Architects designing for resiliency and recovery

By Jill Lerner, FAIA April marked the six-month anniversary of the initial days of the recovery from Superstorm Sandy. Since October 29th, 2012, numerous activities have taken place at the Center for Architecture to aid in recovery efforts, to assist in guiding the city's rebuilding policies, and to consider how to plan for a more resilient New York and a more resilient region. Resiliency is key to a stable economic future and for lessening the impact of life-changing events on the citizens who live and work here. Not only must we address future storms, but also the issues spawned by climate change and rising sea levels. New York City alone has over 520 miles of waterfront, and the mayor's office has, rightfully, indicated that we are not giving up on waterfront activities. But we must build smarter and be better prepared for future events. In addressing these issues AIANY has developed two significant initiatives that will impact the dialogue, bringing architects' creativity, technical acumen, and design expertise to the fore, to be shared with policymakers and the general public. Both address the post-Sandy paradigm shift in our profession. First is the "Post-Sandy Initiative" report that outlines options and opportunities for addressing four key areas of focus: Transportation and Infrastructure, Housing, Critical and Commercial Buildings, and the Waterfront, offering next steps to support stakeholders and recovery leaders in building back better and smarter. This was developed as a multi-disciplinary compilation of ideas based on charrettes, discussions, and work groups. The conclusions embrace multiple viewpoints by AIA members and other collaborating organizations. The Post-Sandy Initiative notes how the storm revealed major vulnerabilities in critical systems and the key proposals presented are geared toward design professionals, the real estate community, institutional leaders, and policymakers. We hope you will take a look at this document in the coming weeks. Already, we have begun distributing both a short executive summary and the full 40-page document to lawmakers and others, who are impressed with our quick resolve and our ability to prepare and present useful and timely information. Second is the FAR ROC Competition, "For a Resilient Rockaway." On April 16 the Center for Architecture hosted the launch of this city-sponsored design competition along with the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development, AIANY through its Committee on the Environment, and the development team of L+M Development Partners, the Bluestone Organization, and Triangle Equities and Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. The competition seeks ideas for developing the 80-acre Arverne East site into a resilient community by the sea - a comprehensive mixed-use, mixed-income, sustainable and storm-resilient development that will meet the new physical and regulatory challenges of waterfront development while maintaining the balance between design innovation and affordability. The competition is a two-stage process, beginning with an ideas competition and continuing into the second stage with four finalists. A panel of independent jurors consisting of community leaders and industry experts will evaluate the submissions and select the winning entries. Crain's New York Business published a story that provides more details about the design competition and quotes AIANY executive director Rick Bell, FAIA. The Center for Architecture will bring the Post-Sandy Initiative to life and encourage public discussion as part of an exhibition on view from May 3rd to June 29th. Titled Future of the City and presented as a part of NYCxDESIGN, the city's design week, this exhibition documents AIANY's platform of key issues affecting New York's built environment - issues in which the design community can play a critical role bringing vision, expertise, and practical knowledge to bear on the conversation. They were discussed further as part of the Future of the City Symposium on Saturday, May 11th, which featured a moderated panel discussion with four recent AIANY presidents and those architects who are experts in the post-disaster rebuilding effort. We look forward to seeing you on May 11 at the Center to engage with these important issues. Our professional communities are integral to this region's future and I look forward to working together to improve our resiliency and global competitiveness. Jill Lerner, FAIA, is the 2013 president of AIANY and a principal at KPF, New York, N.Y.