428I_Elizabeth English, founder and director of the Buoyant Foundation Project and Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture episode artwork

EPISODE · May 13, 2026 · 46 MIN

428I_Elizabeth English, founder and director of the Buoyant Foundation Project and Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture

from What is The Future for Cities? · host Fanni Melles

"We can find ways to live with water instead of against it."Are you interested in amphibious architecture? What do you think about the aboriginal understanding of water? How can we live with water instead fighting it? Interview with Elizabeth English, founder and director of the Buoyant Foundation Project and Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture. We will talk about her vision for the future of cities, culture and values, amphibious architecture, indigenous water understanding, and many more. Elizabeth C. English, Ph.D., is Founder and Director of the Buoyant Foundation Project, a not-for-profit leader in amphibious technologies for affordable flood-resilient housing. A Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture, her research focuses on amphibious foundations as a climate adaptation strategy that preserves traditional homes and cultural practices. She works with Indigenous and low-income communities in Louisiana, Canada’s north, Jamaica, Bangladesh and Vietnam. Her background includes extensive research in wind engineering and hurricane mitigation. She holds degrees from Princeton, MIT, and the University of Pennsylvania.Find out more about Elizabeth through these links:Elizabeth English on LinkedInBuoyant Foundation website @BuoyantFndProj as Bouyant Foundation on XElizabeth English at the University of WaterlooConnected episodes you might be interested in:No.282 - Interview with Keygan Huckleberry about disaster resilienceNo.292 - Interview with Anthony Acciavatti about the importance of waterNo.412 - Interview with Louis de Jaeger about the need for natureNo.416 - Interview with Raoul Rugamba about culture in AfricaNo.427R - Thriving with water: Developments in amphibious architecture in North AmericaWhat was the most interesting part for you? What questions did arise for you? Let me know on Twitter ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@WTF4Cities⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or on the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠wtf4cities.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ website where the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠shownotes⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ are also available.I hope this was an interesting episode for you and thanks for tuning in.Episode generated with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Descript⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ assistance (⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠affiliate link⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠).Music by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Lesfm ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pixabay

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428I_Elizabeth English, founder and director of the Buoyant Foundation Project and Professor at the University of Waterloo School of Architecture

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