flood of ideas

Storms and floods habitually cut electricity services. In a regionalised State, many communities rely upon power generated a great distance away often transmitted by a single strand of cables. This is wasteful and could be avoided. Setting up regional communities with distributed and community generation capacities, removes the waste and the vulnerability of regions to power blackouts during flood

Buildings that float

Cover QLD in a globe like in the Simpson movie.

To stop Queensland from flooding… we need to put more holes in the ground. These holes lead to pipes which carry the water away.

If building move onto higher ground

To have more drains and grass that soaks a lot more.

To decrease flooding danger, make a carriage that lines up to a high point or hill.

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.

Generate hydro electricity to power pumps on high ground.

Leave control of flood gates to the professionals and not some idiot who dont know nothing form government.

Try to clean the pipes from rubbish, because small things could make a disaster!

Establish a State fund to rehabilitate and protect natural environmental features on floodplains and coasts. Connecting a network of natural coastal features- sand dunes, mangroves, wetlands, beaches to their optimal functions will act as a barrier between the ocean and settlement-right up the coast of Queensland. Fund floodplain rehabilitation to allow floodplains to function and flow naturally,

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

Dutch house boats on canals are floating on cement pontoons. Japanese floating airport resists ocean waves.

Canterlever Kitchen and bathrooms to raise items above flood waters.

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.

Evacuate to the moon

Really, this is for the Toowoomba and Lockyer valley area: Construction of an emergency mechanism stretching across that creek in Toowoomba at several different points along it – like big fibreglass balloons attached to cables stretched across the creek and as the water level rises to a dangerous level, an emergency siren is activated to alert people to the rising water level. If the source o

The amount of damaging debris that clogs the Brisbane River during flood events, not only pollutes the waterways but also clogs the river with potentially dangerous missiles to the landscape and surrounding infrastructure (bridges, pontoons etc) Orliegh park will be redeveloped as a densely vegetated and largely undulating landscape within the high depositional site which will encourgae deposits

Install hydraulic struts to lift the house from resting level during flood events. Inbuilt winch systems to lift valuable items off ground. Design and image by Daniel Smith.

Dont build on flood plains - it is not complicated.

This design idea is all about challenging how we use floodplains in Brisbane at present, and suggesting more sustainable options. The recent flooding has shown us that the river is not an entirely definable body of water, but part of a fluid terrain. It has also shown us that our urban environment is not always appropriately designed to cope with flood damage. Perhaps it would be better to make th

This idea aims to increase the resilience of various types of infrastructure while accepting the fact that the flooding of the vulnerable terrain of Brisbane is to be a frequent event. The required transformation of these vulnerable areas, in order to achieve this aim, will be possible due to the gradual (over a 100 year period) abandonment by current residential and commercial uses following incr

A return to the original white mans way of living - on stilts

Live on giant boats.

This site is located along the north side of the Brisbane River between the Go Between Bridge and the Goodwill Bridge. At present the site is used primarily as a pedestrian and cyclist thoroughfare. The proposal intends to change the site over an extended period of about twenty years. The change takes into account major deconstruction of the existing motorway with adapted traffic flows as well as

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

This project amends and expands Brisbanes existing Ferry system (both physical forms and operation). Its ultimate objective is to promote a more flexible and durable transport system with a higher capacity to cope with disturbance. Vision Resilience is a process not a trait; it is not just the ability to bounce back to a previous state of operation, it is the ability to learn from experience.

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

Portable flood barriers using pallets. They are easily transportable and a simple metal clip in the corners with a plastic sheet will allow fast flood barriers to protect homes and business. You can fit around 300 pallets on a truck.

In concluding his report for the Queensland Government of recommendations following the 1893 Brisbane flood, Colonel Pennycuick presented two key proposals. The first to create a ‘regulating reservoir’ at the junction of the Stanley and Brisbane rivers and the second, a range of modifications and improvements to the Brisbane river banks. He writes: “The only improvements to the river at B

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

The pylon forest serpentines and wades the wetness of the Northbank reaches of the Brisbane River. Reaching out of the mud it suspends a riparian walk and commuting corridor. Visitors trace out an interpretive journey through the resilient river landscape that is adapting and persevering. This public space provides a large area for recreation and connection between Central Business District str

Houses are to float on pontoons. If flood gets high enough houses float until flood goes down.

The most financially vulnerable have the least capacity to recover from flood. Government subsidized flood resilient affordable housing, and insurance for low socio-economic communities.

Put the city on stilts.

In early 2011 Brisbane was overwhelmed by flood waters to an extent not experienced since the floods in 1974. The devastating effects of the flood have raised many questions about the way we live and how we can prepare for increasingly frequent floods and storms. Could our infrastructure be re-imagined in a way that would not only help us to flood proof our city, but integrate our waterways

With good scientific information and modelling we can create greenspace corridors down our South East Queensland waterways for multiple uses including flash flood /high flow attenuation, water quality improvement, nature conservation and openspace recreation.

