Hydrological Infrastructure: by Alina Gangotra

Alina Gangotra uses hydrological infrastructure as the starting point for a climate-resilient housing proposal in Croydon. The project looks at flooding, food, water and redundant infrastructure as connected design problems.

The key idea is practical: if parts of the city face surface-water risk, housing cannot be designed as if the ground condition is neutral. The architecture has to work with water, storage, ecology and community resilience.

A climate brief rooted in Croydon

The proposal responds to Croydon as a vulnerable urban setting, using a former gasholder tank as the basis for a residential and agricultural model. That gives the project a clear architectural question: how can obsolete infrastructure become a useful framework for future living?

• Rainwater attenuation is part of the project logic.
• Housing is connected to ecological and food-producing systems.
• Industrial heritage becomes a platform for adaptation.
• The scheme links environmental performance with everyday domestic life.

Why hydrology changes the architecture

Flood resilience is not just a technical note at the end of the project. It changes the design brief. The building has to store, slow, filter and redirect water while still supporting people and community life.

That is the lesson for a strong portfolio presentation. Climate language needs to be visible in drawings, sections, thresholds, landscape, structure and daily use.

Architecture Social view

Stephen would encourage candidates to make the environmental decision-making clearer. Employers and tutors do not just want to hear that a project is sustainable. They need to see which decisions changed because of the climate risk.

Next step

Submit your student, graduate or practice project to Architecture Social Showcase if it has a clear environmental or social design story.