SINKING CITY HMC Architects Xref 2014
Destination - Venice, Italy Venice appears to be floating on water. It is supported by wooden piers underneath the buidlings and walkways
upon the city 10 to 20 times a year which raises the water level up to an additional 43 inches. Storms and flooding have also had an impact on the city. Local jurisdictions have temporarily solved these problems by building a combination of dams in front of doorways, and elevated wooden walkways throughout the city. These constructs are currently used over 200 days per year. Because of rising sea levels, more frequently occurring floods and high tides, and a sinking city, scientists expect there to be not much of Venice left as we know it by the end of the century.
While there are 136 major coastal cities that are threatened by the reality of rising sea levels, the Italian city of Venice is doubly threatened because it is sinking at the same time. In fact, the Scripps Institute of Oceanography in San Diego has determined it is sinking five times faster than previously thought. Rising sea levels, due to melting glaciers, is one of the biggest single consequences of climate change, and this problem will cause these 136 cities to undergo profound changes within the next few generations. It is believed that sea levels will rise as much as 6.6 feet by the year 2100. This makes what Venice is going through an urgent problem. I personally have prodigious interests in architecture, education and ecology. Venice is at the epicenter of these interests when combined with this issue and the Xref mandate to document and bring back information that will enrich the lives of fellow HMC colleagues. My goal is to experience Venice before it is completely changed or even possibly lost. HMC has made an invaluable opportunity possible for me to experience Venice, document some of its past and future changes, and to make that story available to its staff, clients, and countless others.
Geography, History & the Future Venice is actually made up of a group of 118 small islands linked together by narrow canals and bridges in the northeastern region of Italy on the northern banks of the Adriatic Sea. The city is listed as a World Heritage Site and is renowned for its beauty, architecture and art works. It is considered to be founded with the dedication of its first church in March of 421AD. It is difficult to fathom a city 1,593 years old. It is built upon wooden piles in a marshy lagoon, and appears to be floating on the water. Although the wooden piles are not decaying, during the 20th century many wells were drilled into the lagoon floor throughout the city to provide drinking water. This had the effect of accelerating the sinking of the bottom of the lagoon floor that had already taken place from cenThe wooden piers that support Venice from below turies of soil compaction under
the weight of the city. The wells have been banned since the 1960’s but unfortunately the sinking hasn’t stopped. Tracking of Venice’s rate of sinkage officially began in the late 19th century. However early 18th century paintings of Venetian landscapes which depict algae stains on the buildings have allowed scientists to determine that the city has sunk more than 2 feet since 1727. The latest calculations show the city is sinking at a rate of 2mm per year, but this is only half of the problem. Last year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) moderate estimate predicted a 1.2m rise in sea level by the year 2100 due to glacial ice melt. This is a rise of 14mm per year. That makes for a combined rate of 16mm of additional water per year figuring in the both the rate of sinkage and the rise in sea level. Again, this is only the NOAA’s moderate estimate. The highest estimate they considered was over 25mm per year, and that doesn’t include other factors such the possibility of the enormous Thwaites Glacier breaking free; an ice mass of such size would it raise sea levels by over 10 additional feet. But back to Venice and the other things they have to worry about. In addition to the lagoon floor sinking, another concern is that high tides intrude
Elevated wooden walkways are used during high tide for people to get around the city.
Documentation My proposal is much more than a sightseeing trip to Venice, although I will definitely be doing that! My expedition will be twofold: a study of the effects of the water level-related problems Venice is continually dealing with, and an exhibit that will include a reception, report, and educational presentation once I return to HMC.
Of course, experience is nothing unless I can share it with others. Through the use of photography and technology, I plan on documenting my travels and publishing them online to my personal blog and social media.
Based on my calculations (shown on the previous page) using NOAA’s moderate estimate of 1.2m rise by the year 2100, the amount of time for the combined water level rise on a high tide day and city sinkage to equal my exact height equals almost 40 years. Coincidentally, I am almost 40 years old! This means that within my lifetime, at exactly twice my current age, while standing completely upright, I can expect to be fully submerged when standing on the sidewalks of Venice as we know it today. See the next few pages for an interactive illustration of what the future potentially holds for Venice.
