LIFETABLE GREENHOUSE

A couple living by the riverside in Middlesex found their property was being flooded with increasing frequency. Between 2000 and 2014, the property had flooded five times. Fortunately, their home was spared the worst of the water, but their garage was affected significantly. They realized they needed a new place to safely keep their possessions when the flood came, and enlisted BAT Studio to help them construct a flood proof storage area and greenhouse.

Unlike most amphibious projects, the Lifetable greenhouse does not have buoyancy elements which allow it to float. Instead, the structure is lifted with a remote controlled hydraulic system. This is a novel and hightech approach to amphibiation, with its own pros and cons. The user has to activate the system to lift the greenhouse, which differs from a buoyant project, which is naturally lifted by the incoming floodwaters due to its buoyancy. The hydraulic system also requires electricity to function. However, it is an effective approach for this project and this location. There is no need for vertical guidance posts, and no worry about the house settling back into place on top of debris, because the hydraulic legs safely hold the house until it is lowered back into place by the owners.

The structure is formed from glulam, with a mirrored glass facade. It sits on the ground for most of the year, and rises to a height of 800mm during floods. When not in use for storage during floods, it is filled with plants and used as a sitting and dining area.