Dezeen Wire: "we're advocating other UK architects to design on water," architect Alex de Rijke told Dezeen at the Venice Architecture Biennale this week, where his firm dRMM are exhibiting proposals for floating housing at the British Pavilion.

Above: photograph is by Cristiano Corte

"Our idea was to learn from the Netherlands and show how their ideas might be applicable to UK waterways," he said. "There is no shortage of water in the UK and no shortage of rain, but there is a shortage of housing and a shortage of development sites."

Above: Water-houses in IJburg, Waterbuurt West, Amsterdam

The studio's proposals are for an infrastructure of houseboats at London's Royal Docks, and for the exhibition they present a floating terrace with an outboard engine and plastic floats.

Above, left to right: Alex de Rijke, Merlin Eayrs and Isabel Pietri of dRMM, photographed by Valerie Bennett

Named The Dutch Way, the project is one of ten on show for the British Pavilion's Venice Takeaway exhibition, which showcases ideas for British architecture brought back from other countries around the world by teams of 'explorers'. Read the brief in our earlier story.

Alex de Rijke is also now dean of architecture at London's Royal College of Art and gave us a tour of the end of year show plus outlined his new direction for the course earlier this summer.

See all our stories about the biennale here, including an interview with director David Chipperfield and our pick of the five best pavilions.

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Above: Data Harvest by Christopher Green

Professor of Architecture Alex de Rijke introduces the course and presents student Louis Hall's investigation into the way cities develop around motorway infrastructure and the effects major corporations might have on the built environment.

Above: HOT-el by Amanda Callaghan

De Rijke also talks about Haiwai Xie's model for low-rise, high-density living in London modelled on a Chinese neighbourhood.

Above: Good Intentions by Louis Hall

Student Christopher Green describes his design for a high-rise office building that would cultivate insects both as a sustainable food source and a method for storing data within the structure.

Above: 'BRIC' house by Haiwai Xie

De Rijke, of UK firm dRMM, took over as dean of the School of Architecture in September 2011 following the retirement of Nigel Coates, as reported on Dezeen Wire.

The show continues until 1 July and you can see all our stories about the work exhibited here, plus tours of Design Products, Design Interactions and Innovation Design Engineering.

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