Floating Sea Wall one of 365 top initiatives of 2015
Waterstudio’s Floating Sea Wall is choosen as one of the 365 initiatives in 2015 that will reinvent our world.
1st Scientific paper on researching wetslums was published
Slum Upgrading: Assessing the Importance of Location A plea for a spatial approach as an integral component; view online (free till Nov 1st)
Abstract
The world population is growing rapidly and much of that growth is happening in urban areas. In developing countries, this process is often accompanied by the formation and expansion of slums. A variety of slum upgrading projects have been implemented to improve the living conditions of slum dwellers however a wide study to investigate the objectives of slum upgrading projects highlighted that environmental features were of low priority compared to basic services and infrastructure. The paper deduces this to be a result of the dominance of UN’s household-based definition of slums which lacks emphasis on the locational aspects. An aerial analysis of slums located near waterbodies emphasised the slums’ dynamic nature brought about by location and therefore the importance of location itself. Taking cue from this, the paper recommends upgrading projects to be more location-specific that offer flexible yet customised solutions that build upon local knowledge to account for the dynamic and diverse nature of slums. Another inference from the study was that for various reasons – one of which is hazardous location – slums are perceived to be temporary and as a result, there is low incentive to invest in slums. Such a perception prohibits slum upgrading and pushes them into a negative spiral. Concluding that slums are, however, permanent features in the urban landscape, the paper recommends a change in perception and urges practitioners to accept this permanent nature of slums. The focus and findings of this paper are relevant in context of the Habitat III Conference in 2016 which has as its focus the ‘New Urban Agenda’ that recognises the ever-changing dynamics of human civilization and aims to bring together diverse urban actors to review urban and housing policies.
Koen Olthuis at PChouse Award 2015 as jury & speaker
Koen Olthuis as one of the jury and speakers at the Modern Design Award for the top 10 best interior designs in Guanzhou, China 2015.
Podcast: Maldives’ Floating City?
The Seasteading Institute, Joe Quirk, Nov 2015
Interview of Joe Quirk from the Seasteading Institute with Koen Olthuis about Maldives’ floating cities.
Podcast: Maldives’ Floating City? Koen Olthuis of Waterstudio
Podcast: Play in new window
What if a nation sinking below sea level became the innovation hub for floating cities?
What if you could float the infrastructure of Holland to the slums of Bangladesh?
What if the future of floating cities is in 3D printed technology?
Dutch architect Koen Olthuis is the co-author of Float! Building on Water to Combat Urban Congestion and Climate Change with David Keuning. Koen founded Waterstudio which designs many components of floating cities, including schools, golf courses, hotels, and even stadiums, and he co-founded Dutch Docklands which plans gorgeous projects for the Maldives. In 2007, Koen was chosen at Time Magazine‘s “most influential people of the year,” and the French magazine Terra Eco chose Koen in 2011 as one of the 100 greenest persons who will change the the world.
Koen Olthuis initiated a project to transform shipping containers into Floating City Apps to upgrade living conditions in coastal slums by providing “plug-and-play” schools, kitchens, health centers, internet cafes, and water purification units.
Should seasteads establish political independence first, and then change the world? Or should floating cities set humanitarian examples, win hearts and minds, and then seek independence? Koen and I discuss the strategies and agree to partner on a shared goal.
I hope you enjoy this discussion as much as I did. And if you subscribe to podcasts on iTunes, you can find this podcast and all of our other podcasts on our iTunes page.
Joe Quirk
Living with water – Building with nature
By HKIE-YMC
Overseas delegation Hong Kong
2015
The delegates visited the architectural firm Waterstudio which specialzes in the design of floating building, landscape and urban planning solutions with floating components. Apart from the local developments, they have also worked on several floating projects in China, Unites Arab Emirate and the Maldives.
City App floats at Xpeditie Blauwestad
The Communication App functioned as internet school and café in the temporary city “Xpeditie Blauwestad” in Groningen, the Netherlands
City App on its location at Xpeditie Blauwestad
Children using the City App
Unique floating villa in Amsterdam for sale
This unique floating villa located in IJburg, Amsterdam is now for sale.
Koen Olthuis speaks on BODW Hong Kong
His speech was very well received at Asia’s largest and leading annual event on design, innovations and brand
Koen Olthuis speaks on BODW Hong Kong
Click here for the website
Koen’s speech in the Culture and the City Session was very well received.
Business of Design Week (BODW) is a flagship event organised by Hong Kong Design Centre since 2002. Each year, BODW brings to Hong Kong some of the world’s most outstanding design masters and influential business figures to inspire the regional audience on creative thinking and design management. In addition, it also provides a valuable platform for participants to network, exchange ideas and explore business cooperation. Today, BODW enjoys the reputation as Asia’s leading annual event on design, innovation and brands.
