flood of ideas

Northbanks Verge aims to facilitate the function of a busy transport corridor with the potential for an inner city exhibit of the river that shapes us. A manipulation of the grade and the offering of alternate pathways proposes an increased network of paths and spaces decreasing the effects of inundation by flooding. Varying the size of spaces and levels along the river, flooding would no longer c

We can’t stop Queensland flooding because we can’t control the rain. Also, it floods because there are things such as buildings and so on which get in the way. So,we need to grow more paperbark trees because these trees soak up lots of water. We also need to build our houses and buildings underground so that when it floods, they don’t get damaged. These underground houses will need a very lo

Design for flood-prone houses with examples built in NSW (with or without refuge). Design accommodates impact of still water or a moving floodway, is resistant to lateral forces and uses flood- compatible materials.

Through community art installations in our communities and suburbs we can all help to inform each other and new residents to the area of the impact of floods. What is your idea for a community art project?

To flood proof Brisbane I have created Banana Shoes! Everyone will walk around with bananas on their feet and when it feels water up to 30cm high, it blows up into a big Boat! SO you will be cruising in a banana that is a boat. No socks needed!

During times of disaster, mobile phone users should immidiately be able to freely roam on any network. e.g. a vodafone user should be able to use a telstra network. This can prevent people from entering danger areas because the person they are trying to contact does not have mobile coverage.

We can’t stop Queensland flooding because we can’t control the rain. Also, it floods because there are things such as buildings and so on which get in the way. So,we need to grow more paperbark trees because these trees soak up lots of water. We also need to build our houses and buildings underground so that when it floods, they don’t get damaged. These underground houses will need a very lo

The design here is based primarily around ideas of fluid terrain, flood resilience, the tidal nature and natural systems. Tidal influences relate to the reintroduction of the New Farm Creek so that any water levels above the standard high tide level will flood the lower walkway. This creates an outside influence that will affect and interact with users on a regular basis. By doing this it will

NEW.FARM is a hypothetical scheme for Brisbane’s river suburbs that retrofits a response to the landscape into the existing city fabric. It is a rearrangement more than a re-design, building on the opportunities presented by the adaptable ‘Queenslander’ house type. NEW.FARM makes a distinction between ‘flood plain’ and ‘high ground,’ and presents a strategy for each. Dwellings on

We can flood proof Brisbane by using a machine that has two buttons. One for sending the water to Wivenhoe Dam and one for sending to taps in houses . So when the rain falls out of the sky that amount of water goes into Wivenhoe Dam and the tap water for the houses.

In exploring the recommendation of a ‘regulating reservoir’ at the junction of the Stanley and Brisbane rivers, Colonel John Pennycuick presented two ideas for important issues that would arise from the construction of this dam. The first idea addressed who would control the reservoir. He believed that: “…the absolute control of the regulation be placed in the hands of an individual

The Handful of Treasures concept aims to defend Brisbane’s man-made treasures contained within the Cultural precinct while enhancing the natural treasures of Kurilpa Point and surrounds by allowing flood waters to enter the land thereby gradually increasing the resilience of the area.The design embraces the processes of natural geological deposition and erosion of the Kurilpa Point river bend ar

Due to the fact that over an estimated 59% of the recent Queensland floods were caused by runoff from Wivenhoe Dam, a viable solution would be to have secondary, backup dams in place in case of overflow of the main dam. In the case of Wivenhoe Dam, Lake Samsonvale and North Pine Dam are feasible. Although as of 2009 Samsonvale was at 100% capacity, it is connected directly to the coast and these r

TIPPING POINT is a concept that celebrates and embraces the dynamic nature of a fluid terrain1. It responds to the landscape as an ephemeral entity that is constantly shifting and evolving through time. It is a system that can absorb disturbances, change and self-organise to cope with flooding. This design embraces the dynamic interplay between the environmental systems of the Brisbane River an

Rivers flood and urban rivers behave differently to natural waterways. One of the most significant flood causes in most river systems is the reduction in channel capacity caused by development and management. This slows down the release of urban water, exaccerbating the impact of the rural catchment. The Brisbane River recently flooded upstream to at least AHD 7.5 but in Newstead it was AHD 2.5 (a

To flood proof Queensland… we need to build houses on the hills. This will protect the important things if it does floods on lower ground. To help stop it flooding though we also need to put holes in the ground which lead to big underground tanks. This will also stop us from running out of water or going back into drought.

