Revisiting Riverfronts: Creating Safe Urban Waterfronts That Can be Used Outside of Large Storm Events
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Abstract
Blue Spaces - areas along rivers, lakes, oceans, etc ... - in Urban
Areas have shown to improve pedestrians physical and mental
health. Due to climate change these spaces are in danger of becoming
deserted and forgotten. Rising sea level and stronger
storm systems are causing these urban waterfronts, that were
once destination draws of the city, to become overly engineered
spaces that are uninviting to pedestrians.
Rather than designing these spaces to fight against these storms
by using floodwalls and dikes, which create areas that are inaccessible
to the public. How can we design a waterfront that embraces
flooding and utilizes the waterfront making it easily accessible
for everyone to enjoy? Creating a space that does not
fight against mother nature but works with her to make our planet
a safer and cleaner place for all. Giving people a more positive
experience and sense of peace with our ever-changing world.
Studying past flood resilient parks for how they designed to
work with our changing climate can help show which ways are
more effective than others. By using survey research to further
explore the psychological relationship between people and water
will be beneficial in understanding of what experiences and
interactions with water cause positive and negative thoughts and
feelings.
Analyzing the findings from flood resilient parks, results from
surveys and additional research into the psychology between
people and water will help in integrating these principles into
the design. This thesis project will be a design that will create
positive interactions with water in Urban Waterfronts threatened
by climate change.