The Amphibious architecture

An alternative flood mitigation strategy for the Amazon region

Resumen

The intensification of the Amazon’s hydrological cycle due to climate change has rendered traditional static elevation methods like "palafitos" inadequate, leading to severe socioeconomic losses and human displacement. This research explores amphibious architecture—structures that rest on land but rise with floodwaters—as a sustainable mitigation strategy. Drawing on successful implementations in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, the study proposes a low-cost retrofit for traditional Amazonian dwellings. These houses, already raised on stilts, can be modified using buoyancy platforms made of recycled plastic and vertical guidance posts crafted from local hardwoods like Huacapu. Beyond technical feasibility, amphibious retrofits offer profound cultural and economic advantages by preventing forced resettlement and maintaining the ancestral spiritual relationship between communities and the river. Unlike intrusive levees, this passive strategy works in harmony with the ecosystem. However, the Amazon’s high-velocity currents, reaching 7 km/h, present significant engineering challenges regarding lateral forces and structural durability. The study emphasizes that while the potential for resilience is high, technical refinements are required. Consequently, it is necessary to develop the topic in more detail with a technical and realistic vision that adapts to the hydrographic conditions of each location