Resilience Case Study: Coast

This research project examined the coastal resilience of a waterfront park in New York City five years after opening.  The study focused on understanding how elements of the design and construction of Hunter’s Point South Waterfront Park phase 1 contributed to a high level of resilience during and after Hurricane Sandy, especially related to coastal flooding, storm surge, and heavy rains.  In addition, the study generated metrics in order to understand the social and economic benefits of the park.  Team members utilized drone-captured still photography and video taken over the course of a day, on-site hand tabulated data, interviews, storm surge models, and hydrodynamic modeling to analyze the site and usage.  Part of the investigation was conducted with researchers from Penn State University and funded by the Landscape Architecture Foundation’s Landscape Performance Series through a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Arts Works grant.  Funding also came from the Patrick T. Curran Fellowship.  The project continues SWA’s work on post-occupancy assessment for the fifth year.