The decision to lift a building off the ground is a technical maneuver that requires substantial planning, expertise, and careful consideration. It is a deliberate architectural response to the site's forces and fragilities. Floodplains, wetlands, and thawing tundra share a common thread: Architects reconcile risk and vulnerability through elevated structures. In this sense, it is a spatial response and a structural necessity.
As climate pressures intensify and local ecosystems become increasingly complex, architects from various climate zones are developing a portfolio to showcase the practice of elevating foundations as a response to environmental concerns. From sculptural concrete piers to modular steel frames and from bamboo stilts to helical piles, today's solutions must reflect both engineering ingenuity and sensitivity to the surrounding cultural and environmental context.