Everyone has a Grapple to get away from water.

During the devastating 2011 Brisbane flood, many watched their homes slowly disappear under the rising floodwaters, unable to do anything. This postcard looks at the idea of the “IKEA” house where occupants are able to dismantle all or part of their home into easily transportable components. In areas prone to flooding, we could look towards more temporary, transportable buildings that can be r

Most buildings are made of timber which is very vulnerable to flood waters and cyclones. I would suggest using reinforced concrete buildings with  two or three stories.

Picture 1: House on the Ground This image is of a normal house on the bank of the Brisbane River in 100 years time, when anything is possible. If this house had no technological advances then it would almost certainly be inundated with water. Option 1: House with legs This house can easily grow a large pair of legs that can walk it all over the city, to vacant land so the house will be safe dur

To help flood proof Brisbane… you can use helicopters that have big buckets. These big buckets can be dipped into the Brisbane River to lower the water level and stop the water overflowing into the city. The water in the buckets can then be taken to dry land or places that need water.

To flood proof Queensland we need to put lots more drains into the ground of the cities and towns. The water that goes onto the ground in the cities will then go into these drains and be taken away to rivers and dams and so on.

Knock down old low density areas on badly affected floodplains. Replace with self-funding high-rise residential towers scattered on floodplain and accessed by flood proof tunnels. Increase flood conveyance of the floodplain around the scattered residential towers.

Just like the UV and Fire Danger Index, when the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) is above 20, East Coast QLD should be declared as having a high flood danger and people should be warned to prepare.

This landscape concept is based on the understanding that whilst the Brisbane River is a system that can be completely described by ecological rules and mathematical equations, the system is more than capable of producing outcomes that are entirely unpredictable. It is then the focus of this concept to develop conditions within the River System that look at creating new landscape typologies whi

Brisbane City Council said almost one years worth of landfill was picked up during last months clean-up - 291,000 tonnes of rubbish... It would seem that many people were unprepared for the flooding in their neighbourhood or were unable to remove their property in time. The Flood Response Tower is an multi-layered and multi-functional structure, which will better equip neighbourhoods and reside

One of Brisbane River’s most prominent winding bends is on the West End bend (Orleigh Park). Where the river narrows significantly into a hair-pin bend and only tightens moreso on exit. This sharp and narrow bend in the river potentially lies home to signifacnt water velocity measures, as the river rushes into and out of the West End bend. There is an opportunity to use this significant hair-pi

A dutch company Dura Vermeer has already built houses in Maasbommel along the Maas River that will rise when there is flooding. The foundations are set into the river bank.

Overall the device causes Austrlia to defy gravity and tips all the water out of Australia.All the islands around Australia will have force fields that prevent unwamted mounts of rain setting in and flooding the islands , including Tasmania. THere will be jet turbines the size of 20000 elephants . The jet turbines will flip Australia over and tip all the unwantedwater out into the sea.

Dross:Strata - accepts the idea that the next rapid growth phase of the adaptive cycle will create socioeconomic and cultural densification on the higher terrain. Therefore what uses will be appropriate to be included within the fluid terrain to avoid it becoming defunct? This concept suggests a need to visualise and seize design opportunities that can manifest themselves on new (previously wasted

Plant solid trees on the side of the house or property that would be expected to be hit first by any flood. This would serve to stop floating debris from hitting the main property. Design and image by Daniel Smith.

Inspired by the original 80s Safety House scheme, the idea of a Powerhouse sticker which would be nationally recognised as a source of power in an emergency situation. Constructed of solar panels and power sockets and attached to a power pole so that once it gets wet the base would float up. It would be placed on the high end of a previously flooded street and be vandal proof. It could also bec

As part Colonel Pennycuik’s report for the Queensland Government in 1899, he references an idea that he received in the form of a letter by Mr R. M. Stuart. Stuart’s idea was to create a diversion canal from the ‘left bank’ of the river (north bank) near the old cemetery (assumed to be the original North Quay cemetery) and rejoining it near the mouth of Breakfast Creek, thus relieving t

Recognise and put value into these services. In most cases they represent the most cost effective solutions. An obvious first idea is to require urban water utilities to fund landholders to manage their properties so that downstream water quality is improved. Saves on treatment costs and saves on marine pollution.

