STUDENT DESIGNS
2021 Nantucket Challenge
Northeastern University College of Arts, Media and Design | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Sara Carr
The Northeastern students designed a two-phased plan that examined topography and temporality and created a vulnerability analysis of their study site through two courses. Students in the Urban Ecologies and Technologies course, an interdisciplinary technologies course studying coastal and upland climate impacts, and the Design Urban Ecologies course, an interdisciplinary studio studying the intersection of social and ecological dynamics, complemented each other's work in Northeastern’s final presentation.
Design by Cassandra Lanson 2021 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Design by Mia Kania 2021 (Northeastern University, Professors Sara Carr and Cullen Meves)
Design by Cassandra Lanson 2021 (Northeastern University, Professors Sara Carr and Cullen Meves)
Design by Alex Renaud 2021 (Northeastern University, Professors Sara Carr and Cullen Meves)
Harvard University Graduate School of Design | Landscape Architecture Department
Led by Chris Reed of Stoss
The GSD studio stepped back from some of the immediacy of the challenges facing Nantucket to understand what was happening in a much broader context. By embracing dynamics and change as a starting point, the team incorporated the inevitability of rising waters into their designs.
Design by Yvonne Fang and Kymberly Ware 2021 (Harvard Graduate School of Design, Professor Chris Reed)
Design by Gena Morgis and Caleb Nash 2021 (Harvard Graduate School of Design, Professor Chris Reed)
Design by Fabiana Casale and Maria Ulloa 2021 (Harvard Graduate School of Design, Professor Chris Reed)
Design by Yvonne Fang and Kymberly Ware 2021 (Harvard Graduate School of Design, Professor Chris Reed)
University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Jeff Carney
This senior architecture studio developed a series of tactical approaches to sea level rise adaptation along Nantucket’s urban edge. On the surface, Nantucket appears locked in time, but the island community has demonstrated a strong capacity for change since its earliest days. This studio searched for, documented and invented narratives of adaptation, built on what the students learned about Nantucket, and what their experience from Florida has brought to the project.
Design by Suzanne Tielemans 2021 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Moises Villanueva 2021 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Celine Haddad, Ana Hernandez, Alex Boucher and Christopher Rubio 2021 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Suzanne Tielemans 2021 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
University of Miami | School of Architecture
Led by Professor Sonia Raquel Chao
The University of Miami team, through their course: Envisioning a Resilient Nantucket (3 credit seminar elective), recommended a holistic building block approach to tackling the increasing climate stressors and shocks Nantucket will face over the coming decades. Rather than a stand-alone project, the team suggested a master plan, composed of complementary and interconnected elements, layered over time, to best serve the residents of the town while catalyzing change in each of the three study areas.
Design by Camila Zablah, Paula Christina Viala, Thomas Long and Tanner Wall 2021 (University of Miami, Professor Sonia Chao)
Design by Camila Zablah, Paula Christina Viala, Thomas Long and Tanner Wall 2021 (University of Miami, Professor Sonia Chao)
Design by Camila Zablah, Paula Christina Viala, Thomas Long and Tanner Wall 2021 (University of Miami, Professor Sonia Chao)
Design by Camila Zablah, Paula Christina Viala, Thomas Long and Tanner Wall 2021 (University of Miami, Professor Sonia Chao)
Yale University | School of Architecture
Led by Professor Alan Plattus
The Yale team’s research began with an “Atlas of Change and adaptation” and pilot projects that were multiscalar extended networks of culture, economy, migration, settlement, mobility, ecology and weather. The team described their process as a spatial framework of adaptation in which they have tried to emphasize that adaptation over time is the project with one of the possible outcomes being some degree of resilience. The concepts that come from this design studio include an insistence in the multiscalar nature of adaptation, the necessity of a multifunctional approach to adaptation and an experimental approach with Nantucket as a laboratory.