A fireproof and waterproof container in which valuables are stored. The enclosure would be available in various sizes with varying security (locking, fire rating and water rating) and methods of fitting. Perhaps economics and/or demand would dictate lower cost boxes that are fire-only or water-only suitable. The idea is that in the event of sudden fire or water ingress the box can be shut/locke

2 and 3 story houses with power (electrics) at the top.

Against the backdrop of the urban Brisbane City skyline and the iconic Story Bridge lies the historic Howard Smith Wharves parkland. This significant site within Brisbane was inundated by the recent January floods, showing the public that there needs to be something done to improve the resilience of the ‘fluid terrain’ (Mathur and Da Cunha, 2006), the space that cannot clearly be defined as ei

Install a buoyant platform the surrounds the house. During flood events the platform will float exposing a protective membrane which will stop flood water damaging the house. Design and image by Daniel Smith.

Give buildings a watertight mode.Selected doors would be replaced with equivalents that included a one-time-use inflatable watertight seal could be deployed around them using compressed air. To deal with windows and drains each building would keep in storage an insert with a similar function (ie. a one time use plug that was enabled using compressed air).When a flood became inevitable building own

Less Water More T-Rex

Proposed is an idea which can be easily and quickly integrated into a site affected by natural disaster. The pods consist of a hexagonal sturdy base with soft non slip foam on top, three interchangeable hexagonal core pieces sitting on a generator and a hexagonal umbrella top. The material for the core is plaspanel plastic and the material for the roof is solar infused tyvek (both clean easily,

Stylish, practical and deploy able housing. Modular housing that can be compacted and transported away from an imminent flood. Houses can be deployed again afterwards.

You could have deep deep wells around the city and very big walls around the city too. And you could have a force field for the roof just if it floods inside. And you could also have an undergraound city so if all fails you could live underground and wait until the floods finish then when the floods wash away you can go back up .

“The Urban Jungle” The current site nestled in between the Go Between bridge and the Goodwill Bridge has proved that the linear systems are offering low resistance. During flooding the disturbance exceeded the systems critical threshold level and the system tipped into a state where it was not resilient to the disturbance. In response…The riverside boardwalk has been extended from William J

We could keep less water in dams or creeks so when it does flood it flows into the dam.

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

Hire and supervise competent engineers

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

Construct a flood canal from the Bremer River across Oxley Creek and along the Logan Motorway to the Bay. Put flood gates on the Bremer River and Oxley Creek to divert that water along the flood canal. Saving the Brisbane River with trying to carry the extra flood water and saving areas like Rocklea etc. from inundation from the Oxley Creek. The Logan Motorway could even be rebuilt over the top

Move all land fill and land reclamation from our flood plains. Land filled by reclamation, dumps, storing of soils, rubble and recycled materials etc, in flood plains, increases future flood levels. It increases flood frequency, speeds up water flow and floods areas previously unaffected. While recycling is a way to a greener future, filling our flood plains is not environmentally sustainable.

There needs to be more accuracy in Councils flood overlays and more effective links between DERM & councils. At present, I am bandied back and forth between councils and DERM about who wants to provide the appropriate information. Most of the time Im told to check with a local who has lived there for a long time.

Need better warning systems Employ competent dam engineers

Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley areas but could be applied to Brisbane or Australia-wide: Modify the phone numbering system to include the post-code of the area affected. When emergency messages need to be sent to specific endangered areas then ring the phones to those post-codes or map-reference numbers. Have heard that in South Australia they use map reference points that are noted on fence pos

House Layout and Description About 60% of the ground floor area is open but at the same time secure. The screening, both metal and timber, allows for potential flood water to pass through with relative ease. The laundry cabinetry and washing machine are constructed on a pulley system and platform that allows it to be elevated and secured when flood levels rise. Positioning of plumbing caters fo

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.

Boat hire scheme to engage with the river.

To flood proof Queensland we could build houses that have extendable stilts/stumps. This means that as the water rises we can just increase the height of our buildings through an automatic system by the press of a button so that the water just flows underneath.

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 site is located between the Goodwill Bridge and Macrossan Street. The site was not severely damaged by the flood waters and showed some resilience in its current state. The aim of the design concept is to increase the response time to remove valuable property before the arrival of a flood and the clean up after the flood, as a redesign of the whole site is not economically feasible. The d

Release flood plains back to river. Move to higher ground

Better planning and development controls - legally enforced Dont permit development on flood plains.

