In the contemporary urban landscape, walkability is shaped by the spatial characteristics of the built environment and its ability to adapt to environmental risks, particularly those posed by climate change. This study explores the intersection of walkability and flood adaptation strategies in waterfront public spaces across nine cities in the Baltic Sea Region, analysing their morphological characteristics with a focus on connectivity, accessibility, and climate adaptability. Using a mixed‐method approach that integrates spatial mapping, quantitative metrics, qualitative analysis, and comparative case studies, this research evaluates the effectiveness of urban structure transformations and the introduction of blue‐green infrastructure, floating structures, and nature‐based solutions in enhancing walkability while mitigating flood risks. The findings reveal significant improvements in connectivity, as indicated by extended pedestrian route networks (increases of 6%–28%), enhanced link–node ratios (increases of 24%–39%), and a substantial rise in the number of urban nodes with direct water access (150%–1900%). These results demonstrate that climate‐adaptive urban design not only strengthens flood resilience but also fosters vibrant, walkable, and socially inclusive public spaces. This study provides valuable insights for urban planners, architects, and policymakers, proposing strategies to integrate flood resilience into walkable urban environments. By emphasising the synergy between walkability and climate adaptation, this research advances the discourse on sustainable urban planning. The findings highlight the potential of adaptable waterfronts, incorporating blue‐green infrastructure and flexible design principles, to enhance urban resilience while maintaining public space quality and accessibility.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility of creating a prototype of a self-sufficient houseboat that is capable of prolonged independence from power grids and freshwater sources. In this design, electricity demand is met by a photovoltaic installation, and the energy is stored in batteries. Fresh water for living needs may be obtained from many sources, depending on the environmental conditions, such as through purifying outboard water, desalinating seawater, and collecting and storing rainwater. No waste production of the vessel can be achieved in two ways: waste can be treated and discharged into a body of water, or processed into fertiliser for later use in agriculture. Four possible locations were analysed: Rome, Lisbon, Gdańsk and Stockholm. The findings reveal that the length of time for which the unit is autonomous and emission-free depends on the geographical location of the facility. In periods when there is overproduction of energy, the system can produce hydrogen, donate energy to the grid, use it for the needs of its own movement, or perform other useful work, e.g. cleaning or aerating the water body on which it is floating.

Climate-driven intensification of pluvial and fluvial flooding increasingly challenges lowland cities in Central Europe, while conventional protection and land-use controls offer limited flexibility under growing hydrological variability. A planning-oriented framework is developed and tested to integrate hydro-adaptive housing into climate-resilient urban development using three typologies: elevated foundations, amphibious dwellings and modular floating platforms. The framework links hazard profiles and site-enabling conditions to typology selection and considers supporting blue–green measures within the broader adaptation context. It is applied to three flood-prone settings in northern Poland representing a coastal delta, a river confluence and a lower-river terrace. The methodology combines GIS-based hazard mapping; one-dimensional unsteady-flow HEC-RAS simulations for 50-, 100- and 500-year design events; and parametric structural modelling in Rhino–Grasshopper. Performance is assessed using maximum inundation depth, surface-water retention time, and a probabilistic building damage index. Amphibious dwellings reduce modelled 100-year flood damage by 62% relative to slab-on-grade construction, while modular floating platforms maintain habitability under water-level rises exceeding 5.0 m. In addition, bioretention and blue–green corridors reduce retention time by 18–31%. The results provide a planning-oriented decision logic for expanding adaptive housing options in flood-prone lowland settings under increasing hydrological variability.

Waterfront built environments are increasingly exposed to hydrological variability and climate-related pressures that challenge conventional land-based building typologies. This systematic review examines permanently buoyant floating systems and flood-responsive amphibious systems as water-adaptive approaches to climate adaptation and regenerative waterfront development. Peer-reviewed studies indexed in Scopus and Web of Science were reviewed for January 2015–August 2025, with searches last updated on 15 August 2025. The review combines PRISMA-guided selection, bibliometric mapping of the screened publication landscape (N = 1410), and qualitative synthesis of the core evidence base (N = 63). Regenerative potential is operationalised as credible only where supported by explicit ecological, socio-spatial, governance-related, or performance-oriented evidence, including life-cycle assessment, post-occupancy evidence, ecological monitoring, habitat enhancement, blue-green infrastructure integration, or documented implementation mechanisms. The findings show that floating typologies dominate the evidence base, whereas amphibious approaches are less frequent but more directly associated with in-place flood adaptation. Persistent gaps concern regulatory frameworks, infrastructure interfaces, life-cycle assessment, ecological validation, and long-term post-occupancy monitoring. The review concludes that scalability depends on context-specific siting, institutional permission, regulatory approval, and verifiable environmental performance.