Design by Niema Jafari, Xuefeng Du and Kevin Gao 2021 (Yale University, Professor Alan Plattus)
Design by Niema Jafari, Xuefeng Du and Kevin Gao 2021 (Yale University, Professor Alan Plattus)
Design by Niema Jafari, Xuefeng Du and Kevin Gao 2021 (Yale University, Professor Alan Plattus)
Design by Niema Jafari, Xuefeng Du and Kevin Gao 2021 (Yale University, Professor Alan Plattus)
2022 Narragansett Bay Challenge
Northeastern University College of Arts, Media and Design | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Sara Carr
Recent reports show that New England is warming faster than almost any other region on the planet. The Fourth National Climate Assessment highlighted the challenges facing the Northeast region in saying, "Residents in urban areas face multiple climate hazards, including temperature extremes, episodes of poor air quality, recurrent waterfront and coastal flooding, and intense precipitation events that can lead to increased flooding on urban streams." To build with resilience in mind goes far beyond trying to hold the sea at bay, but how to reshape the built environment with both vision and care. With a focus on the area around Providence's Fox Point Hurricane Barrier, this class grappled with the intersection of some of the most pressing issues around coastal cities, from technological challenges to environmental contamination to social equity.
Design by Scarlett Hanks 2022 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Design by Bridget Fish 2022 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Design by Scarlett Hanks 2022 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Design by Nora Masler 2022 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Rhode Island School of Design | Landscape Architecture and Architecture Departments
Led by Professor Anne Tate, Senior Critic Laura Briggs and Professor Elizabeth Herman
In this studio, the students approached the future of sea level rise in Warren, Rhode Island by looking at two scales simultaneously, the urban landscape scale and the building scale, with a goal of understanding not only how to do less harm, but how to build up in a way that has positive ecological impacts and reinforces the existing community.
Design by Tzu-Chun "Austin" Hsu 2022 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Anne Tate and Laura Briggs)
Design by Alex Gonzalez 2022 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Anne Tate and Laura Briggs)
Design by Xuhan Zhao, Ruyue Qi and Andrew Rushing 2022 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Anne Tate and Laura Briggs)
Design by Ruiqing Miao 2022 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professor Elizabeth Herman)
Roger Williams University | School of Architecture, Art & Historic Planning, graduate Architecture Program
Led by Assistant Professor Ryan Ludwig
The aim of the studio was to think holistically about coastal resilience for Aquidneck Island and what it means to consider more than just mitigation and adaptation measures, but also other fundamental systems for resilient living – like food access and security – on an island in a time of rapid change and future instability.
Design by Josue Vides-Erazo, Josh Shaw and Kyle Sheehan 2022 (Roger Williams University, Professor Ryan Ludwig)
Design by Caleb Hayward, Brianna Jodran and Noah Vasquez 2022 (Roger Williams University, Professor Ryan Ludwig)
Design by Olivia Cromer and Laura Griffin 2022 (Roger Williams University, Professor Ryan Ludwig)
Design by Joseph Larue, Rob Rice and Alex Bleiweis 2022 (Roger Williams University, Professor Ryan Ludwig)
Syracuse University | School of Architecture
Led by Professor Julia Czerniak
Within the context of the Narragansett Bay watershed, this studio focused on the town of Warren and the village of Wickford, two historic coastal communities in Rhode Island. Through researching moments of natural and cultural adaptation through time and across scale, traveling to the sites for ground truthing and meeting with local experts and residents, Syracuse students tested a set of design scenarios for these communities to adapt to the challenges of climate change and be resilient to future changes through the lens of architecture.
Design by Troy Schleich and Ruth Shiferaw 2022 (Syracuse University, Professor Julia Czerniak)
Design by Katie Holmes, Raquel Rojas and Zhi Fei Li 2022 (Syracuse University, Professor Julia Czerniak)
Design by Khoi Nguyen Chu 2022 (Syracuse University, Professor Julia Czerniak)
Design by Ruoxi Li 2022 (Syracuse University, Professor Julia Czerniak)
University of Florida College of Design Construction and Planning | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Jeff Carney
Around the world, slow inundation from sea level rise and greater destruction caused by storms are forcing coastal populations to migrate inland and upland. As millions of people face this threat over the next half century, can we imagine accommodating such change through typical processes of housing and community development? Will such adaptation require a radical new approach to the architecture of human settlement? Working with a coastal site in Barrington, Rhode Island, the 7.2-acre hilltop site of a former monastery, this project proposed redevelopment to accommodate people locally displaced by sea level rise and storm surge.
