Concept Statement:

Taking inspiration from giant Victoria Amazonica Water Lily Pads we have designed a single-family home that floats on the water surface using minimal material resources. The main quality of the giant lily pads which inspires us is the vascular structure which is hidden underneath the leaf. This structure allows the Victoria Amazonia lily pads to hold immense weight while floating on the water. Previous studies of the plausibility of biomimetic load-bearing structures modeled after the Victoria Amazonica have returned favorable results, stating that “contributions to the load-bearing response of Amazonian waterlily leaves come from both bending stiffness and the nonuniform vasculature network and a restoring buoyancy pressure that arises from the displacement of water by the deforming leaf lamina” (Finn Box et al., 4-5) This research supports the realistic ability to construct floating platforms. With our knowledge of the of the vascular system we suggest the further research into using materials such as polyethylene or fiberglass. The intended application of our project would be to offer a new type of small footprint housing for residents of areas that are impacted by coastal flooding due to climate change, like the Gulf Coast. With the rising sea levels and increased concern of coastal cities going under, our proposal could be a solution to create housing, and potentially communities on the water. The vascular system of the lily pad serves as the inspiration for the structure of our floating platform, on which a spatially efficient dwelling will sit, with room for a small deck around the perimeter of the structure; Walkways would connect platforms to land and possibly other platforms. We confess that this project is nowhere close to fully realized, but it served as a great investigation into the use of AI as a generative tool for designers, and as a contribution to the exploration of biomimicry in architecture, specifically of the use of the Victoria Amazonica as a precedent for the structure of floating homes and communities. Our design is intended to aid users with urgency as our climate and seas are rapidly changing.

Concept Collage:

Honorable Mentions: