Exploring the severe effects of population increase and global warming on future living conditions over the world, Manila-based architecture firm dada has introduced the “currents for currents” floating housing solution for the coastal communities. Originally set in the Philippine context, the proposal aims to combat the vulnerability of waterfront areas in the face of harsh natural calamities, as well as the lack of reliable power infrastructure in these far-flung regions.

Coastal communities are “caught in the cross fire between the scarcity of land and resources, and the rising tides and storm surges brought about by the sea” dada shares. They are forced to live in the most volatile conditions, thus they are in dire need of safe and sustainable shelters, creating room for an innovative solution bringing architecture and the sea together. With blue as the new green as the design philosophy, the currents for currents project can provide resilient, flexible living structures that can adapt to the sea’s ever-changing conditions.
The heart of the project lies in its design which utilizes the unique at-sea context to the structures’ operational advantage. The houses are powered by both tidal and solar energy, harvested by technological systems incorporated within the units themselves, rendering the entire community to be completely off-the-grid and self-sufficient. These systems not only provide each unit with ...