Building Flood Resilience through Low-Rise House Types

Abstract

The climate crisis and rapid urbanization have worsened the shelter situation faced by vulnerable, low-income households living in historically redlined informal settlements, where basic infrastructure and services to support wellness and health are inadequate. Countless urban migrants seek affordable housing in informal settlements, yet these areas are low-lying and prone to flooding. Climate change-induced flooding has degraded the living conditions of about 60% of low-income households in Kampala City’s 62 informal settlements. The research conducted in this area is not preventive; it focuses on urban poverty and the social consequences of marginalization, viewing them as a disease rather than a housing solution. Housing, sanitation, waste management, and flooding are described only in terms of material and structural flood resilience, rather than as solutions involving house types suitable for low-income households living in flood-prone zones. This paper aims to address this issue by proposing housing solutions appropriate for low-income households in flood-prone areas. The area under study is Bwaise III, one of the most heavily affected suburbs of Kampala, situated near a channel called Nsooba-Lubigi, which was constructed by the government to reduce flooding. During heavy rainfall, houses in this area flood up to bed-height levels. Households improvise by building houses on plinths, placing furniture on platforms, or blocking openings to prevent indoor flooding. This study examines the feasibility of developing low-rise housing for flood-prone areas. Flooded houses can have adverse health effects and cause significant property damage. An exploratory and descriptive qualitative approach was adopted for this study. The methods used were personal observations, semi-structured expert interviews, and systematic sketching to investigate housing-related responses to flooding. The findings established that low-rise housing solutions would suit the lifestyles of low-income households, as they often require access to outdoor spaces. Low-rise houses can free up space on the ground for outdoor activities, infrastructure, and services, and they prevent the encroachment of housing on wetlands and agricultural land.