Philippe Fournier_Portfolio_2023

The Buoyant Foundation Project, headed by Dr. Elizabeth English,
is a nonprofit research organization dedicated to the development
of amphibious foundation systems: a low-cost flood risk reduction
and climate change adaptation strategy that functions passively by
floating a structure safely on rising flood water and then returning it to
its exact original position as flooding subsides. A buoyancy system
installed beneath the building displaces water to provide flotation,
while a vertical guidance system prevents any lateral movement.
I have worked with the Buoyant Foundation Project since 2017 as
both a student and then an undergraduate research assistant. This
prototype, co-designed by myself and Mitchell Martyn, was built on
a stormwater retention pond to research the effects of freeze-thaw
cycles on buoyant foundations, and thus the viability of amphibious
architecture in Canada. In particular, this protoype is intended as a
proof-of-concept design to promote this type of construction with
vulnerable First Nations communities nationwide.
Flashing cap
Roof decking
DRY
FLOOD
lateral restraint
Buoyancy system
HOW AMPHIBIOUS ARCHITECTURE WORKS
Amphibious architecture is any buidling that is retrofit or designed to passively
float during flood conditions, then return to the same stationary position when
dry. Buoyant foundation systems work best with buidlings that are already
elevated above ground and in flood conditions that have fairly low flow rates and
wave activity. In addition to this prototype, the Buoyant Foundation Project has
successfully amphibiating buidlings in Vietnam and Louisiana, and is currently
working on projects in Canada and America.
Top of A-frame
Railing
Floor deck
Joists for floor deck
Beams tying A-Frame
Courtesy of CTV News, Kitchener
PROTOTYPE DESIGN & RECOGNITION
The simple A-Frame design was chosen for its stability, ease of modular assembly
and resistance to wind loading. Though originally designed to accomodate
dock floats, the final structure uses hollow barrels to provide buoyancy. The
stormwater retention pond’s small size and shallowness meant we could eschew
a vertical gudiance posts, instead providing some lateral stability with tethering.
The project has been featured on local CTV News in Kitchener, Ontario as well
as TVO’s The Agenda with Steve Paikin. An academic account of the project was
published in the proceedings for the International Conference for Amphibious
Architecture & Engineering held in Warsaw, Poland in October 2019.
Bottom of A-Frame
Dock floats
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