ADAPTIVE URBAN HABITATS
Storm surge
An ecologically responsive development strategy for Red Hook, Brooklyn, that embraces the inevitability of change, and the many forms it comes in.
$600, 000
“We’ll rebuild it better.
One Red Hook business owner’s damages following Hurricane Sandy
Water level for 2 weeks after Hurricane SandySandy
One thing we’ve learned: sand bags don’t make any difference in a storm like this.”
2300 C.E.
manhattan 69,771 people / sq mi
Proposed zoning changes could revitalize Red Hook
- Mike Horenstein, Owner of Sunny’s Bar
Projected permanent coastline 2020
2030
brooklyn
00
+23
34,917
TYPE
FAR
MAX HEIGHT
M1-1
1.00
120’
1.25
40’
f
0s ,30
6
+
people / sq mi
R5 0
210
BECOMES
red hook
3.00
R6A
9,152
BELOW 10,000
60,000 - 100,000 10,000 - 60,000 SF
Sea levels are rising
Flood Risk: Sandy’s wrath
As the effects of climate change become more prominent, Red Hook finds itself in a precarious position. Catastrophic storm events and recurrent flooding are increasing in frequency, raising questions about the future of Red Hook.
Hurricane Sandy devastated Red Hook. Local homes and businesses were flooded, electricity and other utilities were interrupted, and people were stranded in their homes. Cleanup was costly and slow, and plans for future development were reassessed. The risk of recurrent Sandy-level storms is an issue that must be addressed.
STILTING AIR RIGHTS VERTICAL INFILL
Red Hook matters
Despite the damage wrought by Sandy, Red Hook residents took great pride in their neighborhood and spearheaded the cleanup effort. Resilient locals pledged to rebuild. But how can we rebuild better?
70’
people / sq mi
Opportunity for growth
Red Hook has a very low population density compared to the rest of NYC. Given its close proximity to Manhattan, the neighborhood is primed for densification.
250,000 - 500,000 100,000 - 250,000
ABOVE 500,000 SF
Re-thinking outdated zoning
Current zoning in Red Hook consists of very low F.A.R.s, which lead to low-rise developments that fall within the flood-line. To counter the risk of flood damage, new construction in the neighborhood should be built above this datum. To achieve this, the outdated zoning must be radically rethought to free up significant air-right space.
HOW IT’S MADE WOOD MANUFACTURING + TESTING FACILITY
New buildable space
By revising the F.A.R.s of the neighborhood, existing low-rise structures will gain developable space in the form of air rights. This available buildable space will be used to promote new construction stilting above the existing city.
PRODUCT STILTED KIT OF PARTS
The masterplan for Red Hook’s development begins with the wood production facility. This facility begins manufacturing products that will be used to construct the rest of Red Hook. Temporal pods act as floodresponsive units, which begin to fill in vacant lots around the site. After the zoning is revised, a postand-beam kit of parts allow for dry-construction stilting over existing context. As the neighborhood continues to densify, the stilted structures are eventually connected via a raised internal streetscape, elevating pedestrians over an increasingly flood-prone ground plane. This raised structure acts as a new dynamic ground plane transporting both systems and people. As sea levels rise, Red Hook becomes inundated and slowly returns to its natural state as a salt marsh.
CLT SLAB
GLULAM COLUMN STEEL PLATE CONNECTION
2025
2030
2035
2100
2300 STEEL BRACKET
STRUCTURAL TRUSS
SUBMERGED FOOTING
INITIAL DEVELOPMENT
ZONED FOR CONNECTIVITY
FULLY DEVELOPED BLOCK
PARTIALLY DEVELOPED
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ENVIRONMENTAL
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DRY FOOTING
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HOUSING FACTORY CIRCULATION SHOWROOM/OFFICE MARSH RETENTION POND BIKE SHOP PARKING
S
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SOLAR EXPOSURE
2012
+6.0m
Hurricane Sandy results in 5.0m storm surges, rising above the 1000-yr storm level.
+5.0m
2013
+4.0m
+5.0m
Construction begins on Wood Production facility.
2018
2035
2050
First fully developed stilted block appears in Red Hook.
New zoning laws take effect. First flood-responsive ground floor pods constructed on vacant lots.
2060
100-yr storm now occurs every 20 - 35 years.
Elevated transite line brought to Red Hook.
2020
2065
Temporary bridging infrastructure installed to connect elevated blocks in case of flood emergency.
WATER FILTRATION
PROGRAM
FLEXIBLE AIR RIGHTS DEVELOPMENT
LAYERED MODULAR ASSEMBLY
TEMPORALITY FLOOD RESPONSIVE GROUND FLOOR INFILL
HUMAN
2070
Stilted structures cover entire neighborhood.
