REAL ESTATE
Floating government & civic buildings test the future of public space
From offices to schools across the floating economy, cities are experimenting with civic structures on water.
Project Poseidon, UK’s Proposed Floating Parliament. Image by ArchDaily.
As land costs soar, governments and architects are pushing civic life onto water. Floating offices, schools, and pavilions show how The Floating Economy can serve not just commerce, but also governance and community.
Floating Office Rotterdam: Opened in 2021, this is the world’s largest floating office. It houses the Global Center on Adaptation, designed to move with sea level rise.
Floating Pavilion: Commissioned by the city, this domed structure floats in the Rijnhaven harbor and is used for exhibitions, civic events, and climate adaptation pilots.
Makoko Floating School: An award-winning prototype by NLÉ Architects, the floating school served a lagoon community before collapsing in 2016. It inspired future floating civic designs.
Project Poseidon: Gensler proposed a floating, modular parliament on the Thames as a temporary home during Westminster renovations.
Maldives Floating City: The government-backed masterplan includes civic functions, embedding governance and public services in a floating urban grid.
These projects prove civic life can shift offshore. From working parliament proposals to active floating offices, The Floating Economy is redefining how governments and communities organize in a water-based future.
—TFI
The Floating Institute is all about advancing knowledge of the global floating economy.
