Finch Floating Homes

Floating homes are the future. Locally-produced, affordable and sustainable living for the vulnerable delta’s of developing economies.

Long Description

What is it like to have wet feet twice a day? In the overpopulated deltas of the Philippines, people live in areas that experience daily flooding. The floods are caused by a combination of tides, heavy rainfall and land subsidence, and are worsened due to climate change, population growth and the low quality of housing. The demand for safe and affordable housing is immense, yet available dry land is scarce.

We believe that floating and amphibious housing is the future. Living with the water allows for natural water runoff ecosystems, while the inhabitants can live safely and comfortable. Furthermore, floating homes free up and transform areas that were previously inaccessible for safe living. Floating houses can already be found in deltas around the world, but we believe that the concept has not yet realized its potential to provide a safe and affordable living solution in developing countries.

Based on our field research in the Philippines, we have designed the Finch Floating Home in collaboration with TU Delft and Finch Buildings. Using a barrel-floating foundation and prefabricated design, the home is designed based on the common housing wishes of a Filipino family. We focus on combining the qualities of healthy and sustainable design with the use of local material and prefabrication. Through established local connections we will be able to test the first prototypes on abandoned fishponds and rice paddies in the city of Hagonoy. The Floating Homes will make living possible in areas otherwise unsuited for safe and healthy habitation.