Flooded Futures

The Mekong delta has been characterized by linear settlement patterns in relation to its waterways since the beginning of civilization. But rapid urban development over past decades has resulted in drastic changes of settlement patterns, to which Chau Doc forms no exception. Today, the fertile landscape and hydrological system of the delta are destroyed through generic development and landfill. But this remains a temporary solution since global warming is causing more extreme weather events, threatening the city with severe inundation. How can urbanization reconnect with water and flooding?

By mapping traditional water-based living around Chau Doc, this project rethinks urban expansion as a dynamic response to the landscape of the Delta. Through analysis, the site is understood as a superposition of four distinctive dynamic ‘lines of development’ in relation to its waterways. Instead of following a rigid superblock model, the design reimagines each line in a unique way which embraces the dynamics of the natural lowlands. The site is reimagined as a basin enclosed by four dikes, which functions as a large rainwater catchment basin for the city. Stormwater of the existing impermeable city center is redirected towards the basin to adapt to future expected flash floods. Within the basin, different gradients of wetness, functions and ecologies are created through designing the micro-topography, using traditional and balanced cut-and-fill practices. Depending on seasonality, spaces emerge for fishing (always wet), slow water infiltration (more wet than dry) and agriculture (more dry than wet), integrating traditional ‘living with water’ in a contemporary urban design. For each line of development, the choice between expansion or densification is determined by the unique boundary conditions. When expansion is viable, new housing typologies are introduced, corresponding to the gradients of wetness: floating houses where it is always wet, and Urban Piers in seasonally flooded areas. These new typologies weave into and branch out from the existing urban fabric, giving the middle of the basin back to nature. Overall, the project enhances biodiversity and adds novel social infrastructure on multiple scales. The entire basin creates a large natural space in the city, and the urban pier fosters communal dynamics typical for daily Vietnamese life.