Flooding

The Khudi Bari is a remarkably simple and low-cost tiny house that's primarily constructed from bamboo. It has been created for people living in Bangladesh that are in danger of being displaced due to flooding.

Photo contests offer a window to the world around us, and in this case, it's one full of grand beauty but also, increasingly of extremes. These images capture both the fight for survival and our resilience as we face life on a rapidly changing planet.

Zaha Hadid Architects got the nod to redevelop Hamburg's flood defenses.

If sea levels keep rising over the coming decades, where does that leave buildings located in coastal cities like New York City? This is a question addressed by NYC-based firm DFA with its conceptual design for a cluster of flood-resistant residential high-rises in Manhattan.

SHoP's American Copper Buildings stand out even among Manhattan's many skyscrapers. Clad in copper that will patina and turn green over time, the buildings lean in a way likened to dancing. They're also built with flooding in mind and will keep the power on should the grid go offline.

Some areas in the UK can't be developed for housing because of the risk of flooding. However, the Elevating House is a family home that would rise 1.5 m off the ground on stilts when the floods come.

In an attempt to discover just how easy it is for motorists to be swept away in floodwaters, engineers at the UNSW Water Research Laboratory used actual cars in specially configured test tank – and the results surprised them.

UK architecture firm BAT Studio recently built a 29 sq m (312 sq ft) greenhouse that sits on hydraulic legs. It serves as a safe place for the owners to keep their belongings during floods.

A remarkable 26 percent of the Netherlands is below sea level. A series of dikes, dams and waterworks are used to keep the country from being submerged. But what would happen if those defenses weren't there? An installation by Studio Roosegaarde aims to show just that.

If there are two things that the Philippines has a lot of, it's motorized trikes and small flood-prone villages. That's why H2O Technologies has developed the Salamander. It's a three-wheeler that can be driven on the road most of the time, but that can also take to the water when floods occur.

Living in an area prone to flooding has historically meant that you need high sockets and deep pockets. Baca Architects, however, has come up with an altogether more ingenious solution. Its "amphibious house," designed to float on floodwater before being gently placed back down, is nearly complete.

Survival Capsules LCC of Mukilteo, Washington has developed a steel and aluminum sphere designed to ride out a tsunami and protect against both fire and flood. Gizmag paid a visit to the company to learn more about it.