Additionally, everything I produce along the way will be made into an interactive iBook that will be available to anyone who is interested. Most importantly, my plan is to present my documentation and research to the employees of HMC in the form of an interactive exhibit, which you’ll read about more in the next section. A portion of the Xref funds will be used for this event. It’s going to be a big deal. But before I get ahead of myself, let me talk about the items that will be documented both before and during the trip: • Mapping To prepare for the trip in order to hit the ground running, I will conduct research ahead of time by mapping the locations in Venice where door dams and raised platforms are currently being used, and where future solutions may be proposed. The final map will be printed out as a large format wall covering and on display at the exhibit. It will be used as a talking point during the presentation. •
• Photographs of landmark Venice architecture – I will photograph several prized examples of architecture and will apply graphical overlays to illustrate the depth of the water in the future (more on this below). They will be printed as large format photographic wall coverings for people to explore while at the exhibit. • My travel experiences and selected photography – I will publish this to my blog as I travel where interested parties can follow along in real time, and I invite you to follow and interact with me there. HMC would be able to provide you with links to my pages if my proposal is chosen.
The Equation After considering different ways to illustrate the effects of the water level problems of Venice, I decided that the best way for people to connect with the problem – to almost experience it themselves – was to use a human unit of measurement. So, I’ve decided to photograph myself throughout the city and use my height of 5’ 8” as a constant datum.
My photographs of significant buildings will show myself standing up against their façades so when I return home I will be able to draw a horizontal line on the image using the top of my head as a guide to illustrate where the depth the water will be in 39.8 years. Along with my ideas about how to make this an interactive experience (which I’ll talk more about below), I think this will really connect with everyone because they will be able to relate to it at a human scale which is unlike anything we can experience in the media, in a magazine, or on the internet. I also plan to take advantage of being in Northern Italy to visit other cities in the region including Turin, Bologna and Milan on my trip. Although they will not be the focus of my studies, they will be an important part of the quintessential Italian experience.
Exhibit ** None of the information in this section will be made available to HMC staff (except for a select few who are on the Xref committee) nor anyone else before the exhibit. In other words, dear jurors, the following information is for your eyes only. Shhh... you have to keep it a secret! The reason for secrecy is that I have designed the exhibit to be surprising and a bit mysterious as I slowly reveal information throughout the evening.
Venice is predicted to be under 5’-8” of water in 40 years. The exhibit I will host will be an evening event in the HMC Ontario office lobby, courtyard and gallery space. All employees will be invited, along with the members of the jury for Xref (you!). I am hoping you’ll be excited to see the outcomes of my trip in person, and that you’ll be able to keep the secret the entire time. The description on the following page is roughly what I hope to pull off.
As visitors arrive, a thin line will be drawn along the inside of the exhibit space as a subtle gesture of the 5’ 8” water level. It will not be labeled in any way. It will be hard to miss, but its intention will not be to stand out. It’s just a hint. The line will establish a mysterious datum that will run throughout the exhibit and presentation that evening. As guests enter the building through the courtyard, they will be handed a party favor, which will be a plastic straw to keep for later. I’m sure this will pique their interest. Once inside, the lobby and gallery space will also have a line at the future water level. A sampling of Italian wines and cheese will be served to guests for a social hour. The large format prints and graphics will be on display in the gallery, and a slideshow of images will be playing in the background while people explore the show and talk.
A thin line will be applied to HMC’s walls during the reception to subtly signify the depth of water Venice will experience in 39.8 years.
I will give a presentation covering my Xref trip that will include my findings and photography. I will also cover my research regarding the rising seas and what it means to the coastal cities we all know and love. During the talk I will reveal the height equation and therefore the meaning of the mysterious thin blue line that runs throughout the exhibit.
I will then ask everyone to pull out their straws and let them know that in 39 years, standing on a doorstep of a building in Venice, they would be completely submerged. They can then use their straws to breathe. I think this will be an impactful way for them to personally connect with the sinking city of Venice and with the reality of rising ocean waters everywhere.
In the physical booklet, this layered graphic shows my silhouette standing in front of a building in Venice with water over my head, using a snorkel to breathe.
me
In Conclusion HMC is offering an invaluable opportunity to its employees with the Xref program. It is my goal to not squander this opportunity, but to make it as impactful as possible both for myself and for my fellow HMC colleagues to do something that I could not do on my own. I am truly excited to present this proposal to travel to Venice to experience the rising seas and the sinking city for myself. Thank you for your consideration.
In the physical booklet, this interactive illustration allows you to see the affects of the sinking city and the rising water. Move the goldolier up and push the building down!