Coastal Resilience: Addressing Sea Level Rise
In this two-part research project, Gensler partnered with a university and industry experts to understand the impacts of sea level rise on South Florida’s built environment, and proposed solutions for sustainably adapting existing and new buildings to a challenging future. The framework for this project serves as an outline to be shared and repeated across the globe in order to build a knowledge base of solutions that can respond to a variety of impacts.
CLIENT
RESEARCH TEAM
Corina Ocanto, Ana Benatuil, Carlos Valera, Corina Benatuil, Viviana Ponton, Shamim Ahmadzadegan
ROLE
Lead Research Strategist
SERVICES
Research Design, Future Casting, Workshop Facilitation, Exhibit Design
What could be possible if cities embraced adapting for their futures with rising waters?
Problem Definiton
With the help of FIU graduate students, our team was able to explore a range of issues presented by sea level rise. Students first looked at the challenges presented by SLR in six major cities, which were developed with feedback from Resilience Leaders located in Gensler offices in those cities. The second semester shifted focus to the City of Miami; students were able to propose how development codes can shift and adapt to SLR through scalable building interventions that integrate into the urban fabric.
Out of the primary research done with FIU, the frame for designing for sea level rise in Miami revealed itself. Three scales of solutions, Urban, Block, and Building are examined under three lenses based on the thesis topics: Water Infrastructure, Mobility, and Ecology.
Solutions Framework
In response the defined issues, the team developed a framework to address each issue at three human-focused scales that build on each other over time to result in a holistic solution at the scale of the entire urban fabric of a city.
Community Engagement
A key part to the success of this research involved engaging the local public and industry partners on the topic of sea level rise in their backyard.
A public exhibit of the student work framed how the past 100 years in Miami have led to the next 100, with contributing content from the Miami-Dade County Officer of Resilience.
The exhibit also served as the setting for an AIA Sea Level Taskforce workshop, where attendees were asked to look at typical site typologies and brainstorm strategies to address frequent flooding and rising permanent water levels.
Impact
This research project focused on creating a possible future for a city under looming threat from sea level rise that retains the vibrant and hopeful nature. To support the firm in meeting climate goals as well as play a role in the city’s sustainable development, we:
Created a resource to be used by Gensler designers throughout the firm facing similar issues in their projects
Started a network of Gensler practitioners to be a resource for future projects facing sea level rise around the world to share experiences and implemented solutions
Workshopped and socialized pathways to implementation through the Miami 21 Zoning Code, including identifying code sections to be modified and key stakeholders to engage