Architect Lira Luis is trying to build levitating houses to prevent flooding. She hopes to build a floating villange on an island in the Philippines, where floods occur frequently. Others in low-lying areas have tried building floating structures or homes on stilts to address rising sea levels, but Lira Luis is trying to avoid the issue by not having the house touch the ground at all.
The concept utilizes magnetic levitation, which is already used in some transport systems, including Japanese bullet trains. Her idea for buildings wouldn't engage with water or the ground at all and would be accessible by ladders or bridges or even helipads or jetpacks in the future.
The current model is just 13 ounces and can levitate 1.5 inches off the ground.
Levitating House Concepts
The Lira Luis Prototype for Flood-Avoiding Homes Don't Touch the Ground
Trend Themes
1. Levitating Homes - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop and commercialize magnetic levitation technology for residential buildings to prevent flooding and other natural disasters.
2. Floating Villages - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create self-sustaining communities on water using magnetic levitation technology for homes, commercial buildings, and infrastructure in flood-prone areas.
3. Accessible Architecture - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Design and construct buildings that are accessible through alternative modes of transportation, such as ladders, bridges, helicopters, drones, and jetpacks.
Industry Implications
1. Construction - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement magnetic levitation technology in residential and commercial building construction to create flood-resistant buildings.
2. Real Estate - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop floating communities using magnetic levitation technology as a solution to rising sea levels and flood damage in coastal areas.
3. Transportation - Disruptive innovation opportunity: Adapt magnetic levitation technology from transportation systems to create new modes of accessible and eco-friendly transportation for urban infrastructure.