Another low smaller dam below Wivenhoe is needed. LEGISLATED SO THAT IT IS ONLY FOR FLOOD MITIGATION, not quietly left full for population growth or drought. This would be cost effective, could be used for grazing at all other times. High enough to hold flood releases only, and emptied in a contolled manner after flooding possibilities ease. Like they have in the deserts of Arizona! Could be an ea

3rd Year Landscape Architects at QUT will this semester explore ideas for celebrating the tidal and hydraulic characteristics of the Brisbane River near QUT Gardens Point. Highly speculative ideas will be generated during our exploration of how QUT, Parliament House and North Bank might become reacquainted with the River – an historic relationship that was separated by the Riverside expressway.

A landscape planning approach to flooding in an approaching era of climate change and resource depletion.... T.O.Ds: Transit Oriented Development. G.O.Ds: Green space Oriented Development. Small urban centres based around community green spaces for recreation and productive land use. This land use could include parks and gardens, community gardens for niche food production, food education a

Step 1: Start with an engineered solution to regular inundation. Step 2: Minimise stormwater runoff. Step 3: Transpose this concept onto your landscape, integrating the engineered solutions with urban design. In this example, a vibrant urban community in the heart of the city, where public space, high density living, retail and commercial opportunities are integrated with a landscape t

This design allows for jetties and pontoons to be raised out of the water during flood conditions. A crane-like winch housing forms landfall end of jetty. Jetty connection with pontoon is a pivot. During flood conditions jetty/pontoon can be winched out of the water - like a cranes boom. Pivot connection allows pontoon to swing freely as lifted - like a ferris wheel carriage. Advantages of

I lived across the park from Fairfield Gardens, the lowest house in Sydney Street, Fairfield, Brisbane. I came home early on Jan 11, and my wife and neighbour and I packed and moved as many things as possible. Firstly, upstairs, and then up the hill when I realized that upstairs would not be enough. BUT, I could not get reliable information about what high enough meant. Please consider painting tw

On the 12 October 1893, during the Queensland Parliament’s Legislative Assembly Debate, Andrew Lang Petrie, Member for Toombul, asked the Premier if the government intended to offer premiums to engineers and others for the best plans for diverting the flood waters of the Brisbane, Burnett and Mary Rivers in order to prevent repetition of flood disasters and to use the water usefully. Then Pr

City Connection will provide the people of Brisbane with a flood proof Promenade that will increase the connectivity between Brisbane and its River. The design also increases the Height of the Prominent River Wall that separates the Brisbane River from the land on the East Side of Kangaroo Point (East Point). This will not only prevent future flood waters from spilling in to the Riverside homes an

The wet marker & weather station is a digital warning and education centre that can be installed as a standalone object or fixed to existing structures such as bus stops, light poles and buildings in key flood risk public spaces. The device is activated and maintained by key government bodies allowing quick data upload from remote locations ensuring the information is up to date and relevant. O

To flood proof the Brisbane River… we need to make it deeper. If this doesn’t work because we get too much rain, we can build temporary walls which are supported by steel bars. This will keep the water flowing in the river and not going into the city.

The Flood Adaptive Queenslander addresses the issue of flood protection with the question, “Why demolish and rebuild, when you can adapt?”. Our proposal suggests building an extension onto and above existing Queenslanders. Normally this space would provide additional living area for the occupants, but during a flood would provide a higher habitable area which could be used for emergency accomm

Over the past decade climate and flood modelling and geographical information systems have revolutionised our ability to map and communicate flood risk. No longer are the black box computations of hydrologists hidden away in tables of numbers in the appendix of a door stop report. Contemporary modelling and mapping techniques now allow us to look beyond the old blue line of inundation which typ

Design a flood free route for an additional two lanes of the Bruce Hwy. In this way the two new lanes will provide for a dual carriageway over the total length of the current two lane sections. This will allow for two lanes each way during normal operation. During major flood events the newly constructed two lanes will allow for flood free movement of traffic but only one lane each way. This propo

My idea is to pick up rubbish from after the floods. There is a truck and it has five rubbish bins at the back and it has two claws to pick up all the rubbish. The driver has controls to control all of the claws. It is called the Rubbish Pickerupper 6000. I had this idea because from the flood a lot of rubbish was swept everywhere and it was a problem for the people. The Rubbish Pickerupper 60

My idea is simple and cheap. The risk of drowning could be reduced if all people in flood prone areas have ready access to PDF Type 1 life jackets that help to keep their head above water until they can save themselves or be rescued.