Inhabitat interviews Olthuis, Global Mobile Assets
Inhabitat, Bridgette Meinhold, July 2014
INHABITAT INTERVIEW: Water Architect Koen Olthuis on How to Embrace Rising Sea Levels
Sea levels are rising, floods are prevalent, and cities are at greater risk than ever due to climate change. Now that we’ve accepted these facts, it’s time to design and build more resilient structures. Koen Olthuis, one of the most forward-thinking and innovative architects out there, has a solution for rising sea levels. His solution: Embrace the water by incorporating it into our cities; creating resilient buildings and infrastructure that can handle extreme flooding, heavy rains, and higher water. Olthuis and his team at Waterstudio.nl have been showing coastal communities the benefits of building on the water. With countries like the Maldives and Kiribati having to build oceanside or move in order to escape rising sea levels, New York learning to battle storm surges, and Jakarta dealing with massive flooding, embracing water may be our only option for survival. We chatted with Olthuis about how coastal cities can become more resilient in the face of change—read on for our interview!
Eerste City App klaar voor inzet in sloppenwijk
Architectenweb, June 2014
De Stichting Floating City Apps presenteert de eerste concretisering van het City Apps-concept, bedacht door architect Koen Olthuis. De Communication App is een drijvende eenheid die in waterrijke sloppenwijken een sociale of educatieve rol kan spelen.
De City Apps zijn drijvende eenheden, gebaseerd op een standaard zeecontainer op een drijflichaam, en kunnen verschillende functies vervullen. De eenheden zijn door Koen Olthuis van architectenbureau Waterstudio.NLbedacht om op relatief eenvoudige manier de leefomstandigheden in sloppenwijken aan en op het water, zogenoemde wetslums, te verbeteren.
De Stichting Floating City Apps presenteert de eerste concretisering van het City Apps-concept, bedacht door architect Koen Olthuis. De Communication App is een drijvende eenheid die in waterrijke sloppenwijken een sociale of educatieve rol kan spelen.
Vorige maand is de Communication App met tablets en twee grotere beeldschermen getest door een schoolklas van 25 kleuters. Het digitale klaslokaal functioneerde succesvol, volgens de Stichting Floating City Apps. De Communication App is nu klaar om te worden ingezet, wat waarschijnlijk binnenkort in de Filippijnen gaat gebeuren.
Drijvende functie-uitbreidingen
De City Apps zijn drijvende eenheden, gebaseerd op een standaard zeecontainer op een drijflichaam, en kunnen verschillende functies vervullen. De eenheden zijn door Koen Olthuis van architectenbureau Waterstudio.NL bedacht om op relatief eenvoudige manier de leefomstandigheden in sloppenwijken aan en op het water, zogenoemde wetslums, te verbeteren.
Olthuis vergelijkt de City App met de functie-uitbreiding van de smartphone. De sloppenwijk is de hardware; de installatie van City Apps voegt daaraan functies toe. Verschillende drijvende uitbreidingen kunnen de wetslum voorzien van energie, sanitaire voorzieningen, waterzuivering of een leslokaal.
De nu gerealiseerde Communication App dient als een sociaal en educatief platform. Tablets zijn verwerkt in wandmeubels, die zijn vervaardigd uit solid surface-materiaal, dat sterk en ongevoelig voor vocht en vuil is en kwalitatief fraai oogt. De Communication App geeft de bewoners van de sloppenwijk toegang tot internet en daarmee mogelijkheden als particulier ondernemerschap of leren in groepen.
Flexibel inzetbaar
Volgens de architect bieden de City Apps in het algemeen kleinschalige ‘bottom-up’ oplossingen , afgestemd op de behoeften in een specifieke wetslum. Daarbij zijn ze flexibel inzetbaar: er hoeven geen (al dan niet omvattende) projectplannen te worden ontwikkeld, maar er kunnen steeds aanpasbare en herbruikbare eenheden worden ingezet. Als ze niet meer nodig zijn, kunnen ze eenvoudig worden verplaatst naar een andere locatie.
Het idee is een uitwerking van de inzending App-grading Wet Slums, waarmee Waterstudio.NL in 2012 de Architecture & Sea Level Rise Award heeft gewonnen. Vorig jaar hebben Olthuis en Menno van der Marel de Stichting Floating City Apps opgericht om daadwerkelijke implementatie van de drijvende eenheden in wetslums wereldwijd te verwezenlijken.