People living in a fish bowl

It is proposed that new buildings located on flood-able areas are to be constructed as light weight structures and are able to be lifted to safe elevation levels as water rise beneath them. The building will be placed on telescopic columns, able to withstand hydraulic pressure to displacement.  The foundations will be designed to fit lifting devices on which the structures will rest on above f

The ‘Floatable House’, designed by Matrix Design & Planning, is a conceptual proposal combining the house with a floating system. The floating system comprises three key components. 1.Movable Footing Due to the renovated structure of reverse trapezium shape struts sleeving concrete ‘mortar’, the building is sitting on the foundation rather than fixed on it. The design increases

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

More dams.

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

Specially designed boats/barges which can put alongside specially designed houses with one wall with huge pneumatic door which can open up to get belongings taken out quickly - if the worst happens!

House with waterproof material on giant floaty (which is inflatable)

The Crown Ecology House was designed over 10 years ago by an innovative Australian Engineer. The house is highly engineered, easy to erect, endorsed by CSRIO and tested to withstand cyclones and earthquakes. This house is ideally suited for flood-prone areas and can be easily erected and constructed. I met the man who designed the house earlier this year and I think it is ideal solution to h

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.

Remember the Nile! Floods were used to great advantage for fertilizing the land along the river. Keep the river flats for market gardens and ensure the environment upstream is clean and healthy.

The pylon forest serpentines and wades the wetness of the Northbank reaches of the Brisbane River. Post expressway, the pylons wade the mud suspending a riparian walk and commuting corridor for people to engage with place, to share ideas and experience Brisbanes future. Connecting people to the greater system, its functions, services and sensitivity to increase the walkable circulation between the

FLUID terrain is more than a physical concept; it also applies to the complex levels of social and economic. The 2011 floods illustrated the RESILIENCE of Brisbane to extreme events and its fluidity to change. This concept proposes that there can be more done on a social level in making Brisbane more resilient to day to day and extreme natural movements of the River. The core idea is that th

Flood inundation of low-lying creek catchments in Brisbane was largely the result of river water rising into the mouths of creeks and across adjacent riverbanks. The large Oxley Creek catchment was flooded through a relatively small breach at the mouth of the creek. This may have been prevented by floodgates installed at Pamphlett Bridge, and linked to a landscaped levee extending less than one

Some streets become canals. Streets have water when flooded. Green-space when no floods.

I would suggest a network of canals and reservoirs  all across our country. The reservoirs can be away from cities in central Queensland/NSW/NT/WA regions. Our coastal area gets too much rainfall /cyclones etc and central Australia is dry. So whenever too much rainfall is in one area, water can be discharged into canals to take the water to any of the reservoirs and the water can be used later on

Imagine you are walking along a timber deck, shaded by the deep green foliage of ferns and palms, smelling the clean air and listening to birds sing while they perch amongst sub tropical flowers. This abstract master plan proposes a city where such an environment exists. As infrastructure ages or is destroyed, it is substituted with better flood adapted design. River edges, currently rigid and imp

Build more houses on hills

Everyone has a Grapple to get away from water.

Stone or concrete markers should be placed in flood zones showing the height of historical floods. This makes people more aware of which areas are prone to flooding and how high floods could possibly go. I know these probably exist already but there should be at least one in every street. This is a low cost way of maintaining public awareness. (Image courtesy of http://www.flickr.com/photos/je

During flood events the houses become an empty shell. The shell is made of strong, resistant materials to withstand the flood waters. After the water has evaporated the shell can be hosed out and the structure can be cleaned with ease. Design and image by Daniel Smith.

On every flood prone development a visual indicator of a flood peak of XXX metres will cause damage. Damage should be specified as water entering the occupied area of the house. The indicator should read the same as the flood reports. Similarly it should be noted on any documents relating to the property. This should include sale and lease documents.  It will give time to save contents and inform

Putting balloons on houses to fly above the water.

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

“Rather than defend against slow changes by means of man- made changes in the landscape, it is less costly and more sustainable to adapt and integrate human settlement to promote restoration of larger- scaled biodiversity processes,” (Ernston, 2009, pg. 534) Today, we are facing an increasing uncertainty of repeated flooding, more devastating that the recent 2011 floods. This means there n

Build things on hills.

Stop building river front mansions and million dollar apartments. Turn the land near the river to a natural parkland... Or pass the flood bill to those who allowed developers to have their way!

