveness. My research targeted areas with a high ageing population and many underoccupied homes, which shaped my housing designs. The selected site was also impacted by coastal erosion, leading me to include sustainable design elements.
Envisioned for 2050, the project addresses the anticipated loss of over 200 homes in Overstrand, UK, due to coastal erosion. It repurposes oil rigs into islands that can house up to 36 dwellings each, with six pods planned to offset homes lost to erosion. The broader goal is to preserve the community and environment of coastal towns threatened by climate change, using floating pontoons to reclaim lost land. These new homes will serve as community spaces for both water and land residents in Overstrand, building on past intergenerational design principles.
