so how did architects manage to build on this difficult ground without the buildings collapsing. the secret is to be found in simple wooden posts. hundreds of thousands of them were driven into the bed of the lagoon. at depths of 3 to 8 meters below the surface architects had discovered a layer of sedimentary clay known as kind and told beneath the mud. like driving the posts into this layer of clay a stable building foundation was made possible. civil engineer dino chee morley explains the principle was the pilot would be to in order to stabilize the building substrate piles were driven into the bed in each area. if sufficient piles are used in the areas then so that with water the mud between the piles becomes compressed and thus more stable than everything outside the area that high also keep everything together and prevent the substrate from being washed out that's the