LOT-EK’s DUNE CO-HABITAT Will Protect Far Rockaway from Future Storm Surges
Say goodbye to the old wooden bungalows, and hello to a new, much more sustainable community. Ever since Hurricane Sandy devastated Far Rockaway, there have been plans to either rebuild it magnificently or leave it alone. The new design from LOT-EK (famous for their shipping container houses) makes it a beautiful community to rival to those in Manhattan.
Aptly dubbed DUNE CO-HABITAT, the 80+ acre plan involves building a community of houses on raised platforms, and using planted dunes as a natural flood defense.
To protect the area, the proposed plan features a series of floodable platforms and dunes planted with vegetation that can filter runoff while also preventing erosion. Additional buffers like coastal scrub gardens would be added between the dunes to further protect the community against rising tides, in addition to providing an environment that supports marine life. The houses themselves are clustered together with semi-private courtyards, and with solar panels installed on the roofs, the community’s dependence on the local grid would be vastly reduced.
The design also offers plenty of options for recreation. For example, if your morning jog is getting to be a bore, you can try canoeing. The LOT-EK plan takes a cue from California’s Venice Beach with a network of seawater canals, so residents can step out of their door and go rowing every morning. The boardwalk will provide a promenade with views of either the ocean or the canals, and when all else fails, surfing is always an option.
The design was developed in collaboration with SCAPE landscape architecture, Sherwood Design Engineers, and James Lima Planning + Development for the “For a Resilient Rockaway” (FAR ROC) design competition.
[Via Inhabitat]
