The last we looked at Rebuild By Design, the competition that sought out resilient coastal designs for a post-Sandy city and its surrounds, the competition was just whittling down its top ten from its 140 applicants. Now, six winners have been chosen in the competition that will dole out a piece of the federal government's $4 billion disaster-recovery fund. "You've got to start somewhere," an attorney with the National Resources Defense Council told the Journal, "and this can best be seen as a creative beginning to a long-term challenge." Here are the three designs that will take root, or at least pilot, through New York City proper.
↑ 1) Big U: Bjarke Ingels' BIG designed this sea berm that's receiving over a third of the $920 million dispersed amongst Rebuild By Design's six winning bids. Big U's $335 million phase one will see the installation of a two-mile section between East 23rd Street and Montgomery Street of a 10-mile protective barrier, that will eventually run along Manhattan's east side. As per the Journal, "The first step will be creating an earthen berm 10 to 20 feet tall that will run along the middle of East River Park and FDR Drive and will connect residents to the river by sloping bridges over the highway." The estimated total cost of phase one alone rings in around $1.2 billion. The group hopes the berm will eventually serve as both planted parkland and a protective strip with swimming pools, wharfs and a bike lane, distancing some 50,000 people from the water.
↑ 2) Living Breakwaters: This project will see the creation of a system of breakwaters, or rocky sloped walls, that dissipate the destructive energy of waves along the shores of Staten Island, all while cultivating waterfront ecologies. The project, designed by SCAPE, received a $60 million slice of winnings.
↑ 3) Hunts Point Lifelines: This project by PennDesign/OLIN plans to keep Hunts Point, a major point of food distribution for the city and its surrounds, viable during times of natural crisis through the use of adaptable flood control structures that serve as ecological breeding grounds. The plan also creates marine waterways to keep the area accessible for distribution even during storm time. A pilot program of the concept received $20 million.
For more coverage of the six Rebuild By Design Winners, check out the official site.
· Lower East Side Awarded $335 Million For East River Barrier [TLD]
· Federal Funds Slated For Three City Flood Barrier Projects [NY 1]
· N.Y., N.J. to Receive Nearly $1 Billion to Protect Against Future Storms [WSJ]
· Danish firm wins $335M to build 2-mile eco-friendly park in East Side [NYDN]
· Rebuild By Design [official]
· These 10 Design Proposals Might Save Us From The Next Sandy [Curbed]
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