Design by Celine Haddad 2022 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Harrison Ryan 2022 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Nicholas Londoño, Zach Mengel and Daniel Rivero-Gonzalez 2022 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
Design by Kyle O'Quinn 2022 (University of Florida, Professor Jeff Carney)
University of Rhode Island | Department of Landscape Architecture
Led by Professor Richard Sheridan
The spring 2022 URI landscape architecture capstone class was given the task of mitigating the effects of sea level rise and storm surge on Water Street in Warren, a thriving yet threatened area. The challenge was to maintain its economic viability, honor its history and culture while at the same time recommending changes that would disrupt the status quo. Instead of big design gestures, this class treated the street as a jewel box, by designing detailed inlets and marshes using natural systems to protect the community, its values and its infrastructure, including buildings, roads and parking.
Designs by Rosa Adimari, Roger Bissonnette, Michael Bono, Sean Bridges, Joe Colucci, Jason Glynn, Rony Gutierrez, Alex Henderson, Reed Johnson, Julia Kaplin, Zach Nardone, Brooke Pariseau, Maeve Rothschild, Gregory Sanford, Paige Shepard, Elly Soares and Nelson Vargas 2022 (University of Rhode Island, Professor Richard Sheridan)
2023 New Bedford and Fairhaven Challenge
Howard University | College of Engineering and Architecture
Led by Professor Nea Maloo
Howard University’s College of Engineering and Architecture, under the leadership of Assistant Professor Nea Maloo, joined the 2023 Envision Resilience Challenge as a U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon team. The team included graduate students and undergraduate students in architecture, engineering and environmental studies via an extra-curricular 3-credit course. In the April 2024 Socal Decathlon Final competition, “Team Lumina” received the Bonus Award for the Best Innovative Retrofit Design of New Bedford’s former Hillman Street Firehouse.
Designs by Journey O’Neal, Raeesah Amegankpoe, Alyse Dees, Shania Burrus, Trey Turner, Kai Dixon, Jai Blyden, Julian Newnham and Quaran Ahmad 2023 (Howard University, Professor Nea Maloo)
Designs by Journey O’Neal, Raeesah Amegankpoe, Alyse Dees, Shania Burrus, Trey Turner, Kai Dixon, Jai Blyden, Julian Newnham and Quaran Ahmad 2023 (Howard University, Professor Nea Maloo)
Designs by Journey O’Neal, Raeesah Amegankpoe, Alyse Dees, Shania Burrus, Trey Turner, Kai Dixon, Jai Blyden, Julian Newnham and Quaran Ahmad 2023 (Howard University, Professor Nea Maloo)
Northeastern University College of Arts, Media and Design | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Sara Carr
Resiliency cannot be achieved by physical infrastructure alone. In addition to innovative design and planning, it is essential to address hyper-local neighborhood needs alongside broader municipal and regional sustainability goals, establish policy and stewardship programs, and prioritize social justice for vulnerable populations. The literal foundation of these efforts is a thriving, equitable, and inclusive public realm that ensures the safety of communities and strengthens social ties. Northeastern worked with Groundwork Southcoast, the city of New Bedford and other community organizations to envision multiple scales and aspects of green infrastructures for the North End neighborhood.
Designs by Graham Moitoso, Rory O'Connor, Xin Guo and Kevin Nesline 2023 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Designs by Alexis Mazzata, Amy McAllister, Michael Rahtz and Valentina Riera 2023 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Designs by Sandra Akufo, Carly Calder, Sol Tangvik, Kamilah Thorne and Starr Warner 2023 (Northeastern University, Professor Sara Carr)
Rhode Island School of Design | Department of Architecture
Led by Critics Manuel Cordero and Leeland McPhail
The Urban Ecologies studio is the third and final entry level studio in the Architecture Department at the Rhode Island School of Design. In this studio, students explored the form of the city as a designed environment, using various tools to work through observations, analysis and design operations - with a focus on urban resilience and understanding how cities can better serve those that have traditionally been marginalized due to race, physical abilities, economic standing, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. The studio culminated with students developing a complex architectural project that mediates internal and external programs to explore the interaction of a building proposal with the surrounding buildings, landscape, and environment.