Mark a power pole or have a permanent marker in each street that was flooded, showing the level of the water and the year that it flooded, to make people aware that the street they may be buying or renting in was flooded. This will also inform residents of whether or not they will be eligible for flood insurance prior to buying or renting a property.

My idea is to measure the water around flooded houses every day. It is a water sucker and a measure stick. The stick measures the water going up and down and if the stick goes under water the water sucker starts to work. It sucks up the water and some rubbish, but not a lot of rubbish. There is a camera that sees rubbish in the water and a rubbish pickerupper can get it. The water sucker puts

A barrier should be built around creeks ans rivers to prevent flooding. A pipe vgoes to Africa to stop them having droughts or converts to ocean. Scanners would be used to see if there are leaks or breaks.

Nature in its simplest form uses the sun to create a cycle. When rain falls on an undeveloped site, it is softened by the trees, some is absorbed by leaves and then the rain falls on the undergrowth where the flow of water is slowed by the plants. Water uses the plant to infiltrate into the earth with a small percentage running off to creeks then rivers. The plant then transpires water back into

Establish the B.R.I.S.B.A.N.E. Fund, ie the Brisbane Regional Inundation Savings Bank and Natural Emergency Fund. The Fund would collect $20 per person per year (increasing annually with CPI) from everyone in the Brisbane Region. This would raise $50M in the 1st year increasing to $80M by 2026. The accumulated real value over 25 years allowing for interest on deposits and inflation would be app

While devising short and medium term solutions to this problem, there should be a long term plan to phase out as much development as possible from the floodplain. Otherwise we will keep paying the price of living in a floodplain.

The ‘Stump Jump Flood House’, designed by PHAB Architects, is an experimental housing concept that combines The Queensland House with a floating jetty. It re-imagines the Brisbane City Council Subtropical Cities Competition winning entry, ‘Stump Jump House’, from 2005. Inspired by the tragic events of the 2011 Queensland floods (where televised images showed timber houses torn loose fro

This image shows a 60sqm full brick house on a 300 thick reinforced concrete raft foundation, complete with continuous/attached perimeter wall 150 thick and 750 high. The top of the wall in this case is to the local flood design level but could be constructed to window sill height, approx. to 1.2m above floor level, for the same cost. The level access to the house is through a gate which could

This is basically an image to get people to think about if we have actually seen what the river can do, and should we be preparing for the river to rise or change its course. It is also about what would it mean for Brisbane if the water did rise another couple of meters...

After the recent Brisbane floods there was an overwhelming response by the public to assist in the clean up. The co-ordination however left many eager volunteers with nowhere to go. If volunteers were allocated a response area prior to the event it would greatly reduce the confusion and allow for quick, efficient action.

To flood proof Queensland… each house needs to have a drain. These drains lead to underground tunnels which take the water to the REALLY BIG underground dam away from the city/town. There is a gate that lets water stay or go to water plants or to houses or other towns.

I love living in West End - it is a great community, keeps our carbon footprint small, close to work, school, church and entertainment. I save much time avoiding long and slow commuting. I am ready and willing to take the risk that my property will flood from time to time, as it did this January. Also, because it is my choice to live in West End and reap the daily rewards, I dont expect flood-reco

Terminals are placed in very loose spaces or just on the edge of a space. They also usually have poor flows and they fail to have any connection to the space behind them. This master plan explores using the terminals as a way for Brisbane to create a connection with its river. They are used to create better flows, improve connectivity and to remove the hard edge and create more awareness of the �

This is my DIMONDILIA SEMI DOME. If a flood ever occurs the flood will hit the very hard glass bowl and not come in and trash the whole of Brisbane. This is effective and the people of Brisbane do not need to feel like they have spent their whole lives in a gigantic glass dome. It is called SEMI DOME because it is a dome with no top so people can breathe and have that lovely air. This may have a d

While there was a great sense of community after the flood and many volunteers emerged to help those affected, Ive been asked to flag that some of those impacted werent necessarily happy about how the situation was handled. Im told that in many cases, too much was thrown out that need not have been discarded and that apparently sometimes volunteers didnt respect the homeowners desire to be the one