Comment on “Approaches as a response to sea level rise and flooding”, by Tomonaga Kosaku
Posted on by Fabian Lozano Palomino
Sea level rise is a threat that affects thousands of cities located in coastal areas. Every year, natural events such as hurricanes cause severe floods that are, in many cases, the result of inadequate planning since construction is allowed on potentially flood-prone land without proper provisions.
As Tomonaga mentions, there are different ways to protect cities from floods. To the previously mentioned by my colleague (planned flood, flood-proof structures and hard barriers), we can also mention the natural restoration, which is a form of soft protection that generates a transition zone between the sea and the built areas, that also allows to stimulate biodiversity and introduce a landscape design for these areas (Sutton-Grier, A. E., 2018).
Case study: New York City Coastal Protection Plan
This project includes the creation of a green corridor along the coasts of the city, which combines flood protection with the generation of public space. New York suffered severe flooding due to Hurricane Sandy in 2012 and its geographical location makes it especially vulnerable to the gradual rise in sea level.
The New York plan is an example of urban resilience, which is a term that refers to the capacity of cities to adapt and seek opportunities in the face of potential threats, by generating spaces for the enjoyment of people they reinforce their link with natural elements, especially in one of the most densely urbanized areas in the world.
References:
Architizer (n.d.). The Dryline. Available at: https://architizer.com/projects/the-dryline/
LafargeHolcim Foundation (2016). The Dryline Urban flood protection infrastructure. Available at: https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/the-dryline
Meerow, S., Newell, J. P., & Stults, M. (2016). Defining urban resilience: A review. Landscape and Urban Planning, 147, 38-49
New York City Government (2013). New York City Coastal Protection Plan. Available at: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/sirr/downloads/pdf/Ch3_Coastal_FINAL_singles.pdf
Sutton-Grier, A. E., Gittman, R. K., Arkema, K. K., Bennett, R. O., Benoit, J., Blitch, S., . . . Grabowski, J. H. (2018). Investing in natural and nature-based infrastructure: Building better along our coasts. Sustainability (Switzerland), 10(2).
List of images:
Feature image: http://www.resilientdesign.org/a-dramatic-resiliency-plan-to-transform-new-york-city-the-big-u-moves-forward/
Image 1: https://www.flickr.com/photos/scguard/36564448210/
Image 2: http://www1.nyc.gov/assets/sirr/downloads/pdf/Ch3_Coastal_FINAL_singles.pdf
Image 3: https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/the-dryline
Image 4: https://www.pinterest.com/pin/546554104750702418/
Image 5: https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/the-dryline
Image 6: https://www.lafargeholcim-foundation.org/projects/the-dryline
