Prof. DING Xiaoli, Director of Research Institute for Land and Space (RILS) and Chair Professor of Geomatics, was recently interviewed on RTHK’s programme “World in a Nutshell”, where he provided an in-depth analysis of the latest developments in floating communities and architecture.
The Schoonschip floating community in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, is widely regarded as a global example of innovative floating architecture. Situated along a local canal, the community comprises thirty modern floating homes, around half of which are duplex units. Structurally, these homes resemble buildings on land: they use concrete hulls for ballast and are anchored to the shore with mooring/achoring arms to ensure stability. Around one third of the rooftops are equipped with greenery and solar panels, enabling residents to share or sell surplus electricity within the community or to the national grid—an illustration of sustainable living in practice. Importantly, the floating buildings at Schoonschip are designed to rise and fall with changes in the water level, providing effective flood protection. During a storm in 2022, residents reportedly only needed to secure outdoor items to remain safe.
Prof. Ding pointed out that floating buildings are generally no more than three storeys high, typically supported with pontoons beneath the structure, and often use highly durable concrete and flexible pipes to connect water supply and sewage facilities. Such developments can help alleviate land shortages and housing supply pressures, while also address the flood risks brought about by climate change. Beyond the Netherlands, low-lying countries such as the Maldives are also actively developing floating communities, employing approaches that integrate artificial coral reefs and deep-sea cooling technologies to support environmental protection and innovation.
Prof. Ding further noted that although floating buildings must contend with weather challenges such as typhoons and earthquakes, their potential benefits, including disaster resilience, environmental protection, and flexible land use, are encouraging more cities worldwide to explore the possibilities of living on water.
Online coverage:
RTHK - https://polyu.me/4apMf8b (23:17–34:16) (Chinese only)
| Research Units | Research Institute for Land and Space |
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