Urban blue space: An Architectural exploration into Sea-Level-Rise Resilience and the future of South Dunedin

Due to anthropogenic climate change, sea level rise (SLR) will cause low-lying coastal areas such as South Dunedin, New Zealand, to be permanently flooded, jeopardizing future viability as a commercial and residential community. Using South Dunedin as a case study to test built environment issues, this thesis carried out design research into adaptation strategies for continued on-site occupation with SLR. Exploring the extreme scenario of a transition to a floating suburb, the research examines: retrofitting light-weight buildings with buoyant foundations, adapting larger heavy construction buildings to flood, and explores wider urban design strategies for the transition to a resilient floating suburb. Design interventions had to respond to changing conditions from present day Dry Land, to an Urban Wetland (0-500mm standing water), to the eventual Urban Blue Space (500mm+ water depth).  The project proposal has three design objectives:   • ZC, Zero-Carbon – While climate change is inevitable, mitigation to reduce the severity is possible through lowered emissions, improved building technologies and changes in human lifestyle.   • SLR, Sea Level Rise Adaption – Preparing for and adjusting successfully to the consequences of SLR, which will require radical lifestyle and architectural changes.   • HR, Holistic Resilience – For a community to be holistically resilient it must be able to consistently provide for all 5 human needs (Carmona et al 2010, 134) despite changing conditions. This meant addressing both existing and future challenges.  Adaption and continued on-site habitation is possible if significant lifestyle and architectural changes are embraced. SLR requires a site-specific design response. Successful adaptation requires a holistic multi-disciplinary long-term commitment to a resilient future.