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

Colonel John Pennycuick was commissioned by the Queensland Government to investigate the cause and impacts of the 1893 Brisbane flood and provide recommendations for preventing the occurrence of a similar disaster in the future. In November 1899 he published a report that identified the primary cause of flooding in Brisbane as the volume of water arriving upstream from the Stanley River. His ke

SKIP-HOUSE is designed to provide temporary accommodation for flood displaced residents. The concept is simple, REDUCE the amount of embodied energy and processing in creating a 1 in 30 year product by RE-USING an existing implementation system, materials and existing community amenities, and RECYCLE the whole lot. SKIP-HOUSE is delivered in a skip bin at the flood alert stage (rather than just

The Annex is a lightweight beach house that was designed as a weekender for a city based family. The site is 100 m from the beach and faces west over a tea tree coloured creek. The local council required the building to be able to be removed by 4WD within 12 hours of the sea reaching 50 m from the property boundary. This requirement dictated small building pods that can be relocated. To increase

This significant piece of hydraulic infrastructure that would reside close to the existing river system and target low lying suburbs that suffer flood water inundation. The network would relieve the flood water as it occurred by eventual channeling of the water back to the open ocean/bay and effectively bypassing the already flooded river during a flood event.The canal would take the form of both

Reclaim low lying properties in Yeronga to establish a city farm on the south-side of the city. (see Northey St. after 74)

We need to rethink - not Dams but flood mitigation schemes. ie. Lockyer Valley - Bremer River which all flow towards Brisbane

Systems of Cities aims to harness ecology ‘corridor and network’ principles, sustainability and begin to view cities as precincts, showing that living ‘with,’ not ‘on’ an ecological system is resilient and sustainable. By increasing the systems density, linkages and connections points the system increases in resilience and is able to function during and after peak shocks. The design

Build more community centres higher off the ground so people can go there and not be afraid of more flooding.

Build Dwellings in non flood plain areas. Need warnings sooner - not a flood-proofing strategy but more about safety.

This picture is of an inflatable house with the two gods of the water (Poseidon in the bottom left hand door), one a Demi god (Percy in the top right hand corner) and a Saytar (Grover in the right hand window). These people are in the house because they can protect and control the floods saving everyone from dying. The inflatable house idea was because it won’t get blown to bits and it will floa

More and bigger storm water drains

More urban density in non-affected areas. Parks, gardens, spaces in flood-prone areas. Plus better insurance regime for affected people.

Simply people need to have a plan - and not be complacent. Build canals to drain flood water to sea.

Be Prepared. Nothing will stop the flooding but being educated on the best response will reduce the impact. - Have the manual mobile charger idea - Store precious possessions in water tight containers - Have torches/batteries/water on stand by

1. All future housing (living areas) near river subject to flooding to be above the flood line and change height regulation. 2. Place non-return valves in storm water drains going into the river at flood prone areas. 3. Institute a general state flood-insurance scheme.

The amount of damaging debris that clogs the Brisbane River during flood times, not only pollutes the waterways (and adjacent properties) but also cloggs up the river with potentially dangerous missiles to the landscape and surrounding infrastructure (bridges, pontoons etc). One of the Brisbane River’s most prominent depositional banks is on the West End bend (Orleigh Park) where it is one of

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.

Its pretty simple - dont build in flood prone areas in the first place. If you do/have/too late then think seriously about raising the floor height above the flood limit. This was done a lot in Brizzy after 74, and has been done in my rural, river-focused, flood-prone shire. Theres not much anyone can do about flash flooding in areas that dont normally flood, like Grantham, but Council/State could

In 1896 the Queensland Government Hydraulic Engineer John Baillie Henderson published a report on behalf the Queensland Government’s Water Supply Department with preliminary observations and recommendations following the 1893 Brisbane Flood. One idea he put forward was for two large canals to divert flood water from the Brisbane River to the sea. The first canal was proposed to be located

Houses built on a metal block

Our underground body corp basement flooded to 30cm depth. So did all the other basement carparks in our area. This flood came up through sewer and storm water over pressure caps and the building sumps didnt work because the power was out

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

Everyone learn swimming lessons with Superman and Batman.

To flood proof Queensland we could build a mote around the important cities, buildings and houses. This will stop the water getting in because the motes will be really deep. There will also be pipes at the bottom of the motes to take the water to other places.

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 2011 January floods have passed and our city may have been lucky in avoiding severe damage. With the future floods being predicted to be twice as devastating, are we confident that our landscapes will guard us from the next big flood? The New Farm Heart project focuses on the area of New Farm and what steps can be taken in order to make the area resilient to floods. This proposal aims to ma

Put houses on hills and wear life jackets to keep you safe.

Think big and remake Brisbane into a world class city. Focus on house design, even small clusters of housing, misses the main opportunity for Brisbane to reshape the urban fabric at a grander scale. A suitable template for vast urban renewal is found in the Haussmann reshaping of Paris in the late 1800s. By rebuilding multistorey housing / retail / office space along grand arterial roads (with

The URBAN WETLAND is designed as a post flood mitigation device to reduce sediment loads on Moreton Bay and lower catchment areas. This will be achieved through the integration of urban detention and bio-retention basins along the length of the Brisbane River. In recent flood events fluvial discharge of sediments and pollutants were deposited on land only to be subsequently washed back into the Br

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

If extreme weather puts the economy on hold, we don’t have a resilient economy. Every time these events occur the clean up, particularly from the mines is often more damaging, than the extreme weather event. It’s time to design a 21st century economy for Queensland. Now is the opportunity to bring on the public debate about Queensland’s clean economic future and what it looks like.

