Living with water; an exploration of how a waterfront housing area can be designed with a holistic approach to water

Abstract

The main purpose of this master’s thesis is to explore the topic of housing by water, and how proximity to water could be used as a quality to enhance resident wellbeing while simultaneously handling present and future water-related sustainability challenges. The research questions are: 1) How can a waterfront residential neighbourhood be designed with a holistic approach to water in order to enhance well-being while addressing water-related environmental challenges? 2) How can a waterfront residential block and its dwellings be designed to utilise water as a quality in order to enhance resident well-being? and 3) How can waterrelated environmental challenges be handled and utilised to create qualities in a waterfront residential block and its dwellings? The thesis is structured into four parts. In the first part, a theoretical framework is created based on a literature review of the concepts water access, water and wellbeing, and water management; a review of eight reference projects of housing by water; as well as a review of three study trips to Copenhagen, Barcelona and Oslo. In the second part, nine design strategies – three for each key concept and three for three different scales; neighbourhood, block and dwelling – are presented based on the theoretical framework. In the third part, the design strategies are implemented in a residential design project by the waterfront in Lindholmen in central Gothenburg. The design project covers the neighbourhood, block and dwelling scale. In the fourth part, the design proposal is discussed in relation to the research questions and design strategies. To conclude, the design strategies support the creation of an environment which can enhance well-being while addressing urban water challenges through a holistic approach to water. The design proposal demonstrates how architecture has the capacity not only to respond to environmental challenges, but also how to use them as a driving force to create qualities which enhance human well-being. The design presents a vision for how water can be integrated into the built environment in various ways on the neighbourhood, block and dwelling scales, thereby creating sustainable environments for living with water.