Connection
The spaces we take for granted: And the essential resource for our health and wellbeing Let’s talk about water – it is one of the primary resources through which climate change noticeably impacts us. Increased temperatures and variable weather patterns are affecting water availability and distribution across the globe. Water is vital for our ecosystems, infrastructure, and human use. But humans need water for more than just consumption; it provides environmental and recreational benefits that influence our wellbeing. I recently reflected on how water affects the built environment and began to understand why water should be an integral variable in the conversations architects and engineers have on the topic of sustainable and resilient design. I have always gravitated towards being close to water. I grew up on a lake, attended a college whose campus embraced the Tennessee River, and now live in a city that boasts about having both lake and river resources accessible to the public. Studies have found that being “near, in, on or under water for any amount of time is good for our mental health,” 1 which could be the reason why I am joyful when I am at the water’s edge. But when it comes to climate change, the water’s edge is vulnerable, and the land we inhabit at that edge is continually threatened by the rise and fall of sea, lake and river levels.
“Water is, in fact, why Chicago exists... But the same waters that gave life to the city threaten it today.” - Dan Egan, author of “The Death and Life of the Great Lakes”2
and fatigue experienced from quarantining due to the threat of Covid-19. From this, I learned that the availability and accessibility of outdoor spaces, especially those adjacent to water, should not be taken for granted. Water levels on Lake Michigan have been experiencing record highs and lows. It was not until a severe Chicago winter storm in early 2020 that I witnessed the destructive power that water can have on our shoreline. The lakeshore path that I often use
Chicago, Illinois, flanks Lake Michigan - one of North America’s five Great Lakes and the largest freshwater system in the world. The Great Lakes Basin is home to nearly 14,000 miles of shoreline, and Chicago claims home to about 28 miles along Lake Michigan. I moved to Chicago in 2015. As a resident without a car living north of the river, I often spend the warm summer months within an eight-mile path between the Adler Planetarium and Montrose Avenue Beach. Being new to the city, I was surprised to learn that Chicago had beaches. In fact, there are approximately 26 sandy, public beaches sprinkled between the lakeshore path, harbors, and parks along the water’s edge. “Let’s go to the lake” or “Let’s go to the beach” are common weekend plans with my friends once Chicago temperatures climb above 60 degrees. Most importantly during the summers of 2020 and 2021, when bars and restaurants were closed, the lake and surrounding parks were critical resources to alleviate the emotional stresses
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Above: Damage to the Chicago shoreline south of Belmont Harbor before the 2004 and 2008 shoreline projects, courtesy of Chicago Department of Transportation.
