What are the most effective ways to design for sea level rise?

1 Assess the risks

The first step to design for sea level rise is to assess the risks and vulnerabilities of your site and context. You need to understand the current and projected scenarios of sea level rise, storm surges, erosion, flooding, and saltwater intrusion, as well as the social, economic, and environmental impacts they may have. You can use tools such as coastal hazard maps, flood risk models, and vulnerability assessments to inform your analysis and decision-making.

2 Integrate green and blue infrastructure

Green and blue infrastructure are natural or semi-natural systems that provide multiple benefits for people and nature, such as stormwater management, habitat creation, carbon sequestration, and recreation. By integrating green and blue infrastructure into your design, you can enhance the resilience and adaptability of your site to sea level rise. For example, you can use wetlands, mangroves, dunes, and reefs to buffer against waves and erosion, or create rain gardens, bioswales, and permeable pavements to reduce runoff and flooding.

4 Embrace flexibility and uncertainty

Designing for sea level rise requires a flexible and adaptive approach, as the future conditions and impacts are uncertain and dynamic. You cannot rely on fixed or static solutions, but rather on ones that can evolve and respond to changing circumstances. You can use methods such as scenario planning, adaptive management, and monitoring and evaluation to design for flexibility and uncertainty. You can also incorporate elements such as modular structures, movable barriers, and adaptive landscapes that can adjust to different levels of sea level rise.

6 Learn from best practices and examples

One of the best ways to design for sea level rise is to learn from best practices and examples that have been implemented or proposed by other landscape architects and professionals. You can find inspiration and guidance from projects such as the Big U in New York, the Sponge City in China, the Waterfront Vision 2050 in Rotterdam, and the Resilient by Design Challenge in the San Francisco Bay Area. You can also consult resources such as the ASLA Climate Change Toolkit, the Living with Water Handbook, and the Nature-Based Solutions Database to learn more about design for sea level rise.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?