Architectural and structural design strategies for flood-resilient housing: a literature review
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The increasing frequency and intensity of flooding associated with climate change has turned flood-resilient housing into a priority research subject for architecture and structural engineering. This review aimed to systematize the architectural and structural design strategies documented between 2021 and 2026 for mitigating flood risk in residential settings. A systematic literature review was conducted using searches in the Scopus database, complemented with additional reference sources, applying inclusion criteria focused on construction typologies, materiality, structural regulation, and planning tools. The results revealed four broad solution families: elevated and floating typologies of vernacular origin and their contemporary reinterpretation, regulatory frameworks and structural codes adapted to hydraulic loads, digital decision-support and predictive modeling tools, and water management strategies at the lot and neighborhood scale. The discussion contrasted these solution families according to their technical feasibility, cost, and social acceptance across different geographic contexts. It is concluded that housing resilience to flooding requires the integration of vernacular knowledge, structural innovation, and urban governance, rather than isolated solutions.
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