Which vessels sink and which ones float? Houston’s bayous are good for more than draining our floodwaters, they are also places for play. The Rice Design Alliance (RDA) knows this and we were happy to attend the second annual Anything That Floats event on April 28 at Sesquicentennial Park along Buffalo Bayou.
Sponsored by the RDA, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the advancement of architecture, urban design, and the built environment in the Houston region, participants were challenged to build a vessel that could float with discarded building materials.
While team members were allowed to bring non-power tools, such as saws, hammers, battery-operated tools, tape, rubber bands, string and nails, they did not know what materials would be available to build their floats.
The teams weren’t given any tips on how to construct their vessels, but were told why some objects sink and float. Three things play a role: density, air and cargo on a boat.
Do you think you could have done better? Let us know how.
