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Course · 300 h · 5 modules
Course in Amphibious and Floating Architecture
The Course in Amphibious and Floating Architecture Introduces you to the design of amphibious and floating buildings, an emerging response to sea level rise and the shortage of land in coastal and riverside cities. You will learn
Duration300 h
FormatOnline
Starts16 November
Places20 / 20
Prior knowledge
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Programme overview
What is the Course in Amphibious and Floating Architecture?
The Course in Amphibious and Floating Architecture
Introduces you to the design of amphibious and floating buildings, an emerging response to sea level rise and the shortage of land in coastal and riverside cities. You will learn the principles of buoyancy and stability, types of platform and mooring system, connecting services, suitable materials and the regulatory challenges of building on water, analysing existing projects and their limitations.
Key advantages
- An emerging field: A growing building type for cities exposed to water.
- Technical grounding: Buoyancy, stability and mooring principles explained for architects.
- Real projects: Analysis of existing floating and amphibious buildings and neighbourhoods.
- A critical view: The technical, economic and regulatory limits of these solutions.
- Case study: An outline design for a floating or amphibious home.
Programme type
Course
Study mode
Online
Duration
300 hours
Modules
5
Programme highlights
- Understand flotation: Apply the principles of buoyancy and stability.
- Choose the system: Compare pontoons, hulls and amphibious foundations.
- Connect services: Solve water, power and drainage on the water.
- Navigate regulation: Understand the legal challenges of building on water.
- Broaden your profile: Specialise in water-adapted architecture.
- Train to design architecture that lives with water instead of resisting it.
Curriculum
Programme Structure
The programme is structured in 5 modules, listed below in order of study.
01
Architecture and Water
- Building with water through history
- Building types: amphibious, floating and elevated
- Drivers: risk and flooding
- Floating neighbourhoods around the world
- Advantages and limitations
02
Technical Principles of Flotation
- Buoyancy and displacement
- Stability and centre of gravity
- Behaviour in waves and wind
- Loads and weight distribution
- Freeboard and safety
03
Platforms, Foundations and Moorings
- Concrete pontoons
- Steel and lightweight platforms
- Amphibious foundations with vertical guide posts
- Piles and mooring systems
- Durability in fresh and salt water
04
Services, Materials and Sustainability
- Flexible service connections
- Drainage and wastewater management
- Energy and self-sufficiency
- Lightweight, durable materials
- Ecological impact beneath the platform
05
Regulation, Feasibility and Design
- Legal status: building or vessel
- Permissions and public waters
- Insurance and finance
- Urban integration and access
- Case study: outline design for a floating or amphibious home
Workload
Study Time and Workload
300 hours of study, online and at your own pace. Move the slider to the hours a week you can really put in.
Hours a week8
Weeks to finish—
You finish around—
Who it is for
Architects and architecture students: interested in water-adapted building types Civil engineers and naval architects: who want to apply their knowledge to buildings Urban planners: who plan flood-prone areas Developers and builders: exploring new property products Local authority officers: who assess proposals in exposed areas
Faculty
Academic direction and faculty
The teaching team at Navalis: working professionals who deliver and oversee the institute's programmes.
Eng. Diego Cifuentes
Cap. Javier Abaroa (MCA)
Dr. Pau Ferrer
Dr. Nuria Llobregat
Eng. Javier Bañuls
Eng. Sofía Marquina
Eng. Tomás Riera
Verified reviews
Student Reviews
Reviews collected and verified by Opynio, not written by us.
Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
- 01Understand the building types
- 02Apply flotation principles
- 03Select platforms and moorings
- 04Design building services
- 05Assess feasibility
- 06Develop an outline design
Careers
Career Opportunities
01Water-specialist architect: Amphibious and floating projects in architecture practices.
02Building adaptation consultant: Solutions for buildings in flood-prone areas.
03Product development specialist: New residential models on the water.
04Local authority adviser: Assessing proposals in exposed areas.
Questions
Entry Requirements
Amphibious buildings sit on the ground and only float during a flood; floating buildings sit permanently on the water.
No. It works best in sheltered water such as docks, canals or lakes; in open sea the technical challenges are much greater.
No. Flotation principles are explained in an applied way for architecture and planning profiles.
No. It is a specialist course and does not replace an accredited degree or the calculations of a qualified engineer.
An outline design for a floating or amphibious home, covering platform, mooring, services and regulatory fit.
100% online, with a virtual campus available 24/7, live sessions that are recorded, and tutorials with the teaching staff.
The programme involves 300 hours of study. You can work at your own pace within the timetable we give you when you enrol.
Each programme has its own start date, shown on this page and confirmed by our admissions team when you enquire.
On completing the programme you receive the Course in Amphibious and Floating Architecture qualification awarded by Navalis Magna Institute.
Online admissions
Admissions Process
No waiting for a phone call. If your documents are complete, you can pay in the same session.
Entry requirements
Entry profile: Studies or a degree in architecture, engineering, urban planning, design or a related field; or professional experience in construction or planning. Language: A good working level of English to follow classes and materials. Technical requirements: A computer with a stable internet connection, an up-to-date browser and a webcam for live sessions and project presentations. Admissions process: Online application, profile review and a short interview with the academic team. We confirm your start date when you enquire.
Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
Leave your details and admissions will write back. If you already know this is the one, go straight to the application and pay in the same session.