new south wales Amphibious cabin
A new flood-resilient, amphibious cabin has been installed at Dunbogan Caravan Park on the mid-north coast of NSW, Australia. After severe flooding in 2021 heavily impacted the area and displaced many long-term residents, the park's owners, Cicely Sylow and Stephen Ritchie, sought a solution to improve flood resilience. Architects JDA Co., in collaboration with the park's owners, engineers, and the local council, developed a cabin that rises with floodwaters. The cabin is mounted on a pontoon base with guide piles to prevent it from swaying during flotation, minimizing damage and reducing downtime for residents post-flood. Unlike other flood-proof cabins, this design prevents water from entering the dwelling altogether; therefore, no time is spent hosing out water from the interior or removing walls and floors. Following recognition at the 2024 Caravan Industry Association of Australia conference, the park hopes this design inspires similar projects across Australia, especially in flood-vulnerable areas.