Designs by Xinyue "Rachel" Du and Emily Cai 2023 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Manuel Cordero and Leeland McPhail)
Designs by Oliver McGovern, Sojung "Stephanie" An and Sanghyun Roh 2023 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Manuel Cordero and Leeland McPhail)
Designs by Michael Earle, Olivia Boucher and Mara Gemeda-Breka 2023 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Manuel Cordero and Leeland McPhail)
Designs by Tom Hu and Kaimei "Angelina" Zhu 2023 (Rhode Island School of Design, Professors Manuel Cordero and Leeland McPhail)
University of Florida College of Design, Construction and Planning | Architecture Department
Led by Associate Professor Jeff Carney
For millennia, humans have clung to coastal edges, where land and water collide. Minimal or robust, nimble or defensive, we have demonstrated many ways to occupy strategic coastal locations. The Port of New Bedford exemplifies the human relationship with the coastal edge. In recent years the port has balanced its post-industrial economy, a rebounding ecosystem, a popular recreational waterfront, and a thriving maritime economy. But as the ocean warms, seas rise, and fisheries are strained, how can the port adapt? Against the backdrop of the nearly 60-year-old New Bedford Hurricane Barrier, this studio focused on exploration of ongoing Port initiatives as catalysts for a series of alternative port futures.
Design by JT LaVia 2023 (University of Florida, Jeff Carney)
Design by Daniel Rivero 2023 (University of Florida, Jeff Carney)
Design by Marla Stephens 2023 (University of Florida, Jeff Carney)
Design by Ulfa Kun Aulia 2023 (University of Florida, Jeff Carney)
University of Massachusetts Amherst | School of Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning
Led by Associate Professors Frank Sleegers and Samantha Solano
Professor Sleegers and Professor Solano teamed up to bring two exemplary studios to the 2023 Envision Resiience New Bedford and Fairhaven Challenge. Professor Sleegers’ studio focused on developing strategies to raise awareness for the forgotten treasures in the South End of New Bedford through tactical interventions in landscape architecture and public art. Professor Solano's students focused on a regional multi-scalar approach that speculates on disaster scenarios through a landscape response.
Designs by Kaleigh Lin, Madeleine Lombard and Maia Medina 2023 (University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professor Frank Sleegers)
Designs by Kaleigh Lin, Madeleine Lombard and Maia Medina 2023 (University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professor Frank Sleegers)
Design by Zach Delorenzo, Chaitrali Doke and Pavana Jairaj 2023 (University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professor Samantha Solano)
Design by Chandana Palika and Jeffery Taylor 2023 (University of Massachusetts Amherst, Professor Samantha Solano)
University of Massachusetts Dartmouth | College of Visual and Performing Arts
Led by Associate Dean Ann Kim
With the intention of addressing a broad range of issues of sustainability from climate change and the changing coastline to affordable housing through the arts, faculty from a wide range of specialties within the College embedded the Envision Resilience Challenge into their individual courses. The overarching goal of CVPA’s participation was to be the bridge between the organization’s mission with the broader community by highlighting issues in a visual and performative manner that could make them more accessible.
Design by Gabriela Dias 2023 (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Professor Jess Worby)
Design by Ethan Moyer 2023 (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Professor Jess Worby)
Design by Kyra Davenport 2023 (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Professor Jess Worby)
Design by Meghan Camarao 2023 (University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Professor Jess Worby)
University of Virginia | School of Landscape Architecture
Led by Associate Professor Michael Luegering
The UVA team focused on the role of designed migration in coastal adaptation across several zones of Fairhaven. The landscapes of Sconticut Neck, West Island and the adjacent bays have seen immense change over the centuries and are poised for even greater change as the realities of sea level rise, saltwater infiltration and storms mingle with housing, public safety and the complexities of coastal property ownership in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The team sought to study how to design optimistically and strategically for an uncertain future, and how to envision the migration of private landowners in concert with natural systems.
Designs by Christopher Parschalk 2023 (University of Virginia, Professor Michael Luegering)
Designs by Pandora Zhang 2023 (University of Virginia, Professor Michael Luegering)
Designs by Vishal Jayan 2023 (University of Virginia, Professor Michael Luegering)
Designs by Emma Potter 2023 (University of Virginia, Professor Michael Luegering)