Location: Lower River Terrace - Kangaroo Point Strategy Equilibrium is a concept that celebrates and embraces the dynamic nature of a fluid terrain. It responds to the landscape as an ephemeral, ever changing entity that is constantly shifting and evolving through time. Equilibrium is a strategy that allows natures balance to co-exist along side human flows and built infrastructure. It heig

Build more dams that can hold much more water.

New Farm is situated on a peninsula that is formed by the Brisbane River. Extensive damage occurred in New Farm during the January 2011 Floods and was mostly caused by the Stormwater Drain System. The flooding created an inland water body that offered low resistance. The neighbourhood suffers from flash flooding on a regularly basis after heavy rains. Raised dwellings will increase the resil

On the advice of the Bureau of Meteorology, during a La Nina phase, cap Wivenhoe at 75%. Again on the Bureaus advice, with an approaching El Nino, increase water storage to 90%. If El Nino comes faster than expected so 90% is difficult to attain, there is now a water grid, desalination plant and water recycle plant to act as a back-up. While the last two produce dearer water, it is far cheaper tha

Re-establish the chain of ponds

This Strategy is considering the next 100 years and aims to: -Accept the condition of the fluid terrain rationale by lowering resistance to it. -Increase the resilience of the different layers of infrastructure. -Explore the opportunities that could exist within the fluid terrain and on its periphery. This page is a condensed version of a strategic plan that is being used to generate a mas

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

Empower community members to better prepare and take step in emergency response situation. The state could provide infrastructure support but peoples on time action is vital.

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

Hover Houses are hovering platforms that can change levels according to the height of the flood. It also has waterproof escalators creating a pathway connecting to the ground. This invention raises the houses above the water level to prevent destruction of houses, hotels, shop and any other structures that are not flood proof. Can support any weight or size and can be adapted in any city or climat

To flood-proof Queensland… we need to use boxes, paper, plastic buckets and put these in our environment. These things can be used to soak up water or hold water. And if you have $900 you can buy more of these things to stop it flooding.

Cloud Seeding

International Ideas Competition For Low Impact Town Environments in Sub-tropical Areas Every man, and yes, his dog wants a piece of the flood rehabilitation pie. The locals and the well-connected have it sorted already. But this is an Australian pie and in fact there are global applications to be found for environmental disaster relief. Why not petition our elected representatives to take th

A point of engagement The Howards Smith Wharves area has been designed to be engaging to the public by providing mixed recreational, functional and educational features. Its key feature is the man made tidal pool located at the east end of the HSW historic site. The site addresses the issue of connectivity through the site with an emphasis on multi user access and acts as a connection node to

Underground Tunnels Food supply tunnels

A mark to remind us all.. Local street art on power poles that indicates flood levels would remind the community of the flood risk in an easily understood manner.

Keep houses light weight and be able to be raised when a flood is signaled.

A better warning system for city - e.g. warn of possible flooding. More sand baggers. Better mapping of flood prone areas.

Construct a leveled levy system to control flooding.

This page is a follow-up to my original idea submitted last month. The detail in this expands on the concept of embracing a fluid terrain for the Kurilpa Point to QPAC river frontage and also addresses the issue of stormwater flooding in the low lying streets behind. In this summary of a larger proposal, the dynamics of mound formation, planting and appearance are explored in greater detail. Some

Even if we do flood again, we need clear insurance policies.

Water management needs to involve liaison between bureau of meteorology and dam managers directly. We had an unnecessary flood because parliamentarians decided we needed to maintain the dams at 100% capacity if at all possible. Result: over 20 deaths, untold misery through insurance backpeddling and losses of livelihoods, homes and dreams. It was well known that the summer would be a wet one. Ca

Wide flood water canals/concrete channels to take large volumes of water away from city Start channel at Brisbane river near Corinda and go mainly east towards the coast or into another water catchment. Large underground pipes could be used but may clog up; open channels wont get too blocked but will need to go through suburbs so many houses will have to be removed. More bridges will have to be bu

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

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 more so on exit. This sharp and narrow bend in the river lies home to significant water velocity measures, as the river rushes into and out of the West End bend. There is an opportunity to use this significant hair-pin corner

To flood proof Queensland… we can put a cover over all the houses. This cover will protect our houses and make sure that the houses underneath don’t flood. The roof will carry the water through pipes to a different spot. The roof will open up in spots to let the rain come in and water our plants and trees and to let sunlight in. There will also be lights under the roof to help the plants grow.

