House on the Thames

The House on the River Thames is the UK’s first Amphibious home. It is located on a small island in South Buckinghamshire. On this island, homes are built on top of wooden piles to protect them from water level fluctuations. When the owners of the River House decided to build a new home, they found out they would need 2.5 meter tall piles to protect the house from severe floods, which are becoming increasingly common along the Thames. This level of elevation was not desirable, and so an amphibious house was constructed instead. 

The house sits in the ground. When the pit in which the house sits fills with water, the concrete basement acts like the hull of a boat, which allows the house to float. Four metal guidance posts on the sides of the structure keep the floating house in place. Utilities are provided through flexible service pipes, remaining connected and functional as the house moves. However, the house is not intended to be occupied while floating. This section of the Thames has flow gauges that would provide early warning about two days before a flood, allowing the occupants to evacuate before the house begins to float and return to their property as soon as the floods recede. 

The house also has a large, terraced garden which is planted with native flood resilient species. The terraces provide a benchmark to observe the rising water for the occupants; once the water reaches the top level of landscaping, the house will begin to rise.