6 Smart, Flood-Resilient Home Designs Seen at NYIT’s 3C Comprehensive Coastal Communities Exhibit

When <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/hurricane-sandy/">Hurricane Sandy</a> roared across the eastern seaboard last October, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/long-island/">Long Island</a> was hit with devastating storm surges that wrecked thousands of homes. To help rebuild a stronger and more resilient LI community, NYIT's <a href="http://www.nyit.edu/architecture/">School of Architecture and Design</a> teamed up with state officials to form a new organization called <a href="http://op-longisland.tumblr.com/">Operation Resilient Long Island</a> (ORLI). In its latest call for action, ORLI organized the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/designcompetitions/design-a-resilient-housing-typology-for-the-3c-comprehensive-coastal-communities-competition/">3C Comprehensive Coastal Communities Competition</a> to help spur new ideas about resiliency against future storms by creating new housing typologies. The competition drew in 60 design entries from 20 countries, and now NYIT is hosting an exhibit of the top 32 finalists. We got a sneak peek of the show, which was designed and installed by <a href="http://www.3ccompetition.org/meet-the-team.html">Austin Reed</a> and <a href="http://www.nyit.edu/index.php/profiles/details/daniel_horn/">Daniel Horn</a> and picked out six of the most promising concepts - click through our gallery to see them all!

re(Adapt) by <a href="http://archinect.com/ericsmitharch/project/re-adapt">Eric Smith</a> implements the idea of a raised home in a way that it’s hidden by a usable space underneath the home as well as a pair of well placed stairs.

Normally <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-f9-flood-proof-house-stands-tall-above-rising-tides/">raising a home</a> eight to 12 feet will save it from any future flooding, but simply throwing a house on some stilts can ruin the building and community’s original aesthetic.

Rather than fighting nature head-on, Smith believes the correct approach is to adapt homes with more <a href="http://inhabitat.com/how-soft-infrastructure-like-wetlands-and-green-roofs-could-help-protect-nyc-from-future-storms/">natural marsh plants</a> to reduce the saltwater flooding damage and permeable pavers on the driveway to reduce runoff.

<a href="http://clementfabrearchitecte.com/">Clement Fabre</a>’s Comprehensive Transition design suggests a plan to create a cul-de-sac arranged neighborhood with elevated boardwalks to connect all the raised homes. The designers say the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/new-yorks-high-line-park-in-the-sky-opens-today/">floating walkway</a> will encourage neighbors to mingle and allowing them to interact with each other when waiting for emergency rescue.

On top of destroying homes, flooding waters can make it impossible for <a href="http://inhabitat.com/devastating-floods-across-central-europe-cause-widespread-evacuations/">rescue workers</a> or regular folks to get around their neighborhood. With the flooded streets, <a href="http://inhabitat.com/photos-massive-flooding-shuts-down-entire-region-of-northern-colorado/">homeowners are left stranded</a> in their elevated homes.

Adaptive Urban Habitats by Matthew Stoner's design plan proposes building on top of other buildings. Stoner’s concept envisions new flood prepared homes will be built on top of the old neighborhood on stilts—a bit like <a href="http://inhabitat.com/european-environment-agency-says-climate-change-is-already-evident-on-the-continent/">Venice</a>.

It’s a concept that imagines Red Hook and other parts of New York will become flooded over time with <a href="http://inhabitat.com/rising-sea-levels-could-submerge-1700-u-s-cities-by-2100/">rising sea levels</a>. Stoner imagines that the streets become canals, meanwhile, his plan also envisions raised sidewalks will connect the buildings together through the back alleys of the blocks.

On of Stoner's other concepts involves modular housing whose ground floor can be hoisted up, as whole blocks like self-contained shipping containers, to higher elevations in the event of a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/flood-architecture/">flood</a>.

Operating in a similar fashion to <a href="http://noc.ac.uk/research-at-sea/exploration-at-sea/surface-above/measuring-tides">tide gauges</a>, <a href="http://www.linkedin.com/pub/esperanza-lucia-huerta/34/9bb/620">Esperanza Lucia Huerta</a>’s Mantella Amphibious Housing concept used the power of rising tides to elevate homes above the flood line.

Instead of placing a home on top of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/4n-house-fukushima-survivors-new-home-is-raised-on-stilts-in-nara-japan/">stationary stilts</a> that leave a house hovering above the ground, Huerta’s concept home would sit on a dynamic platform of poles and 98% air foam structure that <a href="http://inhabitat.com/man-builds-amazing-geodesic-houseboat-for-just-2000/">rises with the sea level</a>.

Yong Yoo has designed a house that’s already storm proof by design and he’s calling it Shut Up the House. With wooden panels that fold down and storm proof windows, the house essentially packs into a box ready for <a href="http://inhabitat.com/high-altitude-wind-turbines-could-power-nyc/">heavy winds</a> and flooding.

Head down to the New York Institute of Technology’s Manhattan Campus near Columbus Circle for the full exhibit. The exhibit is open right now and will be from Monday to Saturday, 10 AM to 7 PM until October 17.

If that’s not enough resilient architecture to float your metaphorical boat, <a href="https://tedxnyit.eventbrite.com/">NYIT will also be hosting a TEDxNYIT talk</a> on October 10 starting at 9 AM with 14 architects about “the <a href="http://inhabitat.com/tag/resiliency/">resiliency</a> of <a href="http://inhabitat.com/former-director-of-nyc-dept-of-city-planning-says-giant-rotterdam-style-floodgates-could-protect-nyc-from-the-next-superstorm/">resiliency</a>. Following the conference, ORLI will hold an opening reception for the exhibit to announce the competition winners.