Designed as a dynamic terrain, the site accepts the periodicflooding of the Brisbane River (and stormwater inundationof the low-lying streets) as a normal situation in the life of ariver city, and oers a site that evolves and shapes itself tothese dynamics. At peak flood level (5.4m in this region),areas such as Kurilpa Point, GOMA (see section below) andState Library riverfront and QPAC river

Houses on buoyant platforms that are anchored to weights.

Deep sea disco

Build outside the flood plain Give the land back to the river Build and design houses to allow for basement flooding Position services on high ground

Image www.greenchange.com

- Clean the rivers out - No development on krown low lying land or the council faces large fines.

Make leading edge designed to ride over debris.

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

Multifunctional Parks proposes the meaningful and safe integration of flood detention and stormwater quality measures into parkland. This can lead to higher quality parks, more efficient land use, a reduction in development costs and a reduction in park maintenance costs. These parks can have quick drying active recreational areas (so kids can play sport soon after it stops raining) and functi

Make room for the river - Progressively redesign our urban form to.... MRFTR

Having observed how our river edge infrastructure adapted, or otherwise, to the flood surge it is obvious that more adaptive systems are required. Our case in point is the popular floating boardwalk linking New Farm to the City – half of which became the subject of a dramatic tug boat escort beneath the gateway bridges. This proposition explores a way to replace this structure with a walkw

F=Flood=Flexible Fixed+Flood=Failure

Have people living in flood prone areas sign a waiver form saying they accept the risk they live with - or relocate.

The location of this design is along the eastern side of Kangaroo Point. The key idea was to create openings along the edge of the river to allow floodwater to flow in and out without getting trapped behind barriers or in the low points of the site (such as the top zoomed in plan). The second part of the design was the creation of green space (grassed parks and forest riparian areas) along the riv

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

Log and stone-filled gabion barriers are built into the river along the existing shoreline. Slowly, over time the deposition of soil will create a new publicly accessible riverbank. Eventually a path could be built connecting Merthyr Rd with Stanley Street. This infrastructure would protect the ferry terminal and shoreline from debris and erosion during flooding. Mangroves naturally establish w

The individual and societal response to the March 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan can be studied as an example for what can be achieved in community preparedness. Japanese children undertake regular earthquake drills in schools, and the society is always ready. While the last big event was Kobe 1995, everyone was prepared in March 2011. This is a resilient country. Unfortunately, much of Bris

My idea is the Flood Water Sucker 3000. It can suck up flood water and turn it into fresh drinking water. It has a filter in the machine that makes the water fresh. The water gets sucked up through the pipe into a container. There is a hole in the container and the water falls down into the bucket after going through the filter, and there are cups on the side of the bucket. You can wind up th

Better management of Wivenhoe

1. We should focus on retrofitting. 2. We need to better plan for stormwater not just the river.

A community centre in each town that is higher off the ground.

TIDAL-SCAPE is a concept for the area spanning Merivale Street Bridge to QPAC. Imagine walking through a tidal ecosystem designed, seeded and formed by nature. The system would be both shaped by and reliant on the tide and flooding as a part of its functioning and would serve as a valuable educational resource for both professionals and the public. Through the TIDAL-SCAPE concept nature claims

Build out of flood plains - less density further back.

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.

Move the CBD away from the river!

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

When a flood is coming send council vans with loudspeakers up and down the streets broadcasting local water level estimates. Similar vans are sometimes used when the water mains are being turned off. This would be a more effective way of encouraging people to evacuate than only sending SES door knocking. - Our house flooded, we never saw the SES and many on our street evacuated with no belongings

A small plant, repeated many times, can help prevent our soils collapsing.

Education. What to do in a crisis etc.

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!

We can’t flood proof Queensland because we have no control over the rain, where it goes or how heavily it falls. So what we need to try and do is stop the damage flood water causes. To do this, I think we should build our houses and buildings so that the base is made in the same way to a boat. This would mean that if it flooded again, the houses would simply float and not get damaged.

This is no ordinary Gazebo. Ninety-nine percent of the time it will simply act as a fully equipped outdoor entertaining area, but when a flood hits it is ready for action. The Multi-Purpose Gazebo will float above flood waters on its pontoon-like structure acting as a sealed and lockable island for precious belongings. As the flood waters recede the structure will lower back onto its foundations a

If every Australian resident pays $50 a year to a flood fund, over the years it would accumulate into a lot of money for future flood damage and repairs.

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

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

Build house boats

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

This concept is unrealistic - The reality is Bne is on a flood-plain. We have to construct houses differently and accept that some houses are out of bounds - except for grazing animals

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?

