According to Flood Re, a partnership between the insurance industry and the UK Government, there are 2 million people across the UK exposed to 'frequent flooding.' They have a greater than 10% chance of being flooded in the next decade. Climate change and increased flooding are sadly two sides of the same coin. When our practice first started research in the flood sector, the average cost of repairing a flooded home was £22k. This has now risen to £32k. Some good news: 266,000 Flood Re policies were taken up in 2022. If flooded, Flood Re will provide up to £10K in addition to the repair costs to 'Build-back-better,' making homes more secure and more flood-resilient to what will inevitably come. Baca Director Richard Coutts was invited to the Launch of Flood Re's Transition Plan 2023 at the top of the Gherkin last week. Not only for the event but also as an architect, level 40 (building by Fosters & Partners) provides some of the best views of the City of London. It also affords a wonderful view of Lloyds of London by Richard Rogers.Laura Tobin, Meteorologist, and Weather Presenter provided a great introduction to the event and some sobering statistics on climate change. She rallied the audience to keep the global temperature within 1.5 degrees Celsius. At 1.5°C, summer maximum rainfall could increase by 4%. At 3°C, summer maximum rainfall could increase by 7%. Interspersed with dryer spells, the consequences of surface water runoff will be significant. For those considering buying a house soon, please enter your postcode into the EA’s searches.  It will give you an instant indication of the risk from both river and surface water flooding. Avoidance is key. If you can't avoid it, then utilize the government’s flood insurance.Link: https://www.floodre.co.uk​

“This book caught my eye in my local bookshop. First, the cover, and then the title! Picture attached with one of my sketches” says Baca Director, Richard Coutts. Needless to say, the topic resonates, and for those who work in the water sector, urban design, or resilience planning, this will make a very enjoyable Christmas purchase. From the back cover: Giulio Boccaletti - Honorary research associate at the Smith School of Enterprise and the Environment, Oxford University - shrewdly combines environmental and social history, beginning with the early civilizations of sedentary farmers on the banks of the Nile, the Tigris, and Euphrates Rivers. He describes how these societies, made possible by sea level changes from the last glacial melt, incisively examining how this type of performance led to irrigation and multiple cropping, which, in turn, led to population explosion and labor specialization. We see with clarity how irrigation’s structure informed social structure (Inventions such as the calendar sprang from agricultural necessity); how in ancient Greece, the communal ownership of wells laid the grounds for democracy; Greek and Roman experiences with water security resulted in systems of taxation; and how the modern world as we know it began with the legal framework for the development of water infrastructure. 'Water: A Biography' richly enlarges our understanding of our relationship to - and fundamental reliance on - the most essential substance on Earth.’ hashtag#planning hashtag#urbandesign hashtag#research hashtag#environment hashtag#water hashtag#environmentagency​

12% Net Ecological Gain for Former Mineral Extraction Site and Car Breakers Yard Baca Architects have secured full planning permission for an ambitious aqua sports leisure park, hospitality venue, and visitor attraction in the Blackwater Valley near Farnborough, UK. The proposals include: - An aquatic sports center offering water-based activities such as kayaking, boating, and a seasonal inflatable assault course alongside gym facilities and an elevated cafe.- An equestrian center offering stabling, grazing, and schooling facilities alongside overnight guest accommodation for a local riding school.- Floating holiday accommodation and fishing experiences for visiting guests, introducing 'eco-tourism' to the local area.  The site is currently closed to the public. The 16-hectare site, of which 9 hectares are water, is in flood zones 2 and 3, was a former mineral extraction site and car breakers yard. Proposals have been developed in close consultation with both Rushmoor and Hampshire County Council, Heads of Economy and Strategic Regeneration, and the Planning Team.  Despite a challenging set of constraints, the scheme went through unanimously at Committee.  The proposals will promote healthy lifestyles and encourage physical activity, indoor and in-built sports and recreational facilities.  Working with Aspect Ecology, the proposals offer the opportunity for the existing lakes and surrounding habitats to be brought into favorable conservation management in the long term. The proposals will deliver an ecological net gain of 12.45% (Habitats) and 277% (Linear Features). New diverse wetland margins and reed beds will be introduced at three locations within the lakes, and the whole of the smaller central lake will be restored to create a pond and wetland area. Team Client: DrayparksPlanning Consultant: Bell CornwellArchitect: Baca ArchitectsLandscape & Ecology: AspectFlooding: TetratechHighways & Transport Plan: Waterman GroupBREEAM: Scott White and HookinsLeisure Needs Assessment: Avison YoungGround Contamination: Waterman GroupFloating Homes: Floating Homes Limited  #planning #architects #leisure #visitorexperience #ecology #sport #floatinghomes​

“One Planet Living was a concept developed by Bio-Regional when I was a student. It spurred BedZED, by Bill Dunster - the UK's first major sustainable community. It’s a philosophy that has slowly gained traction. At Baca, we developed LifE (Long-term Initiatives for Flood Risk Environments), a body of work that would enable sustainable development and, in Monaco’s case, address sea level rise.” Says Richard Coutts, Director at Baca Architects.   So, when invited to speak at the Royal Yacht Club Monaco, organized by Monaco Marina Management, he posed a simple question to the audience and the club - Could the municipality of Monaco (Population 39,000), including the yacht club (a hub of marine innovation), become a self-sustaining community? Observing the marina, you get a glimpse of the built future: thin film photovoltaics wrap state-of-the-art monocoque catamarans – that use wind as their main source to carry them on hydrofoils across the Atlantic. Among other exhibitors, plans for hydrogen-powered tenders and ecoconcrete sea defenses (reduced carbon in production, designed for carbon capture, biophilic receptiveness). But like most countries and cities - one overriding issue: Monaco has no more space. Its positives include that because of its size, it can change policies quickly and has the financial means to enact change. Within the marina, luxury boats sit primed at 100% charge, but they do not work together, dumping waste energy. To an observer, possibly one of the most beautiful solar arrays on water. Could this flotilla of boats create a unified energy network and either capture surplus energy or use it for the benefit of the wider city? Monaco is also very urban, consisting of many hard surfaces - its roofscapes are prominently flat with little greening. So, there was a discussion alongside pioneers of energy, design, and materials, what is the future of the Smart Marina and could this be extended into smart city design that they sustain. The symposium was hosted by Sir Robin Knox and was great to share ideas with Maarten van de Vorde - West 8, And Nicola Beck - NBax Architecture & Design, Eduardo Gutierrez - On-A, Giovanni de Niederhausern – Pininfarina. Hopefully, these ideas will evolve into tangible deliverables. #architecture #design #innovation #marina #marinaarchitects​

The Avocett III will be the latest vessel to join Baca’s flotilla of floating homes/aquatecture. Located on the Isle of Wight, the floating home builds on the Chichester design (2008) and now features 2 bedrooms plus a sleeping gallery. The sawtooth profile roof is designed to receive solar panels and is supported by a high thermal performance envelope. More images will follow shortly. Due to its remote location, the base cannot be cast in one pour, unlike the Chichester. Therefore, the whole project and modular sizes are dictated by restricted access and what a small team of contractors can assemble by hand. Much of the build will take place on top of the floating platform once that element is built. Construction drawings are underway, and the build will start in spring 2023. #floating #design #floatinghome #aquatecture​

The Busselton Jetty Village and Marine Discovery Centre, 'The Village,' will be ready in July 2023!  Phase 1 will be built 1.7 km out to sea at the end of the iconic Busselton Jetty. The Village will transform the visitor experience, offering something for everyone, including customers visiting the longest timber-piled Jetty in the southern hemisphere, respite areas for our over 100 volunteers, locally sourced, world-class food and beverages to quench your hunger and thirst after the long journey out, as well as a marine discovery centre where you’ll be educated on the wonders of the sea below the Jetty and beyond. If you’re a diver or snorkeler, there will also be a new underwater artificial reef trail that will include unique sculptures and statues, allowing you to see the Jetty from a totally different perspective! The project has $22m of grant funding from: - Australian Government – Regional Growth Fund, Building Better Regions Fund & Parks Australia- The State of Western Australia, particularly the Department of Primary Industry and - Regional Development; and- Lotterywest A project like this doesn’t happen without a lot of hard work. Thank you to the BJI Board of Management, BJI staff, Volunteers, and Project Superintendent for their tireless efforts. Marine Contracting by SubconDesigned by Baca with Perth Architects, Gresley Abas ArchitectsMarine Engineering by Core marine  #busseltonjetty #architecture #design #marinedesign #pier #pierregeneration​

We are pleased to report that Baca has been appointed to design a new marina building located on the tranquil River Stour in the heart of Christchurch. Willow Way Marina is a family-owned and operated marina that has experienced business growth, especially since the pandemic, as boat owners favour staycations, and the existing workshops and sheds have reached capacity. The new building will provide a showroom, chandlery, meeting spaces, and new staff welfare facilities.  #design #business #growth #floodproof #marina​

The whale is making a big splash! Architecture and Design is ‘Australia’s largest commercial architecture, building, construction and design media network’ and have published an article on the new ‘Australia Underwater Ocean Discovery Centre’ designed by Baca Architects; of whom marine contractor, Subcon, appointed as lead architects for the project. A&D wrote:‘An underwater marine observatory resembling a huge whale surfacing from the sea will soon come up off the coast of Geographe Bay in Western Australia.’ ‘Designed by London-based architecture studio, Baca Architects for marine contractor, Subcon, the $30-million Australian Underwater Discovery Centre (AUDC) will be Australia’s largest natural marine observatory on completion. Located two hours to the south of Perth, the new marine observatory will be built at the end of Busselton Jetty, two kilometres out at sea, replacing an existing observatory that has reached capacity.’ ‘From the three designs developed by Baca Architects, the Cetacean design mimicking a whale emerging from the water was selected through a public voting process.’ ‘Construction on the AUDC is expected to begin in the middle of this year, with the underwater centre to open by December 2022. Once operational, the marine observatory is expected to draw more than 900,000 visitors annually.’ ‘The AUDC aims to become the world’s biggest natural marine observatory, complete with an underwater trail and dining facilities among others. Describing the approach to the observatory, the press statement says that guests will be taken ‘through a landscaped sequence from their moment of arrival, where they will leave their car behind in a park graced with rain gardens’.’ Read the full article here​