Pop Up

Urban flooding is an increasing issue in a world where climates and temperatures are changing rapidly. In response, cities are often forced to establish large, expensive underground reservoirs - with no guarantee that these will solve the problem. However, Pop-Up expands on this existing technology to create something that could be of benefit all over the world. Not only will it adapt to a changing climate, but Pop-Up also suggests an answer to other urban difficulties, such as lack of parking and the disappearance of green spaces.

Pop-Up consists of a building structure that, for the majority of the time, rests below ground. As heavy rains fall and water permeates into the ground, the structure ‘pops up’ into the cityscape “like a cork in a glass of water”. Once the city sewage system returns to normal levels, the water below the structure flows away and the building sinks back into the ground. The design has the potential to be scaled up or down depending on an urban environment’s needs, and turns the intimidating challenge of climate adaptation into a hopeful positive.