The Cutting Edge concept works with the existing site to create one system of resilience and the physical environment. This concept aims to provide guidance, knowledge and methods to all people worldwide by setting an example of living in flood-prone environments. Human interference and aid of support in a flooding crisis will become something of the past. This concept works with widening threshol

This is a site that evolves and adapts to the changing patterns and flows of the Brisbane River delta system. Islands of rock and silt evolve as material, over time, is deposited and eroded. The architecture on the site exists within this process of territorial construction and decay; the buildings standing on concrete piers like wading birds in a muddy lagoon. Periodic flooding may move, or even

You cant flood proof it just plan development accordingly.

This is a house surrounded by as floaty (made of indestructible material) that inflates when you hit a button. This floaty goes around the perimeter of the house. When the water comes, instead of the water flooding everything, the house will float on top of the water and save everything in it!! To stop the house floating away, ropes will be attached from the floaty to the ground. It also has a m

The picture drawn shows the solution for Brisbane flooding in 100 years. The buildings in 100 years will be underground high-rise buildings of apartments and work buildings. The buildings are not drawn to scale so there would be several more levels to these. They will be made of brick below the ground and the walls and floors above the ground will be made of concrete with rebar to discontinue the

Water regeneration, permeable pavements that allow water to enter the groundwater and slowly enter the river system. Concrete pushes water directly into the water ways.

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

To flood proof our houses we can change how we build them. We can build our houses using concrete as the base. In this concrete we have a plug. This plug has a sensor and when it feels that water is building up over it, it opens and the water is sucked through. This stops it from flooding.

Clear out creeks and minor waterways on a regular basis so that bull rushes and debris dont block the flow of water. Back logged water will flow sideways and inundate properties beside these creeks causing great damage. The bull rushes do trap the debris however they matt together and encompass the debris which is then a home for vermin and it also forms a dam which causes the water to back up w

Cloud Dwellers’ design for the Grantham Flood House won second prize in a competition organised by the Future Housing Taskforce. Our house has been designed with two wings to make it adaptable for a variety of sites. The building fabric uses materials which are resistant to water damage, and are used in a way that is easy to clean and get dry. The building elements are either made with sandwi

For my concept the City Cat Terminals will be used as a way for Brisbane to create a connection with its river. They will be used to create better flows, improve connectivity and to remove the hard edge and create more awareness of the ‘Fluid Terrain.’ BUT DOES THIS CREATE RESILIENCE? Having more of a connection with the adjoining landscape and surrounding space will minimise the exposure of t

Raise houses, turn flood plains into parks. Dont let people build in flood areas.

Hydraulic lift pad to lift valuables from ground level. Rail, block, and tackle built into roof to lift items manually.

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

It cant be done in short period. We have to think to solve the long term climatic hazard. For a developed country like Aus, we need to think and act on CO2 emission mitigation and work on adaptation science. Hope this kind of disaster will not happen to Queensland in future.

Have a warning system that where all residents connected to the water grid (outside river areas), are alerted, and asked to turn on all of their hoses into their gardens (calculate the water drain of one hose and refund that ammount on water bills).

The Brisbane River is an ever evolving entity and should be treated as such. This site is a hub of culture, history and human activity among many other things and any minor disturbance can have drastic effects. This proposal aims to not only improve resilience but the connectivity, coherence and use of the site as well engaging the public with the river which shall promote appreciation and respect

Free up flood data/information. Get over the legal fears/issues.

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...

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

Do not build in flood prone areas

What is it? The Help Seeker is a boat that helps people in flood waters. It is operated by a well-trained person. It has rescue, clean up and high technology features. What does it do? The Help Seeker rescues people in the flood waters. To help it find people it uses a radar. It has amphibious features such as the slow moving wheels that enables it to take people to dry land. Screen techno

There are many ways to respond after seeing the damage done by the floods in Brisbane’s past. But it’s most important that we don’t choose to do nothing. “Hands Held High” is a phrase intended to encourage people to keep themselves dry for the next flood and to put their hands up to participate with the community in making a more flood-proof Brisbane. ...Ignore There’s nothing wors

Constantly moving and changing, rising and falling, the Brisbane River is hugely integral to the layout and design of Brisbane City. It is important that we respect the changing tides and river heights within our city on all riverside and flood prone areas. As a defining piece of central Brisbane, South Bank must be treated in this fashion and must be developed in such a way which it can co-exist

Little platforms with roofs could be built on top of every building with a supply of food. Little safe houses (bombshelters) (without the bomb part)

I am constructing a house that I designed to cope with flooding among other things. My main structural concerns were wind, flooding, and soil instability and movement, followed by fire and termite resistance. The lowest level will be sacrificial non structural infill, or left for carparking, landscaping, or large family gatherings. External covering on the next two levels are corrugated steel, gla

Make land that is closest to the river into farmland (saltwater crops). So even when it floods the water will irrigate the crops.

Dont build on flood plan! Too easy.