2075
All elevated blocks now outfitted with temporary bridging infrastructure. 100-yr flood now occurs every 5 -15 years
First stilted developments begin construction.
2080
2090
Red Hook reaches maximum population density. All ground floors now flood-responsive.
2100
Bridging infrastructure becomes permanent.
Flooding becomes frequent, 100-yr flood every 3 - 5 yrs.
2125
Ground floor buildings disassembled and abandoned. Elevated infrastructure becomes primary occupiable surface.
2175
2250
Earliest predicted submersion of site. Marsh begins gradual encroachment.
Predicted submersion of site.
RESIDENTS WORKERS VISITORS OFFICE VEHICLES
2300
Red Hook returns to its original wetland capacity.
+3.0m
+2.4m = SITE ELEVATION
CORES CLT PANELS
+2.0m +1.75m 100-yr storm surge
+1.0m +0.0m
+0.0m = SEA LEVEL (2013)
2000
2005
2010
2015
2020
2025
2030
INEVITABILITY FLOOD FREQUENCY + SEA LEVEL RISE
2035
2040
2045
2050
2055
2060
2065
2070
2075
2080
2085
2090
2095
2100
2125
2150
2175
2200
2225
2250
2275
2300
SUPERSTRUCTURE GLULAM + STEEL CONNECTIONS
SLABS CLT PANELS
CIRCULATION CLT FLOORS
TEMPORAL UNITS GLULAM LATTICE + SIP PANELS
VENTILATION
GEOTHERMAL HEATING COOLING
CIRCULATION SYSTEMS
INEVITABILITY FLOOD FREQUENCY + SEA LEVEL RISE
VAN DYKE ST
OTS EGO
VENEER/ PLANKS
WOOD WORKSHOP
WOOD WORKSHOP
ST
MEZZANINE LEVEL
CUTTING
DE-BARKING
CLEANING
DRYING
KITCHEN
WOOD WAREHOUSE
DWIGHT ST
GLUE
OFFICES
PRESS/ CURE
SANDING
DIGITAL FABRICATION
FINAL PRODUCTION
DIGITAL WAREHOUSE
DIGITAL WORKSHOP
WORKSHOP MEZZANINE
L1 GROUND LEVEL + MARSH
TEMPORARY BIKE SHOP, SHOWROOM, AND PARKING ENVELOPE A PERFORMATIVE RECREATED MARSH
WILD CELERY
PICKERELWEED
CATTAILS
L2-3 MANUFACTURING LEVEL
BEARD ST
SWEETFLAG
5’ 0’
BLUEBERRY GREEN ASH
15’
50’
THE BUILDING IS AN ASSEMBLY LINE THAT CONSTRUCTS ITSELF
SPICEBUSH DRYING
VENEERING/ PLANING
Production cycle of wood flood-resposive units and stilting kit of parts. CUTTING
DE-BARKING
L4-7 RESIDENTIAL LEVEL (TYPICAL)
UNITS BECOME THE CONTROL FOR WOOD TESTING AND EXPERIMENTATION Units can be reconfigured and joined with an on-site crane to create comfortable living arrangements. At the end of their cycle, they can be deployed throughout Red Hook and re-purposed.
CLEANING
SPECIES
LAND
RESIN/GLUING
STORAGE
STUDIO/ONE BEDROOM
TYPE
OPEN WATER
DEEP MARSH
WATER DEPTH
3’-7’
18”-3’
0’
SHALLOW MARSH
WET MEADOW
6”-18” 0”-6”
SCRUB WETLAND
FORESTED WETLAND
PRESS/CURE
UPLAND BUFFER
SANDING
CNC/ROUTER
FINAL PRODUCTION
STUDIO
TWO BEDROOM
TWO BEDROOM
THREE BEDROOM
THREE BEDROOM
-10’
RESPONSIVE URBAN DESIGN ELEVATED COMMUNITY INFRASTRUCTURE INTEGRATED SITE STRATEGY ADAPTIVE HOUSING The temporal pods begin their lifespan as residential units. The housing on-site acts a testing ground for a variety of material and facade configurations. WOOD MANUFACTURING The manufacturing space is a continuous, double-height loop, treated as an assembly line. The roof becomes the new ground plane for the cyclically changing residential community above.
BLOCK EVOLUTION
2018
2020
2025
2035
2100
2300
THE RECREATED WETLAND New York has lost almost half of its historic wetlands to filling and draining. The courtyard of the building becomes hollowed out to function as a performative landscape, filtering stormwater from the surrounding community and recycling it on site.