Staying afloat

Abstract

For millions of people around the world, the consequences of climate change will become increasingly evident and increasingly devastating. Climate change requires us to fundamentally reconsider where and how we live as a society; it demands that we reinvent infrastructure and architectural design to meet the more variable conditions we may face in the future - Bergdoll, 2011.

As an island nation not only do we dwell by the sea, we rely upon it for survival. It is our traditional source of sustenance, our desired source of recreation, our provider of industry. With so much of New Zealand’s urban development and infrastructure located on the coast, climate change threatens the society of culture and tradition we have worked to establish. In our uncertain future we are subject to the loss of homes, businesses, biodiversity, and precious resources. Sea level rise and stronger climatic episodes limit the ability of local people to access the sea, whether for necessity or retreat. How do I design resilient coastal architecture to protect critical infrastructure and enable access to local resources, in the wake of climate change?