The Queensland university could easily be levied against flooding from the Eleanor Schonell bridge (ABT) to just below the athletics stadium.

I don’t think we can flood proof Queensland because we cant control the rain. I think we can just stop the damage floods cause. So, we need to build our houses on a big block of cement. This will make the houses very strong and high so that the water can’t get into the houses, or wash them away.

My idea focuses on the river edge between Howard Smith Waves and Sydney Street Ferry Terminal. The current issue with this area is public river access. The floating walkway was a great solution allowing public river views and interaction; unfortunately it was inundated so I used this opportunity to design a new approach. There are two main parts to my design; a tunnel and UV lighting. To achieve p

After the 1974 flood some engineers proposed that a rock wall be built in the upstream side of the Brisbane River where Oxley Creek enters the Brisbane River. Because of the direction that Oxley Creek enters the Brisbane River , unlike Breakfast Creek or Norman Creek , when the Brisbane River floods the water flows into Oxley Creek and not only fills it up but stops the flood waters from the Oxle

Apply infiltration and retention upstream. Including above Wivenhoe. By slowing the water here we potentially reduce the peak downstream. Such ideas could also reduce pollution including pesticides and fertilizers entering the system.

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.

Floating vegetable produce gardens attached to the river/creek banks (the idea comes from indigenous tribes-people in the Amazon basin)

Have false flood evacuations twice a year so people get used to it instead of staying in their houses being ridiculous.

Our city is built on a floodplain so any idea to flood proof can realistically only ever remain an idea

This machine is called a Scraper Sucker. It is a remote controlled vehicle that scrapes up mud from the floor and sucks it into a bag. I thought of this idea because I know it would be horrible to have mud all through the house and it would feel better if it was gone. It runs on batteries so it can go all through the house. It is water proof and it has a propeller also at the back. So if ther

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.

Having some sort of structure in place that springs up or is quick to install to stop the flood from reaching areas of worst hit/prone. Having this in place along the side of the river that is lower...i.e. Southbank...when prior warning is given then that flood gate is mechanically activated and they spring up...I think for sounding this should be double enforced so that the 1st gate once up will

To flood proof Queensland… we could build houses out of cement and make inside roof the living place so that the flood won’t reach that spot. We can also make the roof shaped like a wave so that roof will make the water go over the building and back to a different spot.

Live on hills! Queenslanders

As each new development is designed, design in mind with electricity and major infrastructure i.e.- plant rooms for buildings on middle or top floors instead of underground car parks and schools and hospitals on hills or higher ground. (flood markers on houses)

An idea outside the box, capturing the imagination of young architects minds and combining it with the Brisbane flood crisis to create a better environment for the victims. This design proposes an idea to preserve the precious belongings of flood victims as well as allow people to navigate effectively during flood times.

Accept that sometimes life is cruel, random and hard. What went wrong was it simply rained too much.

Ministerial Responsibility

Giant Bubbles

Floating house. House in the sky supported by trees.

Retro-fitting design and planning practices to work with what we have.

When it detects a dickhead trying to drive through flood waters, it knocks them out, chucks on the breaks and sets up a road block.

Space ships carting the water to Mars to transform the planet so that we can inhabit that place, start all over.

- Permeable pavements - Water/rain into table water - Re-organize urban planning

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

Build houses that can be in trees.

Tackle Climate Change Now.

Some native plants have leaves that act like sponges, such as cactus. These plants have hardly to no need to be cared for and can grow on their own. If we encourage the growth of the plants around bodies of water or flood affected areas they might absorb a fair bit of water.

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 �

Brisbane River is the major element which has shaped Brisbane city. All the residential blocks, including houses and units with the river view, have always been the most desirable living places in this beautiful city. But the recent flooding in Brisbane has affected these residential areas and at the moment the main concern for buying a house in Brisbane is the flood level. Here is an idea for de

Increase dam capacity

Often ferry terminals are placed in “loose spaces”, or just on the edges of building, often on the edge of a space. They usually have poor flows and if there is any connection it is only to foreshore; there is no connection to the space behind the terminals. The terminal could be used as a way to connect Brisbane with the river, create better connectivity, way finding and better flows. The

- Public fund for emergency-relief like they do in New Zealand for earthquakes. (as a part of tax). - Dont blame it all on the dam engineers. - Educate insurance companies on flooding relief.

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.

Introduce a flood tax for South East Queensland.

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

Berm structure in river to slow the flows.

Accurate flood modelling Making engineers accountable. For the record I am an engineer myself and my house got wiped out in the floods.

1. The idea proposed by Philip Kirsch to put flood lines on power poles. 2. Dont build affordable housing in flood plains

To flood proof Queensland… we need to build our important buildings like houses on hills. The water wont get the houses up on high land

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

Floating City

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