FAR Rockaway in New York by Seeding Office

Article source: Seeding Office

Designing an oceanfront development in an area at high risk of flooding is a challenge that combines two different factors: resiliency against natural disasters and the impact of climate change, as well as the pleasure and enjoyment of a seaside life.

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

• Architects: Seeding Office
• Project: FAR Rockaway
• Location: New York, USA

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Data reveals that sea levels could rise at a faster rate than forecasted just four years ago; potentially rising by more than 2.5 feet by the 2050s. By that same decade, there could be three times as many days at or above 90 degrees, leading to heat waves that threaten public health and the power system, among other infrastructure systems.

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For these reasons the City of New York and the community of the Rockaway peninsula have planned to rebuild this vulnerable area of the Rockaway coastline recently damaged by Hurricane Sandy in 2012, with a particular attention to safety, resiliency and sustainability.

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The Seeding Officeís design proposal, in partnership with Biber Architects, Arup, Robert Silman Associates, YR&G and Code identifies a new resilient and sustainable plan that looks at future scenarios without compromising the existing local identity and strong communityís affection to their coast.

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Shapes and forms convey specific meanings that become part of our subconscious understanding of the visual world. Our proposal is driven by a concept that combines all the planning constrains with a use of shapes and design of spaces that present and future generations of Rockaway residents can feel comfortable with and adopt as their own.

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We are not aiming to create an “instant” neighborhood or a ì brand newî neighborhood. On the contrary, our strategy is driven by the desire to create an “indeterminate” design; one that will be shaped by time and engagement of the community with the space. These are not rigid schemes that will predetermine only a selected range of possibilities, but designs that a community can naturally evolve with over time.

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The design of the overarching iconic boardwalk guarantees residents and visitors the freedom of moving, crossing over, cycling, walking, standing, meeting, resting at any point, but above all the opportunity to seize the spaces underneath and create a socio-cultural-economical productive urban element.

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The boardwalk is the glue connecting all the urban and natural elements together: the site to the mass transports hub; the urban form to the beachside; the sport and recreational activities to the residential areas; the commercial and leisure spaces to the existing urban texture.

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Image Courtesy © Seeding Office

Tags: New York

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