Over the past few months, the Civic Data Design Lab (CDDL) has participated in Rebuild by Design, an international design competition launched by HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan in coordination with President Obama's Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task Force. Rebuild by Design was launched over the summer with the goal of developing multifaceted, innovative proposals that address the continued threat of climate change along vulnerable coastal regions of the northeast, and foster new ideas and strategies around climate resilience and flood protection.
In September, MIT was selected as one of ten interdisciplinary teams to advance to the next competition phase. Currently, CDDL is partnering with a team of fellow researchers, engineers and designers from MIT and a group of Dutch firms that specialize in disaster resilient design, which include MIT's Center for Advanced Urbanism, Zones Urbaines Sensibles (ZUS), De Urbanisten, Deltares, VolkerInfra and 75B.
Team Presentation
On Monday, October 28, the team presented its proposals to a competition jury in New York City, focusing on vital ecosystems and landscapes located in the flood zones of the Meadowlands (NJ), the western edge of the Hudson river (NJ), parts of lower Manhattan (NY), and the creeks of Brooklyn/Bronx (NY). The team found that these low-lying areas are especially at risk due to the presence of critical infrastructure, polluted land and economically vulnerable residents. Specific study topics included the region's geomorphology, hydrography, transportation systems,utility/power grids, fuel storage and distribution networks, sources of pollution, and residential, commercial and industrial uses. After conducting a regional study, the team identified six key opportunity areas with critical sites for further analysis, concluding that crucial investments are needed along river deltas where rising seawater and urban storm water pose major threats to existing infrastructure and residential populations. In the next phase of the competition, teams will again be selected to develop site-specific proposals in partnership with local stakeholders and community residents.
CDDL is delighted to participate in the competition by assisting with the project work related to spatial analysis, data collection and visualization. Further information on the competition can be found on the Rebuild by Design website. Please